It's pretty common for Wegmans to appear at or near the top of various studies ranking the best supermarkets in the U.S. Now, according to a nationwide study by J.D. Power, it tops the list of the nation's best pharmacies, as well.
According to the study of nearly 14,914 consumers, Wegmans scored highest on a scale that evaluated cost, prescription ordering and non-pharmacist staff.
"Our pharmacy employees have built relationships with our customers that start with caring," said Danny Wegman, CEO of Wegmans, in a statement. "The results of this study are important because they show the extent to which our customers value those relationships and trust our people."
According to J.D. Power's findings, pharmacy staff plays a critical role in customer satisfaction levels. Asking customers if they would like to speak with a pharmacist boosts satisfaction by 54 points on the research firm's scale. Providing a private area for discussions between customers and pharmacists further improves customer satisfaction by 99 points.
Source: J.D.Power 2015 U.S. Pharmacy Study SM
Overall satisfaction with supermarket pharmacies improved from 843 points on a scale of 1,000 in 2014 to 851 this year. Wegmans topped the list with 887 points, followed by H-E-B at 866 and Kroger at 861.
Satisfaction with chain drug stores also improved year-over-year by two points to an average of 842. Good Neighbor Pharmacy (876) topped all chain drug pharmacies followed by Health Mart (871) and The Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy (861).
Mail order pharmacies and mass merchants saw their scores decline in 2015 versus the year before. Interestingly, Target ranked highest among mass merchants with a score of 858. In June, Target announced it was getting out of the pharmacy business after signing a definitive agreement with CVS for the drug chain to take over management of pharmacies and clinics within its locations.
- Pharmacy's Focus on Customer Satisfaction Sets the Bar for the Healthcare Industry - J.D. Power
- J.D. Power and Associates U.S. Pharmacy Study Ranks Wegmans Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Supermarket Pharmacies - Wegmans
- Wegmans Pharmacy earns No.?1 national ranking - The Buffalo News (tiered sub.)
- Will the Target/CVS pharmacy deal lead to a future merger? - RetailWire