If you are looking for a new pharmacy software solution, don’t just stop at the features.
It’s true that the practical features and capabilities of a software are important - you need to make sure you check everything off your list from workflow customization and inventory management, to clinical documentation and more. However, a powerful software will get you nowhere if you can’t use it successfully.
The quality of a vendor’s customer service will affect how well your pharmacy adapts to your new software system, and how successful you are while using it in the long-term. You want your new software vendor to be your partner - someone you can rely on to help grow your pharmacy and use their product to its fullest potential.
While researching potential software vendors, don’t skip over customer support. It can easily be overlooked in the initial buying process, but according to a Direct Opinions survey, low quality of customer support is a major reason why people are eventually dissatisfied with their pharmacy software. Don’t let that be you.
Why Should I Care About Customer Support?
So why does customer support matter? Here are some reasons why you should research customer support models when choosing a new pharmacy software system:
Maintain Your Sanity
You know the feeling - you’re on the phone, stuck on hold, with no idea when you’ll be able to talk to a real person. To make matters worse, you’re at the pharmacy trying to run your business at the same time. You will inevitably have to contact your pharmacy software vendor for assistance at times, but it doesn’t have to be a dreaded process. Finding a pharmacy software with strong customer service will save you time and frustration, and lead to higher overall satisfaction using the product.
Ensure a Smooth Transition
When installing a new software system, you and your team will be working hard to adjust to the new system and learn how to use it. You need a vendor that will be there for you during the transition process and go above and beyond to set your team up for success.
Prepare for the Long-Term
It’s not just about getting through the initial installation process. A pharmacy software is an investment, and you want to get returns on your investment in the long-term.
You should be constantly learning how to more efficiently use your system, and your software vendor should be there for you along the way to answer any questions and guide you in the right direction. You don’t want a vendor that will help you get installed and then immediately fall off on their quality of support once they have you as a customer.
Have a Partner You Can Count On
You need a partner that is always reliable and goes beyond just answering your question. They should be actively looking for ways to help improve your workflow and teach you how to operate at your fullest potential. It’s important to have someone dependable that has your best interests in mind.
Finding a Strong Pharmacy Software Support Model
Below are some key characteristics of a strong customer support model to look out for when choosing your software system. During the buying process, make sure to specifically ask potential vendors about their support model and get an honest, direct answer. Use this list to guide your questions:
Convenient Hours and Availability
When can you contact your pharmacy software team? Do they have convenient hours and availability that will ensure your pharmacy can reach them whenever necessary?
Specialized Skills and Experience
How qualified are the members of your software’s support team? Having specialized skills and experience in the pharmacy industry will improve the quality of support and advice they can provide you with.
Personalized Support
Will you be assigned a point person that is your dedicated support contact? It helps to have someone who already knows your situation so you won’t have to introduce yourself and describe your pharmacy operations each time you call for assistance. You will also be able to form a personal connection to your support contact, which will increase your quality of service.
Easy to Reach
How can you reach your pharmacy support team? Will you be able to easily and quickly get your questions answered without interrupting workflow?
Large Support Team
How large is your software vendor’s support team compared to their number of customers? Will you be just another pharmacy lost in a sea of customers?
What Do Pharmacists Say About Their Current Software?
Pharmacy Software Reviews is a great place to start your search for a new software system.
Our site is unique because we structure our data in a way that is categorized and easy to digest. It is based on an independent, 3rd party survey of almost 2,000 independent pharmacies, so you can learn exactly what pharmacists think of their current pharmacy software and how each vendor is performing in the market.
On the Comparing Software page, you can learn more about how customer support relates directly to levels of customer satisfaction.
After survey respondents reported their level of satisfaction with their software, they also identified the main factor that influenced this rating.
Customer support was the 2nd most reported influence on high satisfaction, showing that great customer service leads to happy customers. Interestingly, customer support was also the #1 reason for customer dissatisfaction.
Out of all respondents that were currently not satisfied with their pharmacy software, the majority of pharmacies were led to dislike their software due to a bad experience with customer support. For more details on this, read our blog on What Makes People Like Their Pharmacy Software.
Conclusion
Based on these survey results, using a software with strong customer support will set you up for success and will likely improve your satisfaction with your new pharmacy software vendor in the long-term.
When signing up for demos with different software companies, be sure to ask questions about customer support and take note of their answers. Your future self will thank you!
