Business Case Study
Cotswold Dog Spa is a commercial canine hydrotherapy business run by Tessa Lewis (MIRVAP, RCH, PGCert, BSc) at Hartpury College, Gloucestershire. The business provides therapy to dogs using manual handling techniques, swimming in the hydrotherapy pool, walking on the aqua treadmill and magnetic technology, as well as advising owners on how to best rehabilitate their pets and improve their performance.
The business has been in practice since 2006, beginning as a mobile dog-grooming service. In 2009, the business changed its focus to hydrotherapy and set up headquarters at Hartpury College.
Cotswold Dog Spa is currently a sole trader, but is looking to become a limited company within the next year.
Legislation
This business operates under the CHA: Canine Hydrotherapy Association, and operate by its rules which are set out annually in the Quality Standards Document.
The rules set out by the CHA include:
Þ The qualification requirements listed below must be held by at least one employee, who must be on site at all times to supervise anyone unqualified
Þ Ongoing CPD is required with a minimum of 25 hours per person
Þ At least one CHA approved first aider must be present during all treatments
Þ Multi-dog swimming is banned
Þ Every patient must have its own treatment record, which includes as a minimum the dog’s age, sex, name and breed, the owner’s details, an initial assessment of the dog, the date and time of the treatment, the type of treatment used, the duration of treatment, and any relevant comments or observations
Þ All dogs must be accompanied by a veterinary referral
Þ All dogs must have an up-to-date vaccination certificate
Þ The pool must be managed under the Health and Safety at Work (1999) legislation, following PTWAG’s code of best practice
Þ The business must hold the following insurance as a minimum: public liability, employer’s liability and professional indemnity
Þ Relevant risk assessments must be completed and updated annually
Qualifications
In addition to Tessa Lewis, Cotswold Dog Spa employs four other people. The qualification requirements are as follows:
- Hold or imminently complete the ABC Level 3 Certificate in Small Animal Hydrotherapy (as a top-up to an animal-based degree such as Bioveterinary Science)
- Ideally be working towards a veterinary physiotherapy qualification
The business has previously employed a veterinary physiotherapist and would do so again, however a veterinary physiotherapist would have to obtain the aforementioned Level 3 hydrotherapy qualification before being left in sole charge of a hydrotherapy patient.
This is because without this qualification, they would not have the necessary first aid and pool water skills required by the governing bodies the business works under.
Target Clientele & Advertising
Cotswold Dog Spa views its target clientele to be any dog owner, but more specifically find that most of their clients come to them following surgical intervention, are seeking conservative management for chronic or acute conditions, or as additional exercise for sporting or working dogs such as agility dogs and gun dogs.
Though Cotswold Dog Spa does not pay for any advertising, they do occasionally provide sponsorship at small dog shows as well as having a website and public facebook page.
They perceive that the bulk of their clients come from word-of-mouth, direct veterinary referrals, and web searches which lead clients to the website.
Strengths
Weaknesses
* Well-established client base - the business is almost always fully booked for two weeks in advance
* All employees are fully qualified to operate the business with sole charge under CHA rules
* Strong industry links with some high-profile clients including the British Cani-cross champion and the editor of Animal Therapy magazine allowing for media exposure
* Extensive, expensive facilities paid for by Hartpury College in exchange for taking on work experience students
* Currently a sole trader, meaning the owner of the business, Tessa Lewis, is at large financial risk should the business fail
* The aqua treadmill is located in a separate room only accessible by going outdoors in a room that shares facilities with the yard washing machines which is not particularly professional looking or aesthetically pleasing
* The near-constant presence of work experience students could make the business appear unprofressional for its extensive use of unpaid, unqualified labour
Opportunities
Threats
* The business is looking to become a limited company in 2017, and if successful will limit its financial liability
* Recent media exposure in Animal Therapy Magazine, on BBC Radio Bristol and news websites such as SWNS could be used to capitalise on free advertising to grow the client-base and potentially expand
* All three of Tessa’s employees are currently qualifying as Veterinary Physiotherapists so will soon be able to offer a physiotherapy service in addition to hydrotherapy
* The business is currently able to operate a sizeable profit by keeping costs low through its association with Hartpury College. The college could choose to stop funding the daily running costs of the business, causing cash outflow to increase significantly
* Having lost a previous employee who was a qualified physiotherapist, and with Tessa Lewis currently on maternity leave, the business is lacking an in-house veterinary physiotherapist which could make them lose credibility
* Should a client have a bad experience, for example through a dog attack, they could slander the business which could affect its reputation
Analysis & Conclusion
Having personal experience of this business through my work experience placement, I know first hand how successful it is in the local area. Though some improvements could be made, such as expanding and modernising certain facilities as mentioned in my SWOT analysis, the current business model works effectively for both the business owner, the employees and the college who’s facilities are used by it. During my work experience, I only ever found clients to be happy with the service they received. The atmosphere was always pleasant with brilliant rapport between the hydrotherapists and the clients. The centre was always busy, indicating its success despite similar businesses nearby. They follow CHA guidelines strictly and keep very detailed records.
