Principles of Good

Customer Service
Louie Fernand D. Legaspi, MHSS, RPh
PH-PHR 212: Dispensing I
A.Y. 2020-2021
Learning Objectives
At the end of this session, the students must be able to:
• List the principles for ensuring good customer service.
• Provide ways of meeting each standard that patients and
customers use to evaluate services.
• Define and describe the significance and implications of service
failure, service recovery, service criticality, and zone of
tolerance.
• Recommend steps for dealing with “difficult” patients and
customers.

PH-PHR 212: Dispensing I

Introduction
• Patients vs Customers
• ”Good” vs “Bad” customer service
• Early Challenges
• Medications dispensed are negative goods
• Negative perception of price, healthcare professional, or insurance
plan
• Symptomatic and not feeling well
• High expectations of pharmacist due to potential medication errors
• Hectic or busy environment

PH-PHR 212: Dispensing I

 Principles for Ensuring Good Customer Service
Anticipate patients’ and customer needs and wants

Solve patient and customer problem promptly and without hassle

• Golden Rule of
Customer Service:
Treat patients and customers with dignity, empathy and respect
Correct mistakes and apologize when they are made
• “ Treat your customers
as you would want to
Under promise and overdeliver
be treated” (Obarski,
Do work right the first time 2010)
Actively listen to patients and customers
Make patients and customers feel important and appreciated
Help patients and customers understand how your pharmacy works
Always look for ways to help patients and customers

Sources: Friedman (2010); Tipton (2009); Umiker (1998)

PH-PHR 212: Dispensing I

Standards Patients and Customer Use to Evaluate Services
Standard Description How Standard Can Be Met
Reliability Receiving the promised service dependably and Accurate prescription filling and patient
accurately counseling
Responsiveness* Receiving help and prompt service Eagerness to help patients any way
they can
Assurance Knowledgeable and courteous employees who Staff who are knowledgeable about
convey trust and confidence location of products in the store
Empathy Caring, individualized attention; appreciating a Acknowledging the patients may be
patient’s circumstances and feelings without sick, scared, confused, worried, and
criticism or judgement responding to their feelings
Tangibles The appearance of physical facilities, Using spare minutes in the day to wipe
equipment, personnel, and communication shelves or counters; providing
materials medication information that is easy. To
read and understand

PH-PHR 212: Dispensing I

Standards Patients and Customer Use to Evaluate Services
Standard Description How Standard Can Be Met
Friendliness Polite and courteous treatment Friendly and upbeat staff; calling
patients by their name; having
packages ready as patient walks to
the counter
Fairness Fair treatment from service providers Helping patients in order of their
arrival at the pharmacy
Control The patient’s need to have an impact on the way Letting patients know that the
things turn out remainder of a partial fill will not be
available for two days
Options The patient’s need to feel that other options are Ordering products for patients when
available necessary
Information The patient’s need to be educated and informed Patient counseling and patient
about products, policies, and procedures information to take home

PH-PHR 212: Dispensing I

When Customer Service Goes Wrong
• Service failure
• Failing to meet expectations of a patient

• Service criticality
• Refers to the magnitude of the consequences of a potential service failure to
the patient

• Service Recovery
• Attempt to correct the service failure and make things right for the patient

• Zone of Tolerance
• Any level of service between desired and adequate

PH-PHR 212: Dispensing I

 Outcomes of Service Failure and Service Recovery
CUSTOMER
WORD OF MOUTH RETENTION

SATISFACTION TRUST
Information in To switch or stay?
non-commercial way
• Positive
• Negative
Extent to which needs Hard to regain even
and wants are met with strong recovery
efforts

PH-PHR 212: Dispensing I

Dealing with Patient-Customer Complaints
• Customer complaints 8 Principles for Constructively Dealing
are natural with Complaints
• Other venue to lodge 1. View complaints as a gift
complaints? 2. Make it easier for customers to
complain
• Complaints prove to
be a great source of 3. Identify elements of the complaint
information, 4. Thank customers for complaining
innovation, and 5. Sincerely apologize
inspiration 6. Fix the problem
7. Practice prevention
8. Follow-up
PH-PHR 212: Dispensing I
Dealing with “Difficult” Patients
Six-Step Process by Leland and Bailey (2006)
Step 1: Let the customer vent
Step 2: Avoid getting trapped in a negative filter (vs service filter)
Step 3: Express empathy to the customer
Step 4: Begin active problem solving
Step 5: Mutually agree on the solution
Step 6: Follow up

PH-PHR 212: Dispensing I

Preventing patient Conflict and Complaint
• Phrases and Language
• Body language and non-verbal behavior
• Tone of voice
• Pitch, speed, stress on words, pacing

PH-PHR 212: Dispensing I

PH-PHR 212: Dispensing I
References
• Desselle SP, Zgarrick, DP, Alston GL. Eds. (2012). Pharmacy
Management: Essentials for All Practice Settings, 3e New
York, NY: McGraw-Hill; Retrieved from AccessPharmacy:
accesspharmacy.mhmedical.com

PH-PHR 212: Dispensing I