Canadian Blood Services

Canadian Blood Services

Executive Summary

Canadian Blood Services is a national not-for-profit charitable organization. Recently, there was a decrease in the number of blood donors and the rate of new-donor retention. In order to ensure a safe and stable supply of blood and blood products in Canada, motivation, recruitment and retention of voluntary blood donors are the essentials. To motivate and recruit the blood donors, Canadian Blood Services is recommended to establish an awareness program to inform the public of the benefits of donation. It is also necessary to rebuild the organization's image and regain the public's trust about the system to ensure future success.

Problem Statement

As the number and the retention rate of blood donors decreased recently, Canadian Bloods Services (³CBS') has to establish an effective marketing plan in order to restore the public confidence, and motive, recruit and retain the blood donors. Since CBS is the main supply of blood and blood products in Canada; changes are required to ensure that the blood system in Canada is stabilized.

Situation Analysis Objectives

The objectives of CBS are to stabilize the blood system, restore the public confidence, and provide a safety blood donation process to the donors and the blood products to the recipient in a cost-effective manner.

Background and Forecast

CBS is a not-for-profit charitable organization with 16 blood centers located across Canada. During the late 1970s and 1980s, more than 1,000 Canadians who received blood transfusions were infected with the human immunodeficiency virus. As a result, the public trust in the blood system was destroyed. Even though CBS has built a great team whose essential services and dedication brought to reality the generous intentions and expectations of blood donors; however, in 2007/2008, the number of donors and the rate of new-donor retention has decreased.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths:

* Strong organizational culture;

* Established a clear mission and vision statement;

* Established a great team including employees and volunteers;

* Strong financial backups - holding a multi million contingency funds;

* Built a good process and quality control;

* Efficiency and effective decision making process by maintaining operational independence from government interference.

Weaknesses:

* Inflexible operating hours of the blood donation clinics - all of them are closed on Sunday and most of them are operating only during office hours;

* Lack of incentives to the blood donors;

* Inflexible operating environment ± as a non-for-profit charitable organization, there area lot of regulations and rules need to be followed;

* Decrease in public trust in blood system (March 2006 ± 84%; March 2008 ± 79%).

Opportunities:

* The demand for blood and blood-related products is increasing;

* No major "competitors"

* Large base of qualified target donor;

* New programs were developed such as the stem cell and marrow network.

Threats:

* A lot of myths and misconceptions about blood donation in the public;

* Drug problems and risks of new disease affect the quality of blood;

* Challenge operating environment ± zero error tolerance, even one small error may cause a big problem.

Target Market Segmentation

Blood

Donation

Segment Non-remunerated Remunerated

School age

Age 15 - 24 Working age

Age 25 - 54 Senior donors

Age: 55+ Age - above 17

Where At school,

on site clinic Clinic Clinic Clinic

When Depends on

donation program in place Rare - depends on

time and other obligations Rare On a regular basis

(and as permitted)

Why / What

benefit achieve Easily influenced by friends and co-workers;

satisfaction in saving someone's life; need for love,

friendship and acceptance Easily influenced by friends and co-workers;

satisfaction in saving someone's life; need for love, friendship and acceptance Decision based on own experience Financial incentive

Primary

Media

Form Internet, school learning program Internet, TV TV, word-of-mouth,

mail mail/flyers,

word-of-mouth

However, a number of other possible market segmentations are plausible - including income, immigration status; ethnicity, education, and geographic location (Refer to Appendix A).

Blood Donors Behavior Analysis

In order to design an effective marketing plan to induce the blood donors, CBS should first understand the behavior of blood donors. In making a blood donation, the following factors are affecting the donors:

* Motivation

Since blood donation is a ³pure' voluntary activity without any direct benefits to the donors; as a result, lack of motivation for the donor to make a blood donation.

* Perception

How do the donors interpret publicly available information about the