As estratégias de mercado do setor de pet shop e clinicas veterinárias na região metropolitana do Recife: uma analise da situação atual e perspectivas

Abstract

Microbusinesses and small businesses in Brazil account for a significant part of the country’s economy, generating jobs and income. Pet shops are included in this group, firms whose activities are directed to the sale and marketing of pets, a segment with a significant rate of growth, indeed one that is higher than GDP (gross domestic product), a fact that triggered the present study, particularly when the subject is linked to the market strategy of survival and expansion, as the figures show that these businesses have a high rate of insolvency in a short period of time. During the study – a qualitative and descriptive one – an attempt was made to identify the strategies used by the market leaders in the Metropolitan Region of Recife (MRR). The initial hypothesis was that only a professionalized quality management offering differential services could guarantee the maintenance and growth of companies in this sector, in a market that is not only growing but is also extremely demanding and characterized by a clientele that is highly educated and with great purchasing power, in addition to a strong emotional attachment to its pets. The present case study covered five firms in the MRR, all of which have been in business for over 10 years, with an established clientele and turnover regarded as substantial for companies in this sector. Over 100 interviews were conducted, including ones with customers, collaborators at various levels and with different functions within their companies, as well as the owners of the pet shops studied, in an attempt to identify their view of the future regarding the progression of the market in the face of intensifying competition, with the prospect of large national and international chains entering this segment. The results point to client satisfaction, which is explained by three basic factors: convenience, understood as the location of the shop and safety, adding value to the client’s perception of the business; excellence in the service provided (the affection and zeal displayed by the employees when receiving the animal and throughout the attendance, always closely observed by the owner); and the diverse nature of the products and services (clinical attendance, feeding and beautification). As regards the strategies employed, the segmentation of the market was identified as a variable of major importance for the success of the company. The study ends with a synthesis by means of a SWOT analysis, in which the main strengths and weaknesses of the companies studied are identified, as well as the threats posed by the competitive environment and the resulting opportunities.