Author: lance@digitalondemand.com.au

Demonstrating its commitment to community health on a global scale, the Independent Pharmacies Australia (IPA) proudly announces its partnership with Growing Cambodia, a registered Australian charity dedicated to enhancing education in rural Cambodian schools. Through this collaboration, IPA has successfully funded the construction of a new school in the Beng community in the Siem Reap region.

Steven Kastrinakis, Pharmacist, Founder, and Managing Director of IPA, expressed his pride in the initiative, noting, “It’s a proud and humbling experience to contribute to a community and children who face the challenges of poverty, especially after being present at the opening of the school in Cambodia on May 6th. Education is one of the foundational pillars of health, and I am extremely proud that IPA has been able to play a part in opening this school.”

IPA’s fundraising, amounting to $55,000, culminated in the school’s inauguration on May 6th, marking a significant milestone in IPA’s global outreach. The School Project includes two fully-equipped classrooms, one designated for computer education and the other serving as a library. Additionally, IPA has facilitated the establishment of a kitchen facility and washing area, addressing essential needs such as proper nutrition and hygiene often lacking in rural villages.

Beyond infrastructure development, the initiative prioritizes providing quality education to enhance English skills, crucial for economic empowerment, while also addressing challenges such as proper nutrition and hygiene often lacking in rural villages. With 280 students enrolled, the school offers brighter prospects in a region where proficiency in English can lead to higher wages. IPA ensures student safety and attendance by providing transportation, while sustaining the educational environment through resource allocation, including teacher salaries and technology donations. Thanks to a generous donation from MedAdvisor, IPA acquired 17 laptops, further enhancing teaching standards and facilitating teacher training sessions.

James Reid, Head of Apex Implementation at IPA, expressed, “Our collaboration with Growing Cambodia reflects IPA’s commitment to improving lives and fostering socio-economic development through education and infrastructure investment.” This project exemplifies IPA’s dedication to fostering positive change locally and globally, empowering the Beng community and ensuring a brighter future for its children.

The Platform Alliance Group is thrilled to announce the three winning pharmacies who participated in the recent Chemist Discount Centre (CDC) member’s loyalty campaign; the Save & Win Club Card promotion.

A big shoutout to the amazing CDC teams at Morley (Perth WA), Upper Ferntree Gulley (VIC), and Warragul (VIC), whose diligent efforts in scanning numerous Club Cards resulted in a well-deserved $10,000 winner at each of their stores!

The Save and Win Club Card promotion has been a huge drawcard for CDC customers. It offers them a chance to win valuable prizes by simply purchasing eligible products featured in the catalogue and scanning their CDC Club Card in-store.

The promotion rewards loyal customers whilst simultaneously ensuring access to affordable healthcare and wellness products, which echoes the CDC promise of expert advice at lower prices.

Melbourne Wednesday 17th May

The 60-day dispensing policy released in the Federal Budget will cause a reduction in dispensary income requiring better management of inventory costs for Pharmacy owners. The Platform Alliance Group (PAG) has harnessed the power of automation via its proprietary inventory management system, Buy It Right®; helping pharmacy owners navigate the impact of 60-day dispensing and generating operational efficiencies to ease the financial burden.

John Kardis, pharmacist, and founder of Buy It Right said: “Our sophisticated algorithm-based technology automates inventory management for pharmacies, enabling intuitive real-time stock replenishment decisions.”

Kardis continued, “Buy It Right has bespoke forecasting and ordering features that integrate with all supplier trading terms and deals. Staff are always buying the right stock at the right time”.

Optimisation is achieved via a range of factors, most notably via elimination of operational costs, improved workflow efficiencies and gross margin growth through perfect purchasing patterns.

Extensive financial modelling demonstrates that the average pharmacy* will save in excess of $50,000 per annum after implementing Buy It Right®.

This is borne out by Sue Fosbery, pharmacist and owner of Advantage Pharmacy Falcon, High Wycombe, and Florida Beach:

“We have been using the Buy It Right Inventory management system at our pharmacies since 2020. It has proven to be a very efficient program for both ordering and monitoring stock and has hence saved us considerable time and consequently wages at all stores. We’ve saved in the order of $50,000 in gross revenue on labour costs and inventory optimisation in one of our pharmacies using the system.”

PAG will provide further updates regarding the planned national rollout of the system, delivering on its promise to enable pharmacy owners to spend more time maximizing patient health outcomes and creating healthier communities across Australia.

To discuss how BIR can help your business please click on the button below.

Customers will now earn 2 points per $1 spent. But that’s not all, customers will receive a $5 welcome voucher off their next purchase and a special treat on their birthday. This means Club Card holders earn points in-store which can, in turn, be used to purchase items when shopping in one of their stores. Simply, all they need to do is scan their Club Card while making a purchase. The program attracts new customers and encourages existing customers to continually come back and shop in-store, driving brand loyalty. Members have already seen a significant increase in sign-ups since the launch.

Nimfa Martinez, Chief Marketing Officer at The Platform Alliance Group said “The rise in cost of living is putting many Australians under pressure. Our Chemist Discount Centre Rewards Club builds on our commitment to helping our customers save every day and making it more affordable to look after their health.”

Jess, Retail Manager, Chemist Discount Centre Niddrie has said “Customers love the simplicity of the offer. The more they purchase, the more they will be rewarded. We have had more customers wanting to sign up for our CDC Club Card in the few days since launch, than in the last month!”

Kelvin Lee, Managing Partner, Chemist Discount Centre Parkhill said “As a managing partner, I actually find that the launch of the loyalty points system in a discount pharmacy model gives us an edge. It provides more reasons for customers to shop with us for more products, more frequently, and be rewarded for it.”

The Club Card is free to sign up for and lets the shopper earn points every time they shop and access a variety of exclusive offers in-store.

To find out more, visit your local Chemist Discount Centre store to sign up today!