Putting Customers First: How Cencora Is Shaping Services Through Customer Insight By Vicki Martin: Customer Experience Director, Cencora

In healthcare, customer experience isn’t just about logistics – it’s about trust, compassion, and the critical moments that define a patient’s experience. The same holds true in pharmaceutical wholesale, where every logistical decision has a ripple effect. Running a successful business in this space means more than delivering on time; it requires listening to customers and providing services that meet their practical needs. At Cencora (formerly Alliance Healthcare), this belief is driving a shift in how the 
business engages with its customers, as we transition from transactional interactions to a more insight-led approach that values feedback and results in real change.

A clear example of this is the creation of the Healthy Futures Index (HFI) – a survey designed to capture the challenges customers face and their priorities. Distributed at the end of last year, the survey covered the full customer journey, from stock availability to invoicing and support. It gathered insights from customers, including community pharmacies and hospitals, manufacturers and suppliers, giving Cencora a rounded view of the healthcare supply chain. A consistent theme emerged: customers want greater responsiveness and deeper expertise from our front-line teams.

Influenced by the feedback, Cencora has taken steps to strengthen the customer support experience. A new Quality and Complaints Team has been implemented within Customer Services to raise the standard of front-line service and improve how issues are managed to improve support and raise service standards. The team focuses not only on resolving issues more effectively but also on learning from them to drive long-term improvements. It’s one of several ways we’re showing that feedback leads to real 
change.

This has also shaped how we deliver key initiatives, such as our transition to SAP (Systems, Applications, and Products in Data Processing) and the Manhattan project. Learning from previous rollouts, we’ve moved away from a “launch and wait” model. Now when these tools are rolled out pharmacists are invited to test changes, provide feedback, and flag issues. This helps us refine platforms in real time and ensure solutions are shaped around real user needs.

A standout example of two-way engagement is the launch of MyAlliancePro, where we have a carefully managed programme in place to transition customers from the legacy portal to our new platform. To better understand user experience, we launched a Portal Survey, exploring how customers interact with the portal and what could be improved. Respondents shared what worked, where there was friction, and offered suggestions. That feedback is now directly shaping the portal roadmap - from simplifying navigation to adding features requested by pharmacists. As with all our surveys, we engage customers, reinforcing that the portal is being built with customers, not just for them.

Further enhancing this approach, we are introducing a new Self Serve system from next month. Customers will be able to raise queries via a digital form within MyAHPortal and MyAlliancePro. This centralises all requests into one consistent, streamlined experience, removing the need to use multiple email addresses.

Our wider ambition is to build a Customer Insight Network - an ongoing dialogue that allows customers to influence decision-making, shape services, and see visible results. At the same time, we’re investing in culture programmes to ensure feedback flows in both directions – not only to customers but across our operational teams as well.

All of this supports a clear, customer-led goal: making it as easy as possible for customers to access medicines when they need them. That means simplifying processes, reducing complexity, and aligning improvements with the everyday realities of pharmacy. Whether through smarter digital tools or better human interactions, Cencora is helping to save customers time, reduce complications, and deliver better value. By listening better, Cencora is able to work smarter and create a business model where the customer is not only prioritised but also actively involved as a co-creator, shaping solutions that improve and simplify their experience.

ENDS

For more information, visit: www.alliance-healthcare.co.uk
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For further information, please contact:

Sam Unsworth
Head of Communications
Mobile: +44 (0)7795 611397
Mail: sam.unsworth@alliance-healthcare.co.uk