Aravind Eye Care System: Providing Total Eye Care to the Rural Population

The case deals with poor acceptance of Aravind’s eye care service by the rural population in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. One of the factors causing poor acceptance is the lack of awareness among the rural population that many cases of blindness are curable. Fear of surgery and cost are the other major barriers to acceptance by these consumers. Aravind is the largest eye care provider in the world and has pioneered many process innovations that have reduced the cost of eye treatment substantially. The company has a culture that encourages responsive service by a trained and motivated staff. It has experimented with a number of options to educate and provide eye care service to rural consumers. The manager must examine options in the areas of promotion and service delivery to enhance the acceptance of eye care service by rural consumers.