Jwilson projectdpart2(process book)

PET MICR CHIP PROCESS BOOK

Jessica Wilson

704: Applied Theories in Design

Summer 2016

Professor Vollmer

SECONDARY RESEARCH SUMMARY

According to a American Veterinary Medical Association, “Differences in animal microchip frequency in the US have led to controversy and several civil lawsuits.

There is not an agreed-upon “American Standard” for microchip frequencies.” The American National Standard Institute (ANSI) voted in favor of the use of ISO microchips which are already recognized in Canada, Asia, Australia and Europe.

However, despite their fight there still isn’t an American standard and it’s costing some pets their lives.

Microchips have been used by scientists and famers since the 1980’s but really only recently caught on for domestic pets. Most vet offices and shelters sell and implant chips. According to Petfinder, “by 2005, some 8.2 million dogs and cats had received microchip implants. This number comprised 5% of the pet population—a small portion, but an impressive number. Local governments are supporting growth too, Los Angeles County requires microchip identification for dogs and El Paso, Texas requires that dogs, cats, and ferrets be microchipped.” When registered, microchips are a highly effective way to reunite lost or stolen pets with their owner. Renowned Research Group, Lord et al conducted a study using microchipped pets that ended up at a shelter from August 2007 to March 2008. What they learned was that of the animals for which shelters contacted a microchip registry only 58.1% were registered. Of that 58.1% they found that 35.4% of the chipped animals were not reunited with their owners due to disconnected phone numbers. The conclusion of the study was, “The high rate for return of microchipped dogs and cats to their owners supported microchipping as a valuable permanent pet identification modality; however, issues related to registration undermined its overall potential. Bundling of microchip implantation and registration, point-ofimplantation data registration, use of annual compliance and update reminders, and providing access to all registries are potential solutions.”

WHAT IS A PET MICROCHIP?

Invented in 1985 by Dr. Stoddard, a pet microchip is a small, electronic chip enclosed in a glass cylinder that is about the same size as a single grain of rice. The microchip does not have a battery but is instead activated by a scanner that is passed over the area. The radiowaves put out by the scanner activate the chip.

The chip transmits a unique identification number to the scanner, which is displayed on the screen on the scanner.

PRIMARY RESEARCH INTERVIEWS RANDY

non-consumer

MEGAN

consumer

“LAP DOGS DON’T NEED TO BE MICROCHIPPED” Q: What kind of pet do you have?

A: 13 year old Chihuahua named Peanut Q: Are you familiar with pet microchips?

A: Yes. Q: Is Peanut microchipped?

A: No, but she’s an inside dog and I don’t let her out much.

Q: Have you ever had a pet chipped?

A: No. Q: Would you consider getting Peanut chipped?

A: No, but she’s a lap dog. I could see getting a sporting dog chipped but not a lap dog.

“I THINK THE VET’S SHOULD REGISTER THEM SINCE THEY’RE THE ONES SELLING THEM.” Q: What kind of pets do you have?

A: 1 female dog and 7 cats Q: Are you familiar with pet microchips?

A: Yes. Q: Are any of your pets microchipped?

A: Yes, my dog and 3 of my cats are.

Q: Where did you have them chipped?

A: 3 of them were chipped by a mobile clinic and 1 was chipped at the vet’s office.

Q: What brands of chips do they have?

A: 1 of them has a PetLinks chips and the other 3 have HomeAgain chips.

Q. Did you register their chips?

A: The vet registered the PetLinks chips but the HomeAgain chips were never registered because everytime I put in the ID number it comes up “invalid”. I have contacted them but they won’t help me. I’m going to pay to have them chipped again with PetLinks chips because I like the service that PetLinks offers. They send me emails and follow up.

TAMI

consumer

DR. MARY KELBLE retailer

“I THINK MICROCHIPPING YOUR PETS IS GREAT AS LONG AS YOU FOLLOW THROUGH.”

Q: What kind of pets do you have?A: dogs and cats Q: Are you familiar with pet microchips?A: Yes. Q: Are any of your pets microchipped?A: Yes, my dog Stella and my cat Remington.

Q: Where did you have them chipped?A: Stella got chipped at the shelter when she got fixed and Remi got chipped at the shelter when I adopted her.

Q: What brands of chips do they have?A: I don’t know.

Q. Did you register their chips?A: My daughter registered Remi’s and I registered Stella’s but I don’t get any emails or follow ups.

“I HAD NO IDEA IT (MICROCHIPS) IS A FLAWED SYSTEM.” On June 30th, 2016 Island Veterinary Clinic was visited both for interview and observation purposes. Dr. Kelbel was unaware of any issues with microchips or scanners. IVC uses the brand HomeAgain for their chips and until recently they didn’t use a ISO (International Standard) scanner. IVC charges $65 to both implant the chip and register the pet on the HomeAgain site. Kelble said that registration is the reason why the practice charges such a high fee for the chip.

OBSERVATION The new scanner reads 3 frequencies: 134 kHz (ISO standard), 128 kHz and 125 kHz (non-ISO standard) which means that this scanner is a Universal scanner or forward and backward reading scanner. Dr. Kelbel said that they had to request this scanner from the company because they previous scanner would only read the microchip that they sell. “Read� meaning give the identification number. She also said that the scanner would detect other frequencies but they would have to send the client somewhere else to have the chip read.

The experience at Island Veterinary Clinic was overall very positive. A 9:30AM appointment was made and met however they do accept walk-in patients. The process required paper work to be filled out, a brief wait in the waiting area with a howling cat and then another wait in the exam room. The room was clean and tidy but very sterile and not at all inviting especially for the hairless cat who had to sit on a cold, metal table.

For a vet experience, it was great but the retail experience could be improved.

People were observed waiting in the waiting room for lengthy times just to purchase pet supplies. This might deter someone from making a purchase.

OLD SCANNER

NEW SCANNER

EXAM ROOM

KEY FACTS

Unchipped Dogs Rateto Owners of Return Unchipped Dogs Rate of Reture

Micro-chipped Dogs Rate Return Unchipped Dogs Rate of Reture toof Owners

21.9% Returned 78.1% Not Returned

Unchipped Cats Rate of Return Unchipped Dogs Rate of Reture 1.8%to Owners

47.8% Not Returned

52.2% Returned

Micro-chipped Cats Rate of Return Unchipped Dogs Rate of Reture to Owners

Returned

98.2% Not Returned

61.5% Not Returned

38.5% Returned

SURVEY 47 participants 1. Have you ever had a pet lost of stolen?

30

2. Are you familiar with microchips for your pet?

45 40

25

35 20

30 25

15

20 10

15 10

5

5 0

Yes

No

0

3. Have you ever had a pet micro-chipped?

Yes

No

4. Are you aware that there are several brands of microchips?

30 25.5 25

25

24.5

20

24 23.5

15

23 22.5

10

22 21.5

5

21

0

Yes

No

20.5

Yes

No

5. Which brand of microchip did you purchase for your pet?

6. Why'd you Pick this Brand?

Popularity

Unknown

7%

N/A

16%

Avid

13%

Home Again

61%

Pet already Microchipped

3% 24 Petwatch

Only Option

Pet Link

0

7. Where did you have your pet chipped?

2

4

6

8

10

8. Are you familiar with the registration process?

16

24.2

14

24 23.8

12

23.6

10

23.4 8 23.2 6

23

4

22.8

2 0

22.6

Human Society

Vet

N/A

12

22.4

Yes

No

14

9. Are you familiar with cross-registering your pet's chip?

50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0

Yes

No

SYSTEM CHALLENGES

1. Create a service that is both sterile and attractive.

2. Eleminate inconvenience and confusion.

3. Ensure that the system can be easily integrated into the current system.

4. Focus on positive observability in a flawed market.

5. Create a value proposition that can’t be ignored.

INNOVATION FOCUS 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Observability Trialability Relative Advantage Compatibility Complexity

KEY BRANDS

Three key brands were selected for research based on their popularity during primary research. HomeAgain, 24PetWatch and PetLink were the most mentioned brands in the online survey.

ADVERTISEMENT AUDIT

What types of advertising are microchip companies using?

LOGO

PRINT MEDIA

LOGO

PRINT MEDIA

PRINT MEDIA

BANNER AD

VISUAL AUDIT

The visual audit uncovered that several types of marketing are being utilitzed amoung the microchip brands including social media, mass media, direct marketing, out of the home marketing, and retail media.

INSIGHTS

1. People don’t know what brand of microchip they’re purchasing because they’re completely reliant on the retailer.

2. People are not aware of cross-registering.

3. People are not registering their pet’s microchips.

4. The retail experience is time-consuming and needs to be simplified.

5. The retailers are not properly communicating with the consumers.

6. The majority of manufacturers are not communicating with the consumers after their purchase.

7. People don’t care about their microchip after purchasing it.

ANAYLSIS - METHODS A working wall was devloped using several anaylsis methods.

WORKING WALL

THEMES

CONSUMER COMMENTS

SURVEY INSIGHTS

KEY BRANDS

MIND MAPPING

WEB DIAGRAM

AFFINITY DIAGRAM

BRAND POSITIONING Web Presence HomeAgain Petlink Lack of Value

Value 24PetWatch

Lack of Web Presence

BRAND SUMMARY

Technology as a recurring theme

Petlink Branded tag included with purchase ID card given at time of purchase

Images of pets used in marketing

Facebook page

Familiar cartoon characters

Veterinarian hosts

Bright, bold colors

HomeAgain TV exposure on a major channel Celebrity hosts

Website

Evokes emotion

24PetWatch Lack of online presence

PERSONA DEVELOPMENT Meet Christy Allen Age: 45 Gender: Female Location: Chicago, IL Occupation: Unemployed Marital Status: Married to Steve Children: 0

Christy and husband Steve, live in an apartment in Chicago with their 6 rescued cats. Christy has recently been laid off from her job due to a medical issue. The medication causes her to have minor cognitive dissonance and some short term memory loss. Steve works long hours as a line-cook to keep the family afloat so Christy spends a lot of time at home, with her cats, reading novels.

She’s always been an animal lover but recently she started collecting cats off the street.

She’s had each cat spayed or neutered and 2 of the 6 are microchipped. She’s a fairly organized person but her flighty personality combined with her short term memory loss makes her a bit unaware.

She very much wants to appear able so she never asks anyone for help, especially her husband.

Christy presents a challenge because she can’t remember which 2 pets she had microchipped and she doesn’t believe she ever registered their paperwork. She’s too stubborn to ask for help so unless there is a change, her pets will remain unregistered.

Meet Wayne Williams Age: 55 Gender: Male Location: Springfield, NC Occupation: Trucker Marital Status: Divorced Children: 1 adult child Wayne starts his day at 4am when he heads to work with his faithful sidekick, Charlie. Charlie is a medium sized mixed dog who Wayne loves dearly. He got Charlie from a friend when he was just an 8 week old pup. They’re home by 6pm every night and Wayne usually picks up take-out for dinner. A usual night in the Williams house is spent relaxing on the couch with a cold beer. On the weekends Wayne enjoys fishing and hunting on his parent’s property. Sometimes he takes Charlie fishing but never hunting.

Wayne lives in a small county town. The majority are blue-collar people. He has a small yard where Charlie hangs out with Wayne’s supervision. On road trips, Charlie typically goes potty in the grass at truck stops and Wayne has rarely ever used a leash on him because he’s a very obedient dog and doesn’t wander off. Charlie hasn’t been to the vet in years. Wayne doesn’t vaccinate Charlie because he thinks vaccines are only for outside dogs. He doesn’t see the point in micro-chipping Charlie because they’re always together and Wayne has never had a pet go missing. Wayne also believes microchips to be expensive but he’s not inquired about their cost.

Wayne presents a problem because he doesn’t see the value in microchips and he believes them to be a luxury item.

Meet Christy Allen Age: 37 Gender: Female Location: Hamilton, MI Occupation: Owner of Dog Lovers Marital Status: Divorced Children: 1 boy age 7, 1 girl age 9

Mary-Lou started Dog Lovers, a non-profit dog rescue, 2 years ago. Before starting the rescue she worked in finance at a large corporation. She was unhappy in the corporate world and wanted to channel her energy into something that would make a positive difference. She had no idea how exhausting a rescue would really be.

When she’s not saving animals from kill shelters she’s playing the role of single mom. She has the kids at school by 7:30AM and by 8:00AM she’s feeding dogs and exhausting her efforts to find them forever homes. Taking care of 15 dogs is both time consuming and expensive so Mary-Lou depends on the support she receives from her ex-husband to get by financially.

Mary-Lou has forgotten what it was like to have “free time.” She spends the majority of her day cleaning up after dogs or taking them to their vet appointments. When she’s not being a mom to her children and her rescues she’s usually on social media networking with other rescues and animal lovers. Mary-Lou spends a lot of time at the shelters and knows most of the staff by name.

Mary-Lou presents a challenge because she is both busy, worn out and trusting of the staff at the shelters. Though all of her rescue dogs are chipped by the shelter, she doesn’t register them.

WICKED PROBLEM

Pet’s microchips are not being registered therefore animals are being displaced and euthanized.

TARGET CONSUMER

Through analysis it was discovered that the most important consumer is a busy millennial. Either busy with school or work this person requires convenience within a commodity product. A long wait time at a vet’s office will peeve them. They research a product before they buy therefore relatability within the marketing style is key.

They are interested in what’s hot and what’s not and they often look up items and services on social media. Research has shown that there is a lack of brand awareness and a need for consumer guidance so an overall strong support system between the manufacture > retailer > consumer is sought out by the most important consumer. Millennials are not brand loyal so support is key when keeping their attention.

KEY POINTS OF RESEARCH 1.

2.

3.

4.

People need support The current system is inconvenient Relatability within the brand is key Affordability is essential

REFRAME

Through research is was been that microchipping a pet is not convenient and thus time consuming. Consumers are busy and retailers require appointments, wait times and paper work. Upon leaving the consumer is responsible for contacting the supplier to then register the device. Consumers need support and guidance through the initial process and throughout the life of their pet. The majority of microchip consumers did not know the specific brand therefore there are not strong relationships being formed. Consumers are not registering the chips due to lack of awareness.

HOW MANY MILLENNIALS OWN A PET? Undecided 25.8%

Future 39%

51.6% of Current 35.2%

all US households own a dog or cat.

Millennials are 77% more likely than any other generation to get a dog or cat while unmarried and not a parent.

MILLENNIALS OWN MORE PETS THAN BOOMERS

HOW DO YOU ATTRACT MILLENIALS?

THE MOST IMPORTANT CONSUMER Meet Rachel Rogue Age: 25 Job: Health Food Specialist Marital Status: Single Children: 0 Location: Denver, CO

Rachel is a young, vibrant masters student who works part-time at a vitamin store. She’s very busy as she also attends a master program fulltime. She cares about the environment so she makes purchases that reflect that. She drives a Hybrid and shops locally.

Rachel most enjoys spending time with her 6 month old pup, Autumn. Rachel spares no expense when it comes to Autumn’s health so she feeds her premium food and takes her for daily walks. She also purchased a pet insurance plan from her local Banfeild.

She’s very close with her mother so she often asks her advice on matters. Her mother actually suggested the insurance plan for Autumn. Rachel is on various social media sites several times a day.

She uses social media to look up events, restaurants and recently she started browsing Facebook Yard Sale pages for vintage furnishings. Online presence is important to her.

SOLUTION JOURNEY - DIY MICROCHIP According to Social Issues Research Centre, 28% of DIYers choose DIY out of necessity. The necessity most likely being financial reasons. An additional 13% choose DIY because they seek perfection. DIY services are not new to the pet industry as DIY pet grooming is already very popular.

Value Proposition For the economical opportunist who seeks perfection and validation our DIY Microchip Kit is accessible, affordable and user friendly.

Competitive Advantage DIY Microchip offers the convenience of staying at home, especially to those pet owners in rural areas like farms. Multiple chips can be ordered and implanted at the leisure of the owner. DIY Microchip is easy to use and allows the consumer flexibility when choosing a brand. DIYers will choose this service based on necessity. In this case necessity might be location and particular animal needs. DIY Microchip benefits the group seeking perfection as well because they don’t want to be reliant on a veterinarian. Like most DIY services, DIY Microchip is also affordable which is a major advantage on expensive veterinarian services.

SOLUTION JOURNEY - COLLAR CHIP A six month study at The Ohio State University discovered that 3 out of 4 cats didn’t mind wearing collars. In 60% of the cases the cat’s tolerance exceeded the owners expectations. Collars are already a well-known commodity for dog owners and cat owners alike.

Value Proposition For the health conscious pet owner who doesn’t want to implant their pet while still insuring their safety in a nonabrasive way, our Collar Chip is durable and can be used again and again on multiple pets.

Competitive Advantage Collar Chip is nonabrasive and sterile. It eliminates the need for veterinarians all together. It’s convenient and can be used on multiple animals throughout it’s life without ever needing to pay an additional fee. It’s also customizable and attractive.

It’s little to no disruption for the pet

SOLUTION JOURNEY - MOBILE MICROCHIP Mobile services are already highly effective. According to Groomingbusiness.com, “mobile grooming is an ever-growing segment of the industry, as pet owners are increasingly drawn to the convenience and personalized service it provides. People’s schedules have become more hectic than ever, making mobile grooming a perfect solution for the time-starved pet owner.”

Value Proposition For busy pet owners who want reliable service, Mobile Microchip is a convenient microchipping service that cares about your schedule and the safety and well being of your pet.Unlike most vet’s offices and shelters, mobile microchip eliminates the drive, lengthy wait times and paper work by taking care of the registration process for you.

Competitive Advantage Mobile Microchip is able to offer competitive pricing because of low overhead costs and minimal marketing costs. Extended weekday and weekend hours offers a high level of convenience. Mobile Microchip is extremely helpful for pets who experience car sickness and anxiety. It also cuts out travel for consumers who can’t drive or live in rural areas.

KNOWLEDGE FUNNEL Paradox Consumers are buying microchips but not registering them therefore rendering them useless. Microchips can reunite pets with owners and save their lives yet they aren’t prioritized.

MysteryHow do we simplify the service of receiving a pet microchip while offering optimal support to the consumer?

Heuristic Trends Offer convenience Simplify the process Spread awareness Support the consumer post purchase Solution Mobile Microchip – The service is convenient and takes care of the registration process. The brightly colored van attracts customers while spreading local awareness.

PARTNERSHIP

Mobile Microchip hopes to partner with PetLink because PetLink received the most positive feedback during the primary research stage and because they do not charge an annual fee like most of their competitors making them an affordable resource. PetLink is also known for their advancements in microchip technology which is a major point of interest for Mobile Microchip’s most important consumer, millenials.

SERVICE JOURNEY simple, fast & convenient Manufacturer

1

Datamars

Distributor

2

Microchip Brands

Retailer

3

Mobile Microchip

Consumer

4

Animals Owners

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE taylored, guided & efficient Set Appointment

Meet

Questionaire

Retrieve Animals

1

2

3

4

Set appointment

No loading/unloading animals No dealing with car sickness or anxiety

online option

No registration

No wait time

ENTERPRISE MODEL Business Environment

Regulations, Standards, Economics, Marketing

Business Controlling Process

Processes that Direct and Tune Other Processes

Customer Service Acquisition

Core Processes

Processes That Create Value for the Customer

Van Wraps

Point of Sale Materials

Research & Development

Sales & Marketing

Community Clinics Decals

Processes that Report And Monitor the Results Of Other Processers

Finance

Enabling Processes

Processes That Supply Resources to Other Processes

Surveying Quality Control

Business Measurement Process

Convenient Service Delivery

Franchise

Transportation

Distribution

Licensing

Growth Potential

Inventory

Warehouse

Payroll Purchasing

Location scouting

Liabilities

Supplier’s Processes

BIBLIOGRAPHY 24PetWatch. (n.d.). Retrieved August 21, 2016, from http://www.24petwatch.com/US/shelters/banners.asp Avid Microchip Pet Identification. (n.d.). Retrieved August 21, 2016, from http://abvmc.com/abvmc/avid-microchip Banfield pet microchip ad - Google Search. (n.d.). Retrieved August 21, 2016, from https://www.google.com/search?q=Banfield pet microchip ad Beaton, L. (2016). How Millennial pet owners are impacting pet product trends. Retrieved August 21, 2016, from http://www.petfoodindustry.com/articles/5814-how-millennial-pet-owners-are-impacting-pet-product-trends?v=preview Characterization of animals with microchips entering animal shelters. (n.d.). Retrieved August 21, 2016, from http://avmajournals.avma.org/doi/abs/10.2460/javma.235.2.160?journalCode=javma Contact. (n.d.). Retrieved August 21, 2016, from https://public.homeagain.com/promotional.html D. (2014). Datamars Microfindr Slim companion animal microchips. Retrieved August 21, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_kJkd5dGcU H. (2012). Protect Your Pets the Betty White Way -- HomeAgain Pet Microchips. Retrieved August 21, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imUQZqVYKvk H. (2016). HomeAgain Lost Pet Protection on Lifetime's The Balancing Act. Retrieved August 21, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wWedI6mRm0 HomeAgain PetRescuer | Facebook. (n.d.). Retrieved August 21, 2016, from https://www.facebook.com/HomeAgainPetRescuer/?fref=ts Invasion of the millennial pet owners. (n.d.). Retrieved August 21, 2016, from http://veterinaryteam.dvm360.com/invasion-millennial-pet-owners Marketing Microchips. (n.d.). Retrieved August 21, 2016, from http://www.thedogpress.com/Marketing-Microchips_C.Byer-151.asp Microchipping of Animals FAQ. (n.d.). Retrieved August 21, 2016, from https://www.avma.org/KB/Resources/FAQs/Pages/Microchipping-of-animals-FAQ.aspx Microchipping of Animals. (n.d.). Retrieved August 21, 2016, from https://www.avma.org/KB/Resources/Reference/Pages/Microchipping-of-Animals-Backgrounder.aspx Microchipping | Steve Dale Pet World. (2005). Retrieved August 21, 2016, from http://stevedalepetworld.com/microchipping/ Microchips Are Catching On - Petfinder. (n.d.). Retrieved August 21, 2016, from https://www.petfinder.com/dogs/lost-and-found-dogs/microchips-catching-on/ Microchips Result In Higher Rate Of Return Of Shelter Animals To Owners. (n.d.). Retrieved August 21, 2016, from http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/shelterchip.htm N. (2012). The Digital Lost-Dog Poster. Retrieved August 21, 2016, from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/13/fashion/pet-chips-have-become-big-business-but-do-they-work. html?_r=0 New company aspires to clean up pet microchip mess - VIN. (n.d.). Retrieved August 21, 2016, from http://news.vin.com/VINNews.aspx?articleId=13737 Petlink.net | Facebook. (n.d.). Retrieved August 21, 2016, from https://www.facebook.com/Petlink.net/?fref=ts PetMD. (n.d.). Retrieved August 21, 2016, from http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2009/january/pet-microchip-companies-square-scientific-scan-6681 Phillips-Donaldson, D. (2015). Baby Boomers, step aside: Millennials now own more pets. Retrieved August 21, 2016, from http://www.petfoodindustry.com/articles/5049-babyboomers-step-aside-millennials-now-own-more-pets Recent Advances and Options for Shelters and Veterinarians. (n.d.). Retrieved August 21, 2016, from https://vet.osu.edu/assets/pdf/depts/prevMed/research/Microchipping.pdf Revved Up for Success. (n.d.). Retrieved August 21, 2016, from http://www.groomingbusiness.com/Grooming-Business/November-2014/Revved-Up-for-Success/ Slickdeals: The Best Deals, Coupons, Promo Codes & Discounts. (n.d.). Retrieved August 21, 2016, from http://slickdeals.net/f/3399886-50-off-pet-microchip-at-banfield-pethospitals-with-lifetime-registration-included The microchip mess | SwayLove.org. (n.d.). Retrieved August 21, 2016, from http://www.swaylove.org/the-microchip-mess Two Great British Obsessions – Tea and DIY. (n.d.). Retrieved August 21, 2016, from http://www.sirc.org/publik/tea_and_diy_why.html Why Choose a House Call Veternarian | Local Mobile Vet. (n.d.). Retrieved August 21, 2016, from http://localmobilevet.com/why-a-house-call.aspx