UniChem claims to be better than AAH
UniChem claims to have reversed its image problem
to become the superior wholesaler over AAH in terms of customer service.
The claims are based on a customer survey conducted on its behalf by Taylor
Nelson Sofres of over 700 community pharmacists. Half were existing UniChem
customers and half AAH customers.
Of UniChem customers involved in its community pharmacy
initiative, 58 per cent thought that UniChem was better than AAH compared
with 46 per cent found by a similar survey last year. Of the same group,
8 per cent thought AAH was better, a fall from last year’s figure of 13
per cent. Customers who thought the two wholesalers were about the same
made up 34 per cent of the total, compared with 42 per cent last year.
Last year’s survey found that UniChem did not tell its customers what
it did well. UniChem had tackled this problem and the survey now revealed
that the company had gone further ahead in all the key areas, Martyn Ward,
sales and marketing director, claimed at a press briefing on July 4.
One of the factors behind the improved results for
UniChem was the introduction of its “counter attack” service, which allows
purchase of products in singles; over 2,000 customers have signed up to
the service. The customer service survey also showed that more customers
thought that UniChem was better than AAH in terms of its range and quality
of own brand products.
In a statement issued on July 10, AAH said: “We
cannot give our opinion on research we have had no access to — either
in terms of criteria, process or findings — and it would certainly be
improper to comment on specific claims drawn from the research without
knowing all these facts.” The company added: “AAH Pharmaceuticals also
carries out annual research on performance and has done so for a number
of years. We choose not to release the results externally as this is not
their purpose, but use them to benchmark ourselves against competitors,
in order to continually develop and refine our services.”
UniChem’s own-brand products initiative had been
important following the loss of RPM. Within days of the news breaking,
UniChem had sent all its customers £50 worth of own-brand products to
start promotions to enable them to compete head to head with the multiples,
Mr Ward said. However, over 60 per cent of pharmacists were adopting a
“wait and see” approach to the consequences of the loss of RPM, according
to the company, but less than 10 per cent had organised highly visible
medicines promotions. Mr Ward said: “None of us knows what will happen
post-RPM, it is too early to say, but to do nothing while we find out
is dangerous."
UniChem is advising pharmacists to promote a few
key medical lines, change the promotions frequently, recommend own brand
products and extend the range of branded items stocked using its counter
attack scheme.
Over the next month, Unichem will launch Community
Pharmacy Initiative Plus. Advantages of the scheme include pharmacy merchandising,
implementing Moss planograms, core listing advice and allocated promotions.
In return, UniChem asks for guaranteed listing of certain products and
promotions and a monthly contribution to merchandising costs.
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