Starting a new business in any industry can be a difficult task; after all, Bloomberg reports that 8 out of 10 startups don’t survive beyond the first 18 months. The medical tourism industry is no different, even if it is a billion-dollar industry. However, there are specific ways you can make sure your business not only stays afloat but thrives like it’s meant to. Here are six mistakes that you should avoid as a medical tourism agency to ensure you do well.
1. Low Volume Of Consumer Referrals
The biggest office in the poshest area, and the best website, will not be any good if you fail to attract prospects to your platform. The only way your business succeeds is through a growing customer base and a steady flow of patients, and you can only achieve this by making sure your services are impeccable. Give each patient the best experience, and exceed all their expectations, and they will indeed talk about you. Word of mouth advertising is free; it is very effective as it helps assure your quality. Consumers will trust in your service when they hear good things from people who have worked with you.
2. Skipping Medical and Wellness Tourism Education
Many people assume that since they have experience as a nurse, doctor, or travel agent, they will naturally be great at medical tourism. Medical tourism is an entirely different ballgame; As a health tourism agent, you will be responsible for setting up every aspect of trips for patients traveling abroad while they are wounded, recovering from major surgery, and sometimes critically ill. Plus, you need to make sure their stay is pleasant at the same time.
Professional training in global healthcare is crucial to ensure you get it right, and it is essential to get guidance from a reputable company. It is tragic how many startups spend months figuring out complicated concepts within this industry to save on costs. In reality, they end up financially hurting their business even more. It is crucial to have expert insiders who can assist you and save you time and money with knowledge and industry wisdom.
There are many moving pieces when coordinating a medical trip, and that’s why all beginners need to learn industry “best practices” before coordinating international trips for traveling patients.
3. Attending Trade Shows Before Your Time
Trade shows can be a great way to meet potential strategic partners, but attending them before you have everything else figured out can be a bad idea. Trade shows can take up a lot of your time and money; taking time off, booking plane tickets and hotel rooms, etc., and when you’re starting, they are not worth it for you. Suppose you don’t yet have a website, B2B contracts, patient waiver forms, current patient flow, or any proper strategic plan or systems in place. In that case, you will not appear attractive to healthcare providers or other strategic partners.
4. Having Bad Healthcare Partners
Your partnerships are an extension of your business. They build your brand as a medical tourism facilitator, as you will be known by the hospitals you affiliate with and the quality of care they provide. Having bad partnerships is a quick way to kill your business, as non-accredited doctors, hospitals, and clinics can ruin your name and put your business at risk.
It is important to have rigorous screening processes to ensure the partners you work with have high-quality standards and a good record.
5. Unappealing Websites
Most of your customers will probably find you online, and your website is what makes the first impression on them. If it is unappealing, confusing, or unprofessional, chances are people will instantly click off.
Your website needs to instantly grab prospects’ attention, have appealing color schemes, and show attractive images while at the same time giving the patient all the information they need. The site needs to clearly outline the services you provide, the countries you promote, and your network of healthcare providers. Potential clients need to have confidence in your service, so your website needs to represent trustworthiness.
6. Targeting The Whole World
The last mistake many medical tourism agencies make is not focusing their efforts on specific countries. Suppose you are a medical tourism facilitator in Costa Rica, for example, and you try to attract customers worldwide. In that case, it would take an overwhelming amount of energy, time, and budget to do it successfully.
Focus on 1-3 countries, and you can concentrate all your energy and resources on these places, earn a name and reputation in these areas, and attract a lot more customers. It will also allow you to customize your service for people in these nations.
Avoiding these traps will help you ensure your longevity as a health and wellness tourism agent. Whether you need a website built, an accreditation in medical travel, business plans, contracts, etc. We can provide every tool you need to start a healthcare travel agency from scratch.
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