Pharma disconnected: become engaging and ignore "engagements"

Remember the promise of Omnichannel? The seamless, personalized experiences that were meant to revolutionize customer engagement? Yet, for many in pharma, the reality has fallen short. The buzzwords may change – CX, AI, NBA, data-driven planning – but are we in danger of repeating past patterns, merely dressing up old challenges in new terminology?

A historical parallel offers a compelling perspective as Robert Cecil, in 1946, belied claims that the League of Nations had failed, defending its core principles and pointing to the lack of backing it received by paraphrasing the old adage "long live the king" and now ironically at the death knell of Omnichannel, he can be paraphrased to echo the evolution of customer engagement in pharma:

"Omnichannel is dead, long live <Optichannel>."

The core tenets of what Omnichannel was meant to stand for - namely, customer-centricity - remain: connecting the right message with the right person at the right time. So, what's hindering progress?

Agency webinar series, and our news feeds are filled with familiar stories: MLR bottlenecks, content gridlock, data silos, and fragmented strategies. These aren't just abstract issues; they represent real barriers to effective customer interaction.

The premise was right, but the messaging around Omnichannel and its implementation was inherently flawed. It was often perceived as a digital takeover rather than a holistic, customer-first approach. The relentless pursuit of efficiency, amplified by external pressures, inadvertently prioritized how engagement happened (channels, timing) over the fundamental why and what—the genuine needs of the customer.

The limitations of traditional attribution models further clouded the picture, making it difficult to demonstrate the true ROI of new initiatives. Are we now poised to embrace the next "silver bullet," only to find ourselves facing the same underlying ecosystem and internal shortcomings?

"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."

This sentiment rings particularly true in the evolution of customer engagement.

What if we shift our focus from the how back to the fundamental what and why? This is where the concept of customer-centricity truly takes hold. Think of industry titans like Apple, Amazon, and Netflix. Their success isn't built on simply pushing products; it stems from a deep understanding of customer needs, often before those needs are even fully articulated. In this context, engagement becomes less about convincing people of your products' USPs, and more about delivering value by fulfilling an unmet or unrealized need.

While fleeting desires can be powerful, true behavioural change is often rooted in addressing fundamental needs. How can pharma better understand and recognise the internal monologue of their audience that drives these needs? The industry needs to shift from push-tactics that tackle the "superego" and leverage the "id" that drives inherent beliefs - by rebuilding trust, connection and meeting those unrealised needs head-on.

Drawing inspiration from the past, let's revisit the timeless AIDA framework (Awareness, Interest, Desire, Action) and Dale Carnegie's principles of influence.

Customer-Centricity: A Practical Checklist

Here’s a simplified, yet powerful, approach to becoming more customer-centric, drawing from wisdom both old and new:

1. Attention: Focus on Relevance, Not Just Product

• Implication: Arouse genuine interest by speaking directly to their world.

• Application: Instead of leading with product names, grab HCP attention by addressing their challenges: unmet patient needs, diagnostic dilemmas, practice management hurdles, or relevant scientific advancements. Use compelling, problem-focused headlines in your communications.

• Iteration: Mindset mapping is one of several ways we help our clients rethink their messaging strategies. If content is king, as they say, context is queen.

2. Interest: Provide High-Value, Objective Information

• Implication: Be genuinely interested in their challenges and listen actively.

• Application: The "data gap" often stems from a lack of understanding of HCP needs and preferences. Implement processes to map these needs at an organizational level before content and journeys are designed. Provide objective, easily digestible scientific evidence that directly addresses their interests. Foster curiosity through interactive platforms and access to key research.

• Iteration: Market Research, either external or internal can be time consuming and costly - we help our clients understand how to collect, collate, and interpret data that creates valuable proxies using iterative analysis to generate insights to feed into their planning and evaluation processes.

3. Desire: Connect Benefits to Patient Outcomes

• Implication: Respect their expertise and help them see the value for themselves.

• Application: Present product benefits in a way that clearly links to improved patient outcomes. Use compelling data visualization and compliant case examples. Respect their clinical autonomy and the art of medicine. Share relevant KOL insights and patient journey examples. For payers, articulate the budget impact and clearly explain the mechanism of action in terms of patient benefit.

• Iteration: Leveraging AI, we can help you accelerate content tagging, which powers micro campaign automation that taps into your customers' needs and fits their educational journey.

4. Action: Make the Next Step Clear and Logical

• Implication: Guide them towards action by confirming understanding and highlighting the benefits.

• Application: Ensure the desired action (requesting information, accessing resources, considering treatment) is a natural progression based on the information provided. Offer clear links and instructions. Sales interactions should focus on potential patient benefits and follow-up on outcomes, not just product promotion.

• Iteration: Strategic KPI alignment helps you look beyond levels of "engagement" and fully understand who is engaged and what value your interactions had in shifting behaviours and beliefs.

Integrating Timeless Principles for Modern Impact

Moving from a product-push to a value-pull mentality, grounded in trust and genuine understanding, is paramount. Our consultancy helps pharmaceutical companies:

• Develop customer-centric strategies that go beyond surface-level engagement.

• Implement agile content strategies that deliver the right information at the right time, addressing real needs.

• Break down data silos to gain a holistic view of customer preferences and behaviours.

• Train teams to embody these principles in every interaction.

The cycle of chasing the next "Omnichannel" is over. It's time to focus on the enduring principles of customer-centricity.