The Chicken Soup Story
A Pharmacy Legend Cooked From A Jar Of Chicken Soup
It was a typical morning until a well-dressed young man approached me and politely asked, “Are you the pharmacist?“ I nodded, and to my surprise, he greeted me with a bow, a firm handshake, and a heartfelt “Thank You.” I had been working nearly 12-hour shifts for seven consecutive days, and his unexpected kindness left me momentarily speechless, my mind feeling blank and dazed, unsure of what had just happened.
It was a typical morning until a well-dressed young man approached me and politely asked, “Are you the pharmacist?“ I nodded, and to my surprise, he greeted me with a bow, a firm handshake, and a heartfelt “Thank You.” I had been working nearly 12-hour shifts for seven consecutive days, and his unexpected kindness left me momentarily speechless, my mind feeling blank and dazed, unsure of what had just happened.
The 'need to pay?' Uncle
When Alpro Pharmacy first opened its doors in Port Dickson, we were lucky to serve more than ten customers a day. At that time, the concept of a pharmacy wasn’t well-recognized in our community. If you think daily sales ranging from RM1000 to RM2000 are bad, you can only imagine the battle we faced to make a few hundred ringgits per day. While others were thinking about how to maximize profits, Pharmacist Hiew and I were scratching our heads, trying to keep the shop running and our stomachs filled.
When Alpro Pharmacy first opened its doors in Port Dickson, we were lucky to serve more than ten customers a day. At that time, the concept of a pharmacy wasn’t well-recognized in our community. If you think daily sales ranging from RM1000 to RM2000 are bad, you can only imagine the battle we faced to make a few hundred ringgits per day. While others were thinking about how to maximize profits, Pharmacist Hiew and I were scratching our heads, trying to keep the shop running and our stomachs filled.
We were clueless about retail pharmacy strategies, marketing tactics, or merchandising. Our focus was solely on providing pharmacy services. We offered free basic screening like blood pressure to attract more walk-in customers. Every customer meant the world to us, a sentiment that remains true to this day.
Then, on one quiet day, an uncle walked in, and little did I know, his visit would take Alpro Pharmacy to new heights.
We were clueless about retail pharmacy strategies, marketing tactics, or merchandising. Our focus was solely on providing pharmacy services. We offered free basic screening like blood pressure to attract more walk-in customers. Every customer meant the world to us, a sentiment that remains true to this day.
Then, on one quiet day, an uncle walked in, and little did I know, his visit would take Alpro Pharmacy to new heights.
Here’s how the conversation unfolded:
Uncle: “Hello, just want to double-check. ‘Need to pay’? I mean the blood pressure.”
Me: “Yes, it’s absolutely free! Welcome!” (We conducted the blood pressure and glucose tests, which seemed normal, but we noticed his pulse rate was high.)
Me: “How are you feeling, uncle?”
Uncle: “I’ve been feeling strange and unwell for about a week. I’ve lost my appetite, and my taste buds aren’t working well.”
Me: “Are you taking any medications?”
Uncle: “Loads of them! I can’t even remember them all.”
Me: “Could you bring your medications here? I’ll conduct a medication review for you. Sometimes, the side effects of drugs can make you feel unwell.”
Uncle: “So, it’s not a hassle? ‘Ma fan?’ (which means troublesome in Chinese) Do I need to pay?”
Me: “It’s absolutely FREE!”
Uncle: “Are you sure? Do I need to pay?”
Me: “No, it’s free!”
P.S. It was 11 AM, and we spent 20 minutes with this uncle.
Transaction Total: RM 0. Consultation Cost: RM 0.
Here’s how the conversation unfolded:
Uncle: “Hello, just want to double-check. ‘Need to pay’? I mean the blood pressure.”
Me: “Yes, it’s absolutely free! Welcome!” (We conducted the blood pressure and glucose tests, which seemed normal, but we noticed his pulse rate was high.)
Me: “How are you feeling, uncle?”
Uncle: “I’ve been feeling strange and unwell for about a week. I’ve lost my appetite, and my taste buds aren’t working well.”
Me: “Are you taking any medications?”
Uncle: “Loads of them! I can’t even remember them all.”
Me: “Could you bring your medications here? I’ll conduct a medication review for you. Sometimes, the side effects of drugs can make you feel unwell.”
Uncle: “So, it’s not a hassle? ‘Ma fan?’ (which means troublesome in Chinese) Do I need to pay?”
Me: “It’s absolutely FREE!”
Uncle: “Are you sure? Do I need to pay?”
Me: “No, it’s free!”
P.S. It was 11 AM, and we spent 20 minutes with this uncle.
Transaction Total: RM 0. Consultation Cost: RM 0.
The Letter That Shaped How Alpro Works Today
At 4 PM, the “need to pay?” uncle returned to our pharmacy with a bag of medications: Gliclazide, metformin, Coversyl, simvastatin, and a Chinese traditional herb. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary until I decided to check his heartbeat thoroughly. Back then, most blood pressure machines couldn’t detect arrhythmia. It was during this examination that I noticed his irregular heartbeat, and my suspicion grew.
I asked him if he had taken any other medications or supplements recently. That’s when he pulled out a bottle from his pocket and inquired, “Is liquid considered medicine?” “It’s potassium citrate mixture,” he explained.
At 4 PM, the “need to pay?” uncle returned to our pharmacy with a bag of medications: Gliclazide, metformin, Coversyl, simvastatin, and a Chinese traditional herb. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary until I decided to check his heartbeat thoroughly. Back then, most blood pressure machines couldn’t detect arrhythmia. It was during this examination that I noticed his irregular heartbeat, and my suspicion grew.
I asked him if he had taken any other medications or supplements recently. That’s when he pulled out a bottle from his pocket and inquired, “Is liquid considered medicine?” “It’s potassium citrate mixture,” he explained.
And that was it! This was the root cause of all the discomfort and weakness that the uncle had been experiencing. It was the interaction between Coversyl and potassium citrate that had led to a sudden increase in his potassium levels, a dangerous condition known as HYPERKALAEMIA.
I tried to explain this to the uncle, but he remained skeptical, unsure whether to trust the young pharmacist standing before him. I urged him to go to the hospital for a checkup, but he hesitated. As a pharmacist, I understood the importance of a referral, and as I picked up a pen to begin writing, I glanced at the front of the shop. No customers.
The uncle asked once more, “Need to pay?” and my response remained, “It’s FREE!”
Most of the time, referral letters receive no acknowledgment or reply. In that moment, I contemplated whether to continue writing the letter or attend to a potential customer if one walked in, as the uncle seemed disinterested in what I was doing for him. I looked up again—still no customer. It was at that point that I made a “small” decision in my heart, gripping the pen tightly, and proceeded to write a complete referral letter.
P.S. It was 5 PM, and I had spent 50 minutes with the customer.
Transaction Total: RM 0. Consultation Cost: RM 0.
And that was it! This was the root cause of all the discomfort and weakness that the uncle had been experiencing. It was the interaction between Coversyl and potassium citrate that had led to a sudden increase in his potassium levels, a dangerous condition known as HYPERKALAEMIA.
I tried to explain this to the uncle, but he remained skeptical, unsure whether to trust the young pharmacist standing before him. I urged him to go to the hospital for a checkup, but he hesitated. As a pharmacist, I understood the importance of a referral, and as I picked up a pen to begin writing, I glanced at the front of the shop. No customers.
The uncle asked once more, “Need to pay?” and my response remained, “It’s FREE!”
Most of the time, referral letters receive no acknowledgment or reply. In that moment, I contemplated whether to continue writing the letter or attend to a potential customer if one walked in, as the uncle seemed disinterested in what I was doing for him. I looked up again—still no customer. It was at that point that I made a “small” decision in my heart, gripping the pen tightly, and proceeded to write a complete referral letter.
P.S. It was 5 PM, and I had spent 50 minutes with the customer.
Transaction Total: RM 0. Consultation Cost: RM 0.
Sometimes, things just happen, and opportunity is given only to those who are prepared
That very night after I had written the letter, the uncle collapsed and was rushed to the hospital. The man who had thanked me profusely (his son) later told me that the doctor had said his father’s life was saved because of that letter, which provided an immediate clue and prompted emergency intervention. That letter, the one I might not have written if I had given up on serving the customer, had saved a life!
After the son left, his mother sent a jar of warm chicken soup in the evening as a token of appreciation. The jar was warm, but what warmed my heart even more was the recognition from the customer, that firm handshake, that sincere bow, and that sense of job satisfaction.
That very night after I had written the letter, the uncle collapsed and was rushed to the hospital. The man who had thanked me profusely (his son) later told me that the doctor had said his father’s life was saved because of that letter, which provided an immediate clue and prompted emergency intervention. That letter, the one I might not have written if I had given up on serving the customer, had saved a life!
After the son left, his mother sent a jar of warm chicken soup in the evening as a token of appreciation. The jar was warm, but what warmed my heart even more was the recognition from the customer, that firm handshake, that sincere bow, and that sense of job satisfaction.
This story began to circulate among the man’s family and friends, spread throughout the community, and slowly began to shape Alpro Pharmacy into the place that everyone aspired to work for today. Success has no shortcuts or final destinations; it’s about continuous improvement and an unwavering passion for the community’s health that propels Alpro Pharmacy forward, every day, with greater breadth and depth.
This story began to circulate among the man’s family and friends, spread throughout the community, and slowly began to shape Alpro Pharmacy into the place that everyone aspired to work for today. Success has no shortcuts or final destinations; it’s about continuous improvement and an unwavering passion for the community’s health that propels Alpro Pharmacy forward, every day, with greater breadth and depth.
