The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 272 No 7296 p501
24 April 2004

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News summary

AAH to relaunch Vantage brand

Later this month the Vantage brand is to be relaunched. The announcement was made on 19 April at this year’s AAH convention in Monaco by Mandeep Mudhar, marketing director at AAH Pharmaceuticals, who described 2004 as a year when pharmacy would change beyond recognition. “The aim of the relaunch is to make Vantage indispensable to pharmacists’ daily needs as they go through these changes,” he explained.

The Vantage brand has been in existence for 29 years. “In the past, Vantage was available on an ‘all or nothing’ basis. Pharmacists had to take the whole package — the fascia, the own-label products and the merchandising,” he said. This is set to change. “We recognised that this inflexible approach is no longer appropriate. As customers’ needs are changing, pharmacists have to become more flexible, so Vantage has to be more flexible too,” said Dr Mudhar.

“It does not make sense for us to put all our focus into helping pharmacists become good retailers when customers want health care services more,” he explained. Support will be offered to pharmacists in five broad areas: support specific to the new contract, support for developing professional and clinical competence, support for retail development, support for stock management and dispensary management, and business support.

Vantage will now be offered in three core packages: Vantage own-label products, Vantage merchandising support and Vantage “true blue”. The “true blue” service is the whole package and includes a requirement for a pharmacy to stock Vantage products and have a Vantage fascia.

A range of new services will also be launched, but some will only be available to pharmacists signing up to the “true blue” package. Examples of new services include a refit and consultancy support service to assist in installing consultation areas, new professional services through Vantage Health Watch, and a staff training and development service. In addition, Dr Mudhar said that a standard operating procedure service would be launched which “is not a guide but will do it for you”.

Existing Vantage customers will have to decide which package they want to move to since the current packages will be phased out from May. The transition period will finish in July and, in August, the Vantage “true blue” package will be available for new customers. However, Dr Mudhar emphasised: “Under no circumstances will we be reducing support for existing customers as long as they are compliant with the Vantage brand. Those who are not will be asked to move to the most appropriate package.”