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Brand & Communications

Aster DM Healthcare

By

Harshal Reddy

Under the guidance of

Mrs. Khyati Shetty Datta

In Fulfilment

Of the Requirements for the Degree of

Masters of Business Administration

SCHOOL OF BUSINES

MANIPAL UNIVERSITY DUBAI

September, 2016

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Contents

Overview Aster DM Healthcare............................................................................................................4

Our Journey...........................................................................................................................................5

FIRST OVERSEAS PROJECT, QATAR..............................................................................................6

ASTER MEDICAL CENTRES.............................................................................................................7

Aster ACQUISITION.......................................................................................................................8

OMAN EXPANSION.......................................................................................................................8

ACCESS CLINICS.............................................................................................................................8

VISION VALUES & MISSION................................................................................................................10

Aster DM Healthcare BRANDS............................................................................................................11

Aster................................................................................................................................................11

DM WIMS........................................................................................................................................13

Medcare..........................................................................................................................................13

Access Clinics...................................................................................................................................13

Scope of work.....................................................................................................................................14

What is a Brand?..............................................................................................................................14

What is Branding & Communications?............................................................................................14

How do you build your Brand?........................................................................................................14

Brand Budget...................................................................................................................................15

Brand Management.........................................................................................................................16

Digital Branding...............................................................................................................................16

Websites......................................................................................................................................16

SEO..............................................................................................................................................17

Social media .................................................................................................17

Facebook ..........................................................................................................................17

Twitter ...............................................................................................................................18

YouTube ................................................................................................................18

Google+ .............................................................................................................................19

LinkedIn ............................................................................................................19

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Mobile App ..................................................................................................19

Digital ads .....................................................................................................................19

Email Marketing ...........................................................................................................20

OFFLINE BRANDING.............................................................................................................................21

Print Communications.....................................................................................................................21

Outdoor Campaigns.........................................................................................................................21

Airport Branding across India & GCC...............................................................................................22

WHO Health Days............................................................................................................................22

Medical Centre Visit........................................................................................................................22

Outdoor Programs...........................................................................................................................22

Corporate Films...............................................................................................................................23

Branding Kit.....................................................................................................................................23

New Medical Centre launches and Event Management..................................................................23

Objective of work................................................................................................................................24

Goals................................................................................................................................................24

Responsibilities................................................................................................................................24

Achievements..................................................................................................................................24

Conclusion...........................................................................................................................................25

Overview Aster DM Healthcare

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From a single medical centre to a performance-driven healthcare enterprise spread across 280 establishments in 9 countries and growing, Aster DM Healthcare has transitioned into being a growing network across the Middle East and India.

Currently one of the largest and fastest growing conglomerates in the MENA region, Aster DM Healthcare covers the full spectrum of healthcare services. An expansive portfolio includes hospitals, clinics and retail pharmacies.

Headquartered in Dubai, the Aster DM network now encompasses 13,477 employees, 1003 doctors with several JCI accredited clinics and diagnostic centres.

Never content to rest on its laurels, Aster DM Healthcare is constantly seeking opportunities to set new yardsticks with advanced developments. A move towards this unique vision is the Aster Medcity.

Each of the Group’s verticals is a symbol of distinction, driven by the commitment to build a healthier tomorrow and to take healthcare to the next level of excellence.

Our Journey

THE FIRST CLINIC

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Year: 1987

Al Rafa Polyclinic, Bur Dubai (renamed as Aster Jubilee Medical Complex)

THE FISRT PHARMACYYear: 1989

Union Pharmacy opened in Bur Dubai

Later,Year: 1995Al Aweer Medical Centre

THE FIRST DIAGNOSTIC CENTRE

Year: 1999Medinova Diagnostic Centre(Re branded as Aster Diagnostic Centre in 2010)

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First Multi-Speciality tertiary Hospital

Year: 2001Aster MIMS Hospital, Kerala, India First Multi-Speciality tertiary support Hospital in Kerala.

MEDICAL CENTRES

Year: 2001 – 20052002: Dr. Moopen’s Healthcare Management Services L.L.C, Dubai

2003: Dr. Moopen’s Poly Clinic, Dubai 2004: Dr. Moopen’s Al Quoz Medical Centre, Dubai

FIRST OVERSEAS PROJECT, QATARFirst overseas project of DM Healthcare outside UAE.

AL RAFA HOSPITAL

Year: 2005Al Rafa Hospital, Mankhool, Bur Dubai Multi Speciality Hospital with one-of-a-kind services

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ASTER MEDICAL CENTRESYear: 2006 – 2010

2006:Al Shaab Clinic, Dubai Al Warqa Clinic, Dubai Dr. Moopen’s Medical Poly Clinic, Dubai2008:Al Rafa Medical Centre, Abu Dhabi Dar Al Shifa Medical Centre, Abu Dhabi Dr. Koya’s Clinic, Dubai2010:Brand Aster was born

HOSPITALS & INSTITUTIONS

Year 2007-2009

2007Medcare Hospital Dubai

2008Aadhar Hospital, India

2008MIMS Hospital Kotakal, India

2009Al Raffah Hospital Muscat, Oman

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Aster ACQUISITIONYear 2010 – 2011

2010:Medicom Acquisition ‘Strides to leap’ – Medicom Pharmacy Chain of 27 units were brought under the brand ASTER in the biggest acquisition in UAE.

2012:Merger with Al Shafar Group of Pharmacies Expansion to Jordan & Kuwait in 2013.

OMAN EXPANSION

2010Aster Hospital Sohar, Oman

ACCESS CLINICSYear: 2012 – 13

5 Clinics till 2013

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WIMS

Year: 2012

DM Wayanad Institute of Medical Science, Kerala, India

ASTER BEAUTY CLINIC

Year: 2014Aster Beauty Clinic

ASTER HOSPITAL

Year: 2015

100-bed hospital built on something that’s over a quarter century old – your trust. We’ll Treat You Well.

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Vision Values & Mission

VISION

“A Caring Mission with a Global Vision”

VALUES

ExcellenceSurpassing current benchmarks constantly by continually challenging our ability and skills to take the organization to greater heights.

CompassionGoing beyond boundaries with empathy and care.

IntegrityDoing the right thing without any compromise and embracing a higher standard of conduct.

RespectTreating people with utmost dignity, valuing their contributions and fostering a culture that allows each individual to rise to their fullest potential,

PassionGoing the extra mile willingly, with a complete sense of belongingness and purpose while adding value to all our stakeholders.

UnityHarnessing the power of synergy and engaging people for exponential performance and results.

OUR PROMISE

A promise that sums up what we do and why we exist. One that we strive to honour every day, every moment.

“We’ll Treat You Well”

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Aster DM Healthcare BRANDS

AsterAster DM Healthcare covers the full spectrum of healthcare services. An expansive portfolio includes, Aster Clinics, Aster Hospitals and Aster Pharmacies.

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Aster Clinic

Building on the reputation and the goodwill of the large number of Medical Centres and neighbourhood family clinics of the Group, as a gateway to good health, Aster Clinics bring quality healthcare at an affordable cost within everyone’s reach. Aster Clinics offer comprehensive healthcare in a customized, friendly atmosphere. The size and specialties vary from small 4 doctor clinics to large 46 doctor clinics.

Aster Pharmacy

Aster pharmacies are a part of Aster DM Healthcare. The pharmacy network previously was known by its popular brand name “Medshop”. Aster Pharmacy focuses around a customer-centric approach, helping us preserve a passion to serve and compassion to care with a network more than 200+ pharmacies.

Aster IVF Fertility & Women Clinic

Aster IVF and Women Clinic offers a comprehensive & progressive Fertility medicine procedures and treatments.

Aster Hospital

Aster Hospital, Dubai

A state-of-the-art multispecialty hospital, Aster Hospital is a 100 bedded medical facility where doctors adopt a multidisciplinary approach to provide holistic treatment to patients located in Mankhool Street, Dubai, UAE.

Aster Medcity

Aster Medcity is a quaternary care healthcare centre in the south Indian city of Kochi, Kerala. The hospital has an in-patient capacity of 670 beds and has 24 hour emergency and accident trauma care facilities.

Aster CMI Hospital

The Aster CMI Hospital has contemporary state-of-the-art facilities accommodating close to 500 beds and offers comprehensive primary care to quaternary care services with Centres of Excellence.

Aster Aadhar Hospital

Aster Aadhar is the novel as a by-product of DMH & Aadhar blending. Apparition is to work together to bring in the much needed upliftment in healthcare standards & quality of medical care in Southern Maharashtra & North Karnataka.

Aster Prime Hospital

Aster Prime Hospitals are private, full-fledged 250-bed multi-specialty hospitals situated in the strategic locations of Ameerpet and Kukatpally at Hyderabad.

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DM WIMSDM Wayanad Institute of Medical Sciences (DM WIMS) aims to promote education and establish and maintain tertiary hospitals, primary health centres, welfare centres and other such institutions, especially in socially and educationally backward districts in Kerala state or at other places in India.

MedcareMedcare is the premium healthcare division of Aster DM Healthcare, the private healthcare conglomerate in the Middle East and India. Medcare operates in the UAE with a wide network of state-of-the-art facilities.

Medcare Hospital

Medcare Hospital, a 67-bed multi-specialty hospital in Dubai’s private sector. Medcare Hospital is located in Jumeirah, Dubai. The Hospital gives the residence of new Dubai an easy access to quality healthcare.

Medcare Orthopaedics and Spine Hospital

Medcare’s diverse healthcare offerings also include the super-speciality Medcare Orthopaedic and Spine Hospital, located on Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai. This is a centre-of-excellence exclusively dedicated to multiple-specialty orthopaedic care.

Medcare Medical Centre

Medcare Clinics are set up all across Dubai and the international affiliations with advanced medical institutions around the globe are also being considered.

With 12 branches, Medcare has taken a great effort to source the best of the multi–national, multi–lingual medical and Para-medical staff who have worked both locally and internationally in the medical field.

Medcare IVF centre

The new IVF and Dedicated Women and Children care, adding a crucial component of super specialities in treating the patients.

Access ClinicsAccess Clinic aims to provide affordable and quality healthcare services to address the day to day healthcare needs of the people of UAE. The clinics located in the industrial and residential areas in Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman cater mainly to the working class and their basic healthcare needs.

Access Pharmacy

Aster Access Clinic, Access Pharmacy delivers everything from your doctor’s prescription to all other personal necessities such as hygiene products, supplements and baby products.

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Scope of work The 2 and half year experience has taught me brand building functions and how

important are those from organisation and customer point of view. Below is the brief of all the activities that I have learned and been performing in

Brand & Communications department at Aster DM Healthcare

What is a Brand?A Brand is about “What the customers feel about the company, product and the service a company provides to the customers”

A Brand is about creating -

A space in mind of people A good experience of the product or service A Gut Feeling of the brand that creates loyalty among the customer

What is Branding & Communications?Branding is one of the important organizational function. It includes a set of processes for creating, communicating, and delivering brand awareness to customers and for managing customer relationships in ways that benefit the organization.

Brand identity is a combination of factors: Name, Logo, symbols, design, packaging, product, or service performance, and image associations in customer’s mind. Integrated marketing communication plays a major role in the process of developing and sustaining brand identity and brand equity.

It provides an approach designed to deliver one consistent message to customers through all different types of media—TV, radio, newspaper, magazines, the Internet, mobile phones, etc.

IMC helps in delivering consistent information about a brand or an organization to establish the brand in the minds of consumers and potential customers.

Television, radio, magazines Cell phones, mobile application, social media such as Facebook, twitter, Text messaging, Internet, cell phones, blogs and out of advertising such as billboards are different media communications used for brand enhancement.

How do you build your Brand?A) Define your Brand

Set your objective on the kind you want to develop your Brand. What is your company's mission? What are the benefits and features of your products or services? What do your customers and prospects already think of your company? What qualities do you want them to associate with your company?

Do your research. Learn the needs, habits and desires of your current and prospective customers.

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1. A LogoA logo is the graphic symbol that represents of your organization. It’s the face of your organisation and sets your identity among the customer. Place it everywhere.

2. TypographyTypography explains what font and size your text on the logo or communication channel should be. It maintains consistency and brand recognition.

3. Develop a taglineWrite a memorable, meaningful and concise statement that captures the essence of your brand.

4. Design templates and create brand standards for your marketing materialsUse the same colour scheme, logo placement, look and feel throughout.

5. Be true to your brandDeliver your brand promise.

Brand Budget Branding budgets run the gamut depending the competition in geographical region

or a brand that aims to elbow out major competitors in the global marketplace. Budgets vary depending on whether you want to reach your market through digital communications, social media, Offline, Print & Media communications.

Budgeting is a major part of Brand Strategy because it decides why, where, what and how much you are going to spend for developing brand identity

It is a planning of all the activities and the cost included for that.

Brand Budget

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Brand Management Brand building activities or Brand Management is implemented through various

channels of communications. These channels helps you to target the right audience, market and spread out to achieve respective goals.

Digital Branding Digital branding develops a business’ identity, visibility and credibility on the internet

platform. In the world of Digitalisation, where largest use of internet is made by the customers – Laptops, Phone, IPad, Apps etc. Digital branding sets a platform for brand awareness.

There are multiple online marketing channels used for Brand Building –

WebsitesYour website is the most important component of your online presence. It has a global reach. A website channel should consider the following for developing great brand identity.

Buy A DOmain Name

Register a domain name that you want to use for your website. The same domain name can also be used an email id where customers can get in touch with your brand.

Design Your Website

A website can be developed on a WordPress tool and following should be taken in consideration

COLOR

The choice of a good colour palette is very important in branding. It stimulates various emotions and carries with it subconscious associations to various things and characteristics.

CHARACTER

DIGITAL BRANDING OFFLINE BRANDING

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Shape your brand’s character towards something which your audience will like to associate themselves with

Content

Gather information that is to be displayed on the website with a proper tone of voice.

TONE OF VOICE

Choose a tone of voice that suits your brand’s character and audience.

CONSISTENCY

Ensure your website projects a uniform image. Aster DM Healthcare is present in GCC and India. It maintains website consistency on all its sub Brands.

SEOSEO’s work to make your site appear in google. SEO is the simple activity of ensuring a website can be found in search engines for words and phrases relevant to what the site is offering.

Social media Social Media channel is the best medium to build relations with your customers. It’s day to day conversation about your brand to the customers. It is one of the fastest growing channel for communications. That interaction can be more personal to users than traditional methods of outbound marketing and advertising. Social networking sites act as word of mouth and is at your finger tip.

Facebook Facebook is a powerful marketing tool – It's a great space to keep customers informed, develop brand identity, and broaden your reach. Facebook can help you to reach all of the people who matter most to your business.

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Twitter The objective is to Tweet news and information about our brand. This allows regular interaction with users. Health Tips, latest news and events are tweeted daily.

YouTube YouTube is a tool of video marketing and to increase the viewership of the videos. Doctor’s infotainment videos, corporate videos, latest news and activity are shared on YouTube channel for viewers to know about the brand. We Update the profile to a company profile and use the company colour schemes.

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Google+ Google+ (pronounced and sometimes written as Google Plus) is an interest-based social network that is owned and operated by Google. G+ channels ensure that all information is in a presentable format and has the maximum reach as possible. All the entity information on Google Places is valid and up to date.

LinkedIn We take control over our LinkedIn profiles and ensure that all information is up to date and reflects the company size effectively. Regular updates on the channel with information used across our group. We conduct internal campaign to ensure employees are pointing to the right location within LinkedIn for their company name.

Mobile App The mobile app industry is booming, and since the one-million-app mark was reached in late 2011 according to the sources.  

When you are developing your app and designing your brand, the following factors are taken into consideration: the name of your business, the style of the app and, of course, the icon that will represent you in the app market.

Users will get of the app and brand is on their app’s download page, your screenshots, brand identity and app description will convert possible users into downloads.

Digital ads

Along with social media websites, online advertising on search engines, banner ads on mobile or Web sites and Affiliates programs relate to digital ads . We have 7 different campaigns targeting different departments and promoting the branding activity. We analyze results of campaigns and identify which keywords work well and Create landing pages for well performing keywords and run customized campaigns regularly, monitor these landing pages and make a semi-permanent sub campaigns for the well performing campaigns.

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Email Marketing

Internal Database for customers

This is the database which is collected from within the DM Healthcare entities and is a customer email database. We coordinate with the concerned people to make sure the email addresses is being collected in a timely fashion and support online and offline campaigns to increase this database. Consult on the best practices to be used to collect information from offline sources and to implement.

External Database (from Campaigns)

Have campaigns on regular basis on various sources including our website, social media and with external partners. We send emailers and latest news to our customers through our database.

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Offline Branding This particular information shows the activities which are more inclined towards Brand Enhancement with respect to external factors and market.

Print CommunicationsPrint communication includes internal branding and external branding.

Aster Health watch

Aster Healthwatch is a Health care magazine done for internal purpose for the patients coming to clinics, hospital. They are distributed internally in GCC and India.

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Newspaper Ads

Ads are released in newspaper for brand development. Let it be a new clinic, hospital, Pharmacy launch, WHO day ad all these ads serve a medium of information to make customers aware of your brand and connect emotionally.

Outdoor CampaignsOutdoor Branding Campaigns are done across GCC & India. That includes -

Airport Branding across India & GCCAirport Campaigns are done yearly over GCC and India. The purpose is to make the visitors from different nationality aware of the brand. Example – To promote Medical Tourism, airport branding is one of the best channel.

WHO Health DaysBeing a Healthcare industry we have a 360 degree branding approach on WHO Health Days with the following activity

Hoardings Unipoles Bridge Banners Bus Shelters Moopies

Newspapaer Ads

Outdoor Activities

Radio Campaign

Departmental Promotion

Flyers

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Medical Centre VisitMedical centres are assessed based on certain criteria and the department works towards overall brand enhancement of the centre:

Outdoor Programs

We do Brand enhancement activities in school, colleges, banks or other corporate organizations:

Internal Branding

Feedback From Customers

Look and feel of the Center

Questionnaire based on Brand

Perception

Doctor’s talk Health Check-ups

Other health promotions through tie-ups with

pharma/skincare companies

STRAP Promotion

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Corporate FilmsA Corporate films is a movie that has a story of your brand. These films are produced under good budget, production and studio work. These films are shared through different channels of communication – TV, Theatre, Social Media, Trade shows etc. To create brand identity.

Branding Kit A branding kit is made for internal branding so the brand maintains its consistency within. Preparing annual Aster Calendar and annual Desk Planner for internal branding purpose.

New Medical Centre launches and Event ManagementWe Plan and execute the launch program for new medical centres. Steering the Celebrity events.

Corporate Film for DM Healthcare

DM WIMS Introductory

film

Aster Medcity film

DM Foundation

film

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Objective of work

Goals

To increase Brand awareness among customers through Offline and Online platform To assist in all Digital marketing , Print and Media communications To plan and organise all Image building activities To run the Aster Television network Effectively To do Brand Research for new ideas and innovation

Responsibilities

To manage and ensure optimal results and continuous updation of website To plan social media campaigns in close coordination with activity head. (Facebook

campaign, Website, emailers, mobile application) To Publish monthly Newsletters - Health Reach Conceptualize, coordinate and publish Quarterly Healthwatch issues ( Magazines) Support in ATN activities, video and Kiosk slides with the activity head

Achievements

Played a lead role in organizing the Trade show – Arab Health exhibition – GCC for 2 years Head controller responsible for outdoor events – Managed and coordinated 12 celebrity visits at the centres 10 outdoor camps at educational institutes, corporate and parks 2 award functions for Brand Building purpose Conceptualizing 4 Healthwatch magazines and 12 Health Reach ( e- newsletter)

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Conclusion

Working at Aster DM Healthcare as professional and a final year of student of MBA at Manipal, Dubai is a great management experience to grow professionally and personally.

Being a part of one of the largest Healthcare organization in MENA, Aster DM Healthcare experience has helped me to grow my skills, ability, capability, maturity, competency, knowledge, and communications at the age of 23.

Also, it is a proud experience of doing MBA at Manipal, Dubai along with my work. It links my corporate work experience with what I learn in my class theory based knowledge.

Working in the area of my interest and understanding all brand activities from its basics has helped create a strong base and along with MBA course, it has educated me with all the functions of a business.

My message to the readers is, “Guys, it’s the best experience you should try, because you will love the journey more even after you have reached your destination”.

“BE THE CHANGE THAT YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD” ……Mahatma Gandhi

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