Research by: Jones Mathew, Sandeep Puri, Manavi Chopra
Abstract
In 2022, the India-based patient-centred integrative oncology start-up ZenOnco was struggling with brand equity and impact. The company had introduced two innovative apps—Ziopar and CANNECT—to help empower, educate, and enable patients and caregivers to access scientifically-based information and support on cancer treatment. However, the company had yet to become the most sought-after platform for cancer guidance. More than a dozen oncology start-ups were springing up across India’s fragmented, disorganized, and complex cancer-care industry, known for service-delivery issues and high drug costs. ZenOnco’s biggest challenge was brand building and navigating the customer service journey to become the preferred destination for free and low-cost, fact-based cancer-care guidance, counselling, and support.
Learning Objectives
This case can be taught as part of postgraduate marketing management courses in modules covering services marketing, marketing, positioning, brand-equity building, service-profit chain, and services marketing. The case investigates dilemmas related to service-delivery issues, brand building, scaling up challenges, and ensuring that the algorithmic and human interfaces of ZenOnco’s services provide the best customer experience.
After working through the case and assignment questions, students will be able to:
- appreciate the challenges faced by the paramedical care industry in a high-sensitivity area such as cancer care;
- understand the factors that affect customer expectations and brand perceptions among target segments;
- examine service areas that can be improved; and
- explore brand-building challenges and find solutions for ZenOnco.
To cite this case: Mathew, J., Puri, S., & Chopra, M. (2023). ZenOnco.io: Service delivery and brand-building dilemmas. Ivey ID: W31099. London, Canada: Ivey Publishing.
To access this case: https://www.iveypublishing.ca/s/product/zenoncoio-service-delivery-and-brandbuilding-dilemmas/01t5c00000CBTqtAAH
