26-27 - DIGITAL: Transformers

Over the past few years, the pandemic has driven rapid digital transformation in the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors as companies seek to meet needs that could no longer be met in traditional ways.

While that change was born out of necessity, it has accelerated many companies’ plans to address changing user needs. In a recent survey of pharma leaders, two in five (42%) agreed that moving to a customer-first mindset would be their top priority for the next two years, in line with demand for better access and more convenience.

At a time when companies are under pressure to deliver results from their digital products and strategies, many organisations are taking the time to revisit their digital investments. Leaders need to focus their spending and efforts on areas where they will see the highest ROI, and improve HCP and patient experiences.

So, how can you prioritise your budgets to drive maximum impact and give your digital products and initiatives a greater chance of success in 2023 and beyond?

1. Data, research and analytics
In conversations with our clients, including Amryt, Astellas and Pfizer, the number one priority that continues to stand out is data, and using that data to make informed decisions about strategies, programmes and projects.

Sometimes we overlook things that are right in front of us – healthcare and pharma organisations are often sitting on some comprehensive data sets but lack the ability to utilise and action them effectively.

Making the most of the data you already have is critical; seek to apply context to turn that data into actionable insights. In doing this, you may find you need to capture more information to plug gaps and support your KPIs – but only collect the information you need, especially if you’re dealing with customer data. Keep it useful, relevant, specific and valuable to your business and your audience.

Data, research and analytics are not only useful for planning your route forward, they are also essential for identifying gaps in the market and working out how to approach product development in a way that will best meet customer needs.

It’s vital to recognise that customer needs and behaviours can change. Continuously monitoring and taking action based on your data will enable your organisation to react to these changes effectively in the context of your digital products.

By using data, research and listening techniques effectively, you can better understand your customers’ behaviours, aims and how they interact with your products and services. Understanding users’ needs and seeing your product through their eyes means you can build more effective and valuable solutions.

How can you do this well? Invest in training and create a customer-focused mindset within your business, where your team is consciously trying to get better customer insight to inform improvements to existing digital products, and to feed into the design of planned products right from the start.

Champion those leading the charge, create solid examples of ‘what good looks like’ and often the rest will follow.

2. Personalisation and customer experience
In line with the digital services offered by some of the world’s biggest tech companies, like Spotify, Google and Meta, users expect more personalisation from their digital products and services – a one-size-fits-all approach is no longer sufficient.

While direct comparison is not always appropriate, there is plenty that pharma and healthcare can learn from the tech giants when it comes to personalisation and customer experience. Your customers – both healthcare providers (HCPs) and patients – are used to receiving tailored, seamless experiences, and it is frustrating for them when they are faced with generic pharma-sponsored digital communications and content.

With this in mind, it is not surprising that investment in personalisation was the second most popular response from the sector professionals we spoke to. By using the information you hold on individuals wisely you can improve their experience and make sure they feel as though they are being treated as people, rather than numbers – in turn helping to increase engagement, deliver true value and build trust.

Aside from personalisation, you can also use the data gained from interactions to improve the interactions between your reps and HCPs, creating a hybrid model that balances digital and face-to-face engagement.

By collecting data from interactions across web, email, social and direct messaging, and analysing customer behaviour to gain insight, you can supercharge your reps by enabling them to have more informed and engaged interactions with HCPs.

Basic ‘hygiene factors’ can be handled digitally via content or automated customer journeys that allow the customer to get what they want when they need it, freeing up your reps to focus on these more valuable conversations and strengthen long-term relationships.

3. Content and scalability
If you choose to make a move to creating personalised digital experiences that deliver more value for your customers, a change of mindset and approach may be needed. Tailored digital experiences require flexibility, so it is critical to take an approach based in customer experience management, rather than content management.

A brochureware approach might feel the most comfortable – it is what we have come to expect in the healthcare and pharma sector, but it can be at odds with taking a customer-first approach. As a single piece that cannot easily be reused without complete resubmission, it is static, impersonal and unexciting for the customer, it simply doesn’t deliver.

A simple-to-manage format – such as modular content, which is more easily authored, approved and scaled across business units and/or your organisation – is a much better investment for your organisation.

Bitesize chunks that are built for reuse outside of their original intended purpose can save time and money when done well. As modular content is more dynamic, it can be personalised for specific customers, feeding into a service design approach.

It’s important to note that modular content is just the start; other important aspects are required from a design perspective that require attention in the way of effective scaling. To maintain consistency in content aspects such as governance, rules, guiding principles and training, toolkits are required to ensure the modular content is utilised effectively.

By building customer experiences with a strong digital element, not limited to a single website or platform, but instead approached with the goal of designing the best possible process for the customer, companies can deliver better value and a more relevant overall experience.

Where should you be directing your budget and efforts?
Every organisation is at a different stage in its digital maturity, with varying budgets and priorities. When deciding on the most important focus areas for you, think about your overarching objectives and KPIs, and establish which option is likely to be most helpful to achieving them.

You may want to look at data and analytics, your content or even your channel programme, but it is important to have a clear picture of where you want to end up, and what success means to you, before you begin.

When you decide to allocate your budget, try to remember this: it is not all about the digital product launch. Budget for customer research, content, internal and external promotion, and ongoing training and development. This will give you your best chance of long-term success and help to deliver maximum digital impact.