Do you have a good new customer program?

Here's the problem .....Last time my wife and I moved we had to find a new hair dresser, dry cleaner, auto repair shop, etc.

As we tackled this task I was amazed at how ill prepared these service business were at identifying and romancing new customers.  At the cleaners the attendant was completely befuddled when I asked her about their hours of operation and how much they charged to clean my suit.  

Several years ago, my wife and I stumbled upon a cute diner a few miles from our home called, Nifty Fifty’s.  Mostly because of its amazing curb appeal we decided to give it a try and we were glad we did. The food was good, the prices fair and the atmosphere great.  But the real point here is they also had a wonderful program for first time customers. 

When the server first came to our table, she could tell we were not familiar with the menu so she asked if this was our first visit. When we said yes, she smiled and told us we were going to love it.  How’s that for good employee training?  Next she pointed out a few things about the menu and made specific mention of their soda flavors. Nifty-Fifty’s does not sell Coke or Pepsi products but specializes in making their own sodas with a variety of flavors. They even offer free jars of baby food for those bringing in a baby.  

When she returned to take our order, she handed us a small packet. It contained a smaller version of the menu, a flyer on the history of the diner, a refrigerator magnet and a coupon for $5 off any of Nifty-Fifty’s souvenir items; t-shirts, baby bibs, baseball caps, etc. 

What about you – do you have a formal, carefully thought through and effectively implemented program for impressing new patients?  If not, here are a few suggestions:

• Your staff should be trained to acknowledge new customers; both in the pharmacy and out front. The approach should be personable, well-rehearsed and genuine. 
• They should invite the new customer to take a minute to meet you.  Remember, the personable and professional way you care for people is your most important competitive advantage
• Give them a new customer packet.  A four color brochure telling a bit about your history, clinical philosophy, special services, niche product lines, etc. Be sure to include a refrigerator magnet and other item that makes it easy for them to contact you 
• Have a letter you can mail the new customer a day or two after they visited your pharmacy thanking them for their visit and include some sort of offer that will encourage them to come back soon.  In this letter you can tell them about your Facebook page and invite them to check out your web page and use the web refill feature
• Start a tickler file and give the person a call in a couple of weeks.  Ask them for feedback on how you can improve your pharmacy and inquire if there are special products they’d like to see you stock.  

A program like this won’t cost much and it could help you turn a first time customer into a lifelong patient.  Indeed, a reception of this sort would be so impressive I’d bet that your first-time visitor will tell others about the remarkable pharmacy they just found.