<p>Abstract</p><p>Title: External communication channels of Prime Care How they where thought to be, how they work and how costumers apprehend them.</p><p>Number of pages: 50 (64 Including enclosures)</p><p>Author: Sophie Dicksen</p><p>Tutor: Peder Hård af Segerstad</p><p>Course: Media- and Communication Studies D</p><p>Period: Spring 2007</p><p>University: Division of Media and Communication, Department of Information Science, Uppsala University</p><p>Purpose/Aim: The focus of this paper lies on the external communication channels of Prime Care and the aim is to study the following aspects: How do the channels work? How are they apprehended by customers of the company? What are Prime Cares own thoughts behind the channels? How does Prime Cares self-image correspond to the way that customers apprehend the company?</p><p>Material/Method: Twenty interviews has been done with different customers of Prime Care in order to see how the company and its communication flow is apprehended. A consultant manager of Prime Care has also been asked about purposes behind the companies external communication channels in order to enable a comparison between Prime Cares image and profile. Prime Cares website, one of their mail sendouts, their salescalls, salesvisits and their exhibition participation have been studied on the basis of relevant litterature. Maletzkes model of mass communication was used as a general view of communication flow.</p><p>Main results: All communication channels included in this study have different ways of function even though they all have the same main purpose, videlicet to promote the company, to inform about its activities and to recruit new customers and consultants. All costumers have a positive impression in general of channels they have used even if some smaller changes are asked for concerning avaliable contact times. Prime Cares thoughts behind the channels are presented through their consulant manager and she believes for example that the companys website is the most effective medium when it comes to capturing the target groups interests. Even though Prime Cares assumptions about their self-image is not always similar to the customers ways of seeing them, both parties for example tend to agree that the companys avaliability is highly valuated.</p><p>Keywords: Prime Care, website, interviews, mail sendouts, salesvisits, salescalls, exhibition, Maletzkes model of mass communication flow.</p>

Abstract Title: External communication channels of Prime Care How they where thought to be, how they work and how costumers apprehend them. Number of pages: 50 (64 Including enclosures) Author: Sophie Dicksen Tutor: Peder Hård af Segerstad Course: Media- and Communication Studies D Period: Spring 2007 University: Division of Media and Communication, Department of Information Science, Uppsala University Purpose/Aim: The focus of this paper lies on the external communication channels of Prime Care and the aim is to study the following aspects: How do the channels work? How are they apprehended by customers of the company? What are Prime Cares own thoughts behind the channels? How does Prime Cares self-image correspond to the way that customers apprehend the company? Material/Method: Twenty interviews has been done with different customers of Prime Care in order to see how the company and its communication flow is apprehended. A consultant manager of Prime Care has also been asked about purposes behind the companies external communication channels in order to enable a comparison between Prime Cares image and profile. Prime Cares website, one of their mail sendouts, their salescalls, salesvisits and their exhibition participation have been studied on the basis of relevant litterature. Maletzkes model of mass communication was used as a general view of communication flow. Main results: All communication channels included in this study have different ways of function even though they all have the same main purpose, videlicet to promote the company, to inform about its activities and to recruit new customers and consultants. All costumers have a positive impression in general of channels they have used even if some smaller changes are asked for concerning avaliable contact times. Prime Cares thoughts behind the channels are presented through their consulant manager and she believes for example that the companys website is the most effective medium when it comes to capturing the target groups interests. Even though Prime Cares assumptions about their self-image is not always similar to the customers ways of seeing them, both parties for example tend to agree that the companys avaliability is highly valuated. Keywords: Prime Care, website, interviews, mail sendouts, salesvisits, salescalls, exhibition, Maletzkes model of mass communication flow.