Missed Opportunities Case Study

In every type of business, a marketing strategy is vital to ensure the increase of sales either for products or services that will yield to the progress of a company. According to Varadarajan (2009) marketing strategy means an organization’s integrated pattern of decisions that specify its important decisions concerning products, market, marketing activities and marketing resources that enables the organization to achieve their goals. In a business or company every opportunity which is needed for marketing should be seized if it will really aid in accomplishment the goal of the company.
In the case of Briarwood which is a not for profit institution, they had missed one of the most important marketing strategy that they could have used which will give them edge over Crestview Hospital. Briarwood has every chance of acquiring the two billboards, Susan Daniels, Chief Marketing Officer, is eyeing for a long time. She knows that it will help Briarwood against Crestview Hospital which is also in the same road where the latter is located. However, Michael Anderson, Chief Executive Officer, did not listen to Susan and rejected her proposal of acquiring the two billboards. Crestview had a chance to have the two billboards which was a big blow against Briarwood. It looked like Briarwood advertised Crestview because of the proximity of the two billboards to Briarwood. This clearly shows that Crestview has the upper hand for increasing their clients. Michael did not understand how important it is to have an advertisement instead of referrals from doctors and insurance companies. It was explained with facts by Susan that patients also look for advertisements most of the time instead of asking other people of which hospital provides better health care services.
According to Friedman (2011) strategic planning which goes hand in hand with marketing strategy should result to change that enables the leaders in management to envision what lies in the future. This includes acknowledging the reality of change, questioning current assumptions and realities, building understanding of systems, envisioning possible futures, generating new ideas, and considering the fit of organization with the external environment (Friedman, 2011) Michael Anderson lacks the capacity to understand that changes are always there. Before, Briarwood is the top choice of the patients in Oakland but Crestview Hospital emerged and ready to do unconventional strategies in advertising their health care services. Crestview was able to foresee that people are giving more importance on advertisement.
Since Briarwood Hospital can’t do anything about the recent acquisition of Crestview Hospital on the two billboards they have to resolve it internally. They have to accept that Crestview in the near future will have an increase in the number of patients who go to them for their health care services. However, since Briarwood is an established health care provider than Crestview they can draw from this advantage that more people know Briarwood since it has been in the State for 75 years.
According to Clarke (2006) health care providers should identify first the customer- specific intelligence to know what their preferences are and their desired services. By giving surveys and indirect interviews the health care providers can identify the patient’s needs. In the study of Clarke (2006), by acting upon this customer-specific intelligence the ‘likelihood of recommendation’ and ‘building of loyalty’ from patients since the organization is satisfying the clients. Though it is a traditional way of marketing the word of mouth from satisfied patients is still an effective strategy in promoting services in Briarwood.
In the study of Chang and Chang (2009) this strategy is called internal marketing. Berstein (2005) and Longbottom et al. (2006) from the study of Chang and Chang (2009) explained that internal marketing is a communication process creating a customer-oriented organizational culture. Thus, the concept of internal marketing is the enhancement of employees’ knowledge and skills on providing services to ensure satisfaction of patients.
Gronroos (1994) from the study of Chang and Chang (2009) divided internal marketing into two aspects which is the attitude management that includes the internal and external viewpoints of the management in ensuring that employees will be inspired to put first the patients’ satisfaction and communication management is the effective management of communication to employees to guarantee the satisfaction of patients’ needs.
This internal marketing strategy is the only way that Briarwood can compete against Crestview. Susan should convince Michael that the money which should have been intended for outside advertising will be allocated to employees’ enhancement of skills and knowledge so patients will be pleased and will eventually spread the news on how Briarwood attends to every need of their patients.

References

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