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Pharmacy assistants will find themselves having to deal not only with difficult customers but with colleges who can be controlling, uncooperative or too passive. They should try to remain in control of the situation and their own feelings. Working with colleagues who continually complain can be annoying but patiently listening to their problems along with trying to develop solutions may help to reduce their complaints. Workers who continuously criticize your work are best ignored or answered in a very professional way. Bullies should be treated calmly and quietly.

It is widely known that body language plays an important part in communication and words are just one aspect of conveying messages to others. For those who meet the public on a regular basis, such as pharmacy assistants, it is important that body language conveys a welcoming and positive message. A translation of some of the basic body language messages is presented.

Empowerment in the workplace gives the employee the power to make some decisions, to be aware of customer needs, seek innovative solutions but also to be accountable for their actions. Pharmacy assistants should work with their pharmacists to initiate an empowered way of working. Empowerment is a more satisfying for the employee and often leads to better customer service. Some people are concerned empowerment will encroach on old style relationships between management and workers.

Vocational learning can be successfully carried out in the workplace particularly if it is carefully planned and opportunities are taken as they arise. The identification of areas which require further development is important and a plan of action should be initiated. Pharmacy staff should take time to talk to customers, read information on product packaging and confer with other staff. They must also review their own working standards and try to remedy problems and mistakes which reoccur frequently.

Treating co-workers, in pharmacy outlets, as customers not only improves working conditions but ensures a better service for external customers. The adoption of an internal customer management scheme makes a much happier and more productive working environment. A worker must be prepared to help others when necessary and perhaps fulfill additional tasks, although they can refuse to carry out any job which is not suitable for their skills. Workers have the right to fair treatment, honest appraisal and to be given support.

Pharmacists need to be able to communicate effectively with customers in order to fully understand the information being given and suggest the best product for the symptoms. Body language and hand signals are a vital clue to providing relevant information about a person's circumstances, with voice pitch also indicating the level of the problem. Pharmacists need to be skilled at listening and coaxing more information without causing alarm or aggression. Better staff communication skills will enhance the workplace and lead to a more productive exchange of information.

A pharmacy worker who invests thought and effort in establishing good relationships amongst the staff will find that the working environment is less stressful, that problems will be easy to solve and that customers benefit from the co-operative team effort. Colleagues will gain self-esteem if they feel valued and secure, if they are empowered, and if they feel part of the team. Ways to build self-esteem and establish positive relationships include giving credit for effort and achievement, acknowledging individual contributions, and working as a team to establish standards of practice.

Telephone calls made on behalf of pharmacy business must have a clear objective which should be established before the call is made. During a telephone call it is important to listen carefully to what is being said particularly as there are no visual clues to help judge the situation. A telephone call coming into the business environment should be answered professionally and in good time. Messages should be recorded carefully and passed on to a colleagues if necessary. A caller should be prepared to use an answer-phone and leave a coherent message.

Pharmacy managers should be aware that it is very important to handle a complaint correctly, as doing so can greatly boost customer satisfaction and loyalty. Managers should regard complaints positively, as they offer the opportunity to improve customer service levels. It is important to avoid arguing with customers who make a complaint, as this can make the situation much worse. The best approach is to stay calm, to ensure that all the facts are understood and to find out what the customer wants.

Many people fail to think creatively because they are too accustomed to following rules and avoiding taking risks. Creative thinking involves breaking away from traditional patterns of thinking and recognising unlikely connections between ideas. Creativity is most effective in short spells, as it cannot really be maintained over long periods. Everyone has the ability to think creatively, but they may need to take time to train their mind to adapt to a new way of thinking.

Personal effectiveness at work can be attained by being more objective and using skills such as time management and the management of stress. New ideas which bring changes to working conditions can create negative feelings which can limit personal development. Pressures at work may cause also stress, but these can be relieved by using management skills. Being objective will not only improve effectiveness but will improve relationships with other workers and customers.

Pharmacy employees can further improve service standards by adopting a personal effectiveness policy which exhibits personal committment and an open-minded and positive attitude. Modifications to workplace practices are commonly required and should be accepted with grace and a positive attitude. Personal effectiveness does not work with defensive attitudes. Problem areas should be addressed in an objective, professional manner. Confrontation should be avoided.

The principles of good writing communications include brevity, readability and style. The best writings are those that are written with the reader in mind and that use short words and sentences. Some people feel that business letters must be more formal, but this can often lead to a pomposity of style. Tips on how to write more clearly and concisely are presented.

People respond to being praised, particularly at work, and pharmacy assistants, with their close links to the general public, enjoy the approval of their customers. The wish to know how well a job is being done is equalled by the need of the manager to know how well staff carry out their duties. Pharmacy staff should set themselves objectives and assess how successfully they are achieved and analyse any problems that might occur.

Pharmacists are increasingly having to cope with change in the workplace, such as the increasing drive to ensure better customer service, privatisation and the move towards part-time employment. Change can bring many advantages, however, such as providing the opportunity for greater professionalism, more responsibility, stimulation, variety, challenge and self-development. People may not like change for several reasons, either professional or personal. Many perceive change as a threat that leads to insecurity and requires greater personal effort to adapt.

Pharmacists benefit from good knowledge of their products by being able to sell more, and improve their own reputations and those of their businesses. Merchandise displays are more effective when informed by product knowledge. Pharmacists should respond to customers' needs and suggest other products they may need in addition to those the customer intended to buy. There are a number of sources of product knowledge such as merchandise labels, advertising and courses.

Health hazards and accidents should be avoided in pharmacies to prevent injury to customers and staff. Regulations concerning the storage of medicines and drugs must be adhered to, with the senior manager usually responsible for making sure safe working practices have been implemented. Areas which are potentially hazardous include the shop floor, top-heavy filing cabints, obstructions or worn carpets that can cause falls and frayed electric cables. Procedures in case of fire should be known by the pharmacist.

Pharmacists can help their less experienced colleagues by coaching. Coaching allows colleagues to learn at work. Coaching involves determining what the colleague needs to know, establishing a learning strategy, learning opportunities and then discussion of the learning practice after the event. Coaching can be used to help meet standards, make performance improvements or prepare for new opportunities.

Pharmacy staff need to master a number of skills such as customer care and regulations concerning prescriptions. Training can help staff build confidence and learn faster, and can be divided into four stages, induction on joining the firm, job training, continuing training to update skills and development training for promotion. Pharmacies can develop their own training programs to develop skills and confidence, improve sales and improve customer satisfaction.

In 1991, banks and building societies lost 165 million pound sterling via credit card fraud, the figure represents a rise of 33% on 1990. The majority of fraud is carried out in shops and precautions which can be taken include: procedures for accepting cards and cheques, infra-red note checkers to identify water marks on banknotes, rewards from credit card companies for lost or stolen cards, and a floor limit for credit, charge and debit card sales.

Pharmacists often mismanage their time because they are overrun with demands at home and in the workplace. Effective time management can greatly enhance efficiency provided that advisable practices are consistently applied. The time manager is advised to compile a list of prioritized tasks and make every effort to avoid wasting time. Some tasks will not get done because of inevitable interruptions. Time managers should delegate tasks whenever possible. Other advise is given.