Online pharmacies have provided a new dimension to the retail pharmacy space in the country. With the advent of e-pharmacies, the growing elderly population and those who are pressed for time, now, find it easier to order medicines at the click of a button and avail of free doorstep delivery services. According to start-up data tracker Tracxn, the online pharmacy space is a $18 billion market, which is set to grow to $55 billion by 2020. Despite the uncertainty over the legality of the business itself, more and more e-pharmacies are mushrooming in the country. This has led to a growing demand for pharmacists, delivery boys, software developers, customer service executives, etc. as they are running the show. With more customers showing interest to shop online for just about anything, and smartphones facilitating such transactions, along with attractive discounts and services, online pharmacies are here to stay.
The number of people availing healthcare services online has steadily increased, and this trend is likely to continue in the coming years. Meanwhile, online pharmacies are constantly on the lookout for technical and non-technical professionals to satisfy customer needs. A job-seeking candidate can explore a rewarding career in the e-pharmacy space. Some of the career opportunities that are demand in this space are:
Pharmacists: Most of the online pharmacies deliver medicines only after the prescription is verified by a trusted pharmacist. Medicines and their proper use play a vital role, as there are high chances that customers can misuse the medicines if delivered without a valid prescription. Only a pharmacist can verify the prescription and dispense medicines that are safe and appropriate for patients. Thus, pharmacists surely have an important role in the future of healthcare. Trained pharmacists are in demand due to the rapid growth of the online healthcare services which rely on their expertise to make their business model safe, secure and absolutely foolproof.
Data analysts: Online pharmacies are new in the healthcare space and there is a stiff competition witnessed among the existing players in this sector. E-pharmacies need to take better business decisions to be in the game. A data analyst can take care of data such as facts, figures and numbers, which will help the entrepreneurs to draw worthy conclusions for their business. This could mean figuring out on how to source medicines, reduce transportation costs and also determine the number of delivery boys required to work on public holidays.
Android/Java developers: An application that can be used on any smartphone enables e-pharmacies to reach out to more people in the country. It is the software developers who design and develop applications that are capable of delivering high performance. Customers prefer applications that are user friendly and are free of bugs. Only developers can make the cut and do everything possible to make e-pharmacies stand out from the crowd.
Software engineers: The traditional IT services sector is likely to see a spurt in jobs. Software developers help to build powerful software solutions or create exciting new software products that give online pharmacies a better way to help their customers avail of their services faster. They are in demand to design and install the most efficient and user-friendly software possible. The pharmacy business is particularly competitive and it is the software engineers who can ensure that the application is running smoothly and efficiently.
Support technicians: They provide day-to-day technical support functions, operational assistance, troubleshooting and help in resolving customer issues whenever the pharmacy software or POS software are not responding to the programme instructions. They play a pivotal role and are required to manage priorities in a fast-paced environment. As the e-pharmacy space in India grows, there will be a concomitant rise in the number of job opportunities for support technicians.
Customer support executives:Â Â Â The customer support executives are vitally important in the process. Of course in every e commerce vertical CS agents are important, but in healthcare, even more so. The CS agent will deal directly with customers’ inquiries about medications, delivery times, payments, and complaints. They are required to have a sound knowledge of their company’s product/services along with good Hindi and English communication skills, all tools and skills that are critical to maintaining the highest customer satisfaction levels. Those with excellent inter-personal abilities and a knack for dealing with people through both oral communication for voice process and written for chat and email, are very much in demand in the online pharmacy sector.
Delivery personnel: Online pharmacies stand out because they ensure free doorstep delivery services. In order to ensure quicker and faster services, the delivery staff should be the touch point of all the transactions. They are the ones who race against time for timely delivery of medicines. They are the key assets of online pharmacies and are ruling the e-commerce sector.
Note: News shared for public awareness with reference from the information provided at online news portals.