When people call a pharmacy they usually require a quick response. Many patients have an urgent need for information and an engaged tone can be frustrating, particularly for the very sick and elderly. Sometimes doctors themselves cannot get through to the pharmacy which is particularly challenging. The top three questions customers ask are advice requests and advice from the Pharmacist, opening hours for the pharmacy and information about repeat prescriptions.
Government funding continues to be cut in respect to this industry; telephony is one area where savings can be made through addressing efficiency and streamlining systems. With over 20 years experience, we have worked with many of the leading pharmacists to assist with improved and cost-effective solutions. Numark, the UK’s largest wholesaler, appointed us as their telephony supplier of the year.
In our experience, the duty to answer the phone is often shared between a number of people. However, these people have other responsibilities in addition to taking calls. In this scenario, calls go unanswered as the team focus on their main tasks, particularly at peak times. The telephone is frequently the shop window of the business and these unanswered calls do not reflect well, and can leave customers feeling upset and angry.
Many pharmacies have enough telephone lines but not enough people to answer them. By converting pharmacies to new telephony systems, we have saved them thousands in call costs, line rentals and improved call efficiencies. If there is more than one pharmacy, our systems allow resources to be shared across sites. This has resulted in greater control and reduced costs even further, which is essential in an area where budgets are being tightened.
Our systems provide detailed call reports so you can track volumes and response rates. They also enable you to carry out call auditing with comprehensive call recording. You can check calls are answered correctly which is of the utmost importance when dealing with medical enquiries. You can identify training requirements through listening to the recordings, and provide constructive feedback to help people improve their call handling.
With Flexible group, you have the option of a small telephony system on site, a hosted solution housed at the local data centre or a centralised system covering your pharmacy network. When you get in touch, we offer no obligation quotes and will provide advice based on your questions.