Being a hospital entrepreneur is a bold step. Being
a hospital entrepreneur in a sub-urban area even requires more boldness. A
suburban area is a district or residential area at the edge of a large town or
city. In many developed countries, suburban areas are well planned, residential
and not as densely populated as central cities. Whereas in developing
countries, suburban areas are typically unplanned, overcrowded and lack many
basic facilities. An example of a suburban area is Nyanyan, a settlement close
to Abuja, the Nigerian capital.
Being an entrepreneur requires confidence, skills,
money and raw guts. In every business venture, there is always the fear of failure.
But it should be noted that an entrepreneur’s boldness is not the absence of
fear. Rather, it is the ability to move forward in spite of fear. Every business
owner must find a way to channel the negative energy from fear into creating a positive
drive towards business success. This drive ensures that the business thrives
for years to come and even outlives the owner.
The first step to commencing business is to have a
business plan. A business plan is a written document that outlines all your
thoughts and plans for your business. It is like a cookbook that shows what you
intend to do, how you intend to do it, who you will employ to do it, where you
will locate your business and how you will finance your operations.
Apart from
the business plan, there are several practical factors you must focus on when
planning to start a service-oriented business (like a hospital) in a suburban
area. These factors can make the difference between success and failure. They
are:
- · Your Location
- · The Customers
- · The Scope and Quality of your Services
- · The Cost of your Services
- · The Skill Set of the Entrepreneur
- Location
The location of any business is important; especially
when you plan to operate in a suburban area. Sub-urban areas are characterized
by a less complex road network than central cities. The major roads are usually
very popular and are well travelled on a daily basis by most residents. As a
result, businesses that are located along or close to these roads are usually
well patronized. You must therefore avoid locating your business in ‘back end’
streets. Go for a location that is central, accessible and has high daily
commuter traffic. This will make your hospital highly visible to the public and
hopefully highly patronized.
In addition to location, the ambiance of your
hospital is also important. This includes the atmosphere, the building(s), the
grounds, the dressing and the attitude of employees. Patients will not usually
see the product you offer since health is intangible. The ambiance is therefore
a way for you to display your competence. Most people will rather visit a neat,
upscale and trendy building manned by smartly dressed workers than a dirty,
shabby and old looking building.
- Customers
Residents of suburban areas are mostly government
workers, small scale business people, artisans in the informal sector and a few
well paid private workers. It is worthwhile to always remember that a business
cannot cater to every type of customer or service every niche in the market.
For example, I once tried to hire a well-known Inter-city transport company to
run intra campus shuttle services with their older buses. But the manager said
something like ‘you can only make a significant mark on a hard surface when you
consistently aim at one spot’.
In other
words, to make an impact in business, you require dogged and consistent focus
on specific goals. You have to be focused and decide on your target market at
the onset. Though, this may change with time because business is dynamic, but
for starters, decide who you will cater for. A clear definition of your target
market will streamline your thinking and help you make concise decisions on how
you will attract them to your facility.
To be continued.......
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