A dose of gentility

Handling a drug store day in and day out may not be many people’s idea of an exciting career, but Soares derives complete job satisfaction in this line. “In this job, one always has the satisfaction of knowing that one is playing an active part in improving the quality of people’s lives. Then, there is the opportunity to help the less privileged. There are many who can’t afford to go to the doctor for every minor ache and pain, cold and tummy-upset. They trustingly ask us to prescribe something, calling us doctor sahib. And being in this business for so long, we have the basic knowledge to help them out”.

Most of its clients, in fact, have a longstanding association with the store. “There are many regulars, so we listen to them talk of their hopes and fears, concerning their health or their loved ones, and we follow the ups and downs of the long-running cases. When there is a recovery, we rejoice with the customer and when there is a set-back, we join them in their despair. There is thus a level of personal involvement which cannot be found in too many professions.

Soares substantiates this with an incident he vividly remembers. “Some time ago, a customer had a bad asthmatic attack at our counter. We phoned the nearest doctor who, on realising that it was me on the line, arrived here within minutes. He administered first aid, relieved the patient’s congestion, and subsequently even got the man admitted to the hospital. It is good to be able to use our influence to practically save someone’s life.

Originally, though, the place was more a departmental store, with the emphasis on toiletries rather than pharmaceuticals, as is the case today. “The shift towards medicines has been relatively recent. One advantage is that this is a sort of business that is not too affected by recession. People will cut down on clothes, fancy stuff, even food, but not medicines. Perhaps the sale of tonics and such supplements may be marginally affected, but certainly not the sale of essentials like blood-pressure and heart medicines,” he adds.

Attributing the success of the store to the strictly-adhered-to principle of integrity, Soares says, “Integrity in dealing with our suppliers – ensuring prompt payment of bills – and customers is a quality that has held us in good stead. People know that we don’t sell spurious, outdated or inferior-quality drugs and would not cheat them in any way. That, I suppose, is a great plus point in today’s world. Besides, we take care to check the medicines supplied, to minimise mistakes. Our staff is also experienced, knowledgeable and competent. All this, inevitably, adds up”.

Having spent the better part of his life coming in contact with people has also equipped Soares with an insight into the minds of Puneites and the changes he has seen happening in the city over the years. “Pune’s growth is clearly reflected in the customers – there’s greater rush at our counters than, say, five years ago, and with life in the city becoming more fast-paced, customers, too, have become more demanding and impatient. But, I must say, people are more aware now of customers service and more appreciative when they get good service. They don’t take it for granted as they might have a few years ago”.

Which just makes Soares adjust his tie a little better, smile a tad wider as he approaches his customers and asks, “Are you being served”?