ALEXANDRIA, Va. (March 17, 2021) — The National Community Pharmacists Association is pleased to announce that Norland Avenue Pharmacy in Chambersburg, Pa., has earned the 2021 NCPA Innovation Center Excellence Award for Best Marketing/Promotion. This is the fourth year of the NICE Awards competition, which was created to recognize pharmacies for their efforts to enhance their value, promote their services, and better serve their communities. The NICE Awards are sponsored by QS/1.
“Congratulations to Norland Avenue Pharmacy for earning the NICE Award for Best Marketing/Promotion,” said Kurt Proctor, PhD, RPh, president of the NCPA Innovation Center. “The NICE Awards spotlight the best of community pharmacy branding and marketing – the innovations and redesigns that have made promotions more effective and patients’ experiences more rewarding. We’re glad to recognize the Norland Avenue Pharmacy team for how it is embracing social media in keeping patients in the loop about fast-changing pharmacy news throughout the coronavirus pandemic.”
When the coronavirus pandemic caused its patients to quarantine and Norland Avenue Pharmacy to shut its doors, the pharmacy focused on staying connected through social media. Kim Dockman, the pharmacy’s store manager and marketing director, says that owner Wayne Myers and several other employees did regular Facebook Live videos, with several attracting more than 1,500 views.
“Some videos were educational, some were sales focused, and some were just for fun,” Dockman says. “One of our favorites was a video of the staff singing to a Spice Girls song encouraging patients to call in their orders for delivery, curbside, or drive-thru service.”
Facebook has been the pharmacy’s primary communication tool, and the staff made sure it was updated daily. Norland Avenue Pharmacy also sends out 3,000 print and 3,000 electronic newsletters monthly, along with emails.
Dockman says the pharmacy adjusted its offerings according to its customer needs. “We carried masks of all types, made our own hand sanitizer in our compounding lab, and offered free delivery to everyone.” When the weather permitted, they set up an outdoor store alongside the drive-thru lane, so guests could choose masks, puzzles, flags, gloves, sanitizer, and more from the safety of their car.
“Our pharmacy team worked tirelessly to serve and maintained the high level of customer care that our community has come to know us by,” Dockman says.
Norland Avenue Pharmacy was established in 2001. Its products and services include standard retail, compounding, vitamins and supplements, essential oils, CBD, diabetes footwear, medication synchronization, immunizations, clinical consultations, free local delivery, gifts, and a rewards program.
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Founded in 1898, the National Community Pharmacists Association is the voice for the community pharmacist, representing more than 21,000 pharmacies that employ 250,000 individuals nationwide. Community pharmacies are rooted in the communities where they are located and are among America's most accessible health care providers. To learn more, visit www.ncpa.org.
