Placing a strong emphasis on personal service and community commitment, Community Pharmacy in Saco has been helping people with their medical needs since 1998.
“We aim to be a safe place for people to go where they’ll be treated well,” said Front End Manager Bill Yonge. “Our purpose is to take care of you, as the customer, to the best of our ability.”
Bill, who has worked at Community Pharmacy for over 9 years, said that their business model is hyper-focused on customer satisfaction, and there’s a good reason for it. Without the customers, he explained, there would be no business.
“We have a large percentage of customers I’ve become legitimate friends with,” he said. “We have a large customer base and they improve my mood more than anything else job-related. They are why I’m here.”
According to their website, Community Pharmacies are able to provide supplies and bill Medicare Part B prescriptions for a clients diabetic supplies, ostomy supplies, nebulizer drugs, anti-cancer drugs and transplant drugs.
They also sell medical equipment/supplies such as knee and elbow braces, walkers, crutches, surgical padding, first-aid kits and elastic bandages.
“We’re one of the few places in this area that have durable medical equipment, such as transport chairs, available for purchase,” Bill said. “It’s kind of a niche of ours. There are a lot of doctors in the area who refer their patients to us because we’re known well for our fast, quality service.”
When people come in and have questions about what product they should buy, Bill said he takes into consideration both the customer's needs and budget in order to provide the most authentic, genuine service possible.
“If someone comes in with an elbow that’s hurting, and they aren’t sure what kind of elbow brace is best suited for them, we’re here to assist in that process,” he said. “I wouldn’t suggest our most expensive elbow brace if it’s not necessary for their needs.”
Like many other essential businesses, Community Pharmacy readjusted after COVID regulations were implemented in 2020. It was a difficult transition in a time of immense uncertainty, Bill explained, because the building’s square footage only allowed for 5 people to come in at a time.
“When things were locked down at their heaviest, I almost had to play bouncer at the door. It was tough,” he said. “Our customers are the most important part of our business, so it was difficult to have to tell them to wait outside, especially when the weather was bad.”
Even though the pandemic has been hard on the community, Bill said it’s nice to know people have been helping one another, and that Community Pharmacy has continued to care for its customers the same.
“To me, community means a group of people that work together for each other's sake. A group that understands each individual person can bring something to the whole that makes the whole more complete,” he said. “And taking care of each other, of course, that’s super important.”
Congratulations Community Pharmacy! #inittogether
