G&M Pharmacy Creates Trusting Relationships with Community

By Hannah Claire Hamric and Hannah Fees
Hottytoddy.com interns
hchamric@go.olemiss.edu; hmfees@go.olemiss.edu

In a town engineered by its hard-working small businesses, G&M Pharmacy—located on 2159 S Lamar Blvd—stands out as having a personal touch to customers. The pharmacy makes Oxford feel like home with its hands-on approach to healthcare.

G&M pharmacy has been a part of Oxford’s community since 1979.

“It was opened about 41 years ago and we have been a family-owned business since 1979,” Operations Manager Westin Humphris said.

Lindsay Walker, a local customer, says that she feels welcomed at G&M and has a personal relationship with many of the workers.

“You aren’t just another customer at G&M. You feel like a part of their family. That is certainly different than how I feel when I walk into a large franchise pharmacy where everything looks the same and nobody pays attention to you,” Walker said.

The G&M staff offers a friendly space to shop for the community’s medical and health needs. Photo provided.

Setting a small business apart from a large franchise is hard to do. G&M pharmacy makes their patients feel like they are the utmost important aspect to their business.

“I love the local feel and genuine desire the employees have to help and care for their customers. Not to mention, their pharmacists are always available to answer my questions,” Walker said.

This helps customers feel confident that they are in good hands when it comes to their prescriptions. Customer service is a big part of what sets G&M away from other pharmacies in the area.

“Customer service is my favorite thing about G&M, they truly care about the community. They make you feel like you are never a bother and they are always so helpful.” Walker said.

Maintaining loyal customers ensures a prosperous future for the pharmacy as they have many qualities that set it apart, but their greatest component is their MedSync services – short for medication synchronization.

“We do a lot of medication management for our patients, such as aligning their refills, and we give them a personal phone call whenever it is time to refill their medications,” Humphris said. “We will have them ready before the customer gets to the store. Taking the management aspect off of our patients’ plate is something we do that no one else in town does.”

Humprhis says that his employees work together to fully accomplish what their patients expect and deserve.

“Our team is my favorite part about the pharmacy. I have no doubt that we have the absolute best team of pharmacists and techs in Oxford,” Humphris said.

Because there is only one G&M pharmacy, it focuses on local patients more than other pharmacies do.

“It is definitely the local feel that draws in customers. We know them by name, making them feel welcome, like family,” Humphris said.

G&M makes sure their employees are certified in order to serve their loyal customers and patients. “Our pharmacists must be licensed in the state of Mississippi to work at G&M. Our technicians are required to be registered with the state’s board of pharmacy and also must have a pharmacy tech certification, which is just a small exam that can be taken in-state,” Humphris said.

Walker explained how G&M goes above and beyond when it comes to satisfying their patients:

“I know they have so many customers in and out every day, but somehow, Rhonda, a pharmacist, always asks how my family is doing and remembers my husband by name. That is not something that I, as a customer, experience many places,” Walker said.

The pharmacy strives to give each person a great experience when walking through their doors.

“I truly enjoy going into G&M and getting to visit with everyone that works there. I usually do not use their delivery service but with the quarantine I have really appreciated and utilized this service,” Walker said.