I’ve got a confession and that I’m terrified of needles.
That itself makes me procrastinate when it comes to doing blood tests or even getting vaccinated.
And that fear, really is unfounded as these needles are pretty much an ant’s bite at the end of the day but reason enough for me to sway and delay.
But given the opportunity, all a sudden a FREE blood test appeared from a rising-in-popularity business entity in Malaysia known as Beacon Hospital, known for their cancer solutions which opened a number of Beacon Marts, selling their chicken, frozen seafood and even chicken essence. Wait, they also have a Resort called Beacon Resort.
From what I heard, the founder Mary Chen cares a lot about creating affordable healthcare especially when critical illnesses such as cancer is being treated. Her story is remarkable, being just limited to a Form 5 education to having a visionary outcome.
Now, the founder aside, what I can appreciate is their drive to get people into their brand, sales process through a FREE blood test campaign.
I wholeheartedly LOVE marketing and promotions. That’s what I do for a living and I love the process, the way it works from the sign-up to the actual fulfilment of the process.
And so from making an appointment ahead of time, the dreaded day arrived when I “excitedly” wake up in the a.m making my way to a local Beacon Mart.
The initial registration process was smooth, easy number taking, I see that they have also pre-registered me into their hospital system with sticker barcodes and all. There goes my data.
Here comes the concern after my registration:
- Seated, I was asked some quick questions, pretty standard. Have you fasted? I said yes. Spoken in mandarin which they assumed I understood, which I did.
- Step 2, a quick rundown on their offers. Alright pretty comprehensive, covered all grounds, all kinds of tests from top to toe. Straight to the point mini-sales pitch before the blood test. Quick briefing, effective indeed.
- A quick highlight on prostates, yep got that. Thanks.
What I don’t appreciate is when someone from the sales team after all that sales pitch ends with, so you are here just for the FREE tests “lah”? I said uh-huh, yes.
This should be unsurprising, the offer was clearly a Free Blood Test.
But hey, I get it, it’s free, you have my permission to sell me, help me understand your offers better please and thank you. I genuinely may be interested to buy.
After politely declining on their full-package offer, they said: Try buying the cancer markers for RMxxx and etc, etc.
I said I don’t think I have cancer but I may consider.
The up-selling and down-selling was done rather distastefully.
Though I can’t blame them probably they have some sales KPI to achieve.
This condescending approach really ticks me off.
I’m grateful for a free blood test and I can very much afford to pay for one.
Also, when given the option to learn more about their offerings in English or Mandarin, I asked if they could explain in English and they continued speaking in Mandarin, which I do have some basic understanding.
But we’re talking about medical terms here, which I’d very much prefer to have full clarity so that I understand their complex offerings based on many different problems that may potentially occur in the future.
I also mentioned that I have a family member who’s in their hospital and that’s how I came to understand about this offering and they just shrugged it off and focused on selling their packages and then told me to go to the next station.
Given that they only have a few minutes, I can understand the rush.
But overall, a lack of a good ear and empathy in sales indeed.
I am thankful for this opportunity, it’s just that I think they could improve in the following areas:
- Have a heart – some empathy.
- Listen, carefully.
- Don’t push and shove. Educate.
- Explain, clearly vs focusing on price and offer. e.g deadlines, when does the offer end, when can it be redeemed?
- What are the potential problems that I could face in the future if I don’t test now?
- What are the best probably solutions that I should pay for today and how it works? Why the price is the best price today, not tomorrow? State their value so that their discounts will not be taken for granted.
That being said, probably in my next blood test, if they do, do it again, I may pick up one of their offers knowing that these are essential tests that everyone must go through.
I can’t possible take for granted that my health is all that great either.
That’s my little piece of sharing for now.