Cash Management in Pharmacies

How modern pharmacies step up their game to become customer-centric using Cash Management.

Hear directly from the pharmacist and his employees, what they value in cash management solutions and why they cannot imagine working without cash automation anymore.

Successful Cash Management: The “Falken-Apotheken”

We are standing in the “Falken-Apotheke” (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?

In Vohwinkel there are two “Falken-Apotheken”. They are strikingly modern and designed with plenty of open space, the atmosphere is friendly and relaxed. Owner Bodo Schmitz-Urban knows:

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

In his pharmacies, Schmitz-Urban strives to fulfill this requirement in the best possible way. A total of 20 employees are busy sending customers home with good service and a satisfied feeling.

The Challenge

Two years ago, at the time of the opening of the second Falken-Apotheke, pharmacist Schmitz-Urban puts the entire concept to the test with all of its processes. Everything should be optimized towards high quality of service and advice. It turns out that cash management is a big hurdle.

“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.

Identifying obstacles however, is just the beginning; smoothing them out is the next, logical step. And so, the owner begins looking into cash management solutions.

The Requirements

The features that Schmitz-Urban expects from a cash management solution in order to make the investment worthwhile are obvious: first and foremost, human contact should come to the fore – with the focus on consulting, not on the money. The system should of course save time, both during the payment process and behind the scenes at the end of the shift. The time gained can then be meaningfully and productively used elsewhere: to create added value for the customer. At the same time, both customers and employees should feel safe. At the technical level, the solution must be compliant with the existing merchandise management system – after all, the interface and integration should work smoothly.

“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

StrongPoint’s CashGuard in the end convinced owner Schmitz-Urban with its qualities. A total of 7 CashGuard systems are now in use in the two “Falken-Apotheken”, each consisting of a coin and a banknote recycler. They have been inconspicuously integrated into the interior design and the processes and have since made for great savings in time and money. After all integration details have been cleared by the manufacturer of the merchandise management system, pharmacist Schmitz-Urban can fully rely on the system and devote himself to other business areas with clear conscience.

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 “Falken-Apotheke”.

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, the innovative owner of the “Falken-Apotheken”, summarizes:

“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!”