By Chad Koenen

Publisher

Customer service is at the heart of everything that happens in front and behind the scenes at each of the Seip Drug stores located across west central Minnesota. For the staff and pharmacists at each location, there is much more than simply filling a prescription and wishing a customer a good day. There are explanations of how to use a product, ensuring each person is comfortable with what was prescribed, and in many cases, having the items ready to be picked up even before you get to the back of the store.

After all, while Seip Drug has as grown through the years, the same small-town feel customers have come to know hasn’t changed. In many cases staff members and pharmacists know many of the customers by their first name and know the importance of being a part of the community they serve. That also means if customers leave the store and have a question about the product they purchased they don’t need to hesitate to give any of the Seip Drug stores a call to ask a quick question to ensure proper use of their medications.

Their customer service goes far beyond just the prescriptions and medications, owner Nathan Seip said now is the time of year for Medicare open enrollment. What may seem like an overwhelming amount of information each person will need to digest before picking their insurance plan for the upcoming year can be made a bit easier when it comes to the prescription part of the plan. Seip said customers with questions regarding their specific insurance plan and whether it will cover their medication for 2025, can contact a Seip Drug store to ask any necessary prescription drug questions before the open enrollment period ends to make sure their prescriptions will be covered next year.

Another way that Seip Drug has put the customer first is the med sync program. As part of the program, Seip said the locally owned drug store will sync all of the prescription drugs a person takes on a regular basis so they come due for a refill at the same time. The program allows residents to make one trip to the drug store every 30 or 90 days, for example, to pick up all of their regular medication. The pharmacy will have all of the patient’s regular pills packaged for them, which will allow for a streamlined process for regular medication. 

Seip said the program has been a popular option for people who no longer have to remember to stop by the drug store at various times throughout the month to pick up a prescription. He estimated over half of all of the prescriptions filled at Seip Drug are part of the med sync program. 

Another service the pharmacy is especially proud of is the ability to mail out prescriptions to fill the ever-changing needs of their customers. This allows local residents to have the ability to receive their prescriptions if they are home bound, or unable to navigate a difficult winter storm. It’s that small town touch, and willingness to go the extra mile, to help customers and residents in the region. 

With Christmas right around the corner, Seip Drug also offers a number of gift ideas and items at each of its locations throughout the region. The drug stores offer customers the chance to shop local and pick up a gift item for that special person in your life.

Seip Drug store has 10 locations throughout the region, including New York Mills, Bertha, Henning, Park Rapids, Clarissa, Morris, Fargo, Ottertail, Frazee and Battle Lake. For more information about the New York Mills location, stop by the store at 97 Miller Street or call 385-3360. You can also visit Seip Drug online at www.seipdrug.com/stores/