Abbey Retirement Villages

Executive Summary

The idea of Abbey Retirement Villages resulted from the increasing need to provide exclusive homes for retirees. The classical homes in the real estate market did not appear to suit their needs. For instance, they needed a serene environment with hardly any noise. In addition, they needed affordable homes that their pension could comfortably afford. Besides, geriatric nursing care can be offered to the retirees from the comfort of the villages. The villages basically provide all services that the retirees may need. These include a mall where they can relax and do their shopping. They will not necessarily have to travel long distances to find these facilities. The retirement villages are usually located away from other residential areas. In most cases, they are in forest areas with natural beauty. This is an ideal environment for retirees as it gives them the much needed peace of mind.

Abbey Retirement Villages have become popular over time. However, it currently faces a few challenges that have significantly reduced its popularity. For instance, a few security breaches into the villages dampened people’s confidence. The breach was particularly due to their location away from other residential places. The increasing cost of housing has also led to a slight increase in the cost of the villages. This has caused some people to shy away from the retirement villages.

Introduction

In the past, Abbey Retirement Villages have been very popular. There was no need to extensive marketing whenever a new one was launched. This was because it faced no competition for the same services in the market. However, this trend has since changed over time. At the moment, a lot of marketing has to be done for every new village established. For instance, people have to be convinced that retirement villages are still affordable considering the increased cost of housing. It should be noted that people are a bit jittery about housing. They are not sure how rates will change in the future. In light of this, marketing strategies should principally focus on building a sense of confidence in them. It is highly anticipated that the negative trends of 2012 will not recur this year. Nevertheless, there is need to stay focused on the primary goal of the marketing to ensure that it turns beneficial. For instance, there will certainly be several workshops for retirees to sensitize them on the need to embrace the retirement villages. Once they are fully knowledgeable, they will make the ultimate decision of whether to join or not. This is what the marketing seeks to achieve by the end of it ( Maheshvarananda 2012).

Partial Situation Analysis

Specialized Care

Most retirees definitely need specialized care. Some of them have chronic diseases that call for specialized care by close relatives. It has been established that retirement villages makes the provision of this specialized care a little cumbersome. For instance, if the retiree was staying close to his or her relatives, they would not charge anything for the services. Besides, relatives are generally more tolerable and therefore likely to provide the best services for the retirees. This is different from the situation in the retirement villages where a nursing home provides all the services (Taylor 2003). These include counseling services to help them come to terms with their new status as retirees. It should be noted that the nursing homes charge for these additional services. This implies that the retirees’ pensions will be significantly sliced (Abbey 2012). Eventually, a state of financial anxiety may set in, especially if there are no younger relatives to take care of the retiree. In light of this, most retirees opt to stay close to their relatives in a bid to cut costs. They are basically trying to survive on their little savings. The marketing strategy will seek to convince retirees that staying in the retirement villages will not deplete their savings before they are old enough.

Safety

Given the recent security breaches in several retirement villages, most retirees are getting concerned about their general safety.

This was the most unexpected incidence in this generation. Criminals took advantage of the immense freedom in the retirement villages to attack the aged citizens. No one would have expected this considering that this is not a working class. It is highly expected that they have handed in most of their wealth to their children. They are no longer the rich citizens some of them used to be. However, criminals thought otherwise when they decided to attack them (Gold & Stewart 2013). They knew that their rich relatives would come to their rescue. And so, they attacked and abducted several of the village occupants. This resulted into a sense of insecurity among most village residents. In fact, most of them packed their belongings and returned to their families.

Essentially, it will take a lot of effort to convince these people that they will be safe again. It should be noted that most retirees are aged and suffer from chronic diseases like hypertension. Thus, such incidences could have far reaching negative impacts on their lives. It is the reason the marketing strategy will have to focus on their security (Stuart Ryan 2013).

Competition

The level of competition among institutions offering the same services has increased lately. This calls for rigorous marketing to convince the retirees that Abbey Retirement Villages offer the ideal solution. The competitors have designed their retirement villages almost entirely similar way. Besides, they provide exactly similar services as Abbey. Although they can’t exactly match Abbey, they have sliced its share of the market. It should be noted that the general sense of panic has been fueled by newer institutions as they operate their villages haphazardly. In fact, most of the cases of insecurity occurred in the emerging villages.

This way, it will not be difficult to convince the market that Abbey Retirement Villages are slightly different (The Countess of Carnarvon 2011).

Technology

Technological changes over time have led to change in people’s lives. The old people are no exceptional. Technology should be used to make their lives easier. The use of technology in Abbey Retirements Villages has had a great impact on the lives of retirees especially those who cannot perform various tasks on their own but still value their independence and privacy. Most firms have not changed to this practice as they are after huge profits and not the welfare of the old people. The use of technology to improve sanitation, which is in the washrooms and toilets, exercising gadgets, technological wheelchairs for those who cannot walk and other improvised gadgets have made our firm more popular than others. Although this has come at a cost, its benefits cannot be ignored. It is one of the factors that make the distinction between Abbey Retirement Village and other firms giving similar services ( Soar &Tsang 2010).

Professionalism

Abbey Retirement Villages can only be described as professional for those who have had the opportunity to get our services. The handling of the old retirees and their affairs has been done in the most professional manner. The retirees are treated in a human manner, their affairs treated with decorum and confidentiality they require and their welfare comes first in the firm’s list of priorities. The retirees have received the best medical care, best nutrition and the best attention that makes them feel at home and their loved one feel at ease all time as they are assured of the welfare of their old loved ones. The provision of aides to those with disabilities and special needs and the medical attention given to the old people at the slightest hint of any defect is a proof of this. This has been the overriding factor that our competitors lack and which make our firm reign strong in the competitive and dynamic market (Bratton & Gold 2012).

Conclusion

It is evident that retirees are increasing in number everyday with their needs growing complex with the changing times and lifestyles in different areas of the world. This has in the same capacity attracted entrepreneurs who have charged at the business of the old retirees. This in itself combined with change in tactics in taking care of this group of people has brought about competition to the door steps of Abbey Retirement Villages. This has called for change of tactics and opening up new branches including in the United States. This will not only help the firm take its services to those who need them elsewhere but also compete well with other firms offering the same services by creating ourselves to be a well known and established brand name all over the globe. The fact that the competitors have designed their homes similar to Abbey Villages calls for change of style, design and approach to our services by making them more friendly, convenient and cost effective. This way, we are sure to remain afloat in business.

Recommendation

Abbey Retirement Villages have been in existence for long and are thus well established compared to other and upcoming retirement villages. Our opening of a new branch in the United States is a good proof to this fact. In order to achieve greater heights, we need to change as well as improve some tactics. Abbey Retirement Villages as a business enterprise needs to employ professionals in different areas of scholarly to advice the firm on the way to conduct its business. These professionals should be able to advice on financial, strategy and psychology to help cope with the needs of old and needy people who are our main business in our villages (Young 1988). The firm further needs to come up with an advertising strategy handled by professionals to ensure all people around us hear and know of our presence since they are all our potential customers. This way, we will ensure we are a well known and established business and brand name. This way, we will be able to compete well with relevant firms in the same entity.