To be considered for the Customer Care Award, an individual must show tremendous care and dedication. Jenny Williams, highly commended in this category, didn’t disappoint

Jenny Williams has worked at the Hazlemere branch of Boots in Buckinghamshire for 20 years and, while some might find their enthusiasm waning after being in the same job for such a long period of time, this is not the case for this particular healthcare assistant. Jenny prides herself on always being positive and passionate about both the company she works for and the people she serves. Boots has a scheme of recognition for what it calls “feel good moments”, of which Jenny is the queen, generating eight within one week earlier this year.

Although Jenny put her own name forward for the Recognition of Excellence Awards, she says she was surprised to be shortlisted. This was, perhaps, overly modest of her as she reveals that she is often praised for giving what her employer dubs “legendary customer service” by individuals who provide feedback by way of a survey.

Positive interventions

Previous roles as a nurse and midwife have contributed towards Jenny’s desire to make sure that any advice she gives is, in her words, “scientific, correct and ensures excellent quality of care”. She has many examples that illustrate this principle, a recent one involving a young man who was seeking a product for heartburn. Upon careful questioning, he confided that he was undergoing treatment for oesophageal cancer and was struggling with “hard” foods as a result.

Jenny used the knowledge she had gained from online training with Macmillan Cancer Care to recommend an appropriate indigestion remedy, suggested he ask his GP to refer him to a dietitian and signposted free resources that he might find helpful. The case study left an impression on the judges, with Joanne Taylor from Vittoria Healthcare commenting on the “extra care and compassion” Jenny showed.

Helen Darracott of the Proprietary Association of Great Britain was in agreement, calling it “an intervention which made a real difference to a vulnerable patient’s quality of life”. Jenny’s satisfaction in how she handled the incident is palpable, but for her the most rewarding aspect is that the customer has subsequently returned to her pharmacy. She feels this demonstrates how she is able to build up relationships with customers that are based on trust, knowledge that extends beyond the norm, and respecting confidentiality.

In her own words: “I take great pride in my work whilst giving 100 per cent attention to customers in store and providing excellent personalised advice to each one on every visit.” With a new manager recently appointed to the Hazlemere branch of Boots, Jenny says she hopes to finally have the time to put her health champion training to good use and get the Healthy Living Pharmacy concept up and running.

“She believes the customer base of the pharmacy will undoubtedly benefit, explaining: “Some people think that working in a pharmacy is just like working in any shop, but that isn’t true. Our customers treat us as a mini surgery, especially when the GP practice is closed, and we end up filtering patients.”

We work out who needs to go to A&E, who can be sold something, and who could just keep an eye on their symptoms but go to the surgery the next day if they still feel poorly. “Pharmacy staff are so much more than just shop assistants; it’s not about just selling things, it’s about offering a whole package of care.”

I take great pride in my work whilst giving 100 per cent attention to customers in store and providing excellent personalised advice to each one on every visit.