AAN Marketing Plan to Overcome Rising Call Volume Issues

Module: Marketing Planning Process COVER PAGE
Membership No.: 12660456
March 2010
Membership No. : 12660456
Study Centre
: SELF Education & Learning Forum
Level
: CIM Professional Diploma in Marketing
Module
: Marketing Planning Process
Scenario Chosen : 1
Total Words
: 5636
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Module: Marketing Planning Process CONTENTS PAGE
CONTENTS
A) TASK 1 .................................................................................................... 3
A-1) Rationale : Scenario 1 ........................................................................... 3 A-2) Marketing Plan ...................................................................................... 5
B) TASK 2 : Evaluation Report ............................................................... 16 C) APPENDICES....................................................................................... 31

C-1) Declaration Statement ......................................................................... 31 C-2) Company Background ........................................................................ 32 C-3) Marketing Audit .................................................................................. 35
D) REFERENCES ..................................................................................... 44
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Module: Marketing Planning Process TASK 1
A) TASK 1
A-1) Rationale : Scenario 1

AAN is currently facing a problem where there is a sudden, unforeseen increase in calls volume. The calls have increased due to AAN gaining more clients who assign the alarm centre to handle the calls of their members. The recent additions to AANs wide list of client are such as Air Asia GoInsure(Travel Insurance), PIAM Auto Theft (Towing Assistance), Global Health (International Medical Assistance).
Though the calls have increased, the alarm centre supports these calls with the same amount of staff before the addition. This makes it a daunting task and staffs need to be able to multitask well in order to handle the different scope that each call is related to. With the call volume increasing, officers hardly have time to follow up the CA cases which may lead to a complaint case as a member may not have received a call or the tow truck attending to the case may be taking too long to get there.
The sudden increase in calls also sources from wrong information provided by the client during the discussion and quotation period. A client may inform AAN that they have roughly 2000 members, however once the account is taken over, we realize that the client actually has over 5000 members due to the subsidiary members of the insurance holder and so on. The situation worsens during peak hours such as early morning when members are off to work or school and in the evening when everyone is rushing to beat the traffic jam. During these hours, the phone is usually ringing non-stop and the alarm centre is facing difficulties coping with the calls during this period of time due the misallocation of staff.
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With the alarm centre handling calls for a variety of products and client, the staffs have begun to feel overworked and quite dissatisfied. The rising MC rate of staff in the alarm centre supports the fact that the staff are beginning to feel demotivated, unable and unwilling to work due to the workload. This causes a disruption in the call centre as the rate of abandoned calls shoots up causing clients to feel unhappy. This also causes tension amongst the members calling in as they are forced to hold on the line while waiting for the next available officer. A communication breakdown between members and our officer also causes the rise in call volumes as the officer would take a longer time to obtain the members details and also to understand the members request. This causes his/her other colleagues to suffer as there would be fewer people available to answer calls and the call queue would just keep getting longer and longer. The rise in call volume has also disrupted the training of new staff as they would only be taught the basics and would be told to follow up on the car case. However this doesnt help much as the calls volume is still high and even though the CA cases are at a normal level, the calls are certainly no. Due to the calls, many IMA emails have been missed out causing complaints from our clients and many emails are not read thoroughly due to the shortness of time and this causes wrong information to be sent out to our correspondents. The increase in calls is not just affecting the profit of the company but it is also affecting the reputation of AAN and also the staff of AAN. Therefore, the situation needs to be settled as soon as possible. (Total Words = 582)
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A-2) Marketing Plan
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ASIA ASSISTANCE NETWORK
AAN Marketing Plan

By
Kohilah Nadaraja
(15 January 2010)
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0.................................................................................................. Executive Summary 7
2.0 Situation Analysis ................................................................................... 7

2.1 The Marketing Problem ......................................................................... 7 2.2 Key Segments ......................................................................................... 8
3.0 Objectives ................................................................................................ 8 4.0 Services .................................................................................................... 9 5.0 Marketing Analysis Summary .............................................................. 9 6.0 Strategies & Tactics .............................................................................. 10 7.0 Activities & Controls ............................................................................ 14
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MARKETING PLAN
1) Executive Summary
Asia Assistance Network is well known for its alarm centre which operates 24/7. The companys vision is to be the most dynamic, innovative and trusted name in the assistance world.
Referring to the problems outlined in the rationale, the impact on the alarm centre is felt throughout the marketing department as they are the medium between the call centre and the insurance company. When a problem arises, the insurance company communicates directly with the marketing department to overcome the situation. It is therefore vital for the marketing department and management to ensure that the call centre is being run smoothly and is void of factors that may affect the business.
This marketing plan is aimed at aiding the alarm centre to overcome the problems being faced and heighten its service level by working hand in hand with the marketing and management department. The marketing plan will be based on the International & Technical Department of the alarm centre and will be focusing on the Car Assistance Program and International Medical Assistance Program.
2) a)
Situation Analysis The Marketing Problem Service levels are declining due to inefficiency Many complaints causing clients to become unsatisfied Clients threatening to discontinue service Difficulty in renewing contracts with clients Threat of tarnishing the reputation that AAN has built up due to the declining service levels and mounting complaints
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Module: Marketing Planning Process TASK 1 b) The key segments identified (target groups)
The key segment would be current and potential clients that should be the priority when providing services. These segments would be: o o o Insurance companies Corporate clients Individual policy holders
Among the three segments above, insurance companies form the main segment of clients that pay for services on behalf of their policy holders. The corporate clients would be the group with the most potential as they are seeking a company which can provide them with medical assistance. With the network AAN has, it would be quite easy to win over these companies and sign a contract with them. By providing policy holders with the best services possible, not only will they be satisfied with the service but they will also be satisfied with the insurance company. This in turn will lead to better relationships between insurance companies and their policy holders thus strengthening relationship, and retaining loyalty of the insurance companies. 3) Marketing Objectives To overcome recession while creating awareness on call centres services. To overcome competition in industry To align pricing strategies with market situation
Therefore, the companys 2 year objectives are as follows: I. a) b) c) d) Increase sales by 20% through improved: Quality of service Reduction of mistakes Increasing customer loyalty and Improving internal marketing to raise performance levels of internal stakeholders including employees 2) a) b) c) Strategic goals To be well known in the market industry Top widen range of services offerred be on of the leading players in the call centre industry
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4) a) b)
Services Car Assistance Towing and Breakdown assistance (Mainly jump start, change battery and change tyres) International Medical Assistance provides Guarantee of Payment for international clients to visit local hospitals or medical facilities within our network of coverage. We also provide Repatriation, Evacuation and Repatriation of Mortal Remains services. Concierge Assistance AAN holds the account for the OCBC iQ Concierge where he handle the arranging of services such as part time maids and room service delivery which offers delivery services of food and beverages from a variety of restaurants such as Chilis, T.G.I Fridays, Starbucks and many more.
c)
d) e) f) g) h)
Third Party Administration MediClinic MediCheck Travel Assistance Concierge assistance
For the purpose of this marketing plan, the focus will be on the International & Technical Operations who handle the incoming calls for the Travel Assistance, Car Assistance and International Medical Assistance.
5) a)
Market Analysis Summary Market Segmentation As explained in the company background, the services provided and supported by AAN are of a wide variety. The alarm centre is divided into two segments: Third Party Administration (TPA) Manages the TPA for our clients which comprise of local insurances. International & Technical Operations Manages the Car Assistance, Concierge, Travel Assistance and International Medical Assistance for clients which comprise of both local and international insurance companies.
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6)
Strategies Using the Michael Porter Generic Strategies, we are taking a differentiation focus approach as the customer needs are basically the same for all competitors. The key differentiation variables are: a. b. Difference in service quality Quality of in-house staff
We will focus our efforts on a people oriented strategy particularly. a) Reducing the abandoned call rate at the call centre.
Amendment of timetable
The marketing department needs to conduct an analysis on the frequency of abandoned calls and which time does this happen the most. With this data, the management should reshuffle the timetable. Allocation of more staff during peak hours to avoid work overload and repetition of tasks. Implement call monitoring at the call centre using the Interaction Supervisor software Using this software, the executives of ITO will be able to monitor how many calls are on queue to be answered and can therefore delegate the calls to officers accordingly thus creating efficiency. Increase number of manpower
The HR needs to be notified on the insufficient number of staff to man the call centre and they in turn would need to seek the approval of the CEOs to hire more staff. The staff hired must also be of the right caliber and able to work under pressure. Divide team into two groups: IMA & CA
The management would need to divide the staff on duty to attend to the two main services handled by ITO which are CA & IMA. By doing this, the staff would be more focused on the service they are handling and would be able to devote their full attention to providing the best level of service to members. The current problem faced is that the staffs have to juggle between answering CA calls and responding to IMA emails. Team revamp new structure
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A need to revamp the structure of ITO and allocate a senior or executive that would be in charge of each different service provided. New procedures and policies must be implemented for improvement of the department. (See appendix)
b)
Minimizing complaints
CA -
Identify why the complaints happen
No follow up call was made to the member to ensure that the service provider had arrived on time or had attended to this case
Member cancelled service as the tow truck took a long time to arrive therefore the member arranged their own tow truck and wants a reimbursement of the money paid for the self arranged towing
Members are under the impression that there is no limit of coverage for the towing Unable to verify the coverage of the insurance holder causing the insured to become furious as to why we are unable to verify their insurance. The situation deteriorates after office hours as we are unable to contact the insurance company to confirm the coverage and we are left with the decision of whether to provide the service or not.
IMA Slow response to emails of clients No action taken once the email has been received Wrong information provided due to the flow of the information which passes through our offices overseas which may result n a miscommunication Misunderstanding of clients requests as some clients are from non English speaking countries High charges for cases due to over mark ups.
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These problems can be avoided if the staffs have proper understanding of the workflow and standard operating procedures that have been set. This can be done trough constant training and also by providing the staff with refreshment courses on the products to keep their memory fresh on the knowledge of the products handled by AAN.
The marketing department would also need to be more pro-active in keeping the alarm centre involved in the latest product updates and changes in the procedure of the operations.
The next step would be to organize monthly meetings between the operations executives on behalf of the department and marketing staff, to discuss complaints and decide on solutions regarding customer dissatisfaction.
The alarm centre would need to assign a dedicated team who would not answer calls but instead follow up all the car assistance calls on a regular basis to help to reduce complaints from members and improve service.
c)
Maintain & increase service level
In order to increase the service level, we need to ensure that our people are well educated with product knowledge and standard operating procedures. Not only would this help us increase the service level, complaints can also be minimized and members would be more content with our services. Below are the tactics that can be used for this purpose: Proper training to new staff
Due to the heavy calls, new staffs have not been properly trained. They are trained on the basics of Car Assistance and are then allowed to answer calls. The new staffs need to be provided with intensive training on the proper workflow of CA and also on the standard operating procedures of CA. This would benefit us in the long run as they would not be so dependant on the advice of seniors and they would be able to handle all types of CA calls including the complaint calls. Produce a IMA & CA manual for easy referencing
Staffs are each given training on CA & IMA manual as staffs need to be up-to-date on correct workflow methods.
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Storing updates in E:ops
AAN currently has a backup hard disk which is easily accessible. We are currently storing the backup training materials and also the backup contents of our CA & IMA system. To enhance the capabilities and knowledge of our staff, recent updates and current workflow should be stored in E:Ops for easy reference. Phone etiquettes
Staffs need to be provided with training on phone etiquettes and proper handling of calls to create an environment of professionalism.
d)
Reduce dissatisfaction of staff
Revamp ops structure giving seniors and execs extra responsibility
ITO currently has 6 seniors and 2 executives however the job scope for each staff is still standardized. The structure of the alarm centre needs to be revamped and tasks should be delegated amongst the seniors & executives. Executives should be in charge of managing the call centre and ensuring that everything is running smoothly while the seniors should oversee the staff and ensure that everyone is doing their work. Seniors should also be put in charge of the different services handled by ITO such as CA, IMA and Concierge. This would encourage team cohesiveness thus reinforcing cooperation. Provide incentives to ops
The current incentives provided to the alarm centre are the operation allowance of MYR 400.00. However, this allowance will be deducted should the staff take Emergency Leave or an MC. The allowance is deducted according the amount of MCs and ELs taken. If the staffs take more than 3 MCs, they are automatically not eligible for the operational allowance. This has caused much outrage amongst staff and these terms need to be re-evaluated as some staff would rather come to work sick instead of take an MC and lose money. When they are at work sick, not only are they risking their fellow colleagues, they are also jeopardizing the call centres effectiveness and efficiency.
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Module: Marketing Planning Process TASK 1 Ensure proper handling of cases
When handling a case, officers must ensure that information provided to client is right and accurate. To achieve this, AAN must establish an extensive network all over Asia. Countries such as Philippines and Hong Kong do not have the same command of English language that we do. In order to avoid misunderstandings raised through customer complaints, staff should be trained to communicate internationally and locally. Companies affiliated to AAN, are expected to meet the same qualities and standards of our head office in Kuala Lumpur. Proper technological infrastructure must be developed among offices in Asia Pacific for effective communication. Thorough understanding of cases
When an International case is passed over to an officer, he or she is expected to read the file, cover to cover, to ensure a proper understanding of the case before replying to an email. This is to help reduce the mistake of misinforming the client.
7)
Activities & Controls
Below are the activities and deadlines that are to be carried out in order to reach the companys 2 year objectives stated above:
Activity Training on Car Assistance
Start Date
End Date
PIC
Department Marketing and International &Technical Operations
01/03/2010 15/03/2010 Jo Lynn & Shafee
Discussion on amendments to the timetable
12/03/2010 15/03/2010 Alex
International &Technical Operations
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Module: Marketing Planning Process TASK 1 One on one discussion with staff 01/03/2010 31/03/2010 Alex
Membership No.: 12660456 International &Technical Operations
Training on International Medical Assistance Juniors meeting with Managing Directors, Sharon and Andy. Post Mortem of problem cases (International Medical Assistance) between staff, marketing department and managing directors Team meeting
25/03/2010 20/04/2010 Lorraine & Mike
Marketing and International & Technical Operations
05/05/2010 07/05/2010 Latitia
International &Technical Operations
01/06/2010 30/06/2010 Latitia & Mike
International & Technical Operations
01/07/2010 31/07/2010 Alex
Case discussion in Car Assistance complaint cases between executives, seniors and Marketing Department
01/08/2010 01/10/2010 Shafee
(Total Words = 2240)
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A-3) Marketing Plan
B) TASK 2 : Evaluation Report
ASIA ASSISTANCE NETWORK

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Marketing Evaluation Report
By
Kohilah Nadaraja
(Marketing Executive)
Submission Date
10 February 2010
Prepared For
Ms Sharon Tan
(Managing Director)
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0 Role of Marketing & Marketing Planning ......................................... 19
1.1 Marketing Functions & Roles ............................................................. 19
1.1.1 Monitor & Evaluate Current Performance............................................... 19 1.1.2 Managing Demand & Retaining Customers ............................................. 20 1.1.3 Internal Communication ........................................................................... 21
1.2 Marketing Planning .............................................................................. 22

1.2.1 Structural Analysis.................................................................................... 22 1.2.2 Direction ................................................................................................... 22 1.2.3 Commitment .............................................................................................. 22 1.2.4 Control ...................................................................................................... 23
2.0 Marketing Audit Process & Issues in Information Gathering and Analysis .................................................................................................. 23
2.1 Pre-Audit .............................................................................................. 23 2.2 Assembly of Information/Environment Scanning ............................... 23
2.2.1 The Internal Sources ................................................................................. 23 2.2.2 The External Sources ................................................................................ 25
2.3 Information Analysis ............................................................................ 25

2.3.1 PESTEL Framework ................................................................................. 25 2.3.2 Porters 5-Forces Model .......................................................................... 26 2.3.4 SWOT Analysis ......................................................................................... 26
3.0 Developing appropriate Strategy using STP ..................................... 27

3.1 Situation Analysis ................................................................................ 27 3.2 Evaluate the Potential & Effectiveness of Each Segment .................... 27
3.4.1 Size & Growth Potential ........................................................................... 27
3.5 Select the Target Segment(s) ............................................................... 28

3.5.1 Nature of Current Strategy ....................................................................... 28 3.5.2 Resource & Capability.............................................................................. 28
3.6 Select & Develop the Appropriate Positioning Concepts .................... 29
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4.0 Barriers to Marketing Plan Implementation & Remedial Action ... 29

4.1 Resources ............................................................................................. 29
4.2.1 Staffing ...................................................................................................... 29 4.2.2 Skills.......................................................................................................... 29
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1.0
Role of Marketing & Marketing Planning
Marketing is the strategic business function that creates value. It does this by stimulating, facilitating and fulfilling customer demand
It does this by technique such as branding innovation and designing a marketing mix
To be delivered to identified segments The specific activities are: 1.1 1.1.1 Marketing Functions and Roles Monitor & Evaluate Current Performance We need to evaluate the performance of the staff in terms of: Work attitude Response rates Customer Satisfaction Rate And Performance Measures determined by quality assurance requirements
Current findings: The staffs at AAN are currently becoming de-motivated due to the workload that is being piled on. They are stressed and also unsatisfied with the workload. Some of the staffs have begun to have discipline problems where they have been late for work and often take MCs.
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The staffs response rates to calls have also dropped as AAN has seen an increase in unanswered calls. This has lead to a higher rate of customer dissatisfaction. Being a call centre and Assistance Company, the customer always comes first and by not answering these calls, the satisfaction rate automatically drops as the caller has not been provided with assistance. The staffs performance measures have also dropped as the calls are not answered on time and emails are ignored and cases are not followed up accordingly. The work flow of the company is becoming obsolete due to the increase in calls and lack of staff. The work flow is causing the staff to make mistakes and decrease the customer satisfaction rate. The workshops we deal with have taken advantage of the situation and have come to be inattentive and quite lazy where they do not attend to cases properly and arrive late at the site. Others are being difficult and will not attend to cases when activated by the staff. Our other offices overseas have also been affected by the workload. They are currently slow to reply o emails and obtain the necessary documents from the hospitals and clinics they work with for International cases. The Marketing Executive is responsible for this evaluation process. She has managed to monitor and critically evaluate the performance of staff, the work flow and suppliers and taking the necessary measures to overcome the problems the company is facing. Thus, our Marketing Executive has done a good job. 1.1.2 Managing Demand & Retaining Customers Marketing also involves managing the demand of customers and anticipating the demand of customers. This involves marketing research on the past and current trends of the market, customer expectations and demands and an analysis of the competitors strengths and weaknesses. This allows the company to predict the changes that needs to be done in order to
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compete in the market. As the assistance market is a very competitive sector with few competitors, the company needs to efficient and people oriented in order to succeed. The marketing department has managed to anticipate the changes in the market and have outdone competitors and secured new deals with major insurance companies. The marketing department has been aggressive in promoting AANs services and this has paid of well as current clients are more than happy to sign long term deals with us. The staff has worked hard to maintain relationships with their clients and have put the clients demands first. The Marketing Executive has done an excellent job and has carried out extensive research on the clients. She has also managed to maintain the relationships with clients enabling us to obtain heir feedback on what changes they would like to see in order for us to serve them better. 1.1.3 Internal Communication Internal Communication is an important part of marketing as the staffs of the company, in particular the call centre staffs, are the front liners that deal with the customers and clients on a daily basis. They are also the people who are dealt with the task of ensuring that the customers are provided with the best service possible. AAN is very supportive of its alarm centre and this is shown as the marketing staff and the alarm centre works hand in hand to better the environment of the call centre and to manage problems and complaints. New clients are also brought to the call centre and introduced to the staffs. The staffs of the call centre are given the support from both of AANs Managing Directors and answer directly to them. Our Managing Directors have always emphasized the importance of their jobs to the alarm centre staff and have even provided them with personal training. Our Directors also participate actively in meetings between the alarm centre staffs in order to determine the problems they are facing and how the alarm centre can be made more efficient.
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The Managing Directors have done an excellent job as explained and the alarm centre staffs are well aware of the importance of their job.
1.2 1.2.1
Marketing Planning Structural Analysis
The structural analysis should analyze the marketplace, identify the sources of competitive advantages through identifying the influencing factors of the macro and micro environment in order to ensure that the organization is kept up to date on the new trends and thinking. AAN currently produces a marketing plan every year where it reviews previous objectives and goals and proceeds to make the necessary changes. The marketing team has done a good job at implementing the plan on a yearly basis and this has resulted in AAN being the one of the top service providers for insurance companies in Malaysia and also overseas. 1.2.2 Direction The direction of the marketing plan is determined by objectives set. The marketing objectives should reflect what the company wishes to achieve in the determined time span. The objectives and strategy should ensure that the organization is focused on right path. The marketing team has excelled in this area where they weigh every option possible before making a decision. The objectives are set upon the agreement of the team as a whole as they are well aware that their decisions will affect the company on a whole and have put the companys interests as a priority. 1.2.3 Commitment AAN should be involving employees in the development of strategy, providing a way for employees to participate more actively and feel a sense of belonging to the company and its growth.
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This will help keep the employees aligned with the priorities of the company and allow them to have a clear cut view of the necessary tasks that should be completed in order to achieve the companys objectives. AAN currently has a very high level of involvement and commitment from their employees when developing strategies to achieve the objectives set. The staffs are proactive and are always contributing ideas to improve the companys service level and reduce complaints. 1.2.4 Control It provides us with a timed guideline of the activities which need to be carried out, the person responsible of each activity and the time frame for each activity. This will assist us in monitoring and benchmarking AANs progress in achieving its objectives. AAN has managed this criteria very well as they have identified the tasks that need to be completed in order to achieve their objectives.
2.0 2.1
Marketing Audit Process & Issues in Information Gathering and Analysis Pre-Audit
The Marketing Manager is in charge of determining the focus and purpose of the audit. This allows the marketing team t have a clear cut view of the required tasks and ensures that the outcome of the audit can be used as a guideline to planning and efficient and successful marketing plan 2.2 Assembly of Information/Environment Scanning
The marketing team is in charge of compiling information on the internal and external factors that will have an impact of AANs performance. 2.2.1 The Internal Sources Sales Record
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The sales records are studied in order to determine the performance of the alarm centre and compare the number of services provided to each client with previous years. By doing this, AAN will be able to determine which clients have reduced the usage of AANs services and will be able to work to ensure that we serve these clients better. ISSUES in Gathering & Analysis: The records have been recorded and filed systematically for easy access. However, due to the huge number of clients AAN has, analyzing the sales record of each client would prove to be a daunting but possible task. Internal Survey
The employees participate in a yearly survey with them purpose of obtaining the staffs ideas and comments to improve their respective department and the company on a whole, identify the problems are difficulties they are facing at work and attain the staffs comments on the working environment. ISSUES in Gathering & Analysis: AAN has always received valuable feedback from its employees and these feedback and comments have helped AAN improve its service levels and increase staff satisfactions over the years. Customer Feedback
Each customer feedback should be recorded down in order for the company to analyze the feedback and understand the customers needs, wants and demands. This will allow us to work towards fulfilling these needs, wants and demands. ISSUES in Gathering & Analysis: Each comment, compliment, complaint and feedback is recorded down and forwarded to the marketing department. Through the customers feedback, the marketing department is able to identify the customers expectations and demands. It allows the company to work towards
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fulfilling the requirements of customers and increase the companys service level. Being a people oriented assistance company, the feedback of the customers are highly valuable as it allows the company to understand its customers better and it also allows the company to evaluate its service levels. 2.2.2 The External Sources Competitors
The marketing department is constantly monitoring the performance of competitors and their competitive advantage. As an additional source of information, annual reports and any other information on the competitors are collected. ISSUES in Gathering & Analysis: The accuracy of the data obtained cant be guaranteed as competitors are very careful not to reveal their client database and also their network of providers. Furthermore, performance levels cannot be monitored easily as we are only able to receive feedback from their previous clients and these comments may be bias and one sided.
2.3
Information Analysis
The marketing department has used different models to assess the internal and external factors in order to develop an efficient and effective marketing plan.
2.3.1
PESTEL Analysis This model is used to analyze the macro environment factors that may have an effect on the companys performance, business position and profitability. The information obtained from this analysis will help the marketing team identify the company opportunities and possible threats. The marketing department will then be able to
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seize the opportunities available while taking necessary steps in order to respond to the threats that the company may face. ISSUES in Gathering & Analysis: The marketing department has done a good job on the PESTEL analysis and has faced very minor problems which they have managed to overcome easily using their knowledge and experience.
2.3.2
Porters Five Forces The framework provides the marketing department with an in-depth competitive analysis which focuses on external and internal sources which are more controllable. ISSUES in Gathering & Analysis: The problems faced in gathering the information for this analysis is: easily Analysis may be biased and one sided SWOT Analysis This model is used to identify the strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities of a company and can summarize all the audit findings. AAN has based the current marketing plan on the strength, weaknesses, opportunities and strengths identified in this analysis. ISSUES in Gathering & Analysis: The marketing team has done an excellent job as they have managed to identify opportunities that were not seen prior to this and have identified threats that have existed for a long time but were not countered. They have correctly identified the companys strengths and Information is difficult to obtain as sources are minimal Few competitors whose information's are highly confidential and cannot be accessed
2.3.3
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weaknesses and are confident that this information will be able to assist them in creating a marketing plan that will allow the company to counter the existing threats using our strengths and make the best of the opportunities at hand while overcoming our weaknesses.
3.0
Developing appropriate Strategy using STP
The marketing team has determined that the quality of our people and the assistance we provide is what sets us apart from competitors. Seeing that AAN is the top assistance company because of the service it provides, we feel that it is vital for us to work on improving the quality of our staff and portray our company as a people oriented in order to provide the best service possible.
3.1
Situation Analysis
The strategies set are based on the situation analysis and are implemented in order to overcome the currents problems the company is facing. Our marketing team has identified the main problems the company is facing justly and they have highlighted the affect it has on the company. They have done a good job at this and has allowed them to identify the key segment which should be focused on.
3.2 3.2.1
Evaluate the Potential & Effectiveness of Each Segment Size & Growth Potential
Our marketing team lead by the Marketing Manager has justly identified the corporate clients as the segment with the most potential to grow and the insurance companies as the segment with the biggest volume.
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Instead of choosing one of these segments to focus on, the marketing department has decided to choose the policy holder, a sub segment of the insurance companies, as the main segment to base the marketing plan on. The marketing department has done a very good job and has made a very smart choice as the policy holders are the priority of the insurance companies. When they are unhappy so is the insurance company. By setting objectives with the policy holders well being and satisfaction in view, we will not only be working to satisfy the policy holders who we view as the most important segment, we will also be satisfying the insurance companies.
3.3 3.3.1
Select the Target Segment(s) Nature of Current Strategy
AANs mission statement has specified that the company is dedicated to providing the highest level of service to its customers 24/7. With this in mind, the marketing team has justly chosen the target segment of the policy holders in order to focus on providing them with the best service possible. 3.3.2 Resource & Capability Through the SWOT analysis, the marketing team recognizes the weaknesses and threats the company faces. By choosing the policy holders as they key target segment, the marketing department will work to satisfy them by providing services of the highest level. The marketing department has acknowledged the fact that the weakness of the company is the staff dissatisfaction and they will definitely work to overcome this as best as possible. The marketing department has made a very good decision collectively as they are well aware of the staff capabilities and the resources the company has thanks to the experience of our staff and directors.
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Module: Marketing Planning Process TASK 1 3.4
Select & Develop the Appropriate Positioning Concepts
AAN has always selected to position itself as a people oriented company and as the company that provides the highest level of service and assistance. We have always put our customers happiness first and this has allowed us to create an image of excellence both in service and satisfaction. The same positioning concept will be re-used as it has become the basis of the company and has contributed much to the companys growth and relationship with clients.
4.0
Barriers to Marketing Plan Implementation & Remedial Action
4.1 4.1.1
Resources Staffing
AAN is currently facing problems in this area as the workload is too heavy for the current staffs. This is causing internal problems and dissatisfaction amongst staffs. The staffs currently feel that they are overworked and underpaid and this may result in them not cooperating during the implementation of the marketing plan. Remedial Action: The Human Resource Department should recruit more efficient and competent staff for the alarm centre in order to ease the current workload. The Managing Directors will also need to step in to resolve the salary issues and dissatisfaction amongst staff and reassure them of their value to the company. 4.1.2 Skills Some staffs, especially the newer staffs, are still lacking the skills and expertise of handling the daily calls for assistance. Remedial Action:
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The marketing department would need to organize an intensive training session in order to remind the current staff and bring the new staff up to date on the workflow alarm centre. They would also need to be given proper training on the proper way of handling calls and phone etiquettes.
(2814 words)
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C)
APPENDICES
C-1) Declaration Statement
I confirm that in forwarding this assessment for marking, I understand and have applied the CIM policies relating to word count, plagiarism and collusion for all tasks. This assignment/project is the result of my own independent work/investigation except where otherwise stated. Other sources are acknowledged in the body of the text and/or a bibliography is appended. The work I have submitted has not previously been accepted in any substance for any other award and is not concurrently submitted in candidature for any other award.
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C-2) Company Background

Introduction Asia Assistance Network (AAN) is an assistance company, a company that focuses on medical, travel,car assistance as well as third party assistance. AAN was incorporated in 1998 and we provide assistance services to our clients who are insurance companies. The company has a 24 hour alarm centre with dedicated officers to meet the needs of customers. Apart from the head office in Malaysia, AAN currently has offices in Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore and Hong Kong. AAN is also an affiliate of the IAG Network which is a worldwide and highly recognized network of assistance companies. Current Services AAN currently provides over 8 assistance services on behalf of insurance companies both locally and internationally. They are as follows: Car Assistance: 24 hours emergency breakdown assistance which includes towing, minor on site repairs such as jumpstart, change of battery and change of tyre assistance. The company also provides car rental services and hotel reservations for temporary accommodation when necessary. International Medical Assistance (IMA): Provides assistance in repatriation, arranging medical visits, long term monitoring of patients condition and also repatriation of mortal remains. AAN is able to carry out these international services thanks to their wide range of 24 hours alarm center networks all over the world. They are also a member of the IAG (International Assistance Group).
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Module: Marketing Planning Process TASK 1 -
Third Party Administration (TPA): Handles the admission, cost management and patient discharge for major insurance companies in Malaysia. The company has an extensive network of panel hospitals that their members can visit.
MediClinic: Caters to corporations where AAN administers clinic visits of the companys employees. We handle the visitation of our clients employees to clinic and hospital for outpatient visits along with the cost containment of these visits.
Home Assistance: Arranges house call visits to for household crisis such as plumbing repairs, locksmith services, air conditioning repairs, general home repairs and pest control assistance.
Other services include: Travel Assistance: Inoculation & health risk information, visa requirement information, local weather updates, foreign exchange updates, flight information and loss of document information. MediCheck: Arranges medical check-ups at panel clinics/hospitals or provides a team of mobile and trained paramedics to carry out the examination on the spot. Second Medical Opinion: Allows patients with life threatening diseases to obtain an evaluation of their condition from disease-specific specialists and leading medical centers from all over the world. Customer Base AANs main business is from the clients of their Car Assistance, International Medical Assistance, Third Party Administration services and MediClinic Services. The pie chart below shows the percentage of profit made by AANs four main sectors.
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AAN offers their car assistance services to a range of local insurance companies such as: Allianz General Insurance Lonpac Chartiss (Formerly known as AIG) Multi Purpose Insurance
As for the International Medical Assistance, clients include the network of IAG, non-IAG, other international assistance companies and local clients. Listed below are some of the clients AAN assists: IHI Bupa First Assist (United Kingdom) MAPFRE (Spain) SOS International (Denmark) Great Eastern (Malaysia) ING (Malaysia)
The Third Party Administration service serves a wide range of local insurance companies such as Tokio Marine, Allianz Life Insurance Malaysia Bhd., MCIS Zurich Insurance Bhd., Hong Leong Life Assurance, Pacific Insurance and many more. Position in market Asia Assistance is currently the number one assistance company in Malaysia. Its status as a recognized IAG affiliate only serves to enforce the status of AAN. In terms of competition, AA's main rivalry for Car Assistance calls would be call centers such as Maphilindo and AAM. For TPA services our rivals would include Compumed and Datalink.
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C-3) Marketing Audit

PESTEL
Political The government is very stable and there is a very low chance of a change in the government occurring. Therefore from the political aspect, the effect on the company is very low. Economic - Inflation The current inflation level is currently low. However, due to the recession, consumers are being wary and spending only when necessary. This however does not affect the insurance sector as people would buy insurance to feel more secure. Due to the recession, the unemployment rate is rising. The government has begun to take action by encouraging companies to employ locals. This has caused many companies to cease from using outsourced call centers. These call centers are then forced to cut costs and search for other income opportunities. - Purchasing Power The purchasing power amongst consumers is low due to the inflation and consumers have become thrifty when spending. However, this has a low chance of affecting the insurance companies as consumers will be feeling insecure and will therefore purchase insurance as they understand the benefits of having insurance be it for health or motor and would fully utilize the insurance by making claims. - Recession Companies have started to take measures to avoid being affected by the recession by minimizing their costs. The companies outsource their calls to call centers which can operate on minimal costs therefore assisting the company to minimize their expenditure and costs. Due to the recession the customer demand on a whole is low, however, the demand for insurance is not affected. Social & Culture Demographics: people getting retrenched need job security will start sourcing for a part time job to earn more money
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call centre can cater to this needs as they can provide flexible working hours school leavers and college students looking for a part time job can also work in the call centre due to the flexible hours graduates may turn to call centres as they may face problems finding a job due to the recession
population growth need to support a bigger family wifes may need to work call centre is a good option due to the flexible hour
Technology international cases in AAN are handled via email which enables easy communication instant messenger softwares, such as Skype, can help reduce the cost of phone calls reduces work load and also allows a smooth work flow communication via emails can be traced compared to telephone conversations allows smoother and more effective internal communication via email and instant messenger softwares which will definitely reduce the cost of phone calls
Environment Ethics Customer data is protected and is not provided to outsiders or third party companies No biasness in providing service to customers Proper telephone etiquettes is maintained throughout conversations with clients and members
Social Responsibility AAN has its own foundation to fight breast cancer Constantly organizing charity events such as marathons and plays/sketches where the profits are donated to breast cancer foundations Maintains an up-to-date blog that informs followers on the next event planned
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Module: Marketing Planning Process TASK 1 Legal Data & Confidentiality
o Ensure that customers confidentiality is not violated o Information is not handed out to other companies o Customers data is misused o Clients position is not put in a compromising position with its customers o Ensure that data is always correct and up-to-date Customer Rights o Service is provided to customer without biasness o Service quality is not based on the client o Ensure that every customer is seen as equal
Porters Five Forces a) The threat of new entrants to the industry for both, CAR assistance and IMA(LOW) i. Barriers to entry is high: Need to have a strong network of providers all over the country(for Car Assistance) and all over the world(IMA) Existing call centres such as Maphi, AAM and AAN dominate the industry as they currently hold the accounts of almost all the insurance companies in Malaysia and have developed the trust and loyalty of the client To win over client would prove to be quite difficult Need to invest in developing a program for both Car Assistance and IMA that allows for smooth and organized work flow
b) The threat of substitute services i. For Car Assistance: Provide a mechanic to repair cars that breakdown as currently the mechanic services provided is to jumpstart, change battery and change tyres only.
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Having lower rates would also pose as a threat as most towing fees are usually fixed. Providing clients with a shorter turn around time would also be a threat as the top 3 call centres handling CA in Malaysia have a turn around time of 30-45 minutes.
ii.
For IMA: Client may start going directly to our providers for services such as ambulance transfers and air ambulance evacuations or repatriations Client may sign a contract with our panel hospitals which would enable them to place Guarantee of Payments, obtain medical information and updates directly from the client therefore making AAN obsolete.
c) The bargaining power of clients i. Seeing that AAN is the main provider for Medical assistance in the region of Asia, the client will only have a higher bargaining power if the case is based outside of Asia. As for CA, bargaining power of client is high as they are able to dictate the terms of which we provide service to members and also the client is able to push us for a lower price for the assistance provided due to their loyalty to AAN.
ii.
d) The rivalry amongst competitors (High) i. CA: Competitors need to provide outstanding service in order to please client and retain accounts Competitors are able to steal clients away by promising better service and having a better network of providers Competitors may sometimes win over the clients due to the clients loyalty even though they are not the best service provider Competition is high when it comes to avoiding complaint cases and pleasing the members
ii.
IMA Competitor with the best network wins the client over Quotations for services may vary amongst competitors and this may influence the clients decision
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Case fees may also vary amongst competitors however, since AAN is an IAG member, we are the main priority for the international cases under IAG clients in Asia. Quotations for services such as Repatriation and Evacuations is also highly competitive as competitors mark up the quotes they receive and have to be vigilant and careful not to mark up these quotes too high or else they risk losing the case to a competitor.
iii.
Major Competitors: CA: a) AAM (Automobile Association of Malaysia) Members are their own subscribers who sign up for their Auto Assistance program. They currently have around 300,000 members and are very well known in Malaysia. AAM is very well known for their services and their members have very high regards for the company.
b) Maphilindo Maphilindo is a call center which operates 24 hours a day and offers loss adjusting services. Their current clients include insurance companies such as MSIG, Tokio Marine, MUI Continental and so on. When compared, AAN currently services the major insurance companies of Malaysia such as Allianz, Lonpac, AIG and Berjaya Sompo. AAN however is still considered as the more experienced call centre when it comes to car assistance. iv. IMA Asia Assistance Partners (AAP), not related to Asia Assistance in way, is our only major competitor in the IMA category as they are based in Thailand and have offices in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore. In terms of market share, AAN wins hands down as we are an IAG member and have wider clientele. The IAG member status provides AAN with the upper hand of having a higher reputation and often winning over clients.
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Module: Marketing Planning Process TASK 1 Analysis of the 7Ps:
a) Product: -what products are you selling: a call centre, a service to assist members when in need particularly for CA, IMA and travel assistance -what is their market position: high value as people are realizing the need and purpose of having an insurance -what are their competitors: b) Place: - Our services are marketed to insurance companies in Malaysia and similar assistance companies such as our overseas all over the world on cyberspace. - Considered one of the best and most trusted company as our clients are confident in the service we provide and we dominate the local insurance company sector for third party administration and provide CA services for most of the major motor insurance companies in Malaysia, services a wide range of international clients all over the world c) Price: Prices are similar as competitive pricing needs to be undertaken to ensure that we are able to compete with our competitors. d) Promotion: - AAN is promoted mainly by our marketing team and also by word of mouth by our clients. We actively promote our services via the IAG network. e) People: - Quality: hardworking, dedicated, loyal - recruitment: carried out by the HR department and all staff are interviewed by the CEOs of the company who are very active and well versed in all our products and services offered -training: from the first day of entering AAN, every day is a chance to learn something new. This is due to the fact that we handle a wide range of products and each product is unique in its own way f) Processes:-written procedures you have in place to ensure consistency of service: Staff are given a guidebook on the workflow of handling CA cases. They are also well equipped with a bible of the workflow of IMA cases. Training is carried out from time to time to refresh staff about the products and to brief them of new procedures and also to introduce them to new products. g) Physical Evidence: -what message does the appearance of your premises or your people send out to your customers: a call centre of international standards that operates 24 hours and
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has a team of dedicated staff that are well equipped and ever ready to assist a member in need. SWOT Analysis Strengths Lower prices compared to competitors Concentrated on people orientated service Dedicated and experienced staff High level of service which exceeds clients expectations Directors of the company are very well versed with the services we provide and are able to assist and advise when needed Good relationships with clients Able to secure new accounts as our reputation and image has been built and clients view us as a trustable and respected name in the assistance world Opportunities New products from clients Venturing into new services such as travel assistance Opportunity to secure new clients through current projects we are running Threats Competitors may have a stronger relationship with clients Staff satisfaction level is low and competitors may steal them away from AAN Service level is dropping due to mistakes and inconsistency in work due to heavy calls and workload Insufficient staff to handle the workload Weaknesses Unable to pay staff the expected salary Staffs are burdened with heavy workload causing unhappiness and tension Facing difficulty in hiring efficient new staff Staff are unable to cope with the high call rates New staff are not receiving proper training due to the lack of time and heavy workload
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C-4) Others
IAG Case Fee
SERVICE DETAILS This fee applies to any general Information requested. It may include the following: names, location and contact details for hotels, medical facilities, theatres, web sites or other general information. This fee can apply when a quote for a service is requested. If this request results in an assistance case, and the quote is related to the type of assistance delivered, the fee will not be charged. This fee applies to IN-PATIENT AND OUTPATIENT cases involving payment and organisation of a MAXIMUM OF 2 SERVICES, such as guaranteeing and paying invoices for the applicable case, arranging a ground ambulance or a taxi, obtaining a medical report where applicable and similar activities. This fee applies to IN-PATIENT and OUTPATIENT involving payment and organisation of MORE THAN 2 SERVICES such as guaranteeing and paying invoices for the applicable case, arranging a ground ambulance or a taxi, obtaining a medical report where applicable and similar activities. This fee applies to all cases where medical transportation/repatriation of insured, evacuations and repatriations of remains are required. FEES
INFORMATION
FREE 50 EURO
QUOTATION
SIMPLE MEDICAL CASE
90 EURO
COMPLEX MEDICAL CASE
200 EURO
MEDICAL AND REPATRIATION CASE
260 EURO
Non IAG Case Fees

SERVICES INFORMATION DEFINITION OF SERVICE TERMS This fee applies to any general Information requested. It may include the following: Names and location for hotels Names, location and contact details of doctors, medical facilities Names of theatres, web sites, etc Other general information This fee applies to the 1st medical visit including all of the following services: Guarantee an invoice Settle payment Obtain a medical report a) SIMPLE IN-PATIENT This fee is applicable to any ONE of the following IN-PATIENT services: Arrange for a ground ambulance Guarantee an invoice, audit and finalise medical expenses Obtain a medical report where applicable US$ CURRE NCY USD 50.00
OUT-PATIENT CASE
USD 120.00
IN-PATIENT CASE
USD 120.00
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USD 260.00
EMERGENCY MEDICAL, REPATRIATION AND MORTAL REMAIN CASE
b) COMPLEX IN-PATIENT This fee applies to ALL IN-PATIENT cases where MORE THAN ONE of the following services are required: Guarantee invoice, audit and finalise medical expenses Medical monitoring Obtain medical report(s) where applicable Arrange for a ground ambulance Other related services This fee applies to any ONE of the following services required: Evacuation / Repatriation of insured Repatriation of Mortal remains
USD 350.00
International & Technical Operations New Structure
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D) REFERENCES
Internet:
Berry, T. (2008) Marketing Plan A Suggested Outline [online]. MPlans.com. Available from: http://articles.mplans.com/marketing-plan-a-suggested-academic-outline/ [Accessed on 21 January 2010] Operations (2007) Marketing Your Call Centre Inside Out [online]. Available from: http://www.callcenterops.com/change-management-5/ [Accessed on 25 February 2010] L.H.S Ranathunga (2009) Published Report: Understanding & Application of Marketing Audit [online]. Available from: http://www.scribd.com/doc/13591232/marketing-audit [Accessed on 15 December 2009] Asia Assistance Network [online]. Anglia Available from: http://www.asia-assistance.com [Accessed on 10 December 2009] International Assistance Group [online]. Available from: http://www.netiag.com [Accessed on 11 December 2009]
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AAN Marketing Plan to Overcome Rising Call Volume Issues

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AAN Marketing Plan to Overcome Rising Call Volume Issues

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Module: Marketing Planning Process COVER PAGE

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: SELF Education & Learning Forum

: CIM Professional Diploma in Marketing

: Marketing Planning Process

Module: Marketing Planning Process CONTENTS PAGE

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B) TASK 2 : Evaluation Report ............................................................... 16 C) APPENDICES....................................................................................... 31

Module: Marketing Planning Process TASK 1

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A-1) Rationale : Scenario 1

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A-2) Marketing Plan

ASIA ASSISTANCE NETWORK