Alphega Pharmacy is the only international network of independent pharmacists. This network is made up of ‘members’; independent pharmacies that adopt the Alphega Pharmacy name, best practices and ethical standards.

For a quick overview of the brand, watch the following short animation we produced:

In 2012 we began developing a tablet application containing custom software to improve its membership proposition and optimise the flow of information to each individual pharmacy.

Previously store communications, training and product information was largely paper-based, and inefficient to distribute and update.

There was a clear business case for tools to help the network move forward and drive member engagement.

The bespoke native Android OS application we created was shaped by close collaboration with teams across Alphega Pharmacy, including working directly with pharmacists to perfect the User Interface (UI).

This helped us to better understand the logistical challenges faced by independent pharmacists, which led to us configuring the app to support both online and offline features.

Initially the focus was on training, with an interactive ‘Mystery Shopper’ exercise forming a large portion of the first iteration.

Merging video and interactivity, pharmacists could watch examples of good and bad practices, with the training and results dynamically changing as the user answered questions.

This comprehensive training programme helped the business deliver record mystery shopper results, scoring 88% versus an average of 85% for its competitors.

Next we introduced interactive planograms, which are diagrams that show how and where specific retail products should be placed on shelves or display units in order to increase customer purchases.

They are the result of advanced user testing, and following them accurately can result in considerable sales uplifts.

Traditionally they were distributed to members on paper; however, given the frequent seasonal changes in promotions and products, this created a logistical and environmental headache.

The tablet application provided the perfect platform to instantly and directly distribute this important information to each pharmacy.

Updates are now pushed automatically to members, who can use the tablet to navigate, zoom in, and even order replacement stock directly – saving time and generating additional revenue for the business.

Over the past five years, the app’s functionality and weekly usage has grown consistently.

There are a variety of features to support pharmacists daily, and because we develop and deploy everything in-house, we can be reactive to changes in business needs.

One of the biggest recent additions was the ability to order stock directly, removing paper or phone-based communication and speeding up delivery times.

Advanced filtering helps users to quickly navigate product lists and view product descriptions and videos, which can even be shared with customers.

The platform also allows major pharmaceutical manufacturers such as P&G, R&B and Johnson & Johnson to connect directly with pharmacists, helping them to easily discover new product lines and seasonal promotions.

Since its implementation, the application has become established as a mainstay within hundreds of pharmacies nationwide.

We continue to be responsible for all design, development, testing, deployment, server management, tablet procurement, business as usual (BAU) maintenance and technical support.

Do you need to harness the power of technology to drive genuine change within your business? We can help…

During 2016 Alphega Pharamacy undertook a brand positioning realignment, summarised by the tagline ‘Close to You’.

The aim was to ensure that members and the general public perceived the brand as providers of professional and friendly health services to local communities, making Alphega the pharmacy that’s ‘Close to You’.

To accompany the shift in messaging, the business needed a series of short narrative films that epitomised its new mantra.

Featuring real customer stories, these videos would form part of a pan-European online and offline campaign.

Read on to discover why there wasn’t a dry eye in the house due to one small girl…

Our video team love shooting emotive films with a strong narrative, so this brief gave us fantastic scope.

Working alongside Criterion, a team of occupational psychologists, we developed genuine scenarios that would truly resonate with the primary target audience – independent pharmacists.

We undertook a rigorous scripting and casting process, supported by Criterion, and opted to use real acting families to obtain the level of performance required.

Using a range of interior, exterior and commercial locations, we shot the films over three days with our primary and supporting cast.

The voiceover-driven treatment allowed us to capture all the required collateral in the budgeted timeframe, and to capture some genuine and impromptu scenes (especially with the young actress) that really add to the final edit, which was cut, coloured graded and sound mixed by our in-house production team.

To date the ‘Close to You’ films have been shown across 17 countries in a variety of locations.

The films debuted at the Alphega Pharmacy Annual Conference 2016, and the brilliant performance from the young actress was so emotive that it even drew a few tears from the senior management team!

Do you need the power of video to help you to visualise your upcoming campaign? We can help…