Ben Jones reports.
It is an unfortunate hazard of a pharmacist’s job – as with any job in the service industry – that from time to time you may not see eye to eye with a customer.
Angry customers have become such a prevalent feature of public life that they have almost become a caricature of themselves. Yet it is important not to dismiss the distressed patient with a wave of the hand or, worse still, have a shouting match with them. Your ongoing relationship with a customer is crucial and it is imperative a pharmacist does nothing to adversely impact on that.
As Numark training manager Yvonne Tuckley explains: “Anyone working in a retail environment will experience angry customers at one time or another, but there is an added complexity in pharmacies because it could be directly related to their condition or medication.
“This is where your knowledge of your customers can be really important, perhaps knowing if they are being treated for something that can make them volatile or understanding that you need to be discreet when talking to them.”
The key to dealing with situations like this, according to one pharmacist, can be summed up in one word: empathy. “The great thing is to empathise with them – to understand what their point of view is and then you can try and take their side by saying, ‘Yes, I absolutely agree with you’,” suggests Alan Kurtz, owner of Fishers Chemist in the Croydon suburb of South Norwood. “I’ve had people come in here who are basically fuming and I’ve taken them into the consultation room – it’s about looking at things through their eyes.”
Experts in the anger management field agree that understanding the customer’s problem can help solve whatever issue they may have.
Mike Fisher, founder of the British Association of Anger Management, contends that coming to terms with the other person’s annoyance is vital to a successful resolution.
“It’s important to look at the bigger picture – this is a customer who is distressed. Realise the distress that the other person is in. Also, shut up and listen! When they’ve finished ranting and raving, you have the opportunity to say something.”
It is vital, too, not to be angry yourself when talking to customers, because that anger will show in your demeanour. As psychologist Abraham Maslow said: “When the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to treat everything as if it were a nail.”
Be sensitive to your own feelings, suggests Mr Fisher: “The big thing is to monitor your own feelings and, if you’ve had a challenging week, be sensitised to them. Thinking about your own issues and using whatever resources you have in your support network can be key.”
If this means talking to colleagues, friends or family to resolve any personal issues you may have, then so be it, advises Mr Fisher.
Comprehension of a patient’s medicines or illness, and why they might bring about an onset of anger, can also be crucial. Ms Tuckley gives advice and an example: “You can take steps to avoid confrontational situations if you know what your customers expect. For instance, some patients who come in for methadone can get very anxious if there is a delay, so spotting them as they come in and trying to help them as soon as possible can alleviate a tense situation.”
Above all, advise those in the know and don’t take things personally. A distinction must be drawn, says Mr Fisher, between anger due to a personal problem with somebody and anger that has its root in frustration because someone is not receiving a particular product or service.
“Remember: don’t take it personally. It’s a professional relationship and most people who work in these [customer service] fields don’t take it personally,” he says.
And remember: dealing successfully with the stressed-out and put-out can be imperative to a successful working relationship with customers. Any pharmacist should heed the maxim: ‘If we don’t take care of our customers, someone else will.’