CVS/pharmacy is focusing on enhancing its mobile site with new features to bolster the customer experience. 

With the number of customers accessing CVS.com via mobile phones and tablets up significantly this year, CVS is focused on expanding the services and features available from the mobile Web and in the retailer?s mobile apps. The latest updates to the CVS mobile Web site include an immunization scheduler, the ability to view prescriptions available for refill or pickup and to purchase personalized digital gift cards.

?We?ve seen mobile usage grow so quickly this year, both with our mobile site and mobile app, and we have seen that our customers want to be able to manage their health and shop just as seamlessly on mobile devices as they could if they logged onto CVS.com or stopped in their local store,? said Erin Pensa director of public relations at CVS, Woonsocket, RI.

?As we continue to make enhancements on both the site and the app, it?s important that we keep the customer experience in mind,? she said.

Mobile traffic growth
CVS reports that since January of this year, visits to CVS.com on mobile devices has more than doubled.

The new immunization scheduler on CVS? mobile Web site is for shoppers who want to plan ahead and schedule flu shots from their smartphone even though appointments are not necessary. Visitors enter a location, the patient?s date of birth, select the desired immunization and schedule their appointment at a nearby CVS location.

Customers on the mobile site can also now see which prescriptions are available for refill or pickup, access CVS? Health Information Center and manage their savings and rewards through the ExtraCare loyalty program.

Additionally, users can sign up for the ExtraCare Advantage for Diabetes opt-in program from the mobile site and purchase personalized digital gift cards.

Health management
The newest features live in the CVS mobile app include a new Pill Identifier tool to check for drug interactions and identify pills by shape, color and imprint.

The mobile app has also been updated with a sleeker design, including an easy-to-navigate home screen and scrollable icons.

?We heard from many customers that they wanted to be able to load their ExtraCare card onto their phones so they don?t have to carry a physical card with them when they go shopping, so we added a variety of new ExtraCare features to the CVS Mobile app recently, and let people know they can now use the app as their mobile ExtraCare card at the register,? Ms. Pensa said.

Shoppers of both the CVS mobile site and app able to shop the full CVS.com product catalog and access ?Deal of the Day? flash sales.

?First and foremost, we are a healthcare innovation company with the goal of helping our customers on their path to better health, so it was important that we innovate in this area and make it easy for customers to refill and manage prescriptions, identify their medications, schedule immunizations, and access health resources on their mobile devices, anytime, anywhere,? Ms. Pensa said.

Final Take
Chantal Tode is associate editor on Mobile Marketer, New York