4 - Principle of Good Customer Service

PRC Board of Pharmacy Resolution No. 23 s. 2021

resolution promulgating and prescribing the Code of Ethics of the pharmacy profession

Focus Area: The Pharmacist’s Patients and Clients

1. A pharmacist places the health and well-being of the individual and the community at the center of the professional practice

2. A pharmacist respects the autonomy and rights of the patient and recognizes cultural differences 

3. A pharmacist cares for each individual with competence and compassion

Challenges to providing “good” customer service 

• medication as “negative goods”

• patients are symptomatic and not feeling well

• high expectations for pharmacy service

• work in the pharmacy can be very hectic

Reliability

receiving the promised service dependably and accurately

Responsiveness

receiving help and prompt service

Assurance

knowledgeable and courteous employees who convey trust and confidence

Empathy

caring, individualized attention; appreciating a patient’s circumstances and feelings without criticism / judgment

Tangibles

the appearance of physical facilities, equipment, personnel, and communication materials

Friendliness

polite and courteous treatment

Fairness

fair treatment from service providers

Control

the patient’s or customer’s need to have an impact on the way things turn out

Options

the patients or customer’s need to feel that other options are available 

Information

the patients or customer’s need to be educated and informed about products, policies, and procedures 

Outcome of Good Customer Service

• Satisfaction

• Trust

• Word of Mouth

• Customer Retention

Measuring Customer Satisfaction

1. Performance evaluation 

2. Affect-based assessment

3. Equality-based assessment

4. Disconfirmation of expectations

8 Principles for Constructively Dealing with Complaints

1. View complaints as a gift

2. Make it easier for customers to complain

3. Identify elements of the complaint

4. Thank customers for complaining

5. Sincerely apologize

6. Fix the problem

7. Practice prevention

8. Follow-up

Six-step process by Leland and Bailey (2006)

1. let the customer vent

2. avoid getting trapped in a negative filter (vs. service filter)

3. express empathy to the customer

4. follow up

5. mutually agree on the solution

6. begin active problem solving