Once you have heard a call to change and identified the outcome your customers want from the change, you now need to decide what you plan to do in response.

Generating a range of options, then assessing the feasibility and cost benefit of each will help identify a better solution. Brainstorming helps you produce a range of ideas. Some may not seem suitable at first glance, but may lead to an innovative solution.

Our creative minds are often constrained by our view of the world. Our subconscious minds weed out ideas before they find their way into our conscious mind. A technique for helping you identify more creative solutions to a problem is to identify what you definitely cannot do first. All other options are then possible, although they will not all be desirable.

Choosing the most appropriate option should be based on:

• How well it fits the customer demand
• Feasibility
• Best return on investment
• Most appropriate long-term solution.

Only when customer demand is unrealistic do you have the option of doing nothing. Customers cannot expect a 'Rolls-Royce' service for a 'Fiat Panda' price. When customers want a level of service from you that is offered from your competitors or could be offered from your competitors, the option of doing nothing will lead to attrition of sales and profit. The risk in business is whether the lost profit of losing some customers based on their unmet demands will be greater than the cost of meeting their demand.

Options created to meet these types of demands are often not creative or strategic enough. You may need to address the fundamental business model of the pharmacy. Changing processes and retraining staff to undertake them effectively may create the opportunity to meet these demands.