Essential Steps to Customer-Centric Digital Transformation to Consider Posted on September 13, 2024November 14, 2024 by Marta Fetsatchyn Just having great product offerings is no longer enough. Product centricity is a relic of the past, and a customer-centric approach has emerged as the leading strategy for attracting, engaging, and retaining clients. Modern-day consumers want customer-centricity personalization, but few companies are ready to deliver it. In our guide, you’ll discover how to effectively meet customer needs and achieve a successful customer-centric digital transformation. What is Digital Transformation in Customer Experience? Digital transformation, in short, is the process of implementing and integrating various digital tools into a company’s workflows. This often means switching from usual solutions to new, more advanced ones. For example, going “paperless” and moving all of the documentation to the cloud and keeping only electronic documents from now on can be considered a part of digital transformation. However, there is a lot more to it; such transformation is not just about using different technologies but also digitizing customer experience and finding the proper channels to contact your target audience. Technological advancements go hand in hand with ever-changing customer needs. When something new emerges, people want to try it out first-hand. Once they get used to it, they also want to see the technology used by their favorite brands. One example is TikTok, a platform many people had mixed emotions about. Still, it became a massive platform for boosting user engagement and improving the online experience. Many similar digital solutions and technologies can play a significant role in creating an outstanding customer journey, so accepting this transformation, rather than resisting it, is essential. Why Everyone Should be Customer-Centric? Being customer-centric means prioritizing the customer’s perspective and needs as much as the company’s, consistently placing the client at the heart of all operations. Customer-centricity offers numerous benefits for both customers and businesses. Let’s explore them: A deeper understanding of your customers and their needs. Higher profitability: customer-centric companies are 60% more profitable. Increased customer lifetime value, where the customer is far more likely to come back for repeated purchases instead of seeking business elsewhere. Improved customer retention rates. Stronger brand perception. Reduced likelihood of customers leaving for a competitor. More chances that the business will stand out. Better overall customer satisfaction. Key Stages of a Customer-Centric Digital Transformation Process We define six stages of the customer-centric transformation process: Business as usual The need for change is understood and accepted. However, existing digital tools and solutions are not being used to their full potential, and the current customer experience strategy is often fragmented. At this stage, insights from analytics are not used for further decision-making, and all measured efforts from different departments are isolated. Present and active The business starts to explore the capabilities of customer experience analytics. The company researches, experiments, and tries out new approaches and channels. Employees now realize that change is coming, and more are taking action within their departments to promote test-and-learn programs, experiment, and learn. At this point, resistance to change is the biggest challenge. Formalized The digital transformation journey has begun. The company can identify measurement gaps, find more opportunities for digital transformation, make informed decisions based on analytics, map out a customer journey through various touchpoints, and create digital learning programs. Strategic As the company focuses on integrated experiences across all channels, omnichannel, content, and loyalty metrics gain increased importance. Customer experience and digital customer experience have become top priorities. Employees across all departments and company leaders realize and appreciate the importance of change. Change agents have more impact on decision-making processes. Technology roadmaps are synchronized with overall digital roadmaps. Converged The digital revolution within the organization is already in full swing. New business models help break down silos, unify processes, and streamline operations. Teams use analytics to make data-driven decisions, and improvements are made in real time. Digital transformation goes beyond creating a customer-centric digital transformation and now includes the lifeline of the business. New talent is attracted, with more people being hired and trained. Innovative and adaptive The company is now entirely digitally transformed, and the customer is at the heart of all processes and operations. All employees have the skills to create fulfilling customer-centric journeys and are ready to innovate and experiment if necessary. 7+ Steps for Effective Customer-Centric Digital Transformation How can you create an engaging customer journey that has a real impact? These are the seven steps for achieving effective customer-centric digital transformation: Set your goals Digital transformation has many benefits, but do you understand its advantages for your organization? Such a huge change is guaranteed to have a big impact on an organization’s processes and workflows, which is why it’s crucial to have an understanding of why it’s implemented in the first. Doing something just for the sake of it is not going to bring any success, even if it’s portrayed that way. If you are not sure about your goals for digital transformation, use these questions to set the course for your digital transformational processes: How do we envision the customer-centric future of our company? What should customer engagement look like at our company after digital transformation? Who is our target audience, and how will our digital transformation benefit them? How can digital transformation aid the company in solving customer’s pain points? How can digitization enhance your personalization and omnichannel strategies? What digital products, services, and content can we offer our clientele to meet emerging needs and demands? What key performance indicators (KPIs) will we use to measure the performance of our digital solutions and the success of our digital transformation? How will we incorporate new technologies into our workflows, and how comfortable is our company with experimenting with emerging tech? These questions are a good start for defining digital transformation for your business. Of course, there is more to it, and it’s best to explore this topic with a team by your side, learning more about digitization and its benefits. The most important thing is to know your goals and how customer-centric digital transformation fits into them. Foster customer-centricity in your organization What makes a company customer-centric is that it is those who genuinely care about customers and keep them in mind during every interaction. Everything depends on the mindset, as the best way to provide a client with excellent service is to have first-hand experience of customer-centricity. Start with inner interactions, activities, and processes, ensuring that every employee understands the principles of a customer-centric company and is treated in line with those principles. Educate your employees and regularly update your learning programs, adding more information about new tech, trends, and practices. Another thing you can do is empower employees to perform better and pay more attention to their customers. Reward them for their efforts and provide honest feedback and recommendations on enhancing their skills if you see areas for improvement. By engaging with your teams and creating positive experiences inside your organization, you turn your workplace into a space where everyone can be inspired to get better versions of themselves. Build omnichannel experiences In the modern age, people have profiles on at least 2-3 social media channels while watching news, reading books, and talking to others to get information. What does this mean? Having just 1-2 channels for interacting with customers won’t be enough. Instead, it would be best if you created a seamless transition across the channels your clients prefer to use. 75% of consumers want a seamless omnichannel experience, while only 25% are satisfied with the experience they currently receive. According to Google, omnichannel consumers have a 30% higher customer lifetime value. When building your omnichannel strategy, focus on finding the right channels and connecting them instead of using those channels to share some content and facts about your brand. Don’t force your audience to read the same thing twice. Instead, ensure a smooth flow between channels, where everything you share across them complements one another rather than repeats. Personalize customer journeys 76% of consumers state that they are more likely to shop with a brand that personalizes, with 78% saying that they would make another purchase from a business that offers personalization. A personalized customer journey is critical to customer-centricity, which makes it a huge part of your marketing strategy. First, you need to understand who you will personalize your content for. Learn more about your audience, their likes and dislikes, what they look forward to when they open social media, and what kind of content they usually read or watch for over a few seconds. Gather data non-intrusively through surveys, questionnaires, and even just talking sessions on different platforms. Engaging with your audience and discovering more about them is the first step toward successfully personalizing the customer’s experience. Choose the right tools It’s impossible to have a transformation journey without proper instruments and solutions. To know what kind of tools are best for your business strategy, determine your goals first. By asking the right questions, you can clarify your vision and gain a clear picture of where your company is headed. With a strong understanding of your future objectives, you can then choose the best tools to drive digitization and enhance customer centricity. Here are some of the digital tools and solutions you can adopt at your organization: Digital solutions (e.g., Digital Content Factory). CRM platforms (e.g., Salesforce and HubSpot). Communication platforms (e.g., Slack and Microsoft Teams). Content management systems (e.g., WordPress, HubSpot, and eWizard). Knowledge management platforms (e.g., Confluence, Notion, and Sharepoint). Cloud storage systems (e.g., Google Drive, Google Cloud, Dropbox, AWS, and Microsoft Azure). Applicant tracking systems (e.g., HiBob). Social media marketing tools (e.g., Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok). Data analytics tools (e.g., Microsoft Power BI and Google Analytics). AI-powered tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Secoda, Jasper AI, and DALL-E). There are so many incredible tools that the list can go on for much longer. It’s important not just to choose a couple of tools and implement them into your company’s workflows as quickly as possible but also to make sure that the chosen software is the best pick specifically for your business. Do all of these tools help you tackle some of the business challenges you’ve been facing? Can these instruments aid you and your employees in achieving your goals? Can these tools be smoothly integrated into already existing systems and processes? Do they offer scalability as your business grows? Consider all of these questions before making a final decision. Evaluate your progress Your digital transformation won’t be just a straight road to success. You will deal with difficulties, your teams will sometimes resist the change, and not all of your efforts will reciprocate. And that’s to be expected; what is important to do is ensure that you find the most effective methods for achieving customer experience along your journey and know whether something works or not. To do that, you will need to have clear key performance indicators (KPIs). Here are some of the metrics you can measure: Customer satisfaction; Customer retention rate; Churn rate; Customer effort score; Digital engagement; First contact resolution; Click-through rate; Customer lifetime value. Offer an effortless onboarding process According to Salesforce, 74% of consumers will switch to another brand if the chosen company doesn’t provide a smooth and clear purchase/checkout experience. If you want your client to feel valued, make sure you value their time as well. There are many tactics you can implement to ease the onboarding process, such as: Personalized guidance based on data entered by a customer; AI-powered chatbots; 24/7 live chat; Accessible FAQ section; Automated account creation; Interactive walkthroughs; Simplified registration forms. Remember to use as many visuals as possible to make this process easier for all types of learners. Just plain text or a ton of images won’t do, as some users may find this approach irritating and opt to switch to a different brand instead. Closing Thoughts Digital transformation and customer centricity are the two pillars of business success in the modern landscape, and they are most effective when fully aligned. If you are ready to embrace customer-centric transformation, your focus should shift from “How much can we earn this quarter?” to “How can we provide value to our customers today?”. Soon, you’ll start to see notable changes. To learn more about customer-centric digital transformation, visit our website for exclusive guides, webinars, and events. And if you would like to take your customer-centric strategy to the next level, let us know, and our experts will contact you back in no time.
Pharmaceutical Digital Marketing Strategies for OTC Brands Posted on May 16, 2024November 12, 2024 by Andrii Nikulin According to the FDA, there are up to 300,000 OTC drugs marketed in the U.S. alone. Without a solid digital marketing strategy in place, how can you expect to stand out from such a massive crowd, drive sales, build brand awareness, and cultivate long-term customer loyalty? Consumers are increasingly turning to digital channels for research, purchases, and engagement with brands. Rising healthcare costs have led to a surge in self-medication, with 27% of patients across 17 international markets choosing OTC drugs over prescription drugs due to expense, as revealed by a YouGov survey. This trend presents opportunities for OTC brands to connect with consumers through tailored digital experiences. Source: YouGov To stand out in this highly saturated OTC market, you must embrace digital transformation, harness data-driven insights, and deliver personalized, omnichannel experiences that resonate with modern consumers’ needs and tastes. In this article, you will discover digital marketing strategies for your OTC brand to help you establish meaningful relationships with your target audiences. What is a Digital Marketing Strategy? In the past, businesses used to communicate with their target audience through marketing channels like television, radio, newspapers, magazines, and outdoor advertising. Digital marketing strategy refers to using online channels (such as your website, social media, organic search, paid ads, and other platforms) to improve your online presence and reach your marketing goals, like enhancing your business’ visibility and gaining new customers. Let’s explore the topic further with this digital marketing strategy example. Imagine you want to increase traffic to your website by 25% in the next 12 months. First, you would define your target audience analyzing everything from their demographics to interests. Then you should pick the digital channels you’re going to involve. For instance, paid social media advertising, Google search ads, and content marketing. Your key strategies would be: Paid social and Google ads to drive website traffic for high commercial intent searches Use social media posts and videos to nurture the audience and showcase products Create high-quality blog content optimized for SEO to build organic traffic You can test social media ad creatives and audiences, multivariate landing page optimization, monitor top organic traffic sources, and put an emphasis on what works best. To help you launch and successfully run omnichannel campaigns while having a strategic overview, you can employ content experience platforms like eWizard. Importance of Digital Marketing for OTC Brands OTC drugs are essential for public health as they provide accessible solutions for common health problems. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the eCommerce sales of OTC drugs spiked, with people giving preference to shopping online over going to physical stores due to its convenience and competitive pricing. With the consumers’ tendency to search for information online before making purchasing decisions, OTC brands must leverage digital marketing to reach customers where they spend their time to educate them on their products. Digital marketing enables you to build closer relationships with your customers through multiple channels like your website and social media. Moreover, you can precisely target specific consumer segments, based on demographics, behavior, and interests using digital marketing tools. They allow to create personalized messaging and product suggestions, enhancing relevance and engagement. On top of that, with robust analytics OTC brands can accurately measure engagement, conversions, and ROI, as well as continuously optimize their strategy based on their performance data. As eCommerce disrupts traditional retail, OTC brands must differentiate themselves from the competition through compelling digital brand experiences, content, and consumer value-adds their competitors may lack. Besides, digital marketing can be highly cost-efficient compared to traditional channels while enabling OTC brands to reach a much larger audience through organic, paid, owned, and earned media strategies. Main Components of Digital Marketing Strategy An effective digital marketing strategy should consist of well-thought-out paid advertising, social media marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), and web analytics. Let’s discuss them one by one. Paid Advertising Numerous platforms can be utilized for paid advertising. Each of the platforms may have different ad types available, like search ads, display ads, native ads, video ads, and others. This diverse range of paid advertising formats enables brands to develop integrated strategies that span several platforms in order to meet awareness, engagement, and conversion goals. Social Media As of 2022, it was estimated that over 4.59 billion people were using social media worldwide, and spending almost 2.5 hours there daily. This is why OTC brands have to leverage social media in their marketing efforts. They can reach a wide audience there and raise awareness about their products and their benefits. Moreover, social media provides a channel for direct interaction and customer engagement. SEO Search engine visibility is paramount for success in today’s digital landscape. Google Health Vice President reports that an estimated 7% of Google’s daily searches are health-related, equivalent to 70,000 every minute. Both patients and doctors look up and research products, symptoms, treatments, and insurance questions using search engines. Web Analytics Web analytics provide quantitative insights that OTC brands need to refine their digital presence, enhance user engagement, and drive conversions. Analytics tools such as Google Analytics show how people interact with the brand’s website and content, which includes metrics like traffic sources, popular pages, conversion paths, and bounce rates. In addition, analytics can reveal where your visitors tend to abandon the website or purchase process which will let you know where optimization is needed. How to Create a Digital Marketing Strategy Creating a proper digital marketing strategy takes experience and expertise, so be ready to test your theories, and don’t get discouraged if your first campaign doesn’t get the traffic you wish. With so many other brands competing for customers’ attention, it’s crucial to consider what can set your product apart and highlight it in your marketing content. And if you want to involve experts to create your digital marketing strategy, drop a message to Viseven. Let’s go through the key steps to creating a pharma digital marketing strategy. Determine your target audience Digital marketing allows you to reach new audiences. However, not all of them are going to be interested in what you have to offer. You need to conduct market research to identify your buyer personas whose interests and preferences match your offerings. Personalization is a big trend with consumers now, so you also have to think about segmenting your target audience into smaller groups to customize your messaging for each of them. Engage and educate through content Content marketing is essential for your brand for a few reasons. First, well-optimized content can bring you organic traffic from search engines, spreading the word about your brand and products. Secondly, both providers and patients use the internet to find information about symptoms, treatments, and products. By providing them with interesting and educational content targeted to various groups, you can not only address their pain points and concerns but also establish your brand as a thought leader. In-depth blog articles, innovative email marketing campaigns, and engaging social media posts can all play a crucial role in your content strategy. Additionally, high-quality content helps build trust and credibility with your audience, positioning your brand as a reliable source of information. Moreover, content marketing can support your lead generation efforts by attracting and nurturing potential customers through the sales funnel. Finally, it allows you to showcase your expertise, differentiate your brand, and foster stronger connections with your target audience, ultimately driving better brand awareness, loyalty, and conversions. Gather and utilize data The beauty of digital marketing for OTC brands lies in the wealth of data it generates. Website analytics reveal traffic sources, user behavior, content performance, and audience insights vital for optimization. Search data displays consumer intent and common queries to guide content strategy. Social media listening unlocks brand sentiment, product perceptions, and messaging opportunities. During marketing campaigns creation, OTC marketers can leverage this data to shape targeting, develop resonant messaging, enhance user experiences, plan digital marketing tactics, and measure performance. An insights-driven approach fueled by tangible consumer data allows continual campaign refinement and improvement over time. Current Landscape of the OTC Pharma Market The OTC drugs market size is estimated at $137.39 billion in 2024, and is expected to hit $163.10 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 3.49% during the forecast period. The OTC drug market is witnessing substantial growth, primarily driven by the escalating costs of prescription medications. As healthcare expenses continue to soar, consumers are increasingly turning to self-medication with OTC drugs as a more affordable alternative. According to Bloomberg, the average American spends an astounding $1,300 per person annually on prescription drugs, with the launch price of a new drug in the US reaching an average of $180,000 for a year’s supply in 2021. This massive rise in Rx drug prices is fueling the demand for self-care solutions through OTC medications. Self-medication with OTC drugs is becoming a global phenomenon, with prevalence rates ranging from 11.2% to 93.7% across different countries and target populations. This growing trend towards self-care is further propelling the growth of the OTC drug market. As the cost of prescription medications continues to rise, consumers are embracing the accessibility and cost-effectiveness of OTC drugs, enabling them to manage minor illnesses and maintain their overall well-being without breaking the bank. This shift in consumer behavior, coupled with the increasing approval of new OTC drug options, presents a significant growth opportunity for the industry. Furthermore, online sales of OTC medicines through e-pharmacies, retailer websites, and marketplaces like Amazon are booming, necessitating an omnichannel marketing approach for brands. To remain competitive in this landscape, OTC pharma brands must leverage digital marketing capabilities, focus on consumer education, eCommerce enablement, and innovative product offerings aligned with self-care trends. Best OTC Pharmaceutical Marketing Strategies Here are several ideas that can help you map out and execute a more efficient digital marketing strategy. Think Outside the Box with Mobile 56% of shoppers globally use their smartphones to shop or research items while in a store. The majority of pharma brands already provide mobile-optimized sites to boost their mobile presence. However, few utilize mobile in creative or innovative ways. This is your chance to set yourself apart from the competition. For instance, Pfizer offers a mobile app that allows patients to track their injections, log symptoms, set medication reminders, and access a wide range of resources to help them set and maintain goals throughout treatment. Engage with Health Apps & Wearable Gadgets The adoption of mobile health and fitness applications witnessed a surge in recent years, propelled by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2019, these apps were utilized by 23% of consumers in the United States. However, specific categories like health tracking, workout apps, and meditation apps saw broader adoption, reaching approximately 36% of the U.S. consumer base. When it comes to wearable tech, in 2021 it was estimated that about 526 million wearable devices were shipped globally, with more than 80% of consumers believing that wearables are beneficial to their health. OTC brands can tap into the health tech-savvy user base by leveraging targeted advertising within popular health and fitness apps, as well as forming partnerships with leading health tech companies and influencers in the digital wellness space. Allocate Resources to Both Time-Specific & Ongoing Marketing Efforts Undeniably, OTC medications are intrinsically linked to seasonal cycles as consumer needs fluctuate throughout the year. Flu, colds, allergies, and sports-related ailments resonate with different consumer segments during their respective peak seasons. To capitalize on these cyclical demands, OTC brands can implement ongoing marketing activities and tailored time-specific activations. These initiatives not only foster brand loyalty by addressing timely health concerns but also provide a strategic avenue to highlight the seasonal benefits of their OTC offerings. Ongoing marketing efforts can include subscription-based models or loyalty rewards that incentivize repeat purchases aligning with the ebb and flow of seasonal ailments. Targeted time-specific activations can consist of a multi-channel marketing blitz, spanning digital marketing campaigns, in-store promotions, influencer collaborations, and educational content tailored to the relevant health issues of that period. Develop and Share Valuable Online Content Content is king, and it’s vital for all industries, especially for pharma where people may rely on it to improve their well-being. With consumers’ tendency to research their symptoms and possible treatment online, it’s crucial to share valuable content about your products, what they do, and how and whom they help. Consider branching out from just full-blown blog articles to videos and infographics to bring variety and originality to your content. Your content distribution plan is of the same significance. It doesn’t matter how great your content is if your audience doesn’t see it, so make sure to think through your distribution and repurposing plan. Utilize Social Media Platforms With approximately 50% of users considering health information obtained from social media as reliable, OTC pharma brands have a prime opportunity to utilize this channel effectively. OTC brands can reach out to this large, health-conscious audience by sharing educational content on health conditions and self-care tips, highlighting product information and usage guidance, engaging with customers through responsive service, collaborating with influencers for credible endorsements, gathering consumer insights through social listening, running targeted advertising campaigns, and seamlessly integrating social efforts with their broader omnichannel strategy. For instance, P&G’s Vicks and Metamucilt have vibrant presences on Twitter and Instagram. Vicks frequently shares cold/flu season remedies and collaborates with influencers, while Metamucil focuses on digestive health through recipes and expert advice on social. Summing Up At the end of the day, the digital world opens up a huge playing field for OTC pharma brands to really connect with their customers in new and innovative ways. But it’s not just about blasting promotions everywhere. It’s about using data and consumer insights to have totally relevant, engaging conversations across channels like search, social media, and eCommerce. As consumers keep evolving, craving more personalized experiences, a focus on preventive wellness, and digital self-care solutions, the brands that truly tap into the digital marketing game will be the ones calling the shots. They’ll have built genuine relationships and empowered people to take control of their health journeys. The future belongs to the brands that can adapt quickly, get creative and innovative, while always putting the consumer first in their digital approach.
Viseven at Pharma Xchange: Switching to Omnichannel in Korea Posted on August 3, 2023November 15, 2024 by Andrii Nikulin Starting this year, most pharmaceutical companies in South Korea plan to switch from multichannel to omnichannel marketing with the help of content production, cross-functional change management, and effective KPI monitoring. Viseven actively keeps an eye of the latest transformations within the South Korean pharmaceutical market, as it receives investments that amounts to trillions South Korean won. One of the tremendous opportunities we use to see the changes in pharma in South Korea is networking. On June 30, 2023, the Viseven team were pleased to attend Pharma Xchange, an event about omnichannel marketing, technology, and innovation in the pharmaceutical industry. At the conference, 16 top global pharmaceutical companies and medical-related partners in South Korea had a great chance to attend a few sessions hosted by: Yuri Jung, Co-Founder and CEO at SO & Company Reina Kim, Commercial Strategy Manager at SO & Company Jina Oh, Managing Director at Medigate The Viseven team, which included Yiseo Cheon, Account Manager, and Suyoung Kim, SDR Team Lead, went to the event to engage with companies that already use eWizard, a content experience platform powered by Viseven. Yiseo and Suyoung connected with representatives of Takeda Korea, Boehringer Ingelheim Korea, Bristol Myers Squibb Korea, Viatris Korea, Bayer Korea, SO & Company, and Medigate, who got interested in Viseven products and services. “Due to the nature of Korean people who are sensitive to trends, many people at the event knew about the eWizard solution from Viseven. They showed interest in the omnichannel consulting service. We look forward to innovative changes in the digital marketing of Korean pharmaceutical companies!”,—Yiseo Cheon, Account Manager at Viseven South Korea. Along with meeting many current customers and new prospects who wanted to know how they could implement an omnichannel strategy within their organization, Yiseo and Suyoung were excited to participate in a discussion of innovation in South Korean pharma. Here’s how they compare this experience with the knowledge they had before the pandemic: “The Viseven Korean team learned about the changes in digital marketing strategies of Korean pharmaceutical companies before and after Covid-19. It was a very important experience for us because we had a session to hear opinions on the current digital marketing trends in the Korean market and the importance of using an omnichannel marketing strategy.” At the end of the event, attendees had an opportunity to take part in a panel discussion Omnichannel Strategy: Review & Outlook hosted by four speakers: Hoon Park, Sr. Customer Excellence Manager at Janssen Korea [Moderator] Euijoong Pyo, Omnichannel Customer Engagement Manager at Jannsen Korea Hajun Sung, Omnichannel Engagement Manager at BMS Media Jongil Park, Multichannel Engagement Specialist at Boehringer Ingelheim Korea During one hour of conversation, panel hosts shared experiences within their organizations and answered the audience’s questions. You are always welcome to get in touch and find out more about Viseven products and services, industry events, or special offers. Feel free to send us a request anytime.
How to Create Patient Journey Mapping for Better Healthcare Experiences? Posted on March 28, 2022November 19, 2024 by Andrii Nikulin Now is the best time to time to implement patient journey mapping in healthcare. According to a survey of 30 US-based health system leaders conducted by Deloitte, 77% of executives said they are actively reimagining their customer journey planning, switching from treatment to achieving and maintaining health and well-being. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the transformations most stakeholders in the global healthcare system have been waiting for years. In a time of record burnout and intent to leave the job across most healthcare roles, healthcare providers and professionals have access to data-driven solutions that have moved healthcare services beyond physical facilities. Today, the care process is not only about an in-person visit to a medical facility but omnichannel experiences, automation, applications, call centers, and wearables. Hence more healthcare providers and professionals have started to embrace the benefits of patient journey mapping. In this article, we’ll explore the importance of a customer journey in pharma, determine why an organization needs a pharmaceutical customer journey, and discover how to do patient journey mapping according to the latest practices and trends. What is a Patient Journey Map? Also called a healthcare customer journey map, a patient journey map is a plan that allows healthcare providers, payers, and public organizations to improve the patient experience and develop a holistic approach to delivering personalized care based on understanding patients’ lifestyles, preferences, and needs. What is Patient Journey Mapping? Patient journey mapping is the process of creating a patient journey map that deals with each patient’s problems at each stage of their interaction with a healthcare organization. The Stages of Customer Journey in Healthcare Here’s how patients interact with care providers: Stage 1. Pre-Visit Research The customer engagement journey starts with a stage when the patient suspects they have some symptoms and goes to social media, forums, and other communities to search for a treatment that doesn’t require professional medical assistance. Stage 2. Getting in Touch At this stage, the patient realizes they can only do with professional medical care and addresses a healthcare provider directly via an available communication channel or stumble upon the provider’s website after they follow a pay-per-click (PPC) ad or engage with any other means of online or offline promotion. Stage 3. Care and Treatment After the initial contact, the patient visits the provider’s physical facility and goes through the assessment process with one or several healthcare professionals who provide the care and treatment necessary for the patient’s full recovery. Stage 4. Post-Visit Treatment and Retention The patient follows treatment recommendations and adjusts their lifestyle to recover from disease under the provider’s supervision. To provide professional care, the provider remains available 24/7 via phone and online. The provider may also engage with the patient via preferred channels in the treatment process to ask about the patient’s condition and provide extra information that would be useful and engaging for the patient to gain the patient’s trust and retain them. The Challenge of Patient Journey Mapping: Low Digital Maturity Healthcare has a big future where automation and technology will predominate. In 2021, the worth of artificial intelligence in the healthcare market amounted to $11 billion worldwide. Statista predicts the global AI healthcare market will face a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 37% from 2022, amounting to $188 billion by 2030. A substantial shift from traditional to digital is now forcing healthcare organizations to redefine how they provide patient experiences, which may be a significant problem due to low digital maturity. On the other hand, fierce competition and continuously growing access to technology have already encouraged many healthcare organizations to understand their target audiences and engage with them on a personal level. In a world where patients have high medical awareness and demand patient-centric treatment, a patient journey map is essential for building a successful marketing strategy within a healthcare organization. The Benefits of Patient Journey Mapping Here’s why a healthcare organization needs a customer engagement journey map: The Culture of Innovation and Digital Maturity Patient journey mapping encourages healthcare providers to deploy an innovative vision as a part of their growth strategy and cultivate an interest in technology among multiple stakeholders, which increases the organization’s digital maturity and provides a standard for continuous improvements. The creation of a patient journey map involves the implementation of advanced technology. Chatbots personalize communication with patients. Artificial intelligence generates actionable insights. Automation accelerates data processing. Data Management and Consolidation in a Single Environment When a healthcare organization creates a patient journey map, it completely changes how they work with all available information, including patient data. Patient journey mapping fosters healthcare providers to implement a single ecosystem that integrates all the activity areas that affect patient care at all stages of engagement and interaction. A Complete View of Patients and Enhanced Teamwork An integrated ecosystem gives organizations a holistic view of their activities and optimizes connections among multiple teams where professionals with varied expertise cooperate to create a patient journey map. It eliminates misunderstanding, leverages resources, and streamlines patient care. Personalized Patient Care and Experience at Scale Patient journey mapping helps organizations quickly address the personal needs of each patient, modernize patient flow, design insight-driven predictive models to identify patterns and trends and prevent disease in the future, and make better decisions to create better outcomes and retain more patients. Improved Patient Retention After implementing patient journey mapping, providers can develop more effective patient retention strategies. A 360-degree view, personalized care, and advanced technical infrastructure lay a strong foundation for gaining patients’ trust, spreading the word about the organization, and solving business pain points. The Elimination of Business Pain Points Along with eliminating the pain points of patient engagement, patient journey maps also help identify pain points inside an organization and improve productivity, accountability, financing, and processes. High Standards for Marketing and Content Creation Patient journey mapping standardizes how an organization plans, produces, manages, distributes, and delivers content. Such standards improve the quality of content and the effectiveness of marketing campaigns, prompting an organization to keep an eye on the latest trends in healthcare services promotion and digital technology. How to Create a Seamless Patient Journey Map? Here are the actions necessary to implement customer journey mapping in healthcare: Track Existing Patient Journeys Before healthcare providers begin mapping patient journeys, they ask healthcare professionals to share information about the care journeys they usually go through with their patients. Such information is necessary to analyze the patient experience they currently provide and improve it in the future within a healthcare journey map designed by the care provider. Collect Patient Feedback Regularly After gathering input from healthcare professionals, care providers also collect patient feedback. It helps care providers improve their services by identifying gaps during healthcare journey mapping and discovering the information necessary to segment patients into a few target groups and create patient personas. Identify Patient Personas A patient persona is an image of a typical patient created using data and qualitative research. Personas are profiles that include all essential patient information, such as demographics, goals, habits, potential pain points, current problems, level of digital maturity, and other characteristics crucial for care providers. Patient personas give care providers a deep understanding of the actions necessary to expand its online presence and boost the current number of patients, discover the possibilities of patient retention, and improve coordination between stakeholders from different departments and teams. Patient personas allow care providers to know how to create an exceptional patient experience, specifically create the right content that helps solve patients’ problems, send personalized messages at the right moment via the preferred channels, and provide better services that meet specific needs. How many personas does a care provider need? The number of patient personas depends on the number of criteria the organization considers missing to view the big picture. Build the Patient Journey Funnel Also called the healthcare journey funnel, the patient journey funnel is a scheme to visualize the critical engagement stages between patients and a healthcare organization. There are four main stages within the patient journey funnel: Acquisition (Awareness). A patient knows that healthcare organizations provide different solutions and services. The main goal of a healthcare organization at this stage is to promote its solution and services on the official website, third-party websites, search engines, and social media using high-quality content at a large scale and the latest practices in digital marketing. Consideration (Interest). A patient with a health problem is looking for a solution. The main goal of a healthcare organization at this stage is to get the patient interested in the organization’s solution and services by highlighting unique benefits and advantages competitors don’t have. Conversion (Decision). After considering the services and solutions of a healthcare organization and its competitors, a patient persona with a health problem is ready to decide about treatment. At this stage, a healthcare organization’s goal is to encourage a patient to engage with a healthcare organization using any preferred communication channels, such as email, phone calls, messaging apps, online chats, PPC ads, SMS, and beyond. Retention (Loyalty). A patient uses the services and solutions of a healthcare organization. The main goal of the healthcare organization at this stage is to create long-standing and personalized relationships with the patient by establishing continuous communication that brings value so that the patient will address the organization as soon as a new medical issue occurs. The patient journey funnel helps healthcare providers identify gaps in marketing affairs, fulfill the needs of different groups of patients, and increase patient satisfaction. Consolidate All Patient Data in One Place Care providers can successfully implement patient journey mapping only in a single healthcare system that integrates data sources such as: Electronic health records (EHRs) include information about health issues, ongoing care, medications, and other clinical data. Engagement history includes patient feedback, information about patient touch points with a care provider, preferred communication channels, current needs, and other essential details that facilitate retention and increase loyalty. To build an integrated healthcare system, care providers use software that automates patient acquisition, improves patient flow, and streamlines post-visit patient experience. Build a Sufficient Digital Infrastructure A digital infrastructure plays a vital role in the patient journey mapping process. It helps internal stakeholders from multiple teams and departments connect, coordinate actions, and create personalized patient experiences at a large scale using a customer relationship management (CRM) platform. With custom CRM solutions, care providers use automation to personalize communication, get a 360 view of each patient to improve treatment and support, implement marketing campaigns and analyze their performance, and gather insights that help healthcare professionals continuously enhance patient journey maps. In the healthcare industry, mobile apps developed according to specific needs and integrated with CRM platforms are another software that can significantly improve interactions between care providers and patients within journey maps. Patient apps automate data collection, introduce telemedicine services, improve health outcomes, and personalize care. Create a Healthcare Customer Journey Map with Viseven With years of expertise in creating customer journeys in healthcare, the Viseven team can help your organization provide a unique patient experience by designing an efficient communication plan based on your brand strategy. Whatever the level of complexity and scale, our specialists can create a successful patient journey map and develop a digital infrastructure for it where your team will use automation, create personalized marketing campaigns, and analyze results using an effective KPI system. If your organization needs more details on healthcare journeys and their realization, please contact us now. Our patient journey mapping specialists will reply shortly and provide professional consultation on delivering an exceptional patient experience. Customer Journey Mapping in Healthcare: Case Study Viseven helped many organizations in the healthcare industry and many different enterprises in the life sciences industry with no experience create customer journeys based on unique goals and needs. As a result of cooperation with a top 50 pharmaceutical enterprise that needed a user journey map for multiple scenarios, the Viseven team reached: 98% goal accomplishment 196 new registrations Download this case study to read how an organization can triple the number of website registrations within 30 days using a combination of two communication channels and high-quality content within the omnichannel customer journey map. Good luck with creating your customer journey map in healthcare!
