Saúda, the portuguese pharmacies loyalty program and its impact on customer value

Abstract

The pharmacy sector in Portugal is getting more and more challenging with the increased competition mainly driven by the regulation (e.g. sale liberalisation of non-prescription medicines) and the development of new sophisticated players owned by big established conglomerates (e.g. Well’s). The incumbents’ characteristics – fragmented ownership and an associative mind-set under the Associação Nacional das Farmácias (ANF) – established as the basis of an unique initiative: the creation of a nation-wide brand that represented the majority of the individual entities of the pharmacy network while conveying their key differentiating factors – quality of customer service and recognition as healthcare and well-being specialists. The Portuguese Pharmacies brand was the foundation of a holistic loyalty program – Saúda - that aimed to develop the required tools and processes to preserve the leadership position of pharmacies in the sector. The aim of this thesis is to analyse the context of the Portuguese pharmacy sector and the success of the brand’s implementation and loyalty program, while identifying the customer views on the program and further measures to improve its effectiveness. As a teaching tool, it provides an opportunity to explore the main steps that lead the development of a loyalty program and its evolution from 2009 to 2017. Based on a real-life challenge, it is expected to assist students in developing marketing knowledge as well as strengthening research skills.

Date of Award	26 Feb 2018
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Pedro Manuel Amador Rodrigues Celeste (Supervisor)