PHARMA: What’s the future?

PHARMA: What’s the future?

📅08 Giugno 2017, 16:17

In recent years we have written and told regarding almost all market sectors, from footwear to clothing, optics and automotive, to GdO and swimwear.

At the moment, we are acquainting you with the pharmacy world, in worthcoming transformation, but a veritable revolution will suffer in next years.

futuro delle farmacie

As always, the change will be characterised by commercial aspects and needs. Currently the pharmacy represents a contents wider than past. Therefore, not only prescriptions, but also many products for personal care, for well-being besides care of four leggend friends.

However, despite this evolution, which obviously winks to the Anglo-Saxon model, existing for a long time, the choice of the operators is to preserve, rather proudly to show the tradition of a craft that has been the reference point for years in whatever country and city throughout our peninsula.

The pharmacist represents now, as it was then, a benchmark the whole neighborhood  as the doctor, the fireman, the policeman, the parish, also the pharmacist is whom we can rely upon, the person who better knows our pathologies. He’s the person in whom we count on for the treatment of our pains and seasonal diseases, or at worst, chronic ones.

Over the years his work is changing and he has become a specialist in personal care, beauty, veterinary, but above all they are creating many secondary activities and other works enable to make a first level pharmacy and a  landmark for health.

Hence the proliferation of clinics (in partneship or as employee) adjacent to the premises of specialists in the field of physical therapy, analysis, psychologists and cosmetologists.

Our analysis, as experts in the retail sector and directly involved in consulting, will let  reflect about the changements of the pharmacy over the years.

The old apothecary vases and pestles, old scales or ampoules, once work tools, have become objects of furniture and pertaining the past. These are relics to be scrupulously preserved with the obly purpose to present the tradition and the craftmanship of the product.

Not to mention the big counters and shelves that had the function, once again, to host and stock the goods, but today disappearing, as very often the sales take place out of the counter and the automation devices replace the shelves and the storekeepers.
futuro delle farmacie

At this point the reader could ask about the problematics of the sector from the manufacturer until the consumer.

Our “recipes” have some ingredients or keywords:

THE ABILITY TO CHOOSE, TO DISPLAY, TO SELL, TO PROFIT … BUT ABOVE ALL THE ABILITY OF MANAGING!

futuro delle farmacie

Dott. Paolo Zanardi – XT srl

Why the ability to choose?

Exponentially increased the companies manucfacturing medicines, food supplements, cosmetics and health products. Therefore it is necessary to select suppliers, the ability in negotiations and above all to have a business plan in order to organize the spare of right products fit for the every season.

Why the ability to display?

Nowadays the pharmacy tends to have half assisted sales, or totally self service for some products. A modern pharmacy must have a proper visual merchandising policy and a correct window display enable to guide and facilitte the customers. As the products belong to the “cold community” world, the displaying techniques follow the same implementation of the cosmetic or GDO sectors. Many pharmacists are afraid to be compared to these areas, they cannot avoid the comparison and face the challenge. The parapharmaceutical products are available in supermarkets and here, and here nothing is casually displayed.

Why the ability to sell?

Undoubtedly the pharmacy represents a shop and qualified professional staff  stands for competence and will make the difference.

Why the ability to profit?

Perhaps useless question! Maybe so … but it may be interesting to point out that the generic drug market and the so-called “private labels” is increasing despite the important pharmaceutical companies offering less and less attractive profit margins. Then the pharmacist looks for choices suggesting pharmaceutical brands inducing the consumer to perveive the homemade products.

Ultimately, in considering the abilities of a pharmacist it becomes clear that it is no longer enough to be an experienced doctor, an expert trainer or a responsible of human resources, but it is necessary to be a manager as for commercial and administration roles.

Why the ability to manage?

All things considered, in a word, important is the management. And then it is necessary to be a good manager more than a capable pharmacist!

Paolo Zanardi XT srl
by AN shopfitting magazine no.138 ©


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