Training
The Power of Why
Mondays are always hectic. But they are also great days to think about how the new week could be better than the week before. To start off the week,...
What if we could have superpowers? It’s something most of us would daydream about when we were kids. If only we could fly or move at the speed of light the way Superman does, or if we had Batman’s cool gadgets, or maybe even the smarts of some of those evil geniuses. As adults, we […]
What if we could have superpowers? It’s something most of us would daydream about when we were kids. If only we could fly or move at the speed of light the way Superman does, or if we had Batman’s cool gadgets, or maybe even the smarts of some of those evil geniuses. As adults, we refrain from pretending to be superheroes. We replace those daydreams with ones about winning the lottery. But maybe we’re wrong to let those childhood fantasies go so easily. It turns out that facing the world the way our favorite superheroes do, can actually help us find a little bit more success.
So what do I mean by this?
Well I’m certainly not saying you should try to hunt down any radioactive spiders or listen to police scanners in your spare time. But I do encourage you check out this article and watch the linked TED Talk on Power Posing. According to researchers, adopting a pose of power boosts confidence and lowers stress. So if Superman was on to something with his classic stance (Feet wide, chest out, head up, hands on hips) what else can our heroes teach us about success?
Embrace the gadgets – If you think about it, many superhero characters aren’t really superhuman. They just have all of the coolest toys. Similarly, the successful independent pharmacy embraces technology and uses it in the never ending battle to beat the big box store competition. While great customer service is perhaps the biggest tool you have at your disposal in this battle, technology allows that great customer service to shine. What’s friendly interaction without an efficient and easy checkout process? What good is stocking a wide range of front end products if you can’t reliably manage your inventory? Just like Batman wouldn’t have beaten up so many evildoers without his utility belt, Independent pharmacies won’t have the tools they need to succeed without embracing technology.
Have a plan -The plan is an integral part of any superhero tale. First the Villain hatches a plot to bring chaos to the city (or the world). Then the superhero creates a daring scheme to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds. In the real world those insurmountable odds come in the form of competition. A lot of competition. From a lot of different sources. And in order to come out ahead of the pack you need to have a clear picture of where you want to go. What’s the end game? Do you want to open more pharmacy locations? Sell to a new independent owner? Whatever the answer, once you have a goal in mind, you can start to plan the best way to get there. For independent pharmacies, I recommend creating a series of small more easily reached goals. Think of them as stepping stones to get to your final destination. Partner with your technology providers to see what tools they can provide you with to help you meet your goals.
Never Surrender – Our superhero may not always find victory on their first attempt. But they don’t give up easily. Or really at all. Not every new thing you try will be successful. Whether you’re trying out a new layout in your store, or introducing a new service, you may have to try things a couple of different ways before finding the one way that works. Monitor your sales and transaction volumes closely through your pharmacy POS system so that you know what’s having an impact and what’s not.
While we no longer play superhero by throwing on a cape made out of bed sheets and driving our mothers mad, we can all use little fun in our day to day lives. So go ahead, strike a power pose, and then use that confidence to think like a superhero would and take your business to the next level
Karen Deckard came to RMS with a background in retail and customers service, and was initially brought on board as a Sales Assistant and managed IIAS certifications for RMS’s pharmacy POS customers. Today, Karen works as a Customer Success Manager, striving to provide independent and institutional pharmacies with the tools and resources they need to succeed in today’s competitive pharmacy market.
