Use of Internet Marketing in Private Dental Practice in Bosnia and Herzegovina

• Published in: Acta informatica medica Vol. 18; no. 1; p. 29
• Main Authors: Martinovic, Maja, Jakupovic, Vedran, Jakupovic, Selma
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sarajevo Academy of Medical Sciences of Bosnia and Herzegovina 01-01-2010
• ISSN: 0353-8109; 1986-5988

It is a modern practice of private dental offices and outpatient clinics to combine e-marketing and traditional business, which gives their clients more opportunities. These new channels primarily aim is so called "newer generations" that have somewhat different wishes related to services. They primarily seek practicality (convenience), whereas the older and richer clients seek a closer relationship. Many private dental offices and outpatient clinics that work online have recognised demands of various target groups (segments and market nichés). Today, in segmentation there is a trend of a total adaptation to the clients (customization) and adaptation to the wishes of the clients (customerisation), where the clients appear as proactive consumers (prosumers) who affect the offer creation themselves. Private dental clinics utilize e-marketing in various ways, namely: corporate or marketing website, web announcement and advertising, e-mail and forums. The Internet also has an important role with creating the brand name of the office. Online value factors, alongside with "classical" indicators have increasing importance for the total value of the brand. Today we talk about three evolution phases in accepting of the Internet marketing: one-way communication (informing clients about products and services), two-way communication (introducing a certain level of interaction, mass adjustment to the clients) and overcoming time-space obstacles (entering new (international) markets and in new business). Most private dental offices in B&H is not present on the Web, and the ones that have a web presentation are today in the first or second stage of application. The future foresees that the key question for those offices will not be whether to use the Internet or not, but how to use it? Although there are numerous advantages of e-marketing in health institutions, it is important to stress and use its biggest assets, and that is interactivity and "accuracy", so that Internet activities are not just an addition to other ad activities, but an essential part of strategic marketing efforts of the office.