Essential
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3 min
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February 13, 2025
Mubarak Odeyemi
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Over 50% of global consumers expect a response within an hour when messaging a business. If you’re running a pharmacy, that kind of pressure can feel a little overwhelming, especially when patients are sending messages non-stop about prescriptions, refills and urgent concerns.
If you’re already using (or planning to use) WhatsApp Business, you’ve probably come across Labels—a handy feature that helps you organise and prioritise your chats. But like any good tool, Labels can become messy if you’re not careful. In this post, we’ll walk through 5 common mistakes pharmacists make when using Labels—and, more importantly, how to avoid them so you can keep patient care front and center.
Mistake #1 - Over-labeling chats
What this looks like
Creating a label for every single scenario, such as “Refill Now,” “Refill Later,” “Refill Next Month,” “Refill ASAP,” and so on.
Ending up with a long list of labels that make it impossible to figure out which ones are truly important.
Why it’s a problem
When you have too many labels, your system can become more confusing than helpful. You might spend more time scrolling through labels than actually responding to patients.
What you should do
Start small: Stick to a few core labels (e.g., “Refill Reminder,” “Urgent,” “Insurance Query,” “Order Complete”).
Periodically review: Once a month, check your label list. Are you really using all of them? If not, simplify and keep only what works.
Mistake #2 - Using generic or inconsistent label names
What this looks like
You or your staff label conversations with names like “Issue,” “Question,” or “Problem,” which don’t actually specify what the patient needs.
Different team members create similar labels, like “Insurance Q” vs. “Insurance Issue,” and chats end up scattered.
Why It’s a problem
Generic or inconsistent labels make it hard to find the chat you need when you need it. If “Insurance Q” and “Insurance Issue” both exist, one person might see the chat as resolved while another thinks it’s still open.
What you should do
Agree on a naming system: Have a quick team huddle or send a message with your “official” label names. Keep them short and clear (e.g., “Insurance,” “Refill,” “Urgent,” “Awaiting Payment”).
Post a cheat sheet: Print out or share a short guide that shows everyone which labels to use in common situations.
Mistake #3 - Not revisiting & updating labels
What this looks like
A chat about a pending payment remains labeled “Awaiting Payment” even after the customer has already paid.
Chats about out-of-stock medication stay labeled “Stock Out” long after the medicine arrives.
Why it’s a problem
Outdated labels can mislead you or your staff into thinking an order is still incomplete—or that a patient never got their medication. This can cause confusion, duplicate work, and missed follow-ups.
What you should do
Schedule a ‘label clean-up’: Set a reminder to review active labels weekly or monthly. Remove or change any that are no longer accurate.
Encourage quick updates: Train team members to switch the label from “Pending Payment” to “Paid” the moment a payment is confirmed.
Mistake #4 - Ignoring patient privacy in label names
What this looks like
Creating labels like “HIV Refill” or “Cancer Patient,” which directly state the condition or medication the patient is using.
Potentially exposing sensitive information if someone else sees your screen or if an unintended staff member opens the chat.
Why it’s a problem
Aside from violating patient confidentiality, you risk losing their trust. Some countries have strict data protection laws that could get you into legal trouble.
What you should do
Keep it vague: Use labels like “Chronic Rx” instead of “Diabetes Meds,” or “Special Care” instead of “Cancer Patient.”
Store details securely: Use your pharmacy management software for specific health details. Labels on WhatsApp are best kept generic to avoid oversharing
Mistake #5 - Not training the entire staff
What this looks like
One person on your team knows how to use labels properly, but the others aren’t sure—or don’t bother.
Chats get randomly labeled, mislabeled, or not labeled at all, defeating the purpose.
Why it’s a problem
If everyone isn’t on the same page, your labeling system falls apart. You might think a chat is “Urgent,” while someone else thinks it’s “Routine.”
What you should do
Brief training sessions: Introduce the concept of Labels to your team during a short meeting or via a quick group message tutorial.
Share best practices: Email a mini user guide to everyone. This can include screenshots, step-by-step instructions, and examples of correct labeling.
Practical tips to maximise labels
Add colours wisely: Assign a high-visibility colour to “Urgent” labels and neutral colours to routine tasks. This instantly shows you what needs attention.
Consolidate regularly: Rather than checking each chat individually, sort your view by labels to quickly see all “Urgent” chats in one place.
Don’t overthink it: If labeling ever starts to feel more complicated than helpful, step back and simplify.
Consistency matters: Agree on clear, standard label names for your entire team.
Stay updated: Keep labels current, removing or changing them as situations evolve.
Ready to apply these tips? Start by trimming your label list to a handful of must-have categories, and share them with your team.
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