Meet the Team — Karen Carlin

In our latest instalment of Meet the Team we talk to Karen Carlin, Sales & Account Manager, about how her entrepreneurial background helps her to walk in our customers’ shoes, as well as why finding her role at Cegedim Rx was ‘meant to be’...

Q. What does a typical day in the sales team at Cegedim Rx look like?

A. There isn’t one! That’s part of why I wanted to join Cegedim Rx. My colleague Michelle and I look after more than 600 of Cegedim Rx’s independent pharmacy customers across the UK.

We’re responsible for the renewals of our PMR platform Pharmacy Manager, but we also cover account management too so almost anything can come across our desk. From a computer crisis to a software question. Every pharmacy business is unique. Understanding their wants, needs and challenges is our bread and butter.

Q. What made you want to join the Cegedim Rx team?

A. Before joining the team I was an account manager. I then ran my own furniture business for 13 years. I had a big warehouse where I used to paint furniture for people, and we sold homeware items too.

It was very physically demanding and I’ve reached a point in my career where I want to use all the business experience I’ve gained but swap the warehouse for the comforts of Cegedim’s Buckshaw office.

The hiring team really liked my background as an entrepreneur and had another position to fill so I suggested my friend Michelle. We both started at Cegedim Rx the following Monday. They got double trouble!

Q. How does your experience as a business owner help you in your role at Cegedim Rx?

A. When I tell our independent pharmacy customers, ‘I understand’ - I really do. I’ve been in their shoes as a business owner. From the moment you're given the key to a premises, you owe people money. It’s a different type of responsibility and pressure.

You’ve got to be empathetic, resilient, a jack-of-all-trades and comfortable spinning lots of plates. It takes guts. And we massively respect that at Cegedim Rx.

That’s why I’m so passionate about making sure our independent pharmacy customers are making the most of our software to maximise their revenue and take some of the pressure away from them.

Q. The personal touch is important at Cegedim Rx isn’t it, can you tell me more about that?

A. It really is. I’m a big believer in talking to people face to face, especially in the office. The modern way seems to be email for everything, but my internal emails are sometimes followed up with a walk over to the recipient so I can get a quicker answer for a customer.

The approach at Cegedim Rx is very similar to how I ran my own business. We’re mostly on a first name basis with customers - we ask them about their day and what’s new with them. We genuinely do care.

The days of corporate speak is almost gone, it’s definitely more casual and supportive. It’s the best way to build rapport and to really help customers understand the value our systems – and the Cegedim Rx team - can add to their business.

Q. You mentioned a surprising link to Cegedim Rx too, what’s that?

A. I do feel like this role was meant to be for me. Especially when I realised that the chap my mum used to work for in the local chemist decades ago – John Richardson - went on to become Cegedim’s original founder.

For 40 years, we've built on those foundations. And we’ve got lots of loyal customers who understand the value of being with a company that knows its stuff and truly cares.

Q. What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

A. Helping customers. Michelle and I visited a local pharmacy soon after joining the team. They were having some equipment upgraded so we went to meet the team and see the process in action.

Hearing first-hand how Cegedim Rx systems have transformed their business was so rewarding. You can hear it in customer’s voices when the weight has been lifted thanks to our tech.

Q. When you’re not speaking with pharmacy owners, how do you like to spend your free time?

A. I've taken up running a few times a week in a running club with my friends and just completed my first 10K. I wasn’t a cross-country girl at school but I’m on a mission to change that now.

There’s lots of dog walking too. Usually with Michelle. We’re both mad for cockapoos. My dog is the daughter of her dogs. That's how we met. So we’re practically family now!

Come and meet Karen, and the whole of the Cegedim Rx team at C30 at The Pharmacy Show between 12 – 13 October at the Birmingham NEC.