Executive Summary
Critical assessment of the company’s standing is essential for addressing the present complications. Barlow Collins, a small medical clinic in the UK, is currently experiencing a customer marketing problem that limits its growth and forces the executives to rely on recurring clients as a source of revenue. To investigate these issues, the present research project was conducted, evaluating the data on Barlow Collins social media advertising and the customers’ attitudes towards the organization. According to the findings, Barlow Collins is not efficiently implementing digital marketing strategies to promote its services on the public networks, which negatively affects its standing. Furthermore, medical tourism is suggested as a means of attracting new clients, thus expanding the current customer market size and ensuring future development.
Introduction
In a business environment, identifying a problem impeding future advancement is of crucial importance for the executives. However, to successfully complete this endeavor, the enterprise’s leaders must also conduct relevant research, establishing which issues and risks are to be mitigated as soon as possible (Cole, DeNardin and Clow, 2017). For Barlow Collins, a small medical clinic, a prominent complication is the lack of their clients’ interest in ear wax removal services. As the current market size of this organization remains small, the executives should implement a new marketing strategy that will allow promoting the establishment’s growth through securing higher customer demand. The present paper provides an overview of Barlow Collins’ clientele problem, offering a consultancy brief and recommendations based on the results of the conducted research.
Description of the Company and its Business Environment
Barlow Collins Ltd. is an independent medical clinic located in the United Kingdom. The organization was established by Dr. Donal Collins and his partner Lin Barlow in October 2020 (Barlow Collins, 2022). Dr. Collins has experience of 27 years as a general practice physician at the National Health Service (NHS) (Barber, 2020). Lin Barlow has 40 years of experience with NHS and various clinics, while Debi Cox has been working as a fitness teacher since 2017, having also worked for the Diabetes Reversal Training.
The clinic currently specializes in four major areas of medical services: ear wax removal, treatment of diabetes and obesity, and point of care testing, which includes various blood tests. Ear wax removal is advised when experiencing such symptoms as ear blockage and hearing whistling, muffled, ringing, or buzzing sounds (Barlow Collins, 2022). In addition, this procedure is necessary for people using hearing aids or having hearing impairments (Barlow Collins, 2022). After that, the clinic’s staff also assists with diabetes and obesity therapy, assigned to individuals with sleeping issues, fatigue, high blood pressure, history of heart disease, and high triglycerides (Barlow Collins, 2022). Finally, point of care testing includes routine blood glucose measurement, ascertaining the levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, and insulin.
Business Environment
The contemporary business environment for Barlow Collins is lucrative, as the popularity of the ear wax removal procedure is currently growing. In the UK, the issues connected to ear wax buildup and blockages are becoming more frequently highlighted by medical campaigns and popular media (NICE, 2021). For instance, about 2.3 million residents in the United Kingdom have been reported to seek ear wax removal options from various clinics (NICE, 2021). More people continue to experience challenges that require ear wax removal services, creating a demand for available and fair-priced clinical opportunities.
Another aspect of this demand refers to senior populations and people with hearing impairment, for whom ear wax removal must be a regular procedure. Most older individuals and residents with hearing or cognitive impairment issues experience problems with wax buildup (NICE, 2021). More specifically, about 65% of individuals above 40 years seek ear wax removal services, and 35% of individuals with cognitive impairment are also in need of such treatment (NICE, 2021). From this perspective, a properly conducted marketing campaign could tremendously improve Barlow Collins’ customer appeal, expanding the clinic’s range of operations.
Problems Encountered in the Current Environment
Although the present business environment is favorable for promoting ear wax removal services, it is essential to consider company issues encountered by Barlow Collins. Given the small size of the clinic and the scope of available services, Barlow Collins manifests problems in increasing and retaining its consumer market. Attracting new clients appears to be challenging for the corporation, with the majority of the individuals who purchase its services being returning customers (Appendix A). As this trend suggests stagnation and can ultimately lead to such negative consequences as the lack of growth, a decrease of the clientele numbers, and loss of revenue, it is crucial for Barlow Collins to address the difficulty as soon as possible.
Additionally, it is possible that Barlow Collins’ executives lack knowledge about the size of their market and potential customers, operating in a secluded business area. With the development of digital marketing possibilities and Internet communication, the resources for advertising clinical services have increased considerably, creating new opportunities for endorsing medical treatment (Ritz, Wolf and Mcquitty, 2019). Nevertheless, Barlow Collins is currently relying on a set of outdated promotion techniques, which do not efficiently address the customer needs and reduce the corporation’s potential on the market. Thus, Barlow Collins’ executives should also improve the strategies used for marketing the clinic’s services, improving their knowledge of the customer market and the consumers’ interests.
Problem Rationale
While the identified problems are highly significant for the company itself, successful resolution of these issues is also critical for Barlow Collins’ potential clients. With the demand for ear wax removal services increasing, the availability of such treatment in more economically successful medical institutions has been diminished, resulting in long appointment queues (BBC, 2022). Furthermore, such attention from the public has undoubtedly been noticed by the health care providers, who elevated the costs of ear wax removal (NICE, 2021). For instance, NHS stopped offering micro-suction treatment free of charge, and the overall prices for this procedure continue to rise (BBC, 2022). Therefore, to properly address the identified demand, the engagement of smaller clinics in the provision of this service is needed. If Barlow Collins were to successfully advertise its ear wax removal proposition, consumers could find it easier to receive the necessary treatment quicker and at a lower cost. Additionally, the procedure’s accessibility is of vital importance for individuals with hearing impairments and aids who require such services on a regular basis.
Objectives of the Project and Theoretical Underpinnings
Project Objectives
The current project aims to identify strategies employed by competitors and main medical organizations providing ear wax removal services and investigate effective methods that can be employed by BarlowCollins to increase its market size. Furthermore, the research focuses on determining the pathways that could be used to approach and convince the UK population to seek earwax removal services from Barlow Collins. Finally, the last goal is to conduct exploratory research on Barlow Collin’s current consumers’ attitudes towards this clinic, establishing their satisfaction with its services and the ear wax removal procedure.
Theoretical Underpinnings
The theoretical underpinnings of the project are connected to the concept of digital marketing and implementation in the promotion of clinical services in the contemporary business environment. Digital marketing is defined as the use of digital technologies for conducting marketing activities and improving customer knowledge by matching their needs and the proposed services (Ritz, Wolf, and Mcquitty, 2019). This approach hinges on the utilization of online platforms and public networks as a means of advertising the company’s facilities, purpose, and attractiveness (Ritz, Wolf and Mcquitty, 2019). In the current age, as more individuals are becoming involved in social media, digital marketing has become a prominent service promotion strategy for clinical establishments (Kraus et al., 2021). As marketing expenses may be substantially high, promoting through social media becomes an advantageous method of properly distributing the available resources without risking the loss of funds.
As the implementation of digital marketing strategies hinges on the use of Internet platforms, it is essential for company executives to utilize advertising methods connected to popular social media. Although a variety of different resources can be used, from informative websites to thematic forums, public networks appear to be one of the most efficient ways of promoting a company’s services (Peter and Dalla Vecchia, 2021). Such social platforms as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook are especially famous, attracting numerous consumers and creating an opportunity for including paid advertisements (Peter and Dalla Vecchia, 2021). As such, even a small clinic’s promotion can become widely recognized on the websites and mobile applications of these services, increasing market coverage and attracting more potential clients.
Businesses of all sizes have started to use digital marketing and social media for advertising their services. Recent research shows that small service businesses can yield significant benefits when implementing digital marketing in connection with public networks (Cole, DeNardin and Clow, 2017). However, it has also been argued that utilizing Internet marketing is considered non-beneficial by most small business owners, as there are many stereotypes about the use of social media and its effectiveness (Cole, DeNardin and Clow, 2017). Nevertheless, as marketing expenses may be substantially high, promoting through social media becomes an advantageous method of properly distributing the available resources without risking the loss of funds.
In the clinical setting, digital marketing and promotion through Internet resources have also been proven especially useful. With numerous distinct populations being connected to social media, medical organizations become exceptionally more likely to research and cover the needs of their target audience while utilizing minimal resources (Kraus et al., 2021). Compared with traditional advertising approaches, digital marketing requires less expense and can be implemented more easily, meaning that it is an excellent strategy for small clinics that have a limited scope of treatment options and must focus on a specific population.
Currently, Barlow Collins performs social media marketing activities using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. The clinic’s website has attached social media backlinks, which allow customers to subscribe to the organization’s channel on the relevant Internet platform and remain informed of the most recent news. However, as the links are located at the very bottom of the website, they are as accessible as they should be; furthermore, the company executives are not advertising the clinic’s services frequently (Barlow Collins, 2022). Therefore, it is necessary to ascertain whether there is a certain predisposition towards using social media promotion tools and if this complication can be mitigated through digital marketing.
Research Methodology
The research approach selected for this investigation is descriptive and mixed. According to Mohajan (2018), descriptive design is a method that researchers use to systematically describe a phenomenon, population, or situation. This strategy enables researchers to answer the when, what, where, and how questions regarding a particular subject, thus clarifying its characteristics and connections with other phenomena (Bryan and Bell, 2013). Nevertheless, as the current project also incorporates the data obtained from a quantitative measure, namely a questionnaire to establish the Barlow Collins’ consumers’ attitudes towards this clinic, the overall research design is mixed.
Data Collection
The primary data was collected from the respondents using an online survey method. The participants received the link to complete the online survey through different social media, such as WhatsApp; e-mail was also used to distribute the survey information. As it was necessary to question individuals who previously visited the clinic and had the ear wax removal procedure performed, the survey link was also posted on Barlow Collins’ Facebook page. Initially, the target sample of Barlow Collins customers was 30 participants; however, only 12 respondents fully completed the survey. Thus, the final data analysis was conducted using the gathered information.
Secondary Data
The secondary data were collected through the examination of the clinic’s social media accounts, namely Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, the links to which are available at the organization’s website. Figure 1 represents the information on the aforementioned accounts. These web pages were analyzed to establish Barlow Collins’ posting activity and determine how the executives are implementing digital marketing approaches in social media. Figure 1 represents the information on the aforementioned accounts. The data displayed in the figure indicates that there is a lack of engagement through social media platforms.
Competitor analysis: Just Ears and Fareham Hearing Centre
To gain a comprehensive understanding of the researched corporation’s business environment and competition, a competitor analysis was conducted. The main opponents for Barlow Collins are Just Ears and the Fareham Hearing Centre, which provide ear-specific treatment services (Fareham Hearing Centre, 2022; Just Ears, 2022). While Barlow Collins is a small local establishment, Just Ears and Fareham Hearing Centre have breached their businesses, focusing on a broader customer market. The contrasts between the two competitors and Barlow Collins are presented in Table 1.
Table 1. Comparison of the main website and social media aspects of Just Ears, the Fareham Hearing Centre, and Barlow Collins
SWOT Analysis
While identifying the aspects of the competitors’ businesses allows determining an approach to battle the competition, a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis is essential for clarifying the firm’s current internal and external environment. For Barlow Collins, this evaluation is necessary for choosing a strategy that properly addresses the present issues and strategically utilizes the organization’s advantages to mitigate the disadvantages. Firstly, the Strengths and Weaknesses factors of this framework refer to the company’s internal environment (Sarsby, 2016). For Barlow Collins, considerable Strengths are the experienced doctors, the use of new technologies, presence in social media, and cost-saving equipment. However, such Weaknesses as marketing deficiency, inactive public networks accounts, malfunctioning social media backlinks, and only one clinic location.
After that, the Opportunities and Threats are the elements of the external environment, which cannot be influenced by the executives directly. Available Opportunities for Barlow Collins are the demand for qualified doctors, improving brand value through social media, competitors’ high treatment charges, and the NHS’ decision to stop providing free micro-suction treatment. On the other hand, the Threats are the growing worldwide competition, lack of executives’ competition awareness, and the absence of activities aimed at maintaining the customers’ attention.
Primary Data
The primary data collected through the online survey is presented in Appendix A. individuals’ attitudes towards Barlow Collins were gathered using closed questions; additionally, the participants were asked to rate statements about the clinic’s services from “Strongly Disagree” to “Strongly Agree”. The majority of the participants were 40-50 years of age, male, having heard about the clinic from friends or other sources. All of the individuals rated Barlow Collins’ services as “Very good”, and stated that they travel to the clinic by car yearly. All of the respondents strongly agreed that the staff is skilled, confident, friendly, and courteous. 11 participants strongly agreed that The medical Centre is very clean and its location is convenient. However, 1 participant replied “Agree” to the statement “The medical Centre is very clean”, and 1 participant answered “Agree” to the statement “The location of the medical Centre is convenient for me”.
Findings
According to the results of the research, Barlow Collins is not particularly popular among the population. Most customers use the clinics’ services on a yearly basis, which suggests that Barlow Collins has numerous returning customers; however, it also displays that the clients’ visits are infrequent, and the organization mostly relies on its previous clients rather than on new ones. In addition, the company inefficiently utilizes its social media accounts, as its Instagram page has only seven posts and 49 followers (Instagram, 2022). Although a Facebook page dedicated to the clinic appears to be properly maintained, the link on the Barlow Collins’ website does not lead to the relevant Facebook account (Facebook, 2022). A similar situation occurs with the link to the Twitter platform: although the link leads to the website, the company’s Twitter account does not exist. Finally, the LinkedIn connector is coupled with Dr. Collins’ personal LinkedIn profile (LinkedIn, 2022).
Based on this evidence, it can be concluded that Barlow Collins’ social media activity is inefficient for attracting new customers, and new activities must be performed to advertise the clinics’ services. Even though Instagram and Facebook are one the largest public networks, Barlow Collins fails to generate customer interest through these platforms, as the posts are published only from time to time. In addition, some links are connected to non-existent pages, which can negatively impact the clients’ perceptions of the company (Peter and Dalla Vecchia, 2021). The website land page is not completely user-friendly, and additional information about the clinic is absent.
Nevertheless, the are several positive aspects that were outlined during the analysis. A tremendous advantage that Barlow Collins currently possesses is the ear wax removal treatment price, which is substantially lower than the competitors’ suggestions. After that, the quality of the equipment is high, which can help the executives ensure the provision of excellent services and save additional costs (Peter and Dalla Vecchia, 2021). Barlow Collins’ social media accounts, although not active, are already established and have some popularity among the customers, which is a positive trend that can be utilized for promoting the organization.
Recommendations
Given the discussed findings, it is possible to suggest strategies that could help improve the corporation’s standing and customer market size. Firstly, it would be beneficial to assess Barlow Collins’ willingness to adopt technology as a means of services promotion. As several issues with the proper utilization of social media connections and accounts are present, and the website is not fully technologically advanced, there might be some predispositions towards using digital technology advertising (Ritz, Wolf and Mcquitty, 2019). This phenomenon is frequent among small business owners and is crucial to address prior to initiating a marketing campaign (Cole, DeNardin and Clow, 2017). the technology acceptance model (TAM) is a useful framework for ascertaining both the firm and consumers’ willingness to implement digital media solutions for promotion (Ritz, Wolf and Mcquitty, 2019). In this regard, it can be helpful to evaluate the mentioned aspect, as well as determine the customers’ possible reactions to digital advertising.
Another suggestion is connected to medical tourism, a favorable trend in the current age. As Barlow Collins is located close to the sea, this advantage could be utilized to attract clients in need of a retreat due to health-related reasons. Medical tourism is a practice of traveling to specific areas to receive health care services that might be unavailable in the clientele’s areas (Bayev et al., 2020). However, this trend can be combined with typical tourism, where Barlow Collins’ consumers could attend the ear wax removal procedure or other treatment while remaining close to the seaside.
Exploring different social media platforms is another necessity for Barlow Collins. In order to enhance current performance and attend to a broader customer market, the executives should follow the digital marketing frameworks and utilize relevant approaches. These possibilities are not only useful for company advancement but could also be implemented for advertising the medical tourism possibility, thus simultaneously enhancing the organization’s current public networks’ presence.
Conclusion
To conclude, the Barlow Collins medical clinic’s customer marketing problem was discussed in detail in this paper, offering a consultancy brief on the research project conducted. Critically assessing the present standing of the corporation is necessary for eliminating the obstacles impeding its growth and devising a strategy that properly addresses the outlined issues. In the case of Barlow Collins, the acquired research data show that the lack of social media coverage and implementation of digital marketing techniques is a crucial issue that prevents the organization from attracting new consumers. The study had a mixed design, with the descriptive evaluation performed using the available information regarding Barlow Collins’ social media activities and a quantitative measure distributed among the clinic’s clientele. It was established that the organization’s current use of public networks is very inefficient, with the available accounts not being utilized for promotion and some social media profiles non-existent or leading to incorrect pages.
However, with the popularity of the ear wax removal treatment growing, the executives could mitigate the discussed complication, using public networks for advertising this procedure. Using a TAM framework could help ascertain the company’s readiness to implement digital marketing methods, as well as determine whether the target customer group would positively react to such activities. Additionally, the clinic should consider medical tourism as a strategy for advancing client interest and ensuring that new consumers become aware of Barlow Collins.
Reference list
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Appendix A
QID1 – What is your age category?
Q2 – What is your gender?
Q3 – Have you find any difficulties to book an appointment with Barlow Collins? If yes than what it is?
Q4 – How do you heard about Barlow Collins?
Q5 – In regards to treating ear wax removal, how would you rate the Barlow Collins?
Q6 – How easily can you travel to Barlow Collins Branch?
Q7 – If there are several medical centres in your area, are there differences in services?
Q8 – How often have you or a member of your family visited the Barlow Collins or Ear wax Removal Medical Centre?
Q9 – Please rate the following statement
Q10 – How would you rate us for the following?
