V S M Pharmacy

A Pharmarcy that very obviously cares about their clients. Any time I have visited I have been greeted in a friendly, efficient and professional manner. On the rare occasion something is out of stock they have managed to find an alternative or get the exact requirements fairly quickly. The team has a great delivery service using mainly local volunteers who not only deliver medicines but pause for a brief chat when possible.

I would change my Doctor but never my pharmacy. They are the happiest bunch l know, and extremely helpful.

I couldn't speak more highly of VSM Pharmacy. No matter what your needs are they are met by Jirina and her team. They were there throughout Covid giving advice, not giving a thought for their own safety, they truly are wonderful. Have to say Jirina gives a great vaccine, never have any problems after my flu jabs.

Very pleased to have changed our pharmacy contact to VSM. So far perscriptions have been quick and efficient. Had my flu jab there and again very quick and efficient. Pleased to support this local pharmacy and will continue to do so from now on.

I am pleased to post that VSM have taken positive steps to rectify matters since my last post of 1 star and I shall therefore continue to use their services.

Very easy to book an appointment. Pharmacist very friendly and polite

I was in store yesterday and the pharmacist was amazing I think hear name is Jirina so helpful and knowledgeable and her amazing staff best pharmacy around

It is so disappointing that I feel the need to write this review.

After using VSM Pharmacy for almost 30 years and always receiving exceptional customer service from VJ, I am finding the service with the new owner to be nothing short of awful and quite vicious at times, especially from one member of staff.

VJ always came forward to meet and engage with his customers. Now I couldn’t even tell you who the new owner is. If it is the woman with curly/permed hair then she is always in the small office tapping away at a laptop and never raises her head to acknowledge anyone at the counter.

VJ used to deliver prescriptions for elderly or immobile customers, even on Sundays, now my parents have to continually chase to remind them to deliver which can take 7 days?

As for the plump new woman in the back area, she is so rude on the phone and in the shop. Everything is such hard work for her. Not helpful at all. Quite obvious she finds customers a nuisance – why bother doing a job you quite obviously don’t enjoy?

The pharmacy is untidy with radio blaring and piles of empty crates around and yet there are more staff on duty than when VJ was the owner.

I used to enjoy collecting my prescriptions and having a chat with VJ. It is a joy when he is sometimes in the pharmacy covering a shift.

What ever happened to customer service and good manners and may I remind you they cost nothing…

RESPONSE TO JIRINA
Thank you for your prompt reply addressing my comments.

To be honest there are absolutely no excuses for a fundamental lack of good manners. May I remind you there were loads of companies that had to amend their business practices to deal with the covid pandemic – my own retail business included. Your comments do not justify a general lack of customer service plus you imply this service was in the past tense (over the covid period) but I am talking about the here and now!

As for working on Christmas Day, that was your choice and you advertised your Christmas opening hours on the front door! As regards an initiative you introduced for delivering prescriptions – as I mentioned before this service was already in place before Jirina took over and was often VJ himself who delivered! It is called – ‘going above and beyond’.

You have found the time to write a reply – just a shame you can’t find the time to lift your head out of your laptop and engage with your customers when they step foot into your pharmacy. Managers should lead by example which should permeate through to staff members.

You now have a very slick website which has cost you time and money to build and maintain. Plus, of course, the added pressure of packaging & posting bottles of perfume.

You now need to spend money on customer engagement training and how to use time more effectively for the benefit of your customer base. The familiar faces (behind the counter) have almost disappeared, so it is now up to the new faces to build customer relationships – it is what small business ethics are built on.