How pharmacies use WhatsApp for customer communication

Digitization leaves no industry untouched. Pharmacies are no exception: competition from online retailers is increasing, customers want more digital offerings, the e-prescription is on its way, and at the same time, the Digital Supply Act now provides a legal framework that underscores the ongoing digitization in this industry. So there is a lot in flux - time to reform customer communications as well. In the following article, you will learn how you as a pharmacy can use WhatsApp in customer communication to successfully achieve the digital transformation.

‍

Data protection: Are there risks and side effects?

‍

The good news: If you observe all the requirements of the package insert (in this case, the GDPR), the use of WhatsApp in a pharmacy is completely side-effect-free - in other words, data protection-compliant. However, this was not always the case: before the WhatsApp Business API was introduced in 2018, the use of WhatsApp in a corporate context was problematic and not recommended. With the WhatsApp Business API, however, an interface was then developed specifically for companies, via which WhatsApp can be used in a fully data protection-compliant manner. In concrete terms, this means for you: via a partner like Mateo and the WhatsApp Business API, you can easily use the messenger for customer communication in your pharmacy. All chats between your company and customers are encrypted end to end and cannot be viewed by anyone external, nor by Meta itself (WhatsApp parent company).

‍

Reading tip: We have already written a detailed blog article on the subject of WhatsApp and the GDPR. It tells you everything you need to know about data protection on WhatsApp.

‍

WhatsApp use cases for local pharmacies:

‍

The use cases of WhatsApp in all companies that have contact with end customers are diverse, but can be categorized into two sub-areas: Applications for 1:1 communication via WhatsApp and use cases for WhatsApp marketing. In each of the two sub-areas, use cases also open up for pharmacies that can be successfully implemented with Mateo and WhatsApp.

‍

1. Example: pre-ordering medicines via WhatsApp

‍

You are probably familiar with it from your everyday life: customers come to the pharmacy and unfortunately have to leave empty-handed because the medication they need is not in stock at the moment or simply not available. For the customer, of course, this is not a pleasant shopping experience. And you would also have preferred to give him the information before his visit.

‍

The solution: pre-orders via WhatsApp

WhatsApp is a simple and straightforward contact channel through which customers can quickly and conveniently ask about the availability of a particular medication from the comfort of their own home. Either take a picture of a prescription, send you a photo of the medication, or simply state its name. A pharmacy employee then checks availability and orders the medication if necessary. But why not resort to the phone for this, you may ask: The asynchronous nature of WhatsApp is better suited in such cases than a phone call, where both parties always have to be available at the same time. Often, employees are busy at the moment and therefore can't answer the phone, need to call back later but then can't reach the customer, and so on. A WhatsApp message is simply answered when the employee has time. The customer also simply reads the reply message the next time he picks up the phone.

‍

2. example: availability newsletter via WhatsApp

‍

If the result of the above example is that a required medicine is not available at the moment and has to be ordered, it is of course necessary to inform the customer again about the availability of the medicine at a later time. But often there is not only one customer waiting for the medicine. In some cases, an employee would now have to inform ten customers individually about the availability of the desired medicine.

‍

‍

How to do it better: WhatsApp newsletter on medication availability

Intelligent customer segments in Mateo allow newsletter segments to be created based on values stored in the customer contact. Pharmacies use this feature to store in the customer contact which medication the respective customer is currently waiting for. If this medication is then available again, all waiting customers can be informed via a WhatsApp newsletter with just a few clicks.

‍

3. information newsletter via WhatsApp

‍

Conventional e-mail newsletters now achieve only very poor results. Open rates of often less than 20% and hardly any customers who actually read the e-mail advertising. In addition, e-mail newsletters in many cases no longer arrive at all, but end up in the spam folder beforehand.

‍

The contemporary alternative: WhatsApp marketing

WhatsApp is the medium used by 60 million Germans to communicate with friends or family every day. It has a personal character and is only used by a few companies. Open rates of up to 98% are quite realistic for a WhatsApp newsletter. In addition, there is no spam folder, so messages are guaranteed to arrive. With WhatsApp, you can, for example, send your pharmacy brochure or the best health prescriptions to loyal regular customers and thus build a personal customer relationship.

‍

‍

The e-prescription and WhatsApp

‍

The e-prescription is supposed to improve the patient experience in the healthcare system and stop the current flood of paper. But the idea has not been well received everywhere so far: According to a survey by the KBV (National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians), the e-prescription has only been positively received by around 45% of patients. One reason for this could be that patients need to install their own app on their smartphone in order to use the prescription.
‍

An e-recipe in .pdf format — E-recipes like this one can be sent in PDF format via WhatsApp.

‍

WhatsApp could provide a remedy here: The app is installed on almost all smartphones in Germany and is used by more than 60 million Germans every day. Via the WhatsApp Business API, pharmacies can also access the messenger service in a data-protection-compliant manner. In this way, patients can transmit the prescription code to the pharmacy of their choice before actually visiting the pharmacy and check whether the medicine is available. Sending via WhatsApp is completely hassle-free for patients: If you have not received the e-prescription from your doctor as a PDF file via WhatsApp, but via gematik's e-prescription app, a PDF version can be created in the app with just a few clicks or a screenshot can be taken and then transmitted to the pharmacy via WhatsApp.

By the way: Thanks to our integrations , it is even possible with Mateo to answer customer queries about the availability of a required medication in a fully automated way.

‍

Conclusion: WhatsApp and pharmacies, it fits!

‍

WhatsApp is a good way to help every pharmacy's customer communication leap into 2023. With WhatsApp, you offer your customers a low-threshold contact channel that complies with data protection regulations and, above all, has proven itself in everyday use. You can receive pre-orders, advise customers or send informative newsletters to your regular customers. In addition, the medium can be seamlessly integrated in the online and offline world, e.g. via links on website or WhatsApp QR codes in flyers. In perspective, WhatsApp would also be able to perfectly complement the e-prescription project and create a truly well-rounded patient or customer experience.

‍

For the practical implementation of WhatsApp communication in your pharmacy, Mateo is a suitable partner at your side. We would be happy to advise you in a free, no-obligation demo appointment on how best to integrate WhatsApp into your existing corporate communications. In over 600 customer cases, we have gained the necessary experience to also bring your customer communication with WhatsApp to the next level.

‍

Sounds interesting: You can easily make your personal consultation appointment via this link.

‍

Without risks and side effects: WhatsApp for pharmacies