Having opened their doors in June of this year, the team at Keane’s CarePlus Pharmacy in Drumcondra is looking forward to the return of university students this month, promising another boost to their growing customer base in the community.
Proprietor and pharmacist, John Keane, says it’s been an excellent start for his first outlet in the capital, “We’ve had a fantastic summer and we are very lucky to have such a great team and support from the community. Our staff has grown since opening and we now employ five people in this store, which will hopefully expand further in the future.”
The CarePlus Pharmacy outlet, located within a building that also houses Drumcondra’s new Lidl store, is a significant arrival for another reason, too. It’s the first hybrid CarePlus Pharmacy in Dublin, offering customers a digital and traditional experience, and the fifth of its kind in Ireland.
John has plenty of experience with the two formats, given this is his seventh CarePlus Pharmacy outlet. He says the feedback from staff and customers to the hybrid store has been very positive: “I think people are intrigued when they visit for the first time and see a lovely, airy shop with the shelves on one side and these bright, inviting screens across the floor. They’ve embraced the technology and convenience of the digital option. The staff are happy too – the system saves them plenty of time and labour on numerous repetitive tasks during the day. That means their time can be spent getting to know customers, building up those all-important relationships when it comes to offering real understanding and care.”
The journey towards a digital pharmacy offering began in May 2019, when CarePlus Pharmacy’s in-house team began working on innovations to create a new concept for the sector.
The aim was to put technology to work to tackle some perennial problems like errors, operational inefficiencies, date rotation, theft, live stock counts and a feeling that pharmacists could be ’trapped’ and under-utilised when they were standing behind the counter, as well as move the sector towards the digital age.
The overarching belief was that cutting edge technology could be designed to fulfil certain tasks, freeing up staff to do what machines couldn’t, i.e., build relationships with customers and become trusted advisers within their communities.
Two and a half years since the first digital operation was rolled out in County Meath, the concept has proven highly successful for CarePlus Pharmacy. Its latest version uses a software system from Irish tech company, ScreenVend, which offers multiple omni-channel opportunities. The screens and dispensing system are linked to a large Gollmann robot, which brings chosen products to the point of sale via a specially designed chute system. The robot can store up to 20,000 individual items, all of which are accessible through a click on the screen or via the dispensary system.
John Keane says the digital experience has aligned closely with what customers were using in other areas of their day-to-day lives: “Customers were already familiar with online retail and this in-store experience mirrors that, while supporting easy product selection and promoting sales opportunities. The system is designed to recreate an “online” experience in store – and I think it does a great job”.
Whichever type of service customers at the Drumcondra store choose, John and his team are determined to establish a valuable presence in the community: “Being on one of the busiest thoroughfares in Dublin and adjacent to a university (Dublin City University) brings a really interesting opportunity to build loyalty among a younger market. As a group of people, third level students aren’t often very unwell, but they may have needs around medication which helps build the business with them. For many, this is the first time they will be engaging with a pharmacist independently as they enter a new phase of their lives. So, we’ll be tailoring our offering to the health needs that go along with being a third level student, as well as providing advice around health issues if they need it. For example, the government recently announced a free contraception scheme for women aged 17 to 25, so we’ll be on hand to support our customers with that if needed.”
The CarePlus Pharmacy network is also known for providing a wide range of screening around concerns like COVID-19, blood pressure, asthmatic and diabetic care etc., which is useful for a range of demographics. As autumn arrives, John is preparing for a busy vaccination season: “A growing number of people avail of the flu vaccine every year, which is a really positive trend, and we’ll be offering it to eligible cohorts. We will also be keeping up to date with COVID boosters as they’re made available for more people”.
John has been spending time working the pharmacist shift in the Drumcondra store recently, which gave him the chance to really get to know the area, his team and the customers. He’s planning a great event to mark the official opening this month.
“We’ve had a few months to bed everything down here in Drumcondra, the team has got to know each other, and the customers are getting to know us too. We’re pulling out all the stops for our big opening weekend, with plenty of hampers, weekend discounts and special offers, face painting and giveaways. I might even cut a ribbon outside to mark the occasion. We want to make a splash and let the locals know we’re a friendly bunch that wants to look after them, and hopefully we’ll be here for a long time to come.”
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