Practo

CHAPTER -1

INDUSTRY ANALYSIS o Introduction o Competition in the industry o Bargaining Power of Suppliers o Bargaining Power of Buyers o Threat of New Entrants o Threat of Substitutes o Rivalry among Existing Firms

INTRODUCTION Practo Technologies is an IT company headquartered in Bangalore that creates software products for the healthcare industry. From allowing patients to search for doctors and conveniently book appointments online to providing doctors with efficient practice management solutions, the company focuses on making medical information digitally accessible to patients and doctors. Overall it aims to create the most efficient healthcare experience for people around the world. Practo Technologies, an Indian IT startup catering to the healthcare industry, represented itself at the 35th International Dental Show in Germany last week. Having been in the healthcare sector for the last 5 years, the company has reached out to doctors across borders through its growing suite of practice management products. All focusing on one aim, to improve healthcare for patients with better practice management for doctors. This event marks the company‘s first official presence in Germany to introduce their flagship product, Practo Ray to the European market. Practo Ray is the largest practice management software for doctors in India. It is a cloud based web application that works on computers and is optimised for tablets. Alongside they sport dedicated Android and iOS apps as well. Given their aggressive sales team efforts, Practo Ray has already established a user base of 35,000 doctors who are managing 3 million+ patient records online From 12th to 16th March, Shashank ND, CEO Practo Technologies, along with his team at IDS 2013, demonstrated Practo Ray and highlighted the customization for dentists, such as incorporated FDI tooth charts and EMRs. Shashank comments, The company‘s priority for the last few months was to make Practo Ray ready for release in international markets. Shashank adds, ―We‘re always excited about pushing our boundaries. Our latest Practo Ray product update is inspired by the feedback we‘ve received from doctors currently using our system along with requirements of larger medical setups. The new features have super-charged Practo Ray to solve problems of bigger medical centres in India. This in turn empowers us to tap the potential in international markets.‖ About IDS: The International Dental Show (IDS) is held in Cologne every two years. At IDS more than 1,950 exhibitors from over 55 countries present the newest innovations, products, procedures and services from the dental sector to about 118,000 visitors. It is organized by the GFDI – the Society for the Promotion of the Dental Industry, the commercial enterprise of the Association of German Dental Manufacturers (VDDI) – and staged by Koelnmesse GmbH, Cologne.

COMPETITION IN THE INDUSTRY In healthy competition, relentless improvements in processes and methods drive down costs. Product and service quality rise steadily. Innovation leads to new and better approaches, which diffuse widely and rapidly. Uncompetitive providers are restructured or go out of business. Value-adjusted prices fall, and the market expands. This is the trajectory common to all well-functioning industries—computers, mobile communications, banking, and many others. Health care could not be more different. Costs are high and rising, despite efforts to reduce them, and these rising costs cannot be explained by improvements in quality. Quite the opposite: Medical services are restricted or rationed, many patients receive care that lags currently accepted procedures or standards, and high rates of preventable medical error persist. There are wide and inexplicable differences in costs and quality among providers and across geographic areas. Moreover, the differences in quality of care last for long periods because the diffusion of best practices is extraordinarily slow. Basically Indian software industry has following competitive spheres:-

India's IT industry can be divided into five main components, viz. Software Products, IT services, Engineering and R&D services, ITES/BPO (IT-enabled services/Business Process Outsourcing) and Hardware. Export revenues primarily on project based IT Services continue to drive growth with IT Services accounting for 59% of total revenues followed by BPO and Engineering services at 22% and Software Products at 19%. Multi-year annuity based outsourcing agreements are expected to increase going forward. In terms of total export and domestic revenues, Application Development and Maintenance (ADM)still continues to be the bread and butter for Indian IT companies contributing to roughly 60% of their total revenues. Labour arbitrage has been the competitive edge of the Indian software sector over the last few years. However, this seems to be threatened now by MNCs‘ who are replicating the Indian outsourcing model and setting up bases in the country. Going forward, the advantage of low employee costs could peter out and the sector could get commoditised. Increasing competition, pressure on billing rates and increasing commoditization of lowerend ADM services are among the key reasons forcing the Indian software industry to make a fast move up the software value chain by providing higher value-added services like consulting, product development, R&D, mobile, cloud computing and end-to-end turnkey solutions. Competition is global in nature and stretches across boundaries and geographies. It is expected to intensify due to the attempted replication of the Indian offshoring model by MNC IT majors as well as small startups.

Potential of new entrants into industry New entrants into a market bring new production capacity, the desire to gain a foothold in the market, and sometimes, substantial resources with which to compete. These new competitors may come from several sources: market areas or segments you currently do not serve, indirect competitors with competing products, customers and suppliers. The potential for the entrance of new competitors into a market principally depends on barriers to entry and the expected reaction of the incumbent firms. Barriers to market entry include: economies of scale, brand preferences and customer loyalty, capital requirements and government policies, such as tariffs and trade restrictions and regulatory policies. Whether these barriers are judged as high or low depends, in part, on the resources and competencies of the potential new entrants. The IT industry was voted second behind the legal profession when judged on career prospects in a survey of more than 1,000 teenagers commissioned by the government's Foundation De-grees. IT was also voted as one of the top three sectors for those young people who dream of becoming the boss, but 68% of UK teens did not feel they had an

adequate understanding of the range of jobs available in the IT industry. The survey also found that the IT profession has an image problem among young women, where 21% of female respondents said IT was a male-dominated field. On a more positive note, the IT industry was judged the second most "aspirational" sector to work in by teenagers. Nearly 90% said they were prepared to work long hours to advance their careers and 58% said they would not be deterred by extra study.

Threat of new entrants to an industry   

If new entrants move into an industry they will gain market share & rivalry will intensify The position of existing firms is stronger if there are barriers to entering the market If barriers to entry are low then the threat of new entrants will be high, and vice versa

Barriers to entry are, therefore, very important in determining the threat of new entrants. An industry can have one or more barriers. The following are common examples of successful barriers: Barrier

Notes

Investment cost

High cost will deter entry High capital requirements might mean that only large businesses can compete

Economies of scale Lower unit costs make it difficult for smaller newcomers to available to existing firms break into the market and compete effectively Regulatory restrictions

and

legal Each restriction can act as a barrier to entry E.g. patents provide the patent holder with protection, at least in the short run

Product differentiation Existing products with strong USPs and/or brand increase customer loyalty and make it difficult for newcomers to gain (including branding) market share Access to suppliers and A lack of access will make it difficult for newcomers to enter the market distribution channels Retaliation by established E.g. the threat of price war will act to discourage new entrants But note that competition law outlaws actions like predatory products pricing What makes an industry easy or difficult to enter? The following table helps summarise the issues you should consider: Easy to Enter

Difficult to Enter

Common technology Access to distribution channels Low capital requirements No need to have high capacity and output

Patented or proprietary know-how Well-established brands Restricted distribution channels High capital requirements

Absence of strong brands and customer Need to achieve economies of scale for loyalty acceptable unit costs

Power of suppliers If a IT firm‘s suppliers have bargaining power they will:   

Exercise that power Sell their products at a higher price Squeeze industry profits

If the supplier forces up the price paid for inputs, profits will be reduced. It follows that the more powerful the customer (buyer), the lower the price that can be achieved by buying from them. Suppliers find themselves in a powerful position when:       

There are only a few large suppliers The resource they supply is scarce The cost of switching to an alternative supplier is high The product is easy to distinguish and loyal customers are reluctant to switch The supplier can threaten to integrate vertically The customer is small and unimportant There are no or few substitute resources available

Just how much power the supplier has is determined by factors such as: Factor Uniqueness supplied

Note of

the

input If the resource is essential to the buying firm and no close substitutes are available, suppliers are in a powerful position

Number and size of firms A few large suppliers can exert more power over market prices that many smaller suppliers each with a small market supplying the resources share Competition for the input If there is great competition, the supplier will be in a stronger position from other industries Cost of switching alternative sources

to A business may be ―locked in‖ to using inputs from particular suppliers – e.g. if certain components or raw materials are designed into their production processes. To change the supplier may mean changing a significant part of production

Power of customers Powerful customers are able to exert pressure to drive down prices, or increase the required quality for the same price, and therefore reduce profits in an industry. A great example in the UK currently is the dominant grocery supermarkets which are able exert great power over supply firms. Several factors determine the bargaining power of customers, including: Factor

Note

Number of customers

The smaller the number of customers, the greater their power

Their size of their orders

The larger the volume, the greater the bargaining power of customers

Number of firms supplying The smaller the number of alternative suppliers, the less opportunity customers have for shopping around the product The threat of integrating If customers pose a threat of integrating backwards they will enjoy increased power backwards The cost of switching

Customers that are tied into using a supplier‘s products (e.g. key components) are less likely to switch because there would be costs involved

Customers tend to enjoy strong bargaining power when:     

There are only a few of them The customer purchases a significant proportion of output of an industry They possess a credible backward integration threat – that is they threaten to buy the producing firm or its rivals They can choose from a wide range of supply firms They find it easy and inexpensive to switch to alternative suppliers

Threat of substitute products A substitute product can be regarded as something that meets the same need Substitute products are produced in a different industry –but crucially satisfy the same customer need. If there are many credible substitutes to a firm‘s product, they will limit the price that can be charged and will reduce industry profits. As an example, consider the many substitutes that consumers now have to buying a software for browsing the internet:

The extent of the threat depends upon   

The extent to which the price and performance of the substitute can match the industry‘s product The willingness of customers to switch Customer loyalty and switching costs

If there is a threat from a rival product the firm will have to improve the performance of their products by reducing costs and therefore prices and by differentiation.

CHAPTER -2

COMPANY ANALYSIS       

Industry Profile Product Profile Mission,Vission,Value,Principles Functional Department Organizational Structure Environment Swot

About the company Practo is a technology company that provides innovative IT products for the healthcare industry. Practo Technologies Private Limited (―Practo‖) is the author and publisher of the software Practo Ray, and all variants, editions, add-ons, and ancillary products or services of Practo Ray (including all files and images contained in or generated by the software, and accompanying data, together the ―Software‖). Practo also operates the internet resource www.practo.com (―Website‖) on world wide web which is used to access Practo Software. Practo Software is used at healthcare practices (―Practices‖) by healthcare providers (―Practitioners‖, which term shall also include designated associates of the healthcare providers who work in the same Practice), and clients of the healthcare providers (―Patients‖, which term shall also include members of public who search for doctors on the Website) to find, manage and organise information including but not limited to personal or non-personal information, practice information, appointments, prescriptions, medical records, billing, inventory and accounting details. All users of the Practo Software - the Practitioners, Patients, and the visitors of Website are together termed as ―Users‖.

Description Practo is a technology company that provides innovative IT products for the healthcare industry. From enabling ease of booking appointments online, to providing doctors with an efficient practice management solution, the company focuses on making medical data more accessible to patients as well as doctors. 3.1 Practo provides Software through the Website, a practice management solutions as a Software as a Solution (SaaS) model. The details of the Software are provided here www.practo.com/ray and www.practo.com/hello. Practo is not responsible for and does not deal with any of Practitioners‘ client or patient managed by User

through the Website and only provides Services to User through the Website. Use of the Website may require the User to use Software provided by or operated from the Website, and on occasion Practo may make certain software available to User from the Website. To the extent User uses such software or downloads such software from the Website, the software, will be deemed to be licensed to User by Practo, for providing Services to User and enabling User to use those Services only. Practo does not transfer either the title or the intellectual property rights to the Software, and Practo (or its licensors) retain full and complete title to the Software as well as all intellectual property rights therein. User agrees to use the Website and the materials provided therein only for purposes that are permitted by: (a) this Agreement; and (b) any applicable law, regulation or generally accepted practices or guidelines in the relevant jurisdictions. 3.2 Practo also offers a free trial offer of Services. During the trial period User will get to experience all the features of the Services. Users of the Services during the trial period are bound by the terms of this Agreement. Any data User enters into the Services, and any customizations made to the Services by or for User, during User‘s 3 day free trial will be permanently lost unless the User upgrades his/her/its subscription to one of the User Plans, available at www.practo.com/ray andwww.practo.com/hello. Practo does not provide any warranty as mentioned in this Agreement during the trial period, including our uptime. 3.3 User shall not access the Services if the User is Practo‘s direct competitor, except with Practo‘s prior written consent. In addition, the User shall not access the Services for purposes of monitoring their availability, performance or functionality, or for any other benchmarking or competitive purposes. 3.4 Practo will provide to the User basic support for the Services at no additional charge, and/or upgraded support if purchased separately and will use commercially reasonable efforts to make the Services available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except for (i) planned downtime (of which Practo shall give at least 8 hours notice via the Services and which Practo shall schedule to the extent practicable during the weekend hours from 6:00 p.m. Indian Standard Time (IST) Friday to 6:00 a.m. Indian Standard Time (IST) Monday), or (ii) any unavailability caused by circumstances beyond Practo‘s reasonable control, including without limitation, acts of God, acts of government, flood, fire, earthquakes, civil unrest, acts of terror, strikes or other labor problems, or internet service provider failures or delays. Practo will provide the Services only in accordance with applicable laws and government regulations. 3.5 The Services may be subject to certain limitations, such as, limits on disk storage space, on the number of calls Users are permitted to make against Practo‘s application programming interface, and, other limitations dependent on the User Plan, for example, number of SMS, number of appointments, number of users or accounts, validity of subscription. Any such limitations are specified in the User Plans. The Services provide real-time information to enable User to monitor such User‘s compliance with such limitations. 3.6 Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, Practitioner alone shall be liable for Practitioner‘s dealings and interaction with Patients contacted or managed through the Services and Practo shall have no liability or responsibility in this regard. Practo does not guarantee or make any representation with respect to the correctness, completeness or accuracy of the information or detail provided by Patients or any third party through the Services. The Services should not be used for emergency appointment purposes. 3.7 Practo may, at its sole discretion, suspend User‘s ability to use or access the Website at any time while Practo investigates complaints or alleged violations of this Agreement, or for any other reason.

3.8 Practo reserves the right to curate Practitioner information available in its Website to improve the quality of information and to make them more suitable for Patients who use the the Website to search for a Practitioner. In case Users find any wrong information on the Website in relation to themselves, they can rectify it themselves or contact Practo immediately for rectifications. Practo shall have no liability or responsibility in this regard. 3.9 Practo automatically lists Practitioners‘ information on its Website for every ‗Doctor‘ information added to a Practice using its Software. The Practitioner information listed on Website is displayed when Patients search for doctors on Website, and the Practitioner information listed on Website is used by Patients to request for doctor appointments. The Practitioners‘ information on Website continues to appear even after the Practice removes the ‗Doctor‘ information from its Practice information as stored in Software or the Practice ceases to be a paying subscriber or the Practice terminates its subscription. Practo, on its own, does not list any Personally Sensitive Information of such Practitioners. In case a Practitioner wishes to change his or her information as listed and displayed on Website, or disable appointment requests from Website the registered Practitioners can do so himself or herself by using options available on the Website and the unregistered Practitioners can do so by contacting Practo at [email protected]. In case a Practitioner wishes to remove his or her information as listed and displayed on Website they can do so by contacting Practo at [email protected]. 3.10 The Website accepts online appointment requests for all practitioners listed and displayed on its Website. Practo takes all essential steps to duly inform Practices via phone and email for appointment requests made on Website. However, it is possible that some appointment requests do not reach the Practices at all or in a timely manner due to technical or operational reasons including but not limited to cases when Practices do not respond to phone calls made by Practo or when Practices do not read emails sent by Practo in timely manner. Practo shall have no liability or responsibility in this regard. 3.11 While Practo makes every feasible effort to ensure a confirmed appointment for a Patient who requested an appointment on Website, Practo does not guarantee that it will get a confirmed appointment. Further, Practo has no liability if such appointment is confirmed but later cancelled by Practices or Practitioners, or the Practitioners are not available as per the given appointment time. 3.12 Certain Services (including ancillary products or services) may be subject to additional limitations, restrictions, terms and/or conditions specific to such Services or Software (―Specific Terms‖). In such cases, the applicable Specific Terms will be made available to you and your access to and use of the relevant Services or Software will be contingent upon your acceptance of and compliance with such Specific Terms. 3.13 Practo reserves the right to add new functionality, remove existing functionality, and modify existing functionality to its Services as and when it deems fit, and make any such changes available in newer versions of its Software or Website or both at its discretion. All Users of its Services will be duly notified upon release of such newer versions and Practo reserves the right to automatically upgrade all Users to the latest version of its Services as and when it deems fit. 3.14 Payment, Fees and Taxes: i. The User agrees to pay all subscription fees, consulting fees and other fees applicable to User‘s use of Services and the User shall not circumvent the fee structure. The fee is dependent on the User Plan that User purchases and not on actual usage of the Services. The subscription fee is non-refundable.

ii.

Each User / member is solely responsible for payment of all taxes, legal compliances, statutory registrations and reporting. Practo is in no way responsible for any of the taxes except for its own income tax. iii. The fees could be paid online through the facility made on the Website. Third parties support and services are required to process online fee payment. Practo is not responsible for any loss or damage caused to User during this process as these third parties are beyond the control of Practo. iv. The fees could also be paid offline and be either collected personally from the User or required to be mailed to Practo at the following address: Practo Technologies Private Limited, 4th Floor, Abhaya Heights, Bannerghatta Road, Near Jayadeva Flyover, Bangalore, India - 560 078. v. All fees are exclusive of taxes. Service Tax of 12.3% is levied on every purchase. vi. The payment process would be considered to be complete only on receipt of the amount to Practo's designated bank account. vii. Fees not received within the specified due dates attract late charges of 18% per annum from the due-date of payment, which may be levied at Practo's sole discretion. viii. Practo reserves the right to modify the fee structure by providing a 30 (thirty) days‘ prior notice, either by notice on the Website or through email to the authorized User, which shall be considered as valid and agreed communication. ix. In order to process the payments, Practo might require details of User‘s bank account, credit card number etc. Please check our privacy policy www.practo.com/privacy on how Practo uses the confidential information provided by Users. x. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, in case the payments are made by a User through credit card, invoice for subsequent subscription period/renewals shall be generated 10 (ten) days prior to the expiry of the existing subscription period and an email will be sent to the email id of such User registered with Practo intimating such User about expiration of the current subscription period and that the credit card of such User registered with Practo will be charged automatically against payment of subscription fee for subsequent subscription period, along with a copy of the invoice for the subsequent subscription period/renewal. Subject to the provisions of section 8.2 below, if a User is not willing to continue or renew the subscription of Services, the same shall be communicated to Practo within 5 (five) days of receipt of such intimation from Practo. In the absence of such intimation to discontinue the subscription, Practo shall be entitled to charge the credit card of the User registered with Practo on the day thecurrent subscription period expires. xi. Practo shall send an intimation of receipt of fee from the Users through an email within 3 (three) working days of receipt of fee from such User. xii. In case of non-payment of any fee beyond the date a payment becomes overdue (overdue date), Practo reserves the right to take all of the following actions as it deems appropriate 1. Reduce all service credits in Users‘ Services account to 0 (zero) anytime after 7 (seven) days from the overdue date, including but not limited to SMS and Call credits. 2. Discontinue the Services to the User anytime after 30 (thirty) days from the overdue date. 3. Delete all information in User‘s account anytime after 90 (ninety) days from the overdue date.

MISSION To enhance healthcare experience for people around the world. It is working towards transforming the way people find doctors online, the way they interact over phone and help doctors manage their practice with ease.

PRODUCTS Practo Ray, is a comprehensive practice management solution which helps doctors to schedule appointments, send SMS/email reminders to their patients, access patient‘s medical records, and conduct billing and accounting. It comes along with a cloud telephony solution that gives doctors a single contact number, allowing patients to book appointments 24/7 and reach out to doctors during a medical emergency. Practo Search is an online platform for patients to find doctors online and book instant confirmed appointments with them. Contact Info Websit http://www.practo.com e Founded May 2008

DETAILS OF VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS

MARKETING Behind the corporate objectives, which in themselves offer the main context for the marketing plan, will lie the "corporate mission," which in turn provides the context for these corporate objectives. In a sales-oriented organization, the marketing planning function designs incentive pay plans to not only motivate and reward frontline staff fairly but also to align marketing activities with corporate mission. The marketing plan basically aims to make the business provide the solution with the awareness with the expected customers. Marketing in practo are a bunch of passionate, young (average age 25), creative, quirky, curious people working out of our offices at Chennai, Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Pune. They stick by our ethics and don‘t shy away from being bold. The culture comes from our people. It is to get things done. Marketers don't crib or cry over why things don't happen – they make them happen. They are the doers. They work nights at a stretch. We can‘t procrastinate. They don‘t compromise. They create new. They ideate. They have no respect for status quo .They are powered by our people, who are carefully selected from diverse backgrounds, each with a distinctive quirk quotient. Roles of Marketing Department For most businesses, there are several different organisational approaches to marketing. The duty may lie with a single member of the team, or it could be a group responsibility. The great thing about a small team is the ability to quickly instill a marketing led ethos which can become the operational soul of your business. Larger companies may require more work! Depending on budget availability and the skills of the team, you may choose to outsource certain elements of the marketing process (such as market research) or decide to do these jobs in-house. Key responsibilities of the marketing manager / director vary according to the business but can include:              

Instilling a marketing led ethos throughout the business Researching and reporting on external opportunities Understanding current and potential customers Managing the customer journey (customer relationship management) Developing the marketing strategy and plan Management of the marketing mix Managing agencies Measuring success Managing budgets Ensuring timely delivery Writing copy Approving images Developing guidelines Making customer focused decisions

The marketing role can be diverse or focused but now we'll elaborate further on some key aspects which should be at the heart of the job. Market Research Marketing managers need to have a good knowledge of the customer. This means building up an accurate picture using the resources that are available. It is important to take personal opinion out of as many decisions as possible – you probably don't think in the same way as a typical customer. Information can be gathered from questionnaires, focus groups, the internet, interviews, buying habits and many more sources, but it's important that the information is examined in a scientific way using proper statistical methods. Gut feel can only take your business so far. Development 0f Marketing Strategy And Plan Marketing planning should be at the core to any business and is usually presented in the form of a written marketing plan. A consultant called Paul Smith first developed a process known as SOSTA which is a useful model used to structure a marketing plan. SOSTAC is an acronym for the following elements of the plan: The marketing plan should provide direction for all relevant members of the organization and should be referred to and updated throughout the year. The main reason for the marketing plan is that it provides a structured approach that forces the marketing manager to consider all the relevant elements of the planning process which might be missed if a more rushed approach is adopted. Management of The Marketing Mix The marketing mix includes all tangible elements that allow you to market your product. This includes facilities, your employees, the product itself, the cost strategy, the process of selling, and how you promote and advertise. The extent to which the marketing manager gets involved in these elements depends on how marketing focused your business is. A product focused organization will probably start with an ides for a new product, then try and determine who is likely to buy it. A marketing focused business starts with the consumer and tried to figure out what they want to buy. Some product focused businesses are very successful but it is generally accepted that a marketing focus provides a greater chance of success. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Customer relationship management is the process of communicating with customers throughout the various stages of the purchasing process, and this includes people who have already bought from you. It is significantly easier to hold on to an existing customer than it is to find new ones, but doing this requires all elements of the marketing mix to be run well. For example, it's no use sending out a beautifully produced customer magazine if your customer service is dreadful or the product breaks easily.

Identify Potential Markets Marketing managers identify potential markets for their companies. In this field, you accomplish this by determining which customers are most likely to use your products and services. These customer clusters are known as target markets and are best identified through demographics -- genders, incomes and education levels -- and specific behaviors, according to the Association of Fundraising professionals. After you identify your target audience, you decide whether to sell your products on a regional or national basis, and help determine the advertising media that will best reach these consumers. Oversee New Product Introductions A marketing manager oversees new product introductions, especially when a company doesn't have designated product managers. During this process, you might coordinate focus groups through the marketing research department. Focus groups are in-depth interviews with consumers through moderators, or interviewers. You introduce the concept of the product -- features, uses and price range -- through the moderator and determine how well consumers like it. Company managers usually observe consumers' responses behind one-way mirrors. If consumers indicate interest in the product in focus groups, you might conduct national surveys to better quantify how likely people are to buy the product. Subsequently, you introduce the product to the market. Develop Pricing Strategies Pricing strategy development is another marketing manager responsibility. During this process, you start by studying prices competitors charge for like products or services. You might then conduct surveys to determine price elasticity among consumers. Price elasticity studies determine how sensitive consumers are to price changes. For example, people might not be as sensitive to prices when new technologies, such as cell phones or computer software, are introduced to the market. Marketing managers also determine prices by calculating raw material and production costs, and then adding the percent markups they desire. In this role, you might also price products relatively low to gain market share, or use higher prices to quickly recover production costs. Supervise People Some marketing managers are responsible for supervising employees, such as assistant marketing managers, marketing coordinators or clerical workers. As a marketing manager, you hire and train these professionals and conduct their annual performance reviews. You are also responsible for assigning them various marketing projects or tasks, and ensuring they meet important deadlines.

CUSTOMERS customers of this company are the doctors,hospitals and common people who searches doctors online for fixing the appointments with them with lowest possible cost and best services.customer satisfaction is the main motto of the company.

Competitor The main competitor website of practo are-www.docsuggest.com, mocdoc.in, www.meetmydoctor.in,www.hyddoctors.com, www.hyddoctors.com, www.hyddoctors.com. Nevertheless practo has prove itself as best among these in terms of no of doctors, services and customer support. JUST DIAL India‘s local search service provider Just Dial has raised Rs 327 crore from private equity investors Sequoia Capital and SAP Ventures, the company announced on Wednesday. While Sequoia Capital brought in Rs 305 crore, SAP Ventures invested Rs 22 crore in this latest round of funding. With this, Sequoia now owns around 19% in Just Dial, while other investors in the company such as Saif Partners and Tiger Global together own close to a 60% stake in the company that has raised Rs 580 crore so far. Founded in 1996, Just Dial allows people to search for local information using the internet, phone, WAP and text messages. This fundraising would delay Just Dial‘s awaited IPO, which is expected to be one of the largest public issue by an Indian company in the consumer Internet business. ―We got extraordinary response for our IPO roadshow. We got over 40 investor interest from Singapore, Hong Kong, USA as well as India. When we were back, our existing investors Sequoia and SAP wanted to put in fresh money rather than diluting their stakes,‖ Just Dial founder and CEO VSS Mani told VCCircle. He further added that the company is now looking at an IPO in the first quarter of 2013 and would refile its DRHP with market regulator SEBI to go ahead with the IPO. ―We believe Just Dial enjoys an unassailable market position in local search, developed through many years,‖ added Shailendra Singh, managing director of Sequoia Capital. The money from the new round of investment , according to Just Dial, will be used to expand and upgrade technology.

CITRUS Sequoia Capital has just invested an undisclosed amount in Mumbai-based online payments solutions company Citrus Payment Solutions Private Limited. Mohit Bhatnagar, Managing Director of Sequoia has joined the board of the company, as a part of this deal. Founded in 2011 by Jitendra Gupta, a former employee of ICICI bank, Citrus offers online payments and e-mail invoicing solutions to leading Internet retailers in India. The company

has teamed up various banks such as HDFC Bank, SBI, Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, Union Bank of India, Yes Bank, Deutsche Bank, Citibank, Federal Bank, MasterCard and Visa to offer its services. Some of Citrus‘s clients include Riya.travel, Yebhi.com, SkoolShop, BeStylish.com, TicketNew.com, ManoramaOnline.com, HealthKart.com, HostIndia.net, and Indiatimes Shopping. Last August, Sequoia Capital invested $8Mn in Chennai-based Prizm Payment Services Pvt Ltd, that provides secure payments services to retailers, financial institutions, and other service providers. Sequoia has also invested $1 Mn in a Delhi based online payments company, Zaakpay. ZANSAAR:Zansaar.com, a Bangalore-based e-commerce company for home décor products, has raised $6 million funding from Accel Partners and Tiger Global, two active investors in the Indian e-commerce space. Launched last month, Zansaar.com was co-founded by Jawad Ayaz and Vinod Chandran(who previously started e-commerce portal 20north.com selling international products. ―We don‘t know what the competition has to offer. But, we will differentiate ourselves by offering a comprehensive range of products sourced from all over the world and not just from India,‖ Ayaz told techcircle.in. Speaking about the investment, Subrata Mitra, Partner at Accel Partners, said, ―We think very highly of the Zansaar team and are confident that they are well-aligned to execute in a rather complex category. We expect very healthy growth, and are proud and confident to associate with and assist in Zansaar‘s growth.‖ At present, Zansaar is a 55-people company and it is looking to double its staff strength in the next 3-4 months, with the new investment. The money from the investment will be used by Zansaar for meeting working capital requirements, supporting organic growth, maintaining inventory and meeting marketing expenses.

FORUS Forus Health Pvt. Ltd, a Bangalore-based startup that offers affordable medical technology solutions, has raised $5 million in Series A funding from Accel Partners and IDG Ventures India. Founded by K. Chandrasekhar and Shyam V. Rao, both former employees of Philips, Forus‘s flagship product is ‘3nethra‘, a low-cost, non-invasive pre-screening ophthalmology device, which can be used to detect cataract, glaucoma, diabetic retina, refraction and cornea problems. 3nethra is simple to use and can be operated by a minimally trained technician and

deployed to remote areas. The device costs one sixth the price of the other devices used to detect eye disorders. Chandrasekhar further added that India has got the largest number of blind people in the world and 3nethra device is addressing the problem well. ―Of the 39 million blind people worldwide, 12 million are in India and 80% of it is avoidable blindness, if they would have got their eyes screened on time. This means the ophthalmologist to patient ratio is approximately 1:60,000 in the country,‖ he said. The company plans to use the investment to drive manufacturing and sales of 3nethra, scale up technology, hire talent, and market its products in different markets such as India, Africa and Latin America. ―Technology can help us rethink healthcare delivery, and perhaps technology can transform healthcare from being cure-centric to prevention-centric and hence have a deeper impact in people‘s lives. We will focus on developing technologies for early screening which will help the doctors to focus on needy patients only,‖ said Shyam Vasudeva Rao, president & CTO of Forus. This is IDG Ventures India and Accel Partners‘s second investment in the Healthcare sector. Back in 2007, the two venture capital firms had invested $3.5 million in Perfint Healthcare Pvt Ltd, a Chennai-based medical equipment company. Perfint then went on to raise $7.2 million in Series B round led by Norwest Venture Partners with participation from its existing investors Accel Partners and IDG Ventures in July 2010. ―We are always interested in platform technologies that can deliver healthcare cost effectively. The pre-screening technology developed by Forus holds tremendous potential and will help address issues relating to avoidable blindness globally,‖ said Ranjith Menon, vice president of IDG Ventures India

Human Resources The company has a talented bunch of hr managers and team working in various locations of the country and abroad to assure the hiring of best talent along with other hr activities such as training, scheduling, performance appraisal, selection and motivation, etc. With the extensive support of hr professionals in the team the company has able to achieve the milestone in terms of selling that no company has done before in this country in concerned business.

Function of human resource department A typical Human Resource Department is carries out the following functions:

Manpower Planning It involves the planning for the future and finding out how many employees will be needed in the future by the business and what types of

skills should they possess. It depends on the following factors  The number of people leaving the job  The projected growth in sales of the business  Technological changes  Productivity level of the workers

Job Analysis and Job Description HR Department is also involved in designing the Job analysis and Job description for the prospective vacancies. A job analysis is the process used to collect information about the duties, responsibilities, necessary skills, outcomes, and work environment of a particular job. Job descriptions are written statements that describe the:  duties,  responsibilities,  most important contributions and outcomes needed from a position,  required qualifications of candidates, and  reporting relationship and co-workers of a particular job.

Determining Wages and Salaries HR Department is also involved in conducting market surveys and determining the wages and salaries for different position in an organization. These decision may be taken in consultation with top management and the Finance department.

Recruitment and Selection One of the most important jobs HR department is to recruit the best people for the organization. This is of crucial importance as the success of any organization depend on the quality of its workforce.

Performance Apprasial Once the employees are recruited, the HR Department has to review their performance on a regular basis through proper performance appraisals. Performance appraisal is the process of obtaining, analyzing and recording information about the relative worth of an employee. The focus of the performance appraisal is measuring and improving the actual performance of the employee and also the future potential of the employee. Its aim is to measure what an employee does. On the basis of performance appraisal the HR Department will set up an action plan for each employee. If the employees needs any training then he provided that.

Training and Development HR department is constantly keeping a watch over the employees of the organisation. In order to improve the efficiency level of the

employees have go undergo regular trainings and development programmes. All trainings and development needs are carried out by this department. Training might include on the job or off the job training. Find more information on training.

Employee Welfare And Motivation Happy employees mean a healthy organization. HR Department conducts various employee welfare activities which might include employees get together, annual staff parties etc. HR department also reviews organizational policies and its impact on the motivation of the employees.

Addressing Employee Grievances HR department is the link between the workers and the management. Employees grievances related work environment are usually entertained and resolved by the HR Department.

Labor Management Relations For the smooth operation of any organization, it is crucial to have good labour management relations. HR department has to ensure that

these relations are cordial. In case of any labor-management conflict the HR Department will play a vital role in bringing both management parties to the negotiation table and resolving the issue. Implementing organizational policies HR Department has to coordinate with line manager and see that the organizational policies are being implemented in a proper manner. Disciplinary action can be initiated against employees who are not following organizational rules and regulations. All these actions are conceived and implemented by the HR department. Dismissal and redundancy HR Department has to take firm actions against employees who are not following the organizational code of conduct, rules and regulations. This can result in the dismissal of the employee. Sometimes, an organization may no more require the services of an employee. The employee may be made redundant. HR Department has to see that organizational and government regulations are being followed in this process.

4. FINANCE DEPARTMENT The activities expected from a finance department cover a wide range from basic bookkeeping to providing information to assisting managers in making strategic decisions. What to expect from your finance department will depend largely on factors such as how much involvement the owner/manager has in the organization. At the base level, your finance department will be responsible for all the day to day transactional accounting for the business. This will include the tracking of all transactions and the management of any government reporting. In very small owner-managed businesses this role is often filled by a family member with accounting experience. An outside accounting firm is usually used for annual financial statements and returns. In larger organizations this role will extend right through to preparing the financial statements with an external auditor engaged for assurance purposes.

The finance department is also responsible for management of the organization‘s cashflow and ensuring there are enough funds available to meet the day to day payments. This area also encompasses the credit and collections policies for the company‘s customers, to ensure the organization is paid on time, and that there is a payment policy for the company‘s suppliers. In most organizations there will be some form of forecast prepared on a regular basis to systematically calculate the ongoing cash needs. Where there are cash needs beyond the day to day working capital, the finance department is responsible for advising and sourcing longer term financing. Financing may be obtained though bank or private lender debt or, in applicable firms, share issues to private investors. If the organization is ready to target angel investors or venture capitalists the finance department will be key in preparing the documents required for these presentations and may work with outside consultants on a company valuation. In larger firms considering public share offerings the finance department will assist with the preparation of the offering documents but will likely also use outside consultants to advise on this complicated process. With the must-do‘s taken care of, the finance department can now start to contribute to the management and improvement of the operations by measuring and reporting regularly on key numbers crucial to the success of the organization. Management accounting information is information that managers can use to monitor the operations and decide where further attention may be required. It will likely include some non-financial information and should be communicated to managers in a way that is easy to understand. In smaller ownermanaged businesses this resource, though extremely important, is often overlooked or ignored. Looking forward, the finance department will work with managers to prepare the organization‘s budgets and forecasts, and to report back on the progress against these throughout the year. This information can be used to plan staffing levels, asset purchases and expansions and cash needs, before they become necessary. Some organizations often ‗plan‘ by the seat of their pants, while organizations know it is important to have some idea of where you want to go before you start going there. Finally, the finance department should be called upon to provide information to assist managers in making key strategic decisions, such as which markets or projects to pursue or the payback periods for large capital purchases. The finance department can often contribute an objective perspective based on special financial assessment techniques. In summary, some organizations know the finance department should be considered a resource to assist managers in the running of the business. With the growing popularity of outsourced finance departments, it is possible for even small businesses to have access to all of the benefits of a full finance department, through part time professionals, at a fraction of the cost of employing a full time finance department. Functions of finance department are

•Purchase Accounting •Material issue •Distribution and Selling •Branch Accounting •Auditing

5. QUALITY CONTROL DEPARTMENT PepsiCo follows one quality standard across the globe. PepsiCo‘s soft drinks meet the local Indian standards (Health Ministry Standards for carbonated beverages notified July 15, 2004 Which compare to the best-in-class and most stringent international standards being followed anywhere in the world. PepsiCo products comply with the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act (PFA)directive on the use of water in the preparation of soft drinks. PepsiCo also comply withBureau of Indian Standards (BIS) for packaged drinking water. PepsiCo use a sixstagewater purification process to deliver this standard consistently. PepsiCo products carry aquality assurance seal on them. The ‗One Quality Worldwide‘ assurance seal appears onthe entire range of PepsiCo‘s beverages.

6. PURCHASE DEPARTMENT Purchasing refers to a business or organization attempting to acquire goods or services to accomplish the goals of the enterprise. Though there are several organizationsthat attempt to set standards in the purchasing process, processes can vary greatly between organizations.

ORGANIZATIONAL HIERARCHY-

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE TYPES Pre-bureaucratic structure Pre-bureaucratic (entrepreneurial) structures lack standardization of tasks. This structure is most common in smaller organizations and is best used to solve simple tasks. The structure is totally centralized. The strategic leader makes all key decisions and most communication is done by one on one conversations. It is particularly useful for new (entrepreneurial) business as it enables the founder to control growth and development. They are usually based on traditional domination or charismatic domination in the sense of Max Weber's tripartite classification of authority

Bureaucratic structure Weber gives the analogy that ―the fully developed bureaucratic mechanism compares with other organizations exactly as does the machine compare with the non-mechanical modes of production. Precision, speed, unambiguity,strict subordination, reduction of friction and of material and personal costs- these are raised to the optimum point in the strictly bureaucratic administration. Bureaucratic structures have a certain degree of standardization. They are better suited for more complex or larger scale organizations, usually adopting a tall structure. The tension between bureaucratic structures and non-bureaucratic is echoed in Burns and Stalker's distinction between mechanistic and organic structures. The Weberian characteristics of bureaucracy are: 

Clear defined roles and responsibilities



A hierarchical structure



Respect for merit.

Post-bureaucratic The term of post bureaucratic is used in two senses in the organizational literature: one generic and one much more specific. In the generic sense the term post bureaucratic is often used to describe a range of ideas developed since the 1980s that specifically contrast themselves with Weber's ideal type bureaucracy. This may include total quality management, culture management and matrix management, amongst others. None of these however has left behind the core tenets of Bureaucracy. Hierarchies still exist, authority is still Weber's rational, legal type, and the organization is still rule bound. Heckscher, arguing along these lines, describes them as cleaned up bureaucracies, rather than a fundamental shift away from

bureaucracy. Gideon Kunda, in his classic study of culture management at 'Tech' argued that 'the essence of bureaucratic control - the formalisation, codification and enforcement of rules and regulations - does not change in principle. it shifts focus from organizational structure to the organization's culture'. Another smaller group of theorists have developed the theory of the Post-Bureaucratic Organization. provide a detailed discussion which attempts to describe an organization that is fundamentally not bureaucratic. Charles Heckscher has developed an ideal type, the postbureaucratic organization, in which decisions are based on dialogue and consensus rather than authority and command, the organization is a network rather than a hierarchy, open at the boundaries (in direct contrast to culture management); there is an emphasis on metadecision making rules rather than decision making rules. This sort of horizontal decision making by consensus model is often used in housing cooperatives, othercooperatives and when running a non-profit or community organization. It is used in order to encourage participation and help to empower people who normally experienceoppression in groups. Still other theorists are developing a resurgence of interest in complexity theory and organizations, and have focused on how simple structures can be used to engender organizational adaptations. For instance, Miner et al. (2000) studied how simple structures could be used to generate improvisational outcomes in product development. Their study makes links to simple structures and improviser learning. Other scholars such as Jan Rivkin and Sigglekow, and Nelson Repenning revive an older interest in how structure and strategy relate in dynamic environments.

Functional structure Employees within the functional divisions of an organization tend to perform a specialized set of tasks, for instance the engineering department would be staffed only with software engineers. This leads to operational efficiencies within that group. However it could also lead to a lack of communication between the functional groups within an organization, making the organization slow and inflexible. As a whole, a functional organization is best suited as a producer of standardized goods and services at large volume and low cost. Coordination and specialization of tasks are centralized in a functional structure, which makes producing a limited amount of products or services efficient and predictable. Moreover, efficiencies can further be realized as functional organizations integrate their activities vertically so that products are sold and distributed quickly and at low cost. For instance, a small business could make components used in production of its products instead of buying them.

Divisional structure Also called a "product structure", the divisional structure groups each organizational function into a division. Each division within a divisional structure contains all the necessary

resources and functions within it. Divisions can be categorized from different points of view. One might make distinctions on a geographical basis (a US division and an EU division, for example) or on product/service basis (different products for different customers: households or companies). In another example, an automobile company with a divisional structure might have one division for SUVs, another division for subcompact cars, and another division for sedans. Each division may have its own sales, engineering and marketing departments.

Matrix structure The matrix structure groups employees by both function and product. This structure can combine the best of both separate structures. A matrix organization frequently uses teams of employees to accomplish work, in order to take advantage of the strengths, as well as make up for the weaknesses, of functional and decentralized forms. An example would be a company that produces two products, "product a" and "product b". Using the matrix structure, this company would organize functions within the company as follows: "product a" sales department, "product a" customer service department, "product a" accounting, "product b" sales department, "product b" customer service department, "product b" accounting department. Matrix structure is amongst the purest of organizational structures, a simple lattice emulating order and regularity demonstrated in nature.

Environment:- Environmental scanning is one component of the global environmental analysis. Environmental monitoring, environmental forecasting and environmental assessment complete the global environmental analysis. The global environment refers to the macro environment which comprises industries, markets, companies, clients and competitors. Consequently, there exist corresponding analyses on the micro-level. Suppliers, customers and competitors representing the micro environment of a company are analyzed within the industry analysis.[1] Environmental scanning can be defined as ‗the study and interpretation of the political, economic, social and technological events and trends which influence a business, an industry or even a total market‘.[2] The factors which need to be considered for environmental scanning are events, trends, issues and expectations of the different interest groups. Issues are often forerunners of trend breaks. A trend break could be a value shift in society, a technological innovation that might be permanent or a paradigm change. Issues are less deepseated and can be 'a temporary short-lived reaction to a social phenomenon'.[3] A trend can be defined as an ‗environmental phenomenon that has adopted a structural character‘ Macro environment There are a number of common approaches how the external factors, which are mentioned in the definition of Kroon and which describe the macro environment, can be identified and examined. These factors indirectly affect the organization but cannot be controlled by it. One approach could be the PEST analysis. PEST stands for political, economic, social and technological. Two more factors, the environmental and legal factor, are defined within the practo technologies.

The segmentation of the macro environment according to the six presented factors of the PESTEL analysis is the starting point of the global environmental analysis. Practo analysis The six environmental factors of the PRACTO analysis are the following: Political factors 

Taxation Policy



Trade regulations



Governmental stability



Unemployment Policy, etc.

Economical factors 

Inflation rate



Growth in spending power



Rate of people in a pensionable age



Recession or Boom



Customer liquidations

Socio-cultural 

Age distribution



Education levels



Income level



Consumerism



Population growth



Life expectancies



Expectation of society from the business

Technological factors 

Internet



E-commerce



Social Media



Electronic Media

Environmental factors 

Competitive advantage



Waste disposal



Energy consumption



Pollution monitoring, etc.

Legal factors



Unemployment law



Health and safety



Product safety



Advertising regulations



Product labeling



labor laws etc

Micro (internal) environment - small forces within the company that affect its ability to serve its customers . Meso environment – the industry in which a company operates and the industry‘s market(s). Macro (national) environment - larger societal forces that affect the micro environment. The micro environment refers to the forces that are close to the company and affect its ability to serve its customers. It includes the company itself, its suppliers, marketing intermediaries, customer markets and publics. The company aspect of microenvironment refers to the internal environment of the company. This includes all departments, such as management, finance, research and development, purchasing, operations and accounting. Each of these departments has an impact on marketing decisions. For example, research and development have input as to the features a product can perform and accounting approves the financial side of marketing plans and budgets. The suppliers of a company are also an important aspect of the microenvironment because even the slightest delay in receiving supplies can result in customer dissatisfaction. Marketing managers must watch supply availability and other trends dealing with suppliers to ensure that product will be delivered to customers in the time frame required in order to maintain a strong customer relationship. Marketing intermediaries refers to resellers, physical distribution firms, marketing services agencies, and financial intermediaries. These are the people that help the company promote, sell, and distribute its products to final buyers. Resellers are those that hold and sell the company‘s product. They match the distribution to the customers and include places such as Wal-Mart, Target, and Best Buy. Physical distribution firms are places such as warehouses that store and transport the company‘s product from its origin to its destination. Marketing services agencies are companies that offer services such as conducting marketing research, advertising, and consulting. Financial intermediaries are institutions such as banks, credit companies and insurance companies. Another aspect of microenvironment is the customers. There are different types of customer markets including consumer markets, business markets, government markets, international markets, and reseller markets. The consumer market is made up of individuals who buy goods and services for their own personal use or use in their household. Business markets include those that buy goods and services for use in producing their own products to sell.

Each classification has different characteristics and causes they find important. This can be beneficial to a marketer as they can decide who their product would benefit most and tailor their marketing plan to attract that segment. Demography covers many aspects that are important to marketers including family dynamics, geographic shifts, work force changes, and levels of diversity in any given area. Another aspect of the macro environment is the economic environment. This refers to the purchasing power of potential customers and the ways in which people spend their money. Within this area are two different economies, subsistence and industrialized. Subsistence economies are based more in agriculture and consume their own industrial output. Industrial economies have markets that are diverse and carry many different types of goods. Each is important to the marketer because each has a highly different spending pattern as well as different distribution of wealth. The natural environment is another important factor of the macro environment. This includes the natural resources that a company uses as inputs that affects their marketing activities. The concern in this area is the increased pollution, shortages of raw materials and increased governmental intervention. As raw materials become increasingly scarcer, the ability to create a company‘s product gets much harder. Also, pollution can go as far as negatively affecting a company‘s reputation if they are known for damaging the environment. The last concern, government intervention can make it increasingly harder for a company to fulfill their goals as requirements get more stringent. The technological environment is perhaps one of the fastest changing factors in the macro environment. This includes all developments from antibiotics and surgery to nuclear missiles and chemical weapons to automobiles and credit cards. As these markets develop it can create new markets and new uses for products. It also requires a company to stay ahead of others and update their own technology as it becomes outdated. They must stay informed of trends so they can be part of the next big thing, rather than becoming outdated and suffering the consequences financially.

SWOT AnalysisStrength: Weakness: A well established leader among Indian Lack of awarness:no matter how the Offshore healthcare company. practo has technology and internet has proved its built a solid image by delivering quality efficiency,the majority of people don‘t services and innovation. consider internet to be ultimate solution for healthcare needs. Well defined service portfolio: In past years it was able to build solid capability including Pricing Pressure: In order to generate matured processes and team in all the key growth, practo has indicated that it may go vertical including online appointment booking down in pricing that may not a good sign as it services,healthcare software and erp for will further impact margin. hospitals Lower utilization: In healthcare business, a Scale: It has huge number of full time lower utilization is big threat and causes a employees, strong presence in India and good amount of pressure on business number of delivery centre across globe. development team. practo has delivered a lower utilization and it appears that Focus on Innovation: practo has dedicated to management is comfortable about it. support innovative ideas coming from Mobility, cloud and Big data. Currency Volatility: Due to volatility in Euro and pound against dollar It negatively Less Risky: Good cash in hand, and impacted income. absolutely no debt. It will help make further strategic acquisition in Europe and elsewhere. Strong Relationship with Clients: maximum percentage comes from existing customers,trusted doctors and hospotals. Opportunity: Threat: Emerging Technology: Emerging Other healthcare websites: practo‘s major Technology such as Cloud, Big data are going threat is from existing and new healthcare to get bigger and practo has taken concrete websites and software industry of same steps to take advantage of that. context that are rapidely emerging in the market. Significant opportunity in Product and platform segment: Patients through Practo Vendor Consolidation and High Search can browse through more than 50K Competition:high competition in the market detailed doctor profiles online and book is the biggest threat for the healthcare it confirmed appointments without any hassles. company like practo.the major competitor like meetmydoctor.com etc,have emerged as solid Strategic Acquisition: practo will continue to threat to the company in terms of cost and acquire firms which can add to its top line.

features.

CHAPTER III DISCUSSION ON TRAINING Roles and Responsibilities 1) Collect and analyze data on source demographics, preferences, needs, and buying habits to identify potential markets and factors affecting product demand. 2) Prepare reports of findings, illustrating data graphically and translating complex findings into written text. 3) Measure 4) Forecast

and and

assess

track

customer

marketing

and

and

sales

employee

trends,

analyzing

satisfaction. collected

data.

5) Seek and provide information to help companies determine their position in the marketplace. 6) Measure the effectiveness of marketing, advertising, and communications programs and strategies. 7) Conduct research on consumer opinions and marketing strategies, collaborating with marketing professionals, statisticians, pollsters, and other professionals. 8) Attend staff conferences to provide management with information and proposals concerning the promotion, distribution, design, and pricing of company products or services. 9) Gather data on competitors and analyze their prices, sales, and method of marketing and distribution. 10)

Monitor

industry

statistics

and

follow

trends

in

trade

literature.

11) Devise and evaluate methods and procedures for collecting data (such as surveys, opinion polls, or questionnaires), or arrange to obtain existing data. 12)

Develop

and

implement

procedures

for

identifying

advertising

needs.

13) Direct trained survey interviewers. Description of tasks handled and Contribution to the organization:Meet prospective clients, execute effective product demonstrations, emphasizing product features and benefits with focus on the value of the solution Consult with physician practices to understand practice workflow needs and expectations

Prospect, educate, qualify, and generate interest for Sales Opportunities Develop and accomplish a lead generation plan including Outbound and Inbound prospect management Follow up with prospective clients and should be an expert in closing deals Attending sales group meetings concerning sales targets, forecasts, and reporting on market situation and competition Participating in conferences, representing the company for brand awareness Maintaining and expanding the database of prospects for the organization Providing suggestions to improvise on sales and marketing strategies

CHAPTER -4 ANALYSIS OF TASK/RESEARCH UNDERTAKEN

1 Introduction and Background

During his college days Shashank, co-founder Practo, had his father undergoing an orthopedic surgery on short notice. Since he couldn‘t find a place to search for doctors he struggled to get a second opinion. Soon he jotted down a few contacts through family friends. But when he just about got one abroad, he had a tough time getting the medical reports sent across since they were on paper. A few snap shots on his camera mobile and few scans later he just about send it across. The solution to all this seemed ridiculously simple to Shashank and his partner, Abhinav. But the most compelling fact was that no one in India had tried this before. Thus in May 2008 they went on to found Practo Technologies Pvt Ltd. An attempt to use emerging technologies to rev-up clinics across India and thus enhance patient experience.

Research Design Statement of research problem: In overall scenario of practo technologies pvt ltd,the followings are the problems:1.Sales generation. 2.convincing client .

Statement of research objectives: 

Mapping of competitors of company



Sales performance in comparison to other competitors.



Generating clients for the websites



Creating awareness among doctors



Collecting information about doctos.

3 Research design and methodology: Importance of service Services are activities or benefits that one party offer to another that are essentially intangible, inseparable, variable, perishable and do not result in ownership of any- thing. Service sector dominates the Indian economy today, contributing more than half of our national income. Importance of online appointment with doctors Doctor's appointments are missed each and every day by people who either forget to show up or choose not to call and cancel their appointment. This article will look at some of the reasons why it is important to try to and keep doctor's appointment and what to do if you must cancel. At my previous doctor's surgery (office) in the UK, the surgery would regularly post the latest numbers of people who had not shown up for their doctor's appointments. I was amazed at the staggering amount of people who failed to show up for their appointments. It was not just a few individuals who did not show up. A large number of people regularly missed their scheduled doctor's appointments. If you are a receptionist it can be very frustrating to work under these conditions. You will have to call patients when it is their turn to see the doctor and be left standing when no one appears. Then you must inform the doctor that the patient did not show up. One of the reasons why it is best to try and keep your doctor's appointment is because it is the polite thing to do. Would you arrange a job interview with a company you were serious about working for but then fail to show up? It is highly unlikely. Yet, members of the medical profession routinely have to deal with patients who do not show up for their appointments. It is also important to keep your appointment if you will be receiving the results of blood tests, and other test results that will determine your medical condition. This in turn will help doctors see what the next step should be in your course of treatment. If you miss the appointment, you are not only wasting your doctor's time. You could also place your health at risk if you do not start your treatment as quickly as possible. Sometimes, it is just not possible to keep a doctor's appointment. It may clash with a business meeting at work or your child's emergency visit to the dentist's. If you can, try to inform your doctor's surgery of the cancellation 24 hours in advance. But if that is not possible, let them know as soon as you can. That way, your appointment slot can be given to someone else who

may be in need of a last minute appointment. Keep in mind that breaking an appointment without first calling to cancel can prevent someone else from being seen and it wastes the time of doctors and the rest of the team. Importance of marketing research Market research allows you to identify threats and opportunities in the market place and provides the information on which you can make informed decisions. The more accurate the information - the better the decision. Market research therefore reduces the risk involved in making these decisions. It also reduces the risk of not being able to make decisions because you did not have the information at hand (for example, a change in the market that catches you by surprise). Market research helps you to: 

Identify new products or services.  Spot or anticipate market trends or changes.  Determine if customers are satisfied, and if not, what is wrong.  Keep one step ahead of your competitors.  Spot trends or warning signals in your own business.  Decide which advertising medium works best for your business.  Keep up to date with new technology in your industry.  Tell you if a new idea is likely to be viable or not, and so on. Market research is therefore the business tool that helps you reduce the risk that a new idea will fail, and helps reduce the risk of being in business. In short, it helps you both stay in business and build a more profitable business. However, in most businesses very little research is conducted. This is because people are unsure how to perform such market research properly.

Methodology Under Research Methodology there are three types of methods for marketing research. They are as follows:   

The observation method The experimental method The survey method

inclusive

of

panel

method.

In observation method data are collected on the direct observation. No talks take place. By observing the person the analysis makes the inventory as to product used by him at his home or kept as retailers stocks. In experimental method it is based on the concept that small-scale experiment is useful to indicate the expectations of large-scale experiment. The survey method information is gathered directly from individuals by three ways:



Telephone



E-Mail



Personal



Interview

The survey method by route ride I usually went with Pepsi van also with salesman. I met the retailers from outlets to outlets. This survey method helps me a lot to understand about the distribution system and to understand the problem of retailers and other people. .In addition to the personal interview by questionnaire technique. In this survey method I saw that the respondent was shown the exhibit and advertisement to give his personal opinion and attitude. In this method the direct interaction of occurred with the retailers and I could collect the reliable information from them it has also cost disadvantage that‘s why some were difficult to covered.

4. PERT(Program Evaluation And Review Technique) PERT was developed primarily to simplify the planning and scheduling of large and complex projects. It was developed for the U.S. Navy Special Projects Office in 1957 to support the U.S. Navy's Polaris nuclear submarine project.[2] It was able to incorporate uncertainty by making it possible to schedule a project while not knowing precisely the details and durations of all the activities. It is more of an event-oriented technique rather than start- and completion-oriented, and is used more in projects where time is the major factor rather than cost. It is applied to very large-scale, one-time, complex, non-routine infrastructure and Research and Development projects. An example of this was for the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble which applied PERT from 1965 until the opening of the 1968 Games.[3] This project model was the first of its kind, a revival for scientific management, founded by Frederick Taylor ( Taylorism ) and later refined by Henry Ford (Fordism). DuPont's critical path method was invented at roughly the same time as PERT. The first step to scheduling the project is to determine the tasks that the project requires and the order in which they must be completed. The order may be easy to record for some tasks (e.g. When building a house, the land must be graded before the foundation can be laid) while difficult for others (There are two areas that need to be graded, but there are only enough bulldozers to do one). Additionally, the time estimates usually reflect the normal, non-rushed time. Many times, the time required to execute the task can be reduced for an additional cost or a reduction in the quality. In the following example there are seven tasks, labeled A through G. Some tasks can be done concurrently (A and B) while others cannot be done until their predecessor task is complete (C cannot begin until A is complete). Additionally, each task has three time estimates: the

optimistic time estimate (O), the most likely or normal time estimate (M), and the pessimistic time estimate (P). The expected time (TE) is computed using the formula (O + 4M + P) ÷ 6. A network diagram can be created by hand or by using diagram software. There are two types of network diagrams, activity on arrow (AOA) and activity on node (AON). Activity on node diagrams are generally easier to create and interpret. To create an AON diagram, it is recommended (but not required) to start with a node named start. This "activity" has a duration of zero (0). Then you draw each activity that does not have a predecessor activity (a and b in this example) and connect them with an arrow from start to each node. Next, since both c and d list a as a predecessor activity, their nodes are drawn with arrows coming from a. Activity e is listed with b and c as predecessor activities, so node e is drawn with arrows coming from both b and c, signifying that e cannot begin until both b and c have been completed. Activity f has d as a predecessor activity, so an arrow is drawn connecting the activities. Likewise, an arrow is drawn from e to g. Since there are no activities that come after f or g, it is recommended (but again not required) to connect them to a node labeled finish.     

PERT chart explicitly defines and makes visible dependencies (precedence relationships) between the work breakdown structure (commonly WBS) elements PERT facilitates identification of the critical path and makes this visible PERT facilitates identification of early start, late start, and slack for each activity, PERT provides for potentially reduced project duration due to better understanding of dependencies leading to improved overlapping of activities and tasks where feasible. The large amount of project data can be organized & presented in diagram for use in decision making. 5.Findings  Doctors don‘t want to give there detail(past and photos).  Rural area doctors don‘t want them to get engage in it.

6.Conclusion This project work gave knowledge not only about retail business but also the consumer behavior. It also gave lessons about how culture of the location affects the organization working style. It showed the strategic and analytical approach gives flying colors to the retail business. The different trainings are necessary for all kinds of job. A manager needs to know the entire work take place in the organization to motivate employee and to groom with the organization. The survey work gave me a chance to consult directly consumers and know their expectation with the company. The analysis of active and non- active items taught me how a data can give different angle to approach and make a full proof strategy to satisfy customer. I have learnt about space management, basic needs of the consumer, employee

motivation, stock take, dealing with customer and many more grass root level knowledge. My internship gave me full exposure of an organization which will help me in my future job. I have known the difficulties faced by a manager and learnt how come up with more luster. I have faced an organization practically and I am very much happy to apply my MBA knowledge during summer internship program.