Review of research techniques used for understanding patient experiences, building stronger brands, and monitoring touchpoint performance for service recovery.

1. Market Research
How Well Do You Listen?
1011 Highway 6 South
Suite 120
Houston, Texas 77077
281 759 3600
www.gelbconsulting.com

2. Agenda
• Getting Started
• Qualitative Techniques
• Quantitative Techniques
• Closing

3. “Your most unhappy customers are
your greatest source of learning.”
Bill Gates
GETTING STARTED

4. Marketing Research Defined
Systematic design, collection,
analysis, and reporting of data
and findings relevant to a specific
marketing situation facing a company

5. Experience Mapping Brand Equity Tracking Media Usage Customer Experience
Customer Advisory Boards Employee Alignment Awareness, Attitude, Referring Physician Satisfaction
Usage Studies
Market Segmentation Advertising Marketing Effectiveness
Effectiveness
Market Trends
Concept Testing
Qualitative
Quantitative
Measurement with Dashboards (on-going)
Subscriptions (usually annual)

6. The Marketing Research Process

7. Managing Research Quality

8. Contrasting Approaches
Qualitative Quantitative
No predetermined categories of analysis Standardized measure
Small group of people, large amount of in-depth Large numbers of people, limited number of
probing questions, broad data, generalized results
Greater understanding of individual differences Greater understanding of group similarities
Naturalistic and inductive Hypothetical and deductive
Longer, more detailed outcome Succinct, easily aggregated
Subjective Objective
Interpretive Statistical
Rigorous questionnaire design
NOT anecdotal, but organized
required

9. Prescriptions
• Some objective feedback is better than none at all
• Counts are good, but comments add insight
• The objective of research is to reduce, not eliminate
decision risk
• You will often find a solution requires more than data
(e.g., management experience, staff expertise,
consensus)
• Always take action on what you’ve learned

10. QUALITATIVE
TECHNIQUES

11. Definition
Qualitative research is intended to gain an
understanding of the underlying reasons and
motivations behind decisions. It is unstructured
in that the questions asked are formulated as the
research proceeds (i.e., dynamic). It typically
uses small samples. It produces non-statistical
findings.

12. Techniques
• Focus Groups • Ethnographic/Observational
• Researcher works in the world of the
respondent
• In-depth Interviews
• Online Focus Groups
• Focus Panels
• Occurs in a “virtual facility”
– Respondents meet multiple times
• Creativity Sessions • Piggyback Groups
– Respondents work on “problem • Group A respondents participate in a
solving” group while Group B observes, then
Group B discussed Group A
• Shopability Studies
– Field trip to actual site where • Experience Mapping
consumers are observed • Individual and small group interviews
guided by process diagram
• Mystery Shopper
– Trained researcher acts like a • Customer Advisory Boards
consumer

13. When Focus Groups Go Wrong
Type of intervention Description
• Make something abstract more real by using illustrations
Flipchart
• Write respondents’ words and ask if they see a trend
• Provide respondents with a typed statement of an idea
Concept Statement • Ask them to grade it
• Circle positives, cross out negatives, star strongest element
• Write reaction down, then share
Audio/Video Stimuli
• Discuss & grade elements
• Utilize unrelated visuals to trigger feelings about or images of a
Picture Sort
product/brand/company
• Imagine X is gone and you’ve been asked to write the eulogy
Eulogy • Tell me about its life, accomplishments, family, and how it will be
remembered
• Everyone is given a title (CEO, VP of Marketing, etc.)
Board of directors
• Give them a problem to solve in their “board meeting”
• Imagine the head of X is in the chair in front of you
Empty Chair
• Ask respondents to tell this person what they think about __

14. Experience Mapping
• Experience Mapping is an in-depth qualitative research technique that utilizes
a visual cue (the experience map) to help patients, family members, and/or
referring physicians recall specific episodes in their journey
• This technique allows us to assess the customer’s entire experience, rather
than one particular encounter
– Expectations prior to their first encounter with you
– Multiple activities throughout their journey (e.g., parking, check-in, exams, follow-up)
– Multiple touchpoints, or ways in which they interact with you (e.g., materials,
conversations, website)
– Recognizes changes in attitudes, if any, throughout their experience
• The experience map provides a framework for action:
– Each step has experience stewards (e.g., nursing, auxiliary) who are responsible for
delivery
– Every steward can appreciate the relationship of their actions to the remainder of the
patient journey
– Interactions or “touchpoints” are categorized at each step

15. Experience Map

16. Making Experience Mapping a Standard
• M. D. Anderson, the world’s #1 ranked cancer
center, has made an institution-wide
commitment to experience mapping. Including
radiation oncology, GU, thoracic, lymphoma,
and pediatric, the marketing organization has
partnered with service lines.
• Each service line uses experience mapping to
understand current expectations and develop
meaningful action plans for growth.
• Outputs have guided branding the Children’s
Cancer Hospital, deploying a decision map for
GU patients, and informing advertising
campaigns.

17. Blitz User Testing
• Blitz User Testing is an interactive, in-depth
interviewing process in which users
complete tasks and provide their opinions
regarding features of websites
• Facilitators record actions and ask follow-
up questions regarding expectations and
recommendations for improvement
• Each session begins and concludes with a
group discussion to summarize
recommendations for the website evaluated

18. Provide more efficient access and adequate
content to create value
Element Patient Assessment Patient Recommendations
Design Aesthetically pleasing, but Patients want to know the
layouts cluttered key message for each page
Navigation Patients are not given a clear Patients want direction on
path to detailed content where to go first
Content Patients want to know more Find content ideas in
about the Duke patient sources of patient anxiety
experience
Functionality Patients found some existing Patients want tools that
features desirable, but also make being a patient easier
difficult to find/use
Element order is not indicative of relative importance
Source: McKeever, Bonds; Marketing Health Services

19. Value drivers vary based on the severity of the
condition and patient anxiety
Value Drivers Heart Cancer Bariatrics Orthopaedics Pediatrics
Convenience
tools
What it’s like to
be a Duke
patient
Patient
testimonials
Physician
profiles
General health
information
Organization by
condition
Outcomes
information
High value Moderate value Low value
Source: McKeever, Bonds; Marketing Health Services

20. QUANTITATIVE
TECHNIQUES

21. Definition
Quantitative research is intended to quantify the
data and generalize results from the sample to
the population of interest. It is structured in that
every respondent is asked the same questions
consistently. It typically uses large samples and
produces statistical findings.

22. Techniques
• Satisfaction Surveys • Customer Experience Dashboard
• Concept Testing • Awareness, Attitude and Usage (AAU)
• Brand Equity Measurement
• Market Segmentation
• Market Trends Data

23. Keys To Quantitative Success
Issue Description
•Questionnaire must be designed to screen out respondents
Sample
•Online sampling has become much better
• Audit telephone and mall intercept interviews
Validity
• Look for completeness, especially online
• Avoid generalizing small samples
Interpretation
• Note sample sizes on all charts
• Ensure you have a “good list”
Contact Method
•Consider all sources (e.g., conferences for referring physicians)
•Begin with the end in mind
Questionnaire Design
•Understand how question phrasing can affect analysis
•Questionnaires getting shorter and more specific
Length
•More advanced techniques can help make survey more efficient

24. Brand Equity Measurement
Brand Equity
= Familiarity X Trust The quality of the experience delivered
by the organization; how well the brand
= Familiarity X (CV + CD + CE) lives up to its promise
The attributes used to
distinguish
product/services from The criteria used by
one company to decision makers to
another establish the
considered set
Familiarity is required for consumers to recognize and
choose brands
A trusted brand consistently delivers
superior value compared to competing
brands

25. Strengthening the Brand
Brand equity can best be built around treating
people as a person and being more supportive
Customer Competitive Consistent
Value Difference Experience
HIGHER
IMPORTANCE Treats patient as a whole person Supportive Friendly overall staff
Respected
Has the top or highly rated doctors How well overall concerns are
addressed
Knowledgeable
Frequently recommended by a
trusted friend or family member Cleanliness of facility
Attentive
LOWER Frequently recommended by my
current physician Modern Medical outcome
IMPORTANCE
Likelihood of Future Use Overall Reputation Overall Satisfaction
High performance Moderate performance Low performance

26. Brand Building Checklist
 Target profiles
 Targets’ awareness and understanding of services provided
 Clarity about the benefits (and costs) associated with your services
 Understanding of how one hospital is distinguished from another
 Brand performance against local and national benchmarks
 Strength of current position
 Willingness of organization to change to deliver on new brand
promise
 Believability of new positioning
Source: Marketing Health Services, McKeever, DeVries (Barnes-Jewish Hospital)

27. Market Segmentation
CVA shows how buyers make
CVA is comprised of 4 purchase decisions and relates
question areas. What are the this to their satisfaction with
key buying
factors? your offering.
How do
customers rate
our
Customer What is the
relative
competitors’
performance
Value importance of
key buying
on these Analysis factors?
factors?
CVA measures competitive How do CVA moves beyond customer
advantages and disadvantages customers rate satisfaction by focusing the
based on market-perceived our
performance organization’s attention on
quality and market-perceived on these those components that create
price in context of the factors?
the most value for the
importance measures. customer.

28. Decision Process Model Overview
Doctor Refers Doctor Offers Several Options and Patient Requests
Patient Chooses
Patient Accepts Patient Requests Alternative
Referral
“Non-Chooser” “Chooser”
Examining patient and physician empowerment in decision making process is
important to understanding how influential stakeholders and the brand are to the
process. This “Decision Process Model,” published by Kathy DeVries in Market
Health Services, provides key insights on targets and the most important factors
in driving decisions.
28

29. Segments can be better identified on behavior and
attitudes, not diagnosis or final selection
Doctor Offers Patient
Doctor Refers Several Options Requests
77% and Patient 10%
Chooses
8%
Patient
Patient Accepts Requests
Alternative
72% Referral
5%
“Non-Chooser” “Chooser” Source: BJH
Siteman
Survey
72% 23%
Doctor Refers: My doctor chose for me
Doctor Offers Several Options: Actual text here N=583
Patient Requests: I chose with little or no physician input
Patient Requests Alternative: My doctor made a recommendation, but I asked for alternatives; I
chose despite my physician’s discouragement 29

30. Choosers have higher incidence of switching
Chooser Non-chooser
77%
patients who did not switched treatment
provider
90%
23%
patients who switched treatment provider
10%
All who changed hospitals (74 out of 583) - note drivers of satisfaction

31. Overview
Activity
• Trigger event is documented in CRM
• System Sends Email to Online Survey
• Custom workflow rules and triggers inside of your system automatically
email invitations when new patients are added to the system
Response
• Patients complete questionnaires relevant to their experience
• Patient responses are then stored in database
Escalation
• At-risk patient responses are escalated for service recovery
• Designees track resolution to issues
Monitoring
• Search and review results in dynamic tables for benchmarking
• Review open-ended responses for themes, new product ideas, and
economic impact

32. Systematic Escalation
The At Risk Report brings at-risk issues to the attention of
those designated in the system.
This provides your organization an immediate opportunity to
take action and monitor problem resolution.
Account Managers and/or Executives are alerted to responses that warn that a client may be At-
Risk. Actions are suggested or assigned.
Each step taken to resolve an issue is stored in the system and available for postmortem.
EXAMPLE

33. Trending
The Report Card view provides an overview of key
metrics.
This view is most commonly used by executives
to review the overall performance for geographic
A snapshot of results can be taken at an
areas or divisions.
Administrator’s discretion, exported to PDF,
and then emailed to account executives.
Build your own custom crosstabs using the
“Cross Tab” Builder
EXAMPLE

34. Experience Dashboard Results
• Memorial Hermann Health System
implemented a comprehensive
customer service initiative to
provide exceptional patient
experiences.
• Our initial scope of work for
outpatient service was an
experience mapping exercise to
outline key steps in the process.
• This tool allows patients to share
their experiences through survey
kiosks located at the clinic,
escalates dissatisfied patient
responses for service recovery
action and distributes results to
internal stakeholders in real-time.

35. Executives Expect ROMI
Source: 2009 Gelb study of academic medical center marketing executives

36. Demonstrating Results
Advertising Awareness Interest Choice Advocacy
Television Houston 3% lift Call center More than 700 $300,000+ online
Radio to 86% volume increased online self- donations
Online 31% referrals after received from
Print Nationally no online ad individuals
Sponsorships change 19,000 Microsite exposure exposed to the
visits per month campaign
Significant
600% increase in increase in patient Average of 5 "Tell
online traffic from volume, Us Your Story"
last campaign institution met online
FY09 business submissions per
Visitors from all goals month
states in US
All featured
service lines
increased in
patient volume

37. In Closing…
• These are just a few of the latest tools
• Your marketing strategy and information needs should
guide their use
• Research “reports” are a waste of money
• The information is only as valuable as your willingness to
use it
• If you do nothing else…demonstrate results

38. John McKeever
281-759-3600
jmckeever@gelbconsulting.com
www.gelbconsulting.com
www.marketinginhealthcare.com

39. ABOUT GELB

40. Gelb Consulting Group, Inc. is a strategic marketing firm that
merges analysis, strategy and technology to help clients build and
sustain revenue growth.
Gelb helps organizations maximize their potential. Our
collaborative and information-driven approach forms clarity of
purpose for action.
We are here to help you understand the complexities of your
market to develop and implement the right strategies. We use
advanced research techniques to understand your market,
strategic decision frameworks to determine the best deployment
of your resources, and technology to monitor your successes.
For over 45 years, we have worked with executives to:
– Develop Strategic Marketing Plans
– Build Trusted Brands
– Manage Customer Experiences
– Launch New Products
– Develop New Products
– Protect Their Brands

41. Scope of Service
Brand Experience Marketing Interim
Strategy Management Strategy CMO
Marketing Product Innovation Marketing Expert
Research and Go-to-Market Dashboards Witness