Case Name :      Canadian Blood Services

Authors :           Ron Mulholland

Source :             Ivey Publishing

Case ID :            W11531

Discipline :        Marketing

Case Length :    13 pages

Solution Sample availability : YES

Plagiarism : NO (100% Original work)

The marketing manager for Canadian Blood Services (CBS) is concerned about a growing demand for blood – 2 per cent per year – driven by a number of factors, including the decrease of wait times in local hospitals, new operating procedures and increased use or requirements of an aging population. Peak demand seasons coincide with low supply seasons, such as summer and winter holidays. Two issues require attention: the first involves increasing the absolute number of donors, currently in the 400,000 range. Indications are that the percentage of Canadians (four per cent) who donate blood is lower than other countries such as Sweden (five per cent). The second need is to retain more donors and increase the number of donations per donor, per year. The CBS still faces issues stemming from the tainted blood scandal of the 1980s and the subsequent Krever inquiry. They are working to rebuild the trust of the public. The crux of the issue is understanding consumer behaviour toward blood donation. The manager needs to understand the consumer decision process, examine segments, determine a target segment and develop communications to increase both the absolute number of donors and the repeat donations of identified donors.