Dealing with objections

There may be circumstances when customers refuse to or are reluctant to answer any questions. This could be because they:

• Know exactly what they want, or think they know what is best for them
• Have used the medication before
• Have experienced a “refused sale” before because of inappropriate use
• Are in a rush
• Don’t understand that the questions are necessary or appropriate
• Want to buy a product that you can’t legally sell

Some customers object to being asked questions as they think that they do not require any advice or they have used the product before and assume it is both safe and appropriate. However, as part of the pharmacy protocol you are still required to ask sufficient questions before selling any product or offering advice to ensure that the sale or advice is both safe and appropriate. This can be difficult so it is important to explain to the customer why you are asking the questions. Here are some suggestions you could use:

• I need to understand your symptoms so I can ensure that the product is the right one for you
• I understand you have used the product before but if you are taking other medication it may interact and cause side effects
• I understand you are in a rush but I need to ask these questions to ensure the product is safe for you to take
• The manufacturer’s recommendations may have changed since the last time you had this medication