The rise of multichannel – Around the time of the Internet boom, however, things started to change. Websites and email were altering the way people accessed information. While at the same time, coincidentally, policies were becoming more restrictive regarding what life sciences companies could and couldn’t do for physicians. It was the perfect storm, and life sciences companies had to adjust their sales and marketing strategies accordingly. It was this sea of change that helped create the concept of Omnichannel Revolution for pharma. Not only were patients pushing ideas about treatment options now, there were also different communication channels to contend with – including digital (website, social media, blogs, webinars) and traditional channels (events/seminars, direct mail, and call center).
Why IoT is the Answer?
As highlighted in IoT Business News, IoT-powered smart devices like Swittons enhance the pharma to physician relationship by enabling reps to cover more territory. They also help break down communication barriers to office visits, professional consultations and product orders. For pharmaceutical commercial organizations, deployment of IoT powered solutions can accomplish the following:
● Solve “whitespace” problems by enabling communication with physicians who were previously untargeted, because of remoteness or other reasons.
● Boost the launch of new brands by increasing brand awareness and sample facilitation. Devices can be custom branded for marketing purposes, and functionality can be preprogrammed to help facilitate automatic or “at a touch” reorders.
● Add more coverage for sales teams that have downsized. IoT-powered solutions can be utilized as virtual assistants, creating a presence in offices and areas that are being unnurtured because of a lack of human capital.
● Help physicians order samples faster (or product, for “buy & bill” offices). Smart devices that are designed to be compatible with existing commercial infrastructure, and that integrate seamlessly with CRM and ERP systems, will enable a 24/7, unobtrusive presence in medical offices and facilities. Bringing critical data from a device to the enterprise has never been easier thanks to platforms like Microsoft Azure.
● Create a new channel of communication with physicians, something that is greatly needed. In 2017, just over half of all practices owned by hospitals and health systems banned drug reps from visiting their doctors.
Omnichannel Revolution for pharma will help deliver a consistent, personalized experience for both physicians and patients across all channels. The guiding principle of omnichannel strategies is that they are results-based, not channel-based. The main goal is to make the customer (physician and patient) experience as easy as possible, and that means consistent engagement no matter where or how a customer is interacting with you.
Much in the way that policy changes and technical innovations drove the development of Omnichannel Revolution for pharma, they are driving the rise of omnichannel engagement as well. However, instead of websites and email, the omnichannel revolution is being lead by Internet of Things (IoT) powered smart devices.
Digitization in the pharmaceutical sector also means knowing how to make the most of a wide range of channels.
The “physical” side remains important. Digital will not replace pharmaceutical representatives, the human side of general practitioners, or the employees of pharmacies. Digital will complement and integrate all of this.
Be careful, though! Under the label of “digital” there is a composite and multi-channel world: From company and pharmacy websites, to dedicated applications for smartphones, from specialized forums, to influencers with their channels (which often exploit the enormous power of video) up to KOL (Key Opinion Leaders).
