Establishing Consumer Perceptions towards Medical Spas UK - Literature review Example

? Marketing Literature Review Investigation to Establish Consumer Perceptions towards Medical Spas UK Defining Medical Spas In the modern world where there is fashion, glamour and style people desire to have the brightest look and appearance. In fast running life where there are less chances to work on self development, people come to the methods of medical Spa and treatment. This is because such treatments are quick and fast to respond on the requirement set by the client (Harmsworth, 2004). As per the changing need and requirement people keep different perceptions about medical Spas. Some call them a place of body massage and some name as a therapy centre or skin treatment centre (Harmsworth, 2004). According to ISPA (International Spa Association), medical spas are institutions that provide wellness care and medical services altogether. Such institutions integrate medical and spa services in order to bring a combined facilitation. Forever Laser Institute Geneva provides combined facilitation. They hire medical practitioners and Spa therapists to integrate medical-spa services for the clients (Tray, 2007). According to Richard Foxx (director at Aqua Serena Spa), medical spas are organizations which have onsite present physician. The physician assures patients physical care and activities related to spa and massaging (Esq, 2004). These days medical spas are been famous with cosmetic procedures. The preference is of the non surgical procedures because they have fewer side effects and carries less expense than any of the surgical treatment or operation (Mayo, 2013). Such medical spas apply Botox, Laser hair removal, microdermabrasion or laser lioplysis procedures. These are purely non surgical and based on dermatological treatment for facial and skin development (Mayo, 2013). Medical spas use Botox procedures for wrinkle treatment, neck spasms, and even chronic migraines which are not possibly cured by any of the surgical treatment (Mayo , 2013). Similarly many of the medical spas adapt microdermabrasion and laser lioplysis procedures for skin treatment and facial development (Cordle, 2012). Literature Review According to the modern literature, the global spa tourism is recorded on the highest stimulation. There is a great amount of synergy found in the global spa tourism sector (Johnston, 2011). As per SRI international report (2008), the spa tourism industry has touched to $60 billion revenues with additional $194 billion in spa-related hospitality. This indicates that spa tourism market is with the fastest growth rate ever recorded in the world business spectrum (Johnston, 2010). Apart from the growth status, the spa tourism industry is at its development phase. People from all around the world are joining spa tourism and they find highest learning opportunities and chances of accelerating talents. Meanwhile, due to immense globalization and with increasing demand of medical spa service, the spa tourism sector is carrying great growth and prospect for new investors and establishers (Ellis, 2009). In recent times, a demise of international medical spa tourism is recorded (Munro, 2012). There are various reasons behind such demising (Ellis, 2009). One of the reasons is cheap facilitation which travelers get in their home country access and in their local medical spa setting. Time is another factor as the locals get more precise and timely service in their country which eventually is not possible in International State provided spa facilitation (Hall, 2011). Similarly there are issues of language, communication and regulations which travelers find in across the border spa service. To reduce such problems, people simply move to the inter-country spa centers which are more flexible and easy to adjust for the locals. As per the literature, the preferences are more of the domestic medical spas which are convenient and easy to access than international spas respectively (Hall, 2011). According to the modern literature, tourism based on health or wellness is precisely new in the UK market segment. The culture of joining health clubs or spas domestically is significantly low in the region (Smith, 2009). Meanwhile, people in UK prefer less physical modes of stress reduction and hence tour inter-country spas to have an effective solution. They reduce their stress by touring inter-country medical spas, which provide intimated stress reduction programs with less fatigue carrying work outs. Apart from mental nourishment, the UK medical spas provide the services of beatification (Hall, 2011). They provide assistance of weight loss along with prescriptions of effective skin care, which give clients a complete body shape package. Hence, the trend of inter-country spa tourism in UK is an emerging one but seems to be growing in the next coming years (Johnston, 2011). Consumer Behavior As per the contemporary researches, there are relatively two main customer profiles for medical spas in UK. Consumers which are wellness-focused and consumers who are sickness reactors come to join UK’s medical spa centers (Johnson, 2012). Genuinely the behavior of customers is dependent on which class or profile they belong (Hoyer & MacInnis, 2008, pp. 123). Consumers which belong to wellness-focused are interested in healthy living and give much consideration to bodily appearance and looks. Such consumers are wealthy and educated and include in the category of typical spa-goers. Similarly, consumers which are sickness-reactors are not active spa-goers (Johnson, 2012). They only move to medical-spas or physical centers if they have some pain, chronic disease or a bad health situation. The literature classifies two of the categories in further three segments, peripheral, moderate and core. Peripheral consumers have limited response while moderate and core consumers are relatively closed to medical spa services (MBC, 2010). The moderate ones have certain trends to be followed but the core ones are respectively trend setters for respective peripherals and moderates (Johnston, 2010). Consumer Needs and Motivation According to International Spa Association’s report, medical-spa consumer needs and motivation are quite diversified in the UK (Piland, 2006). Consumers are more sophisticated especially those which have taken the experience of Indian or Asian medical spa centers. With diversity in perceptions, consumers expect to have the highly authenticated treatment and service (Altin et al., 2010). They want practitioners to provide highly standardized treatments, meeting all obligations required in a surgical or non-surgical procedure. According to Espa International UK, there are different needs and wants for which consumers are attracted to medical-spas and their services. People visit medical-spas as they get health, social wellbeing, luxury, pampering, and celebrating all at one place. According to the study of ERBK (England Research and Brand Kind), consumers take short breaks or holidays just because they want to relax. In this case their main concern is to visit a local stress reductive center just like a medical-spa which can take away their stresses and their hard times of life (Durocher, 2011). This is to develop a feeling of comfort, luxury and indulgence (Bowden, 2009). Consumer Decision Making Process As per the empirical projections, UK consumer is more on the quality aspect especially in the medical spa service which is demanded to be highly standardized and authentic. In developing countries cost is one major factor that influences consumer’s buying perception but in developed States like UK people are more quality oriented and less worried about the cost and expensiveness (Diagonal Reports, 2010). The emerging trend of luxury and comfort has also escalated consumer purchase in UK. Luxury in medical-spas which is in a transforming stage in the region has made people motivated towards medical-spas services. Meanwhile, the value of health and wellness has also motivated consumers to buy premium medical-spas services (Diagonal Reports, 2007). Apart from all, with a desire to look young, smart and attractive people are more opened to spend on medical-spas services. This is one consumer decision that is found precise in UK, and is made to get a healthy life style with an attractive outer appearance (D'Angelo, 2009, pp. 291). According to Euromonitor International, buyer’s perception and decision evolve with three of the major factors (Euromonitor International, 2010). These include escapism (stress relief), value (self-actualization), and health-wellbeing respectively, which if people find in any of the medical-spa services they simply get on to it. Hence, the decision making process of UK’s consumer starts from value next to escapism and finally to health and wellness care. When all such demands are fulfilled by any of the spa center in UK than customers are fully attracted to their services and programs. These are the criterions set by UK consumer for medical-spa facilitation (Bercovitch, 2009). (Euromonitor International, 2010) Post/Modern Living Society In the post modern living society which surrounds with life tensions, stresses and lots of uncertainties, people are more onto wellness care and self development programs (The Royal Society, 2012). For maintaining the balance of mind and the body, people are found close to medical-spas in the post modern era (Hawke, 2010). In the busy life schedules, heavy workloads and family tensions, people prefer to have a quality medical-spa facilitation which can assist them in making life easier, soothing and contented (Hawke, 2010). People in the post modern age admire to have a wellness care program, which takes them out of the anxiety loaded environment (Harmsworth, 2004). The program which is a blend of aesthetics, facial development and skin care is anticipated by people living hectic live situations. Moreover, some empirical evidences project that wellness care programs are alternative to drugs and alcohol which are common in post modern era and take people to worsening health circumstances (Phytotech, 2013). Indeed many of people facing mental disorders or extreme anxieties admire medical-spa facilitation. It is a sense of relief, contentment for them in such distracting life situation (Noonan, 2013). Apart from distractive situations, wellness care and medical-spa also facilitates self grooming, which is the trend of the modern world living society and the system. People in the post modern era are indulge in fashion, style, glamour for which they admire medical-spa self development services (Bowden, 2009). Losing body weight, tightening physique and developing appearance all is part of the culture of the modern living society. The culture of self development is precise in both male and female genders. Women mainly in UK follow the beauty trends (Diagonal Reports, 2007). They get special treatment care therapies to come to their desirable look and appearance. On the other hand, men are involved in bodily appearance. They avail the massage services and exercises to develop a glowing and appealing body. These are certain trends that have been set in the modern living society and are also part of the practices of the modern medical-spa centers (Diagonal Reports, 2007). Socio Cultural Factors UK is a multi-cultural system. It is a place where people from different cultures, societies, religion and ethnicities locate and find their way of living. The central language spoken in UK is English, which generalizes the communication and interaction within the region. Similarly, there are different class divisions and social statuses found in UK (Johnston, 2010). Mainly upper middle class, middle and lower middle class are found in distinctions of the region. All such socio-cultural factors affect the medical-spa activity in UK. Like clients who are foreigners face difficulties in communication (Durocher, 2011). They find a gap of interaction when they have to speak in the most native style with the locals. Similarly, there are ethical differences found in the UK cross-cultural system. People mostly from Asian countries are more conscious on ethics. They feel uncomfortable if a different gender (male or female) physician is onsite to provide spa services. Similarly, people could avoid medical spas which facilitate on surgical procedures. This could be because of religious differences which prohibit them to take any artificial or surgical body operation (RSM, 2013). Summary In the modern world, where people have adapted trends of fashion, glamour and style there is a higher coverage of medical-spa services. Medical-spas are integrated organizations. Such organizations integrate medical services (laser treatment, medication) and spa services (massage and exercise) to bring integrated spa facilitation. To integrate both services medical spas appoint practitioners and physicians who are specialists to provide integrated health service. The market of global spa tourism is on its highest growth and development. People from the entire world travel to medical spa centers and this is for availing special wellness care programs. The preference is of the non-surgical procedures like Botox or laser lipolysis which are designed for special skin treatment. Such non surgical procedures carry fewer side effects and even are less expensive and hence are on the priority. People join wellness care programs in order to find a relief from stress. This is a trend in post modern era, where there is stress, anxiety and depression found in people’s life schedules. Apart from all, desire to look young and attractive also takes people to medical-spa services. They avail special treatment services including dermatological services for effective skin care and body development. Conclusion & Recommendation For medical spa business, UK is a diversified market. It is a cross-cultural market which has different cultures; classes and religion at one setting. For new medical-spas in the region, all such social-cultural factors are important. They are important to access consumer behavior, perception and decision which further lead business to design an effective marketing campaign. Apart from all, the trend is on the emerging state so there are growth opportunities for new spas to step in. They would definitely require a long term marketing campaign covering buyer’s behavior, perception and decision of choice. List of References Altin, M., Singal, M. & Kara, D., 2010. Consumer Decision Components for Medical Tourism: A Stakeholder Approach. Research Report. St. Petersburg: Virginia Polytechnic Institute. Bercovitch, L., 2009. Medical spas can be a good business, but with ethical challenges. [Online] Available from: [Accessed 13 February 2013]. Bowden, D., 2009. 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