Embarassed Customers

Occasionally a customer may need to speak to a member of the pharmacy team regarding a condition which they are embarrassed to discuss, for example bladder weakness, thrush or piles. People can find these types of conversations uncomfortable because they are unsure of how the person listening will react or worry that a negative opinion will be made of them based on what they say. It can be hard to identify if a customer is holding back from saying something because they are embarrassed and sometimes it can even be a contributing factor for some customers to become defensive or angry.

Remaining professional will instil confidence, whilst using the WWHAM questioning technique will help to open up a conversation with a customer and help to draw out the required information. Reassuring them that other customers have discussed a similar problem with you before can also help break down barriers. Where possible, if the pharmacy has a consultation room or quiet area available and you suspect that the customer is holding back information offer them the option to have a private conversation. It could also be useful to show them a written list of symptoms which the customer could point at instead of speaking out loud to help you diagnose their condition. Where you can have these 'embarrassing' conversations effectively with the customer and offer them advice, you are highly likely to gain a loyal customer. This is because the pharmacy will have gained the customer's trust and consequently they will feel comfortable using the service, wishing to avoid having the conversation again in another pharmacy.