PeakData’s Sebastian Schwerdt and James Hillmen recently attended Reuters Pharma 2022 Conference in Nice, France to learn about how pharma companies propose to address the challenges of a new, post-pandemic world. Ideas high on the agenda included exploring new models for commercialisation of medicines, omni-channel engagement, and strengthening data-driven innovation.
Maria Raad – Vice President Commercial Excellence, Customer and Digital Strategy, Janssen EMEA, talked about identifying what she believes pharma now needs to learn, un-learn, and re-learn in a world of transformation fatigue.
The concept of learning data is a clear priority according to Maria Raad. She emphasized getting clarity on data, being comfortable with it, and demonstrating value from it. According to Maria Raad, pharma teams must un-learn their go-to commercial models, distancing themselves from traditional GTM models and blockbuster-era strategies in favour of precise, agile, and value-based models addressing targeted populations. For Maria, re-learning customer needs – she now refers to them as consumers – means adopting a more authentic focus. Getting to know customers really well, and designing value-driven, custom engagement models displaying a judicious blend of tech with a human touch. The goal should be winning a ‘share of mind’ rather than just gaining a ‘share of voice’.
The explosion of channels and touchpoints in the face of digital sophistication is making traditional, experience-based digital HCP engagement more challenging. A typical, run-of-the-mill approach no longer fulfills HCP expectations, and relying on sales reps’ experience alone is unlikely to be enough to deliver an optimal cross-channel engagement plan for individual clinicians.
Now HCPs have become so accustomed to acquiring information outside their time in patient care via a variety of digital channels. They increasingly expect to receive pharma company content that is directly relevant and tailored to the needs of their practice and patients. Thus, transforming such engagement experiences by adopting analytics in commercial models and engaging stakeholders across multiple channels is fast becoming an essential prerequisite.
Pharma companies and drug commercialisation: currently evolving models
The pharma industry is looking to move away from a model that centres around sales reps to develop a demand-led omnichannel ecosystem in which HCPs can access information as and when required. Although reps still remain the primary point of contact, companies are augmenting these established relationships with an array of new tools and resources coordinated across channels and designed to optimally address the evolving needs of their customers. This hybrid role aims to provide stakeholders with the means to make better and faster decisions for the greater benefit of patients and health systems alike.
Addressing this issue in the conference, Padraic Ward, Head of Roche Pharma Europe & International spoke about how the company’s traditional customer-facing role is moving in a new direction, abandoning a generic ‘tell-sell’ mode of communication and replacing this with a partnership-focused model embracing all healthcare stakeholders. Roche’s reinvented model harnesses agile team working methodologies and explores new ways of engaging HCPs – such as assigning a ‘primary point of contact’, supplemented with ample digital support, to listen to customer needs and source solutions both within, and beyond, the Roche network. The company’s overarching aim is to develop a mode of customer engagement that delivers higher value to HCPs and to their patients.
Supporting this perspective, Florent Edouard – SVP, Global Head of Commercial Excellence, Grünenthal Group, shared customer experience insights gathered from HCPs that have changed their engagement model. Grünenthal too is encountering HCPs asking for more convenient access, more relevant content, and more meaningful modes of interaction.
A McKinsey pharma insights survey published in 2022 has quantified the impact of pioneering commercial models adopting analytics and omnichannel approaches. Reporting improvements that have ‘garnered significant rewards’, the authors comment: “Globally, we have observed that, when implemented well, commercial transformations can create 5–10 percent revenue uplift, a 10–20 percent increase in marketing efficiencies and cost savings, a 3–5 percent increase in prescribers, and 5–10 percent higher HCP satisfaction.”
Moving the needle
Moving to an omnichannel go-to-market (GTM) model certainly requires a fundamental shift in capabilities and budget, yet such transformative customer engagement can be successfully achieved with the right approach. In this respect, companies can undoubtedly evolve their commercial models a lot more quickly with AI and data support for pharmaceutical marketing analytics delivered by the right team. So, the real key to moving the needle is to get these important first steps in place right from the start.
The Role of PeakData
PeakData already partners with two-thirds of the top 20 pharmaceutical companies, helping them map HCPs relevant to their target markets. This AI-based technology enables PeakData to map up to 90% of the healthcare universe at unparalleled scale and speed to uncover rich HCP insights. Gathered from global and/or local data sources, such coverage enables pharma companies to gain deeper insights into their target market in relevant therapeutic areas.
PeakData’s digital activator identification scoring ranks HCPs according to their disease area relevance, digital impact, and influence on their target market. This HCP mapping thus helps to swiftly identify and mobilise the most significant digital activators. Connections between HCPs are mapped at both national and local account levels, and the PeakData platform also retains the dynamic data capability to track changes in HCP status over time.
This solution helps pharma companies rapidly deepen their market expertise to optimise their commercial targeting and product launches. So why not reach out to us to schedule a demo and learn more about how PeakData could partner with you to assist and upgrade your next launch?
