Customers are changing

Putting customers first makes good business sense and is what pharmacy has been doing for years. However, different types of customer are emerging and the trends of how they shop and seek advice are changing. This means that you may need to consider whether your pharmacy is still meeting your customers' needs as well as it could.

In-depth research carried out by Bayer Consumer Health among 4,000 consumers¹ identified two particular groups that offer the greatest potential for business growth in pharmacy - we call these anxious investors and assured quick-fixers. Understanding the needs of these customer profiles will help you to sustain your pharmacy business. To find out more about other types of customers who might visit your pharmacy, click the link at the bottom of this page.

Anxious investors

These people:

• Focus on their personal health and wellbeing
• Use online information to inform and educate themselves
• Take a holistic approach to health, and have an active interest in natural products
• Are into fitness, healthy eating and vitamins
• Invest in health outcomes

What might they be thinking:

• I know how important taking care of my health is
• I am sometimes worried about symptoms but can't always get to see my GP
• I want to know what products are suitable for vegetarians

Assured quick-fixers

These people:

• Focus on their career and are financially secure
• Are independently minded, follow a nonstop lifestyle
• Use online information and advice e.g. NHS 111, health apps
• Want a quick, effective solution
• Often shop online

What might they be thinking:

• If I'm not well, I look online first and self-diagnose
• I like to pick up what I want quickly
• I don't have time to wait to see the GP and want to purchase effective medicines right away

Anxious investors

These people:

• Focus on their personal health and wellbeing
• Use online information to inform and educate themselves
• Take a holistic approach to health, and have an active interest in natural products
• Are into fitness, healthy eating and vitamins
• Invest in health outcomes

What might they be thinking:

• I know how important taking care of my health is
• I am sometimes worried about symptoms but can't always get to see my GP
• I want to know what products are suitable for vegetarians

Assured quick-fixers

These people:

• Focus on their career and are financially secure
• Are independently minded, follow a nonstop lifestyle
• Use online information and advice e.g. NHS 111, health apps
• Want a quick, effective solution
• Often shop online

What might they be thinking:

• If I'm not well, I look online first and self-diagnose
• I like to pick up what I want quickly
• I don't have time to wait to see the GP and want to purchase effective medicines right away

Anxious investors

These people:

• Focus on their personal health and wellbeing
• Use online information to inform and educate themselves
• Take a holistic approach to health, and have an active interest in natural products
• Are into fitness, healthy eating and vitamins
• Invest in health outcomes

What might they be thinking:

• I know how important taking care of my health is
• I am sometimes worried about symptoms but can't always get to see my GP
• I want to know what products are suitable for vegetarians

Assured quick-fixers

These people:

• Focus on their career and are financially secure
• Are independently minded, follow a nonstop lifestyle
• Use online information and advice e.g. NHS 111, health apps
• Want a quick, effective solution
• Often shop online

What might they be thinking:

• If I'm not well, I look online first and self-diagnose
• I like to pick up what I want quickly
• I don't have time to wait to see the GP and want to purchase effective medicines right away

‹›

• Do you recognise these profiles in the customers who visit your pharmacy? Download information on other customer types HERE.
• Consider: Have I served these types of customers? How can I relate to these customers? What can I do differently to meet their needs? How can I identify what my customers' needs are?
• Consider: Who are the other kinds of customers I serve in the pharmacy? What do I think is important to them and how well do I meet their needs? Are there customer types I find it difficult to deal with? Who do I see that handles different customer types well that I can learn from?