There has been a rise in hair and skin cases because of stress. Changing lifestyles and eating habits accounts to these issues. Diseases that were more pronounced in the age group of 30-40 years are seen in the people between age group of 20-30 years.
“We have observed a gradual shift in skin and hair market towards natural products, as consumers have realized their long-term benefits in terms of health and wellness. Dr Batra’s product contains natural ingredients and has no harmful chemicals. We plan to expand the category to fulfill this long-felt need in the market,” said Dr Mukesh Batra, Founder & Chairman, Dr Batra’s Healthcare Group.
In an exclusive conversation with WI Bureau, Dr. Batra shared facts about his business and franchise offerings. Edited excerpts:
How your format is different from other existing or upcoming clinics in the category?
Dr Batra’s is leading homeopathic healthcare corporate of India. Homeopathy is based on the principle of curing ailments from its root cause, unlike other forms of treatments, which only provide stop-gap solutions.
For instance, if a patient visits us with hair and skin condition, we provide them with homeopathy as well as Aesthetic services, making it a one-stop solution.
How are you planning to take this format to the other markets?
We are present in UAE, London and Dhaka, and will be taking homeopathy to many more countries by opening our own and franchise clinics.
What are your growth plans and investments you are looking to make in your current business?
We plan to reach Rs 300 crores in FY 2015-16 and will invest Rs 25 crores.
Are you looking to raise funds or franchise your business? What’s the royalty fee for the same?
We took the franchise route in 2012 and at present we have 53 Homeopathy franchise clinics in tier II and III cities. We plan to open 22 more by March’16. We will soon take the franchise route for Pet care clinics.
We have a highly successful franchise model. Our financials for franchise are defined basis the market size and potential and accordingly we suggest our different models to suit the requirement.
How have you define your consumers? What is the average ticket size of your consumers in India?
We cater to consumers from lower middle class to upper middle class. Our ticket size varies for years.
Which are the new markets you are looking at? What kind of business opportunities did you witness here?
We plan to open clinics in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Muscat, Qatar, Bahrain, UK and Bhutan.
The Homeopathy market has grown at 25 per cent p.a. and is gaining acceptance globally. Riding this wave as leaders in the Homeopathy Healthcare space, Dr Batra’s envisages itself as a leading global player of this high growth market. More importantly 20 per cent of our patient base is from abroad. Hence, we already have a base to build on. We see ourselves well positioned to leverage on our existing goodwill and relationships to attract new patients to Dr Batra’s.
In which area do you face challenges; HR, finance, PR or marketing? What procedures do you take to overcome these challenges and smooth functioning of your business?
It is sometimes difficult to get good doctors in smaller cities and towns. To overcome this challenge, we at Dr Batra’s have taken an HR initiative and have started to relocate doctors from bigger cities to smaller ones by providing them with accommodation and incentivizing their efforts.
We do not have any PR or marketing challenges as we have a well established communication model.
How did you bring standardization in your business in terms of:
Dr Batra’s, however, has achieved standardisation through infrastructure, services, medicines, and treatment across all its clinics in India and abroad.
How much potential do you see in tier II markets in comparison with metros or high-end cities? What are your plans of expansion in tier II and III cities?
We see a huge potential in tier II and III cities. We already have the first mover’s advantage by having 53 clinics in tier II and III cities. We enjoy a win-win situation with our franchises. We support our franchise by leveraging our expertise in terms of best policies and the franchise supports us with the local understanding of the market. This helps us in creating a sustainable model.
We plan to open 22 franchise clinics in tier II and III cities.
