Pets at Home
A Report on Mobil Veterinarian Service Marketing Strategy in Topeka Kansas
Case #2
Marketing Management
BU-471
School of Business
Washburn University
Topeka, Kansas
By
Timothy Alan Ely Jr
23 November, 1998
Objective
The objective of this business is several things. First, it is to provide quality care through skill and compassion for both clients and their companion animals. A pet's comfort is tantamount to its well being. The cure should never seem worse than the ailment. Also, responsibility is not only to provide high quality, state-of-the-art care to patients, but also to educate clients on pet care.
Position
The Mobile veterinarian business position is Customer Intimacy. First of all, the Mobile veterinarian is a specialized quality customer service. The service helps put both owners and pets at ease. The prices will be close to the normal prices but maybe slightly higher due to a specialized service and its hours. From this position, I need to see how it fits the area of service environmental analysis.
Environmental analysis
First of all, to do an environmental analysis, we must define the area of target market. The area of interest is southwest Topeka, Kansas. The boundaries are west of Burlingame Road, north of city limits and to city limits of both south and west boundaries.
Demographics: The demographics include working families/individuals, middle to upper class, and retired individuals. The normal income is over $50,000 a year.
Political/Legal: Such a business is totally accepted and legal for the area.
Social/Cultural: The people in the area will be slow to accept and take advantage of such a service. It is a new concept for many, but eventually it will have a higher utilization as time passes.
Technology: There are several programs available for keeping track of customers and their pet’s medical history. Uses a van as the doctor’s office on the spot.
Competitor: The biggest competitor is the traditional veterinarian.
With this environmental analysis we can now identifying the target market.
Target Market
The target markets are duel income families and retired individuals that do not have enough time, children or their animals do not travel well. These people are true pet lovers and do not care about extra cost for good service for their pets.
SWOT Analysis
Strength: One of the strengths is it is customer based. Also, it is flexible to customers needs on time for appointment and care for pets at the homes.
Weakness: First weakness is that unable to do major operations on the spot. Also we do not except the use of credit card as payment.
Opportunities: An opportunity to provide service at the comfort of the home. There are not many Vets in that area.
Threats: Other vets will see the service as a threat to their business.
Four P’s of marketing the Mobile Vet Office.
Product:
Pet care service at home at convenient times for owners.
Place:
Use a van specially set up for a Mobile veterinarian office. Able to do most work less major operations in the van. For major operations, they are done at a traditional veterinarian site, but the animal will be picked up for customer convenience.
Price:
The price setup is simplified and slightly higher due to the service and time ease for customers. Also for extra ease a payment plan is used for convenience.
Promotion:
Promotion (advertising) is one of the most important aspects to being successful. The use of promotion in the case of this business is for an awareness of the business that leads to trial of services. As of now the company uses networking (word of mouth), and direct mail. These are basic step and good starting tools. There are several other types of promotions can be used. Other things that can be used are telephone book, flyers, newspapers, Internet and working on community projects. Using all these tools can lead to increase business levels.
A telephone book advertisement is a basic need for any business to be noticed. Another form of written advertisement that is useful is periodically putting an ad in the newspaper on Sunday’s classifieds. A final form of paper based advertising is using flyers. These are good forms of promotion strengthening.
Another good form of promotion is through the use of community relations. One thing is assisting boy scouts and girl scouts work on merit badges related with veterinarian care. Another area is assisting in animal shelter to advertise pets that need homes. With community relations a business can make a positive image in the community.
The final form of promotion that I think is useful is the Internet. The Internet is a growing source of information to learning wear resources in bother personal and pet care. You can produce a web page fairly inexpensive and link it to Topeka’s main web provider, CJ Networks. CJ Networks provides a forum for community businesses. Also with the Internet you can have electronic scheduling and email assistance and advice. The Internet help businesses provide their customer base with a more accessible information.
As the business grows so can the sources used to promote the business.
Conclusion
The Mobile veterinarian business is a good idea but will take some work to be a success in a city the size of Topeka. The concept is still new and will take time for people to embrace the idea. Promotion is one of the biggest tools for becoming that successful business. Once we are accepted, there is possibility of growing.