Evaluation of the brand names of private healthcare providers with the help of an association study

Abstract

THE AIMS OF THE PAPER

Brand names serve as an element of brand identity to represent the brand. The aim of the study is to identify, based on the results of a preliminary research carried out by specialists, elements of the healthcare provider's brand name, which are suitable for the users of healthcare services to be able to interpret and identify the main values ​​of the given provider, so that the brand name can fill the orientation function of supporting the brand and the brand message.

METHODOLOGY

The commercially valuable investigation of brand names is still considered a recent research area, so we conducted our primary research with a self-edited questionnaire and random selected sample of 201 people. During our research, we conducted a qualitative, free word association-based study with online data collection among respondents over 18 years of age. First, we processed the brand name associations of 25 previously tested by experts, and then narrowed it down to 11 private healthcare providers with typical brand name profiles, along the lines of the entire sample and the sub-sample of those familiar with the added institution.

MOST IMPORTANT RESULTS

 In the case of the studied private clinics, the brand awareness is even less significant, so the brand image mediated by the institutions requires further strengthening, while there is a steady consumer interest in health services, and even among the respondents in the capital, the proportion of those who choose their health institution independently is significantly higher. The respondents highlighted the "team of professionals" and "reliability" as important decision criteria, the judgment of the "brand name" showed the same level of importance as the "frequent location" and "familiarity" dimensions. An important result is that the representation of the general brand name of the full sample differ significantly from those familiar with the institution, which may indicate the presence of multidimensional brand perception asymmetry.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The exploration of asymmetry can be a useful tool, on the one hand, for the management of loyalty-building brand meeting points related to existing patients, and, on the other hand, for establishing brand building activities aimed at targeting and influencing potential consumers. During the creation of brand names, it may be recommended to test the use of humour and more unusual associations in relation to the brand names of healthcare institutions in addition to brand names that also provide more space for an emotional connection.