I’ve always been impressed with the words “What’s next?” and in today’s times, those two words have more meaning than ever before. As we prepare to attend the National Association of Chain Drug Stores Annual Meeting in Palm Beach, Fla., I would like to give my perspective on the value of the meeting.

I have attended the Annual Meeting for over 40 years. This meeting to me has always been the most important meeting of the year, and has given us the opportunity, whether as a head of retail or as a head of supply, to interact with the people that help build the business going forward. The importance of personal interaction, whether you are a supplier or a retailer, is critical to any business model. Certainly, with this being the first Annual Meeting in three years, it is important to understand the objectives of the meeting and what you should expect to accomplish.

For many people, this will be their first time attending the Annual Meeting. The world has changed dramatically in regard to how people interact with each other. The days of personal interaction seem to be fading, sadly, at least for now. The Annual Meeting provides an opportunity to try to begin to reestablish personal relationships. With the world entering a new phase, be it the pandemic or now the war in Ukraine, people are used to interacting online and conducting business via Zoom. It is essential to at least attempt to personally communicate at the top-to-top level. This meeting, in my eyes, always allowed me the opportunity to meet with the top people, on the supplier and retail side, so that everyone understands the thinking and view of their business and where their vision is going forward.

The importance of personal intercommunication in my day was essential to the business relationships you had. Certainly, during the past three years, those personal relationships have waned dramatically. I’m not asking that the business model be reinstated, but to give some serious thought to the importance of face-to-face meetings that help to build relationships. To use this opportunity to meet with the top retailers and suppliers and discuss your visions. To be creative and allow yourself the opportunity to hear what’s new, what’s next.

The importance of pharmacy today is bigger than it’s ever been. In my day, the consumer looked upon the pharmacist as the health provider, and today that role has become even more important and diverse. That being the case, the role of the retailer, as it relates to drug store, supermarket, dollar store, etc. is paramount to the well-being of the community.

I hope that as you attend the Annual Meeting, you understand the importance of communicating in person and building relationships that lead to mutual trust and growth going forward. With all the issues confronting us — shortage of help in the stores, out-of-stocks, hard-to-replace merchandise — these are issues that must be addressed going forward so that each of you can perform the functions of retail that are critical to the future of the industry. I hope you all have a successful meeting.

Bob Kwait is chairman of Kwait & Associates/Bob Kwait Consulting Group.