They used to be known as Boots the Chemist, but now they're known as just plain Boots; probably for good reason.
The Boots store in central Brighton is BIG. It's on two floors, with each floor covering an area roughly the size of a Football pitch and stands.
Downstairs is given to perfumes, make-up, and over the counter first-aid and chemical things; then stuffed into the far corner is the tiny Pharmacy (below).
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The small town near my home in France has a population of about 700, and the Pharmacy is modern, efficient, and friendly. Brighton has a population of about 290,000 and this particular central Pharmacy (there are others) is tiny, inefficient, old fashioned and slow. Dare I say it, but the staff are mostly 'foreign' and they can also be very difficult to understand.
Whilst a huge area is given over to heavily made-up young women who are only too pleased to practice their art on passers-by (but rarely seem to find anyone willing) the area given to the Chemist's is miniscule and very old fashioned. The only thing modern about them is the 'Prescriptions' sign.
Their stock of tablets are all found on some revolving merry-go-round in the middle of their small room, and every time someone spins it, it looks as if it's about to fall to bits.
If I was the CEO of Boots, I'd be having a serious look at all my stores. Someone should do a time and motion study. Huge queues at the tiny pharmacy, no-one at the make-up dep'ts, and a huge baby dep't upstairs that is permanently empty. It doesn't take a genius to know what needs to be done!
p.s. I might add that M & S needs the same attention. 99% of the people who enter our large store head directly to the food dep't, which I think makes-up about 15% of the store's area. The clothes dep't, and home wares dep't that occupy half the ground floor, all of the first floor, and all of the second floor, are mostly empty.
Doh!
You could forward this to the necessary department (head office) of both stores and see what happens. It does seem a trifle ridiculous to have such a tiny prescriptions area.
ReplyDeleteAnd there's always a queue, whereas elsewhere there is 'normal' traffic. The thing I didn't mention above is that the Pharmacy workers all looked very STRESSED.
DeleteI trained with Boots as a pharmascist, many years ago. It was the most miserable time of my life. I gave up after 2 years
DeleteWe are so lucky to have small pharmacies with locals in charge who will help not only with Medicines but will give injections, put on temporary stitches, give advice, smile and ask how your husband/daughter is getting along.
ReplyDeleteYou need to send an email to those head offices. If more people did that they might consider change
My Pharmacist in France gave us our first two jabs. He's a lovely guy and nothing is too much for him.
DeleteAfter a few years in Greece (even in its biggest conurbation) i have been shocked/stunned, on a visit back to UK, by the size of supermarkets (and the queues). Your comments about size and lack of personal attention apply to everything. I have long been a campaigner for (and supporter of) neighbourhood shops and businesses but in so many of our UK towns these have been put out of business by out of town retail parks of huge stores where no one gives a tinkers about anything but your money; and the service certainly isn't personal like thst Linda describes (or your French pharmacist). Maybe the cost of driving out to these soulless places will create a new shopping and services environment.
DeleteIn France my very good supermarket (Leclerc) is filled with shelf stackers who work during opening hours, and here my big-shop supermarket (Sainsbury's) is filled with girls filling trollies for people who shop online. I'm not complaining but both activities would be better done when the stores are closed.
DeleteYou also have to note that they are no longer a company from Nottingham...but have been a Swiss based and now I think an USA based company...and there are certain queries about the amount of tax they pay.....or not..in Britain....
ReplyDeleteThat sounds about right. Takeovers rarely improve service.
DeleteI must say Boots was a saviour for us when we were in the UK and we did not experience problems, but I understand and know what you are saying. It really surprises me that such a well known brand company can't do it better.
ReplyDeleteIt's rather sad as Boots has been an important British Institution for as long as I can remember. To see it now become just a perfume shop is a great pity.
DeleteI have been into Boots many times and yet I have never spotted any boots apart from those that customers were wearing. It is most misleading.
ReplyDeleteTry Freeman Hardy Willis.
DeleteAren't they chemists?
DeleteNo, you're probably thinking of Boots.
DeleteWe get all our medications delivered to the house, our local chemist is always out of stock on items you want.
ReplyDeleteMy doctor's surgery is actually inside this Boots store, and he simply sends the scrips downstairs. I don't know how I could change it. I rather like the idea of direct delivery.
DeleteBoots got caught up in some dreadful takeover schemes a few years back. The company got lumbered with all the debt of something it was hardly party to, just a pawn, but it got the debt. It moved from pharmaceuticals to retail. It is now profit driven and nothing else and in the current retail climate this leaves Boots in a dire situation, staff cuts and shop closures.
ReplyDeleteThat explains a lot. I've tried to like Boots, but more and more I find them lacking. They are, of course, still a High Street Institution.
DeleteI'm in Missouri, USA. I have bought makeup online from Boots, I don't know of any of their stores here in my area of Missouri. I wish there were.
ReplyDeleteOur major pharmacies around here, CVS and Walgreens, seem similar to what you deal with at the pharmacy that is part of Boots.
The same amount of pharmacists that they had in precovid days are having to now deal with giving Covid shots plus their other duties. There is often a very long wait to pay for our medications. I feel sorry for the pharmacists, they are rushing every minute they are there.
Walgreen have a large stake in our Boots. The plan is for Boots to become more like Walgreens.
DeleteIn which case the pharmacies should be enlarged and take on more staff.
DeleteOur local doctor's surgery has it's own pharmacy.
ReplyDeleteMy doctor's surgery has Boots.
DeleteThe pharmacies are definitely struggling and their business model is in flux. US Amazon now offers pharmacy services; prescription drugs can be ordered and delivered to your home. I've not made this transition but it is appealing. (I'm told your PCP sends your script to Amazon and the service begins.)
ReplyDeleteAmazon will soon take over all global business. I bought some socks there this morning. Yes, I know!
DeleteThe only time I've been in a Boots in the last 4 years was to print out a couple of photos on their machine. And not been in an M&S for even longer.
ReplyDeleteNo help for their survival!
I like M & S Food dep't. Pricey, but good.
DeleteSettle down here for a long read - https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boots_(company)
ReplyDeleteWell that was interesting. I didn't know it was Boots who had invented Ibuprofen. You learn something every day.
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