Cash Management Boosts Pharmacy Operations and Customer Experience

How modern pharmacies use cash management to elevate their game and become customer-centric.

Learn firsthand what the pharmacist and his staff value in cash management systems and why they can no longer function without cash automation.

Successful Cash Management

We are standing in the pharmacy in Vohwinkel, Germany. Winter is imminent, more people are getting sick, it’s peak business hour. And yet we do not feel that stress or hecticness develop in the shop.

On the contrary – we see people leaving the pharmacy with a satisfied look on their faces. And that, even though they are actually sick or feel uncomfortable.

Why is that?

There are two pharmacies in Vohwinkel. They are remarkably contemporary, well-designed, and spacious, with a laid-back vibe. Bodo Schmitz-Urban, the owner, is aware of:

“What customers expect and deserve is competent, friendly advice that takes time to meet their individual needs.”

Schmitz-Urban makes every effort to meet this standard in his pharmacies. Twenty workers are working to ensure that customers are satisfied and receive decent service before they leave.

The Problem

Schmitz-Urban, a pharmacist, tested the entire idea with all of its procedures when the second Falken-Apotheke opened two years ago. Every effort should be made to provide excellent service and guidance. As it happens, managing cash is a major challenge.

“The payment process is simply a process that is completely alien to the consultation and represents a noticeable problem in the contact with the customer,” says Schmitz-Urban.

However, identifying barriers is only the first step; the next sensible step is to remove them. The owner then starts researching cash management options.

The Requirements

It’s clear what Schmitz-Urban needs from a cash management solution to justify the investment: first and foremost, human interaction should be prioritised, with an emphasis on consultation rather than financial gain. Naturally, the system should save time both behind the scenes at the end of the shift and throughout the payment procedure. Next, the time saved can be productively and meaningfully utilised to offer value for the customer. Customers and staff should both feel secure at the same time. In order for the interface and integration to function properly, the solution must be technically compatible with the current merchandise management system.

“Ultimately, a successful cash management system must be understandable and easy to use for the customer from the very first use. The machine must run in the background, because the human being should be in the foreground.”

The Solution

Schmitz-Urban was ultimately persuaded by strongPoint’s CashGuard’s attributes. The two pharmacies currently have seven CashGuard systems in operation, each of which has a coin and banknote recycler. They have now resulted in significant time and cost savings by being subtly incorporated into the procedures and interior design. Pharmacist Schmitz-Urban can fully rely on the merchandise management system and focus on other business areas with peace of mind once the manufacturer has approved all integration requirements.

The system works and comes with everything that the owner had expected from the investment. The customer inserts the coins himself while the clerk hands the notes into the banknote unit. The customer then gets the change automatically and always correctly. For the employees, this means that they finally have more time for the competent advice for their customers – after all, it’s about nothing less than their health!

“Security and confidence in CashGuard are there. It works very, very smoothly and is very low maintenance, I am positively surprised and my expectations were more than fulfilled!”

The Result

Owner Bodo Schmitz-Urban is completely convinced of StrongPoint’s CashGuard. But what do his employees and his customers say?

“I am very satisfied; the system works well. I have noticeably more time to give my clients proper advice. Add to that the hygiene factor, no longer having to touch countless coins all day long.”, says Norbert Kühlenborg, apothecary in the pharmaces.

Likewise, the customers express themselves positively about the advantages. Getting the right change at once makes your visit to the pharmacy easier and you can feel that the employees can take care of you more intensively.

Bodo Schmitz-Urban summarises:

“Our CashGuard system is still a very good investment, which gives me the confident feeling that we are on the right track with cash management. If I had the choice, I would definitely choose the system again, it’s worth it!”