The final step in this process is to close the sale. This simple step is often left out and this can feel to customers like a sentence that has not been finished. They are waiting for the next step.

Closing the sale requires a simple question after the recommendation, such as, 'Is that OK?' or 'Do you want to buy this?' This gives the customer the opportunity to share any reservations or concerns, which you can then discuss in more detail with them.

When we have closed the sale, we should then provide appropriate advice. This should include: 

• How to use the products 
• What else can be done to reduce the symptoms 
• What to do if the symptoms don't go away or get worse
• What can be taken or done to avoid the symptoms recurring.

Opportunities for customer service

Customers coming in for our advice are the obvious opportunity for providing this level of customer service. However, we should not limit our opportunities to this alone. Customers who come into the pharmacy asking for a product by name may also benefit from ensuring they have the best product to give them the outcomes they want. Similarly, there may be opportunities to provide this customer service with customers who use the services offered by the pharmacy.

By looking at customers' needs in a wider sense we can offer a better service to our community, and also help to make the pharmacy more profitable than before.