ADVERTORIAL


Sangers AAH strives constantly to ensure total customer satisfaction for its partners, but is also fully aware that its partners may, at times, have issues that pertain to their own pharmacy business, and so, in order to ensure that the company’s relationship with them is always dynamic and fresh, it is vitally important that we are aware of these issues and respond to them as soon as possible.


‘For that reason, once the market research had been carried out, we assessed our customers’ views and responded appropriately and – most importantly - immediately.


‘With regard to IT, for example, our partners told us that they wanted a more integrated system, and so we are currently working towards implementing a single IT platform which can then offer our partners the communication that they not only expect, but deserve, in terms of stockholding, out-of-stock products and general stock information.’


One of the ‘fresh elements’ that Steven Craig referred to earlier is Mark O’Gara, the company’s new General Manager in Northern Ireland. Mark, like Steven, is totally focussed on driving Sangers AAH forward as a company that’s not just suited to the 21st century, but which has the capacity to continue into the next century!


‘Sangers AAH has a long heritage in Northern Ireland of providing a critical service to the community,’ Mark told PiF, ‘and it is a service, which all colleagues are proud to deliver. Our focus is on delivering the basics brilliantly to ensure that our customers can totally rely on Sangers AAH and that their customers can, in turn, rely on them!


‘Logistically we have an excellent set- up. We currently operate two purpose-built, fully-automated pharmaceutical centres in Northern Ireland and provide a bulk delivery service with a schedule that covers the whole of the province. At present, we process in excess of ten million lines per annum across a twice-daily delivery service in our fleet of state- of-the-art, specially-designed, temperature-controlled Pharma 2 vehicles, which service customers in line with GDP requirements.


‘Our vehicles, which have been described as ‘warehouses on wheels’, were exclusively developed by the company and are specifically designed for 21st-century delivery. Each van has an independently temperature- controlled fridge and an ambient storage area, which not only guarantees the condition of fridge products, but also ensures that the ambient products are protected from falling outside of the required range.


‘Sangers AAH does not simply deliver to our customers, however,’ he continues. ‘We are, at all times, driven by our ICARE values and are focussed on patient safety, and these objectives motivate our daily decision making. Our locally-based customer services team is always on hand to deal with customer queries. We are, to put it simply, offering the combination of access to a national network of supply with local, accessible service. It’s the perfect wholesale mix.’


Recently, partners had noticed an increase in the number of patients approaching pharmacists with health concerns regarding sun-related issues. As a result, Sangers AAH welcomed the arrival of Solero, a high-quality suncare range, which is designed to provide an alternative to branded products.


‘Solero will help to increase pharmacy margins with a range that is already established within pharmacy,’ says Edward Valenti, Category Trading Manager, OTC Wholesale and Marketing at Sangers AAH’s parent company, McKesson UK.


‘With Solero, the company will not only be able to address the needs of patients with health concerns, but our partners will also be able to reap the benefits of this award-winning brand at a price that customers will love. In addition to driving impulse purchasing behaviour with buy One


Meet the CEO


Toby Anderson became McKesson UK CEO in September 2018 and is leading the McKesson UK vision to truly transform healthcare in the UK. Toby graduated from birmingham University with an honours degree in commerce and has studied business programmes at Harvard business School, London business School, Ashridge and Cranfield. In 2018, he moved back to the UK and is now based at McKesson UK’s headquarters in Coventry. Prior to joining McKesson UK, Toby worked for health and beauty retailer A.S. Watson Group where he spent twelve years; latterly as CEO Asia and Eastern Europe, with accountability for £3bn revenue and 3,300 stores including 1,500 pharmacies. A graduate recruit to Sainsbury’s, Toby initially rose through the ranks to lead their petrol business and, later, their online businesses before relocating to Asia in 2005.


PHARMACY IN FOCUS - 9


Sangers AAH does not simply deliver. We care about every aspect of our customers’ business requirements


Get One Half Price offers, the Solero brand is also supported by a consumer-facing awareness campaign and educational tools. The fact that it is a range that is already established in pharmacy means that our partners are removing any risk by stocking a product that’s been tried and tested.’


‘Today’s community pharmacy has to be able to provide all things to all people,’ says Steven Craig, ‘and it is for that reason that merchandising under a strong brand like Sangers AAH is of great benefit to our customers.


‘As Mark says, Sangers AAH does not simply deliver. We care about every aspect of our customers’ business requirements.


‘Staff training, for example, is vitally important to any business. Every business owner knows how important the staff are to the business’ success, and this is especially true for pharmacies, where patients are coming in looking for advice, reassurance and support – services that they would not receive in a supermarket – and so we focus very much on ensuring that staff are empowered to such a degree that they are able to provide patients with the information that they are looking for.


‘The feedback that we have received from our customers on the training that Sangers AAH provides has been fantastic, especially with regard to the fact that they are able to refresh their knowledge while continuing to operate in a busy environment.


The fact that the training is regular and ongoing gives it a dynamic quality that really appeals to the staff and ensures that they remain enthusiastic.


‘Value for money is another major draw for customers. We provide our customers with monthly offers and promotions that are both seasonal and relevant to their pharmacy business. These offers are very instrumental in attracting customers and patients into the shop, and many of our customers have told us that their footfall and overall business have increased since joining Sangers AAH.


‘At Sangers AAH, we are totally focussed on maintaining local relationships. Going forward, our sales team will continue to go out on a regular basis to visit customers - not only to offer our excellent – and expanding - range of products, but to listen to our customers’ views on a range of subjects – from our own offering to issues relevant to the general community pharmacy environment.


‘At Sangers AAH, we firmly believe that, in order to succeed, you need to give anything that you do 100 per cent. We believe in our brand and – more importantly - so do our customers. With Sangers AAH’s support, every pharmacy can strengthen its position in the local community.’


In the next issue of PiF we will introduce you to our NI team so that you can put a face to the names!


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