Seven Elements of the Services Marketing Mix - Dr. Breckett - Case Study Example

Dr. BECKETT CASE STUDY By Student’s Name Code +course name Professor’s name University name City, State Date 1. Which of the seven elements of the Services Marketing Mix are addressed in this case? Give examples of each ‘P’ you identify. The following are some of the seven elements of the Services marketing Mix which are addressed in this case study; Product- A product refers to anything that is offered to the market in order to satisfy a need or want (Kotler et.al, 2012). Products are divided into two broad categories depending on clients’ needs and wants, that is, consumer products and industrial products. Consumer products relate to those goods and services purchased by customers for consumption. Industrial products, on the other hand, are those commodities purchased for further processing. Marketers should make crucial product decisions, which include: product attributes, product line and product mix (McClymont & Jocumsen, 2003). Product attributes include such aspects as product design, quality and features. Product quality refers to the ability of a good or service to meet the clients’ expectations. Product features are the external aspects of a product that differentiate it from other related products. Organizations should carry out consumer research, in order to understand the designs that meet clients’ expectations. Product style and design usually describe the customer’s perception based on a product’s appearance. An excellent design enhances a product’s value (Kotler et.al. 2012). Product line refers to the process of combining closely related products, and marketing them using the same outlets (Katherine, 2012). Marketers should increase profits by dropping some items if a product line is lengthy. Also, they can stretch a product line in order to penetrate a new market held by rivals. Marketers should also make product branding, packaging and labeling decisions. These decisions enable them to promote and describe the products (Snyman & Kruger, 2004). Beckett aims at becoming the market leader in the dentistry industry by offering its clients exceptional services that will provide value for their money. In order to distinguish Beckett’s services from those of competitors, the company offers superior dentist services to its clients. People-Having the right labor force is a plus for every company. Undeniably, customers judge a product on the basis of the impression left by the people involved. As such, the senior leadership team must ensure that their staffs are properly dressed, polite and courteous to their clients. Additionally, the company must ensure that the workforce has the appropriate personal attributes and are consistently trained to enhance efficiency. More importantly, the staff must be good in dealing with customers and have adequate knowledge about the products and the company in general. Similar to other established organizations, Dr. Beckett has ensured this by maintaining strong bonds with her employees. In addition, she ensures that employees interact with one another freely. The employees’ needs are also well catered for, and this enables them to carry out their duties effectively and enthusiastically. Processes- Processes are a significant marketing strategy that involves implementation of effective systems to deliver a good or a service. As such, the element of processes goes beyond the company operation issues, and as such, the customer tends to judge an organization on the basis of how customer friendly and efficient its processes are (Russell, 2001). Beckett has ensured this by redesigning the entire office systems with the aid of an expert. The staffs are required to call patients earlier if they knew that a delay would occur. Beckett adopts a defined organizational structure with division of tasks. At Beckett, specialization is based on ones level of competence. However, a staff could stand-in for another and assists to accomplish tasks that are completely different from theirs. In addition, Beckett adopts a flatter structure that is characterized by a short chain of command. Physical evidence- This form of marketing strategy involves giving potential customers an exposure to the product (Fillis, Johansson & Wagner, 2004). Indeed, the customers get an opportunity to view the product and also develop interest to purchase it. It is evident from the case study that Beckett has carefully managed the physical environment in an attempt to capture the hearts and wallets of its clients. For instance, the new office is spacious, stylish and well lit. The waiting room is filled with soft leather seats and walls covered with fine art. Dr. Becket also allows classical music to play in the background, and this provided the firm with an edge over other firms in the industry. In addition, flowers and live plants provide the office with an appealing look. Promotion- The primary reason for conducting promotion campaigns is to expand the customer base, and positioning the product as a premium brand, and strengthening ties to the community (Bird, 2004). Marketers can use the following promotional tools to inform the customers about the product; advertising, public relations, personal selling and sales promotion. In the contemporary business world, advertising is the most commonly used promotional tools. Marketers normally identify a medium where the message is used for public relations, publicity, product placement and sales promotion. The main aim of advertising is to persuade potential clients to buy more of a particular good or service (Palmer, 2012). Some of the advertisement media used in today’s world include radio, television, newspapers, the internet, billboards among others (Brown, 2010). With the advent of information technology, marketers are using the internet to attract and retain clients. Marketing strategies based on promotion seeks to make a product known in the targeted market and involves persuading people to purchase the product. (Gitman & McDaniel, 2008) Beckett achieves this through satisfied patients who not only come back to Beckett, but also talks positively to their colleagues about Beckett’s services. Price- Beckett sets higher prices for the services than that of rival firms. Dr. Beckett should be willing to lower the prices she charges for the services. Research shows that great organizations pay attention to their competitors’ cost positions (Madu, n.d). Failing companies, on the other hand, take a lazy, disinterested approach to cost leadership strategy. According to Abbott, Stone & Buttle (2001), these companies do not feel any bit bothered by the high priority their more successful competitors give to cost leadership programmes. Beckett does not suspect that their unwillingness to constantly manage their costs down contributes to their shrinking market share (Fleisher & Bensoussan, 2007). Beckett faces very strong competition from other dentist shops in the region. Surprisingly, these competitors provide excellent services which are sometimes even better than Becketts’. Consequently, these competitors can influence the customers by providing more attractive prices. As such, Beckett needs to be extra cautious in effecting price changes to keep their clients satisfied. Placement- Placement aspect refers to the distribution of products to consumers in the right quantities, at the right time, at the right place and at the right price (Kotler et.al, 2012). Dr. Beckett has ensured this by setting up an office in an area with a large number of potential customers. In addition, Beckett’s location is easily accessible. Dr. Beckett has set the normal operating hours to be between 7am and 5pm. However, she allows her staff to work late in order for them to accomplish their tasks and in case of emergencies. 2. Why do people dislike going to the dentist? Do you feel Dr. Becket has addressed this problem effectively? People dislike going to the dentist because Beckett has failed to devise its cost strategy. At Beckett, the treatment cost is at times covered by insurance. However, the patients incur various non-financial costs, including time costs, physical costs, sensory costs and psychological costs. I think Dr. Becket has adequately addressed this problem. Dr. Beckett knows that dental health problem is a major concern for most people in developed countries, and therefore, she carries out her duties in a professional manner by making patients as comfortable as possible. 3. How do Dr. Beckett and her staff educate patients about the service they are receiving? What else could they do? At Beckett, all new patients are required to undertake an initial exam in order to enable Dr. Beckett and her staffs determine their needs and also carry out their services effectively. In so doing, patients are educated about Beckett’s services. Also, Dr. Beckett’s staffs are required to provide videos relating to dental operations. The patients are also provided with photo album, and this plays a critical role in reducing fears. Additionally, Dr. Beckett and her staff use brochures to educate patients. Today’s organizations operate in a complex environment which is characterized by high uncertainty and dynamism (Grifin & Moorhead, 2009). Becket should therefore make strategic decisions which achieve the advantages for the organization through its configuration of resources within a changing. Beckett has continued to perform uniquely over its competitors. The company has achieved its marketing objectives, namely; profit maximization, market share leadership and product quality leadership in the face of heavy competition. To keep its plan going in this case, the company has differentiated itself in the market. The company has also invested heavily on educating its patients in search of new competitive advantages. Apart from educating her patients, Dr. Beckett should consider hiring a dentist partner in order to achieve greater output in a shorter time, without compromising the quality of her services. 4. What supplementary services are offered? How do they enhance service delivery? Beckett offers both supplementary and facilitating services. According to Roos, Bainbridge and Jacobsen (2001), facilitating services are mainly utilized during service production, whereas enhancing supplementary services provides value to the product. Facilitating supplementary services: Information: Employees at Beckett are required to inform the patients about the treatment procedures before treatment is done. Thus, patients get to know how the treatment is done and the time required for the operation. Order-taking- Patients are encouraged to make reservations for dental treatment. Billing-Beckett’s staff members have the role of contacting patients’ insurance companies in order to collect fees. Payment: Insurance firms cover most of the costs. However, additional expenditures could occur, and therefore, patients are required to pay using such means as cash and credit card. Enhancing supplementary services: Hospitality- The hospitality nature of Beckett office makes Beckett as one of the most preferred dental care firms. The state of the art office provides maximum comfort to patients. For instance, the new office is spacious, stylish and well lit. The waiting room is filled with soft leather seats and walls covered with fine art. Dr. Becket also allows classical music to play in the background, and this provides the firm with an edge over other firms in the dental care industry. In addition, flowers and live plants provide the office with an appealing look. Consultation-Dr. Beckett and her employees provide consultation services to patients prior to and after treatment. According to Dr. Beckett and her staff, educating patients on such aspects as the importance of regular checkups, how to brush their teeth and flossing can help to avoid future dental problems. Safekeeping: Beckett provides their patients with safekeeping services including parking, coat racks where patients can hang their bags and coats and conference room where kids can play as they await their guardians to receive treatment. 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