The Pharmacy Post

Reward Your Loyal Customers

Loyal customers are everything for an independent pharmacy. They are the bedrock your business is built on, and increasing their patronage is paramount to continued success. From recommending your pharmacy to friends and family, to not leaking scripts to chain stores, getting their loyalty is one of the keys to keeping your business humming.

We talk a lot about things you can do to get customers in the door, from products to wellness programs, but one of the most effective ways you can keep customers coming back time and again is with a loyalty program. Nearly ¾ of shoppers say incentives impact where they spend their money. By implementing a loyalty program, you can give a little away to get a lot back. Below we’ll go over some ideas for what a loyalty program could look like in your pharmacy.

One of the first things to consider is whether you have a computer system in place that can keep track of points and other customer data easily. If you don’t, you can keep it basic with the tried-and-true punch card system. Every time a customer spends a certain amount of money, they get a punch, and once it’s filled, they get a discount or other reward. This is a low-tech system that can be manipulated, so to protect yourself from counterfeit, buy a custom punch or stamp that can’t be easily replicated.

If you’d like to leverage technology to start a rewards program, the barrier to entry is much higher than a punch card system, but also reaps many addition benefits like collecting and tracking customer data. Then, you can use that information to advertise or make more informed decisions based on the patterns you find. Lots of POS platforms already have loyalty rewards programs built into their functionality, but there are also third party companies like Zinrelo, Fivestars, Spendgo, or Belly that can help get your program set up. Some customers, especially older ones, don’t like having to give out email addresses or download an app that many of these systems require, so you’ll have to judge whether or not your customer base will appreciate something low tech or modern.

Another loyalty-adjacent program you can run is referral rewards. The old adage is an unhappy customer will tell 10 people about their experience, a happy customer will tell one—but an incentivized customer can become a low-cost campaigner for your business. These can be especially effective if you reward both the existing and new customer. In an age where many people automatically go to a chain pharmacy out of familiarity, having customers incentivized to talk about why they like patronizing a local pharmacy gets a conversation you need your customers to be having in the community.

Regardless of what sort of loyalty program you choose, there are two things you must keep in mind: 1) Make it easy to sign up. Any barrier will hamstring your efforts. Offer ways to sign up in person, online, or in an app, so your customers can do it when its most convenient for them. If you plan on offering instant rewards for signing up for the program, having a tablet ready to fill out quickly and easily will increase participation. 2) You can’t quietly start a rewards program. Blast it out, loud and proud. Have your employees bring it up to customers. Put signs out at the counter about what they can get from your program. Post information on social media, or send out emails to your customers letting them know you want to reward their loyalty! By giving the customer a tangible benefit to returning and referring others to your business, you can create a more stable and growing customer base.