At INTELLISHORE, we believe staying on top of industry trends is important. Therefore, my colleague Mikkel and I recently had the opportunity to attend this year’s CX & AI focused NEXT Pharma Summit in Vienna. The event provided powerful insights into the changing landscape of customer experience, evolving omnichannel strategies and capabilities, and AI in pharma.
Here are a few key takeaways and food for thought we brought with us:
For genuine customer-centric transformations, organizations must adopt KPIs that extend beyond traditional sales metrics. By aligning incentives with customer experience goals, teams are empowered to prioritize what truly matters—delivering value to customers. While technology is crucial, organizations must also pay attention to effective process and people engineering to ensure success.
When it comes to AI, it’s important to avoid the temptation of being a “kid in a candy store.” Begin with 𝘸𝘩𝘺 —identify the specific problem you are aiming to solve before diving into the myriad possibilities AI offers. By maintaining a clear focus, you can maximize the value of AI, avoid feeling overwhelmed, and ensure that you realize benefits both in the short term and over the long haul.
While the landscape is indeed changing, the investments pharma companies have made in omnichannel capabilities over the past years remain foundational. These capabilities enable pharma to connect with customers where they are, on their preferred channels, and at the right time. It’s about building on this strong foundation to keep pace with changing needs — regardless of whether we refer to it as omnichannel, opti-channel, or something entirely different.
Understanding the personal – but also generational – preferences of HCPs is crucial for delivering superior customer experiences. HCPs are individuals first, with evolving needs and preferences that impact how pharma should engage with them. By considering the generational context, pharma can unlock new ways to connect with HCPs across different age groups, tailoring approaches to resonate more deeply with each generation.
A big thank you to the organizers and all participants for making this an insightful experience.