Even if well underway before the pandemic, Covid-19 has given businesses an unprecedented opportunity to accelerate and implement technology-fueled changes to the way they operate and engage. For pharmaceutical companies, the pandemic forced many to rethink and readjust supply chains, clinical trials, manufacturing process and end-customer reach. If pharmaceutical companies had relied on the traditional face-to-face sales force and physician’s engagement before the pandemic, then Covid-19 made a 180⁰ change, reinforcing virtual communication approaches. As part of the business continuity effort during the COVID-19 pandemic, digital (e-)detailing – using IT tools to promote products to consumers – has become a key vehicle for life science and pharmaceutical companies to reach HCPs.
New technologies and innovations present a number of opportunities for improving and transforming the pharmaceutical industry and meeting future healthcare needs. Ongoing digital transformation is forcing companies to change their operational models and adapt to the new business reality, with customers being one of the main drivers behind this shift. The longer social distancing restrictions continue, the more changes they are expected to bring to future interactions. For pharmaceutical sales, it means that the sales forces will need to move away from one-size-fits-all communication approaches and adapt to varying customer needs.
Bombarding HCPs with every scrap of information about available products is not the right approach. Digital solutions should enable optimized messaging that stands out from the sea of communications and is targeted, meaning it aligns with the interests of specific HCPs and their preferred communications channels. Cohesive communication strategies, which balance the frequency, content and timing of information being sent are vital to growing successful relationships
By triggering shifts in physician’s engagement, Covid-19 also will act as the catalyst redefining sales reps’ role. Sales forces provide an important connection between the pharmaceutical industry and healthcare providers by introducing their prospects to innovative therapies and industry trends, but due to digital transformation, the role of traditional sales reps may also significantly change. The industry will have a much greater need for tech-savvy people knowing how to build brands, accommodate customer needs and deliver messaging using hybrid methods and virtual tool.
Face-to-face HCP engagement has significantly reduced across the world, a trend that is likely to continue as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. As a result, e-detailing – and the use of AI/ML to inform the practice – have emerged as solutions to enable business continuity in the pharma sales space. However, not all digital systems – either already in use or for future implementation – meet pharma’s requirements when it comes to physician interactions. Continued digital transformation will be needed to establish systems that have the necessary functionality to support the practice of e-detailing and the shift towards personalized content and engagement strategies.
