Our client, Southern Pharmacy Services, celebrates its 18th Anniversary this month, so we thought we would take the opportunity to brag on them a little bit and make them our September Spotlight! We have worked with them since 2004, just shortly after they opened their doors, and it has been so exciting to watch the business grow. The leadership team includes some of the kindest people you will ever meet, and we are SO thankful for our relationship with them

Southern Pharmacy Services

Southern Pharmacy Services serves the pharmacy needs of long-term care communities.  Marybeth is a 3rd generation pharmacist, originally from Pink Hill, NC.  She met her husband Chad, who is also a pharmacist, in college at UNC (Go Heels!). They moved back to Pink Hill, and started Southern Pharmacy Services September 1, 2003.  Since then, SPS has expanded to have two more pharmacy locations in Kernersville, NC (2008) and Wytheville, VA (2012).

They stay true to their values of teamwork, honesty, and customer service.

Caroline had the opportunity to interview Jenni Bennett, the Director of Customer Service to learn more about their services and reminisce over the decades of fun working together!

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Caroline: Ok, 18 years is a long time!  Give me some fun facts!

Jenni: Here are 4 things.  1) Collectively, we have over 100 years of experience in long term care in our management team alone.  2) We still have some of our original staff members that Marybeth and Chad hired at the start of SPS in 2003.  3) We are the largest independent pharmacy in NC!  We do not have any ownership in any of the facilities we serve.  And 4) we serve facilities in North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland.

Caroline: I know you provide facilities with prescriptions, but I also know that you do so much more.  Can you tell me about the additional services you provide? 

Jenni: Sure, we provide a wide range of services from Drug Regimen Reviews to staff education to help facilities stay in compliance with state regulations.   We also provide robust reporting to both the facility and their residents that may highlight things such as medication trends and cost savings analysis. 

Caroline: That’s a really big deal!  If you are helping them save money, no wonder they love you guys!  Ok, let’s change gears just a tad and talk promo.  How do you use promotional products?

Jenni: We use them for everything!  Customer events, marketing meetings, cold calls, staff appreciation.  You name it, and there’s probably an SPS branded product involved.

Caroline: What stands out as being the most popular promotional product you have used since working with CCM, and how did you use it?

Jenni: The white cups we did a few years ago have by far been our most popular item!  It is such a shame that they were discontinued.  We also did the colorful hot/cold packs that people loved.  We used those for trade shows and customer events.

Caroline: Ohhh, those cups!  I love them so much, and I sure wish I could have bought more before they were discontinued.  Why do you think promotional products are so effective for your marketing and gifting?

Jenni: Our branded products are usually unique from our competitors.  We are able to use them as a talking point to strike up a conversation at a trade show or use them as a memorable item from a meeting.  With your help, we are able to brainstorm ideas on items that people will really enjoy and use rather than just toss to the side.

Caroline:  That is really the greatest compliment.  Y’all all so good at coming up with ideas, and I love how open-minded you are to things that are out of the norm.  Ok, last question, and we’ll start wrapping this up.  What is an item that your customers ask for all the time?  Can you name just one?

Jenni: Definitely can’t name just one!  Pens, notepads, and lip balm are our go-to’s because people always want them.  Occasionally, I get requests for a canvas beach bag we did years ago.  It’s so wild that after all this time, people still remember it!  We also love it when customers suggest specific items.  We want to give them things they will use, so we love hearing from them.

Caroline:  Yes!  Give the people what they want!  What are you looking forward to the most in Q4 of 2021?  Professionally and/or personally.

Jenni: Personally, having my baby girl!  {Jenni is pregnant!  Expecting her first child, a little girl, on New Year’s Day, which also happens to be Jenni’s birthday!}

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We are looking for the light at the end of the COVID tunnel.  We have been able to help nurture our current customers and new customers by using the promo products from you all.  We like to surprise our customers and prospects with a little something from us from time to time, and you all help make that possible.

We are also very excited about getting our customer Christmas gifts out this year!  I think we have chosen a great gift that they will love!  Shhh!

As you can probably tell, we absolutely adore Jenni and the team as SPS.  They are so fun and energetic while also completely kind and down-to-earth.  They use promotional products in all of the ways that we recommend to clients and potential clients!

We work together as a team.  Jenni even said, “Coastal Connections is an integral part of our business.”  We totally melt when we hear things like that because we want to be an integral part of all of our clients’ teams.  We are here for you.

For more information on the Southern Pharmacy Services, go to https://southrx.com/.

For more information on all of the ways you can use promotional products, email us at info@coastal-connections.com!