Whenever you talk to any customer, remember WWHAM:

Who is it for?

It may not be the customer who needs the treatment. Remember that people with diabetes should be referred to the pharmacist.   

What are the symptoms?

Ask the customer to describe their symptoms, including whether they have any pain or discomfort.   

How long have the symptoms been present?

If left untreated, conditions such as athlete’s foot can lead to fungal nail infections. 

Action already taken?

Find out if the customer has already tried a product that hasn’t helped, as this will help you to establish what is causing the problem. 

Medication?

It is important that you refer customers who are taking any other medicines or have an established medical condition to the pharmacist.

You don’t have to ask these questions in order, and a customer might give you some of this information without you asking. As long as you get them into the conversation, you should be able to find out the information you need in order to make a recommendation. The golden rule to remember is: if in doubt, refer to the pharmacist. Don’t be embarrassed to ask for their advice as they have a lot of information about products and symptoms to hand that you may not be aware of.