What Drives Customer Satisfaction

Customers have different ideas about what's most important to them in a pharmacy, based on the type of outlet they most often use. For instance, price is more important to mass merchandise pharmacy customers than it is to those who use independent, chain or clinical pharmacies.

The number one concern across all pharmacy users is that their prescriptions are filled accurately. Among six key drivers of customer satisfaction and loyalty, pharmacy users are most concerned with pricing and insurance issues, professional services and convenience.

In general, customers want a hassle-free experience at the prescription counter, starting with the quick and problem-free acceptance of their insurance plan by the pharmacist. Across a wide spectrum of retail pharmacy channels, most survey respondents also ranked high on their priority list such factors as clear labeling of prescriptions and having their particular medicines in stock.

Executive Summary

Among Other Key Findings

Independent pharmacy customers are the most satisfied with the services their stores provide.
Pharmacy customers generally have low expectations for their pharmacy's Web site services. The most useful feature those Web sites offer to them, the survey found, is the ability to order refills online.
Most patients aren't yet looking to their pharmacies for preventive services. Among those who do, flu and pneumonia shots and blood pressure tests are ranked highest in importance.
Nearly half of respondents rely on PPOs for their health insurance coverage, with another one-third of Americans covered by HMOs. But coverage varies widely among customers using different types of pharmacies.
Despite the widespread reliance on third-party payment systems, respondents saw their average out-of-pocket costs for prescriptions grow another nine percent in the last year, to $46.25.
Computer use varies by type of pharmacy used, with independent customers the least likely to own or use a computer at home. But among respondents who do, nearly three in 10 order their refills online.