Doctor Blasi, why did automate your pharmacy?
When I started to evaluate a renovation of the pharmacy, it happened that I saw a pharmacy robot in action: I was fascinated! From there I decided to contact some suppliers of automated warehouses, to better understand how they worked and the advantages if installing a robot. Then I decided that I would have a robot in my pharmacy.
What led you to rely on Pharmathek for the automation of your pharmacy?
Among all the companies interviewed, I was struck by the professionalism of the Pharmathek consultant, immediately available and exhaustive in his answers, who convinced me not only of the robot but also of the company’s service.
What has changed since the robot was installed?
Everything!
First of all, I eliminated the drawers: the were occupying too much space and, by opening one or two drawers, they were blocking the passage and the work of the collaborators. With the robot no one hinders anyone’s work. The service is leaner, faster and we have more time to develop a personalized relationship with the customer. A relationship that, I would like to emphasize, is very important, especially in a pharmacy like ours.
What are the main advantages of automation?
The fact that the stock is always under control. This ensures that there is no margin for error in the service, a situation that even before automation was quite rare, but which has now been reduced by 100%. Also, reordering is easier.
Another important advantage is given by the automatic loader which allowed me to free my collaborators from tasks related to warehouse management. This allowed them to have more time to devote to customer service, for example advice on parapharmaceuticals and cosmetic products.
One aspect that I particularly appreciated about Pharmathek robots is their ease of use: I’m 78 years old and I love the robot! Really, learning how to use it is extremely easy, in half an hour you are already familiar with it!
How did the users of the pharmacy welcome the news?
Very well! For the inauguration, I had a poster 12 meters long and three meters high hung in the city with the inscription that our pharmacy was the first in our region to have an automated warehouse. People came from all over the place. It looked like a movie! Of course, I insisted a lot on the scenographic part: I wanted two slides installed instead of one and I wanted to insert a glass wall on one of the sides of the robot. It was worth it.
It happens that some customers told us that, since the children have seen the robot in our pharmacy, they have been playing at home as a pharmacist! A great satisfaction.
And as the pharmacy owner, are you satisfied?
I’m very satisfied. Both at the level of work organization and at the level of economic result: although it is still early to make an economic report, I can say that the turnover has increased. More significantly, not only has the number of new customers increased, but also the number of customers who have returned.
Doctor Luigia Blasi
