Sounds like your in a serious bind, but I admire your courage.
I think one thing you need to look at, and maybe tell us, is what are your numbers like. Whats your average Rx/day count, your average sales, your bottom line, that would give us a better idea.
Right now, you need foot traffic. Your not going to create more foot traffic out of thin air. You can offer all the best service in the world, and decent prices, but if people don't know you exist, you have no opportunity to win them and keep them as a customer because they are not there.
In order to beat the chain giants, your going to have to fight dirty with them. Take off the "golden world of pharmacy" hat and put a transfer coupon in the mail or paper. People who transfer their Rx from Rite Aid, Wags, CVS, Kroger, Wally, etc. get a $20 coupon (I am assuming you sell other merchandise correct?) You'll get some foot traffic. Your not busy so you can offer great service and show the type of attention they get there. Hopefully, you'll keep some customers and they'll tell some friends.
What are you filling right now? I'd guess 75/day? So if you use a little ad campaigning and get your Rx's up to 90/day, your moving in the right direction.
Call around and get prices from your competitors, and create a list. Figure out a way to maximize your profit while bringing prices similar to them.
Are their any endocrine/diabetic docs/clinics nearby? Find out. Than, find out the cost of diabetes equipment from competing pharmacies. I think the markup on diabetes testing supplies is around 20 % by most retail pharmacies. So find out their price, and than mark your crap up only 10 %. Yes, your barely making money, but your bringing in foot traffic with your lower prices AND your going to have the opportunity to win Rx's over with this method.
You cannot profit on everything. Every business has loss leaders and you need to figure out which loss leaders you can utilize to increase sales in your core business: filling prescriptions.
Also, look into and offer a MTM service. Your obviously a slow pharmacy, so you may be able to swing something like this, with a 2 man operation.
Finally, what about delivery? Look into delivery services in your area. Or even offer delivery from yourself or a staff member in a 2 mile radius. If you have overlap with your partner, you can easily swing this. Old, immobile people absolutely love free delivery.
You have to get creative. You have an advantage over the chains, and that is your small and flexible and can make your own decisions. Their bulky and slow at adapting.
Good luck.
