Transforming Pharmaceutical Commercial Operations: A Guide

What is Pharma Commercial Operations?

Pharma commercial operations focus on bringing a drug or medical device to market. It also includes ensuring successful sales and distribution of these drugs or devices. The go-to-market effort encompasses market research, marketing strategies, commercial efforts, and stakeholder engagement. Combined, these operational efforts maximize the product’s market presence and revenue.

The pharmaceutical and medical devices industries operate in a unique ecosystem. 

• Research and development (R&D) form the bedrock. They create innovative solutions for health challenges. 
• Next up is licensing; this is where all data from research and development is presented to regulatory authorities.
• After licensing, it transitions to the pharmaceutical commercial operations phase. Here, marketing teams craft compelling narratives around the product. And sales teams ensure it reaches healthcare providers and patients. 
• Both segments rely on the rigorous data and findings from R&D to guide their strategies.

Life Sciences organizations need to do more than sell. They must build strong ties with key stakeholders, like healthcare professionals and patients. Feedback and trust from them influence product adoption and long-term brand loyalty. Pharma companies focus on strengthening these alliances to ensure their products meet needs to succeed in the market.

Changes in Pharma Commercial Operations

The COVID pandemic catalyzed an unprecedented transformation in Pharma’s commercial operations. Pre-pandemic norms were anchored around face-to-face sales and manual selling processes. Now, they’ve transitioned to virtual models of operation. 

The focus of the market changed to prioritize COVID-19 treatments and vaccines, which reduced R&D focus on non-urgent therapeutic classes. Field representatives were forced to shift to virtual platforms. This shift brought to the attention of the Life Sciences industry the power and reach of digital communication and the need for rapid adoption of cloud-based real-time technology solutions that could also adapt to this new way of working.

The Role of Digital Transformation in Reshaping Operations

Digital transformation became the cornerstone of this shift. As physical boundaries grew, digital tools filled the gap. New digital strategies improve communication, boost efficiency, and refine patient outreach. They enable quick adaptation to market shifts and ensure better data-driven decision-making. Pharma businesses that leverage these digital changes do better in today’s healthcare world. 

Evolving Commercial Capabilities to Navigate Digital Delivery, Personalization, and Market Access Forces

Research suggests that established pharmaceutical companies face challenges if they don’t align with healthcare insights and analytics and keep abreast of evolving health data management and analysis trends. Pharma organizations stand at a crucial crossroads. 

The modern era combines powerful forces: Market Assess, Digital Delivery, and Personalization. These entities must evolve their commercial strategies to thrive. Market Access guarantees the availability of medical solutions for those in need. Digital Delivery ensures timely and efficient product distribution. Personalization caters to individual healthcare professionals’ preferences and patient needs to enhance both the HCP and patient experience.

Cloud Solutions in Modern Pharma Commercial Operations

The pharmaceutical industry has embraced emerging technologies to enhance efficiency, research, and connectivity. In recent times, cloud computing has gained considerable significance within pharmaceutical operations. Conventional methods have made way for integrated cloud solutions such as Exeevo. It signifies a significant paradigm shift in business practices.

In the past, organizations relied on diverse stand-alone on-premises solutions, which necessitated manual data downloads and compilation. Integrating data from different sources created inconsistencies and errors and eliminated key insights. Data scalability encountered challenges during expansion.

However, platforms like Exeevo Omnipresence leverage the cloud’s adaptability and speed, making unified data globally accessible in real time. Additionally, it streamlines updates and fortifies security through robust encryption and compliance measures.

Omnipresence has advanced global functionalities:

• Cross-functional and cross-franchise connected journeys
• Unified customer data with 360-degree visibility for all internal teams
• AI and ML-enhanced insights and tactical plan capabilities
• Personalized and orchestrated omnichannel capabilities in all channels and functions

Exeevo Omnipresence is a customer engagement solution for the entire organization, offering commercial and medical CRM with case management, account management, field services, marketing automation with events management, content management, commercial operations and supply chain, and a contact center.

Benefits of Integrating Exeevo Omnipresence in Pharmaceutical Commercial Operations

Modern commercial operations demand nimble commercial operating models that;

• Increase operational efficiencies with omnichannel digital strategies that improve customer insights through new digital end-to-end processes.
  
• Deliver omnichannel marketing through actionable, data-driven insights. Implementing an enterprise solution like Exeevo Omnipresence provides many benefits. 

Omnipresence transforms commercial operations by integrating every facet of a business into a unified, cloud-based ecosystem. This versatile solution range of functionalities, such as CRM, AI, and data analytics, streamline operations and foster data-driven decision-making. 

From sales and marketing to customer service, Omnipresence provides real-time insights and automation capabilities that allow organizations to agilely respond to market changes, improve sales performance, and enhance customer engagement. Its modular architecture allows for tailored solutions, enabling businesses to only invest in the needed functionality, reducing costs and complexities. 

With machine learning algorithms, predictive analytics, and customizable dashboards, commercial enterprises can effectively analyze performance metrics, identify growth opportunities, and execute targeted omnichannel strategies, all of which contribute to improved efficiency, reduced operational risks, and a competitive advantage in the market.

Let’s dive into these benefits:

Operational Efficiencies to Achieve Commercial Excellence

Omnipresence offers integrated business solutions to improve operational efficiency and achieve commercial excellence. Through its array of applications, including CRM, Marketing, and specialized modules for field sales, medical affairs, customer service, and content management, Exeevo provides a unified platform that facilitates seamless data flow across different global business units. 

This interconnectedness allows for real-time analytics, streamlined communication, and enhanced visibility, enabling companies to make data-driven decisions quickly. Advanced automation features can significantly reduce manual workloads, enabling teams to focus on value-added tasks like Omnichannel customer engagement and strategic planning. The architecture’s adaptability ensures it can be tailored to meet the specific needs of a business, providing the agility needed to respond to market changes effectively. 

By optimizing workflows and reducing operational costs, Omnipresence empowers companies to achieve higher levels of productivity and profitability, thereby driving commercial excellence.

Improved Omnichannel Communication Driven by AI-Powered Analytics

Exeevo excels in providing enhanced communication channels. With a unified platform, teams can collaborate and ensure that information silos are a thing of the past. 

Moreover, its customer relationship tools enable businesses to foster and enhance client relationships. This aids in comprehending their requirements, paving the way for tailored solutions. So, client loyalty expands, and the organization transforms into a reliable ally beyond being a mere service provider.

On-the-Go with Exeevo’s Omnipresence Device Agnostic Go App

With mobility and device agnostic paramount, Exeevo’s Mobile Application, “Omnipresence Go App”, is a game-changer. It lets field teams enable all the capabilities needed in life sciences for productivity and customer engagement on iOS, Android, Windows, and the Web. Empower your teams to record customer meetings, conduct face-to-face and remote detailing, capture consent and sample orders, and track call plans. Simplify managing accounts, opportunities, orders, and handling of medical or service inquiries and cases. 

Whether real-time data, team communication, or customer relationship management, the Omnipresence Go App ensures that pharmaceutical operations remain uninterrupted, regardless of location.

Real-World Examples of Exeevo Integration

Exeevo has excelled in transforming Life Sciences businesses through its cutting-edge solutions. Below are some examples that showcase the efficacy and impact of Exeevo’s next-gen capabilities.

Maintaining a Competitive Edge with Technology: Omnipresence Accelerated  Commercial Outcomes

A well-known Japanese specialty pharmaceutical company faced several challenges in its commercial division. They identified a lack of comprehensive Omnichannel strategies hindered their go-to-market plans and competitive edge.

Their entry into the Oncology field emphasized the need to boost customer engagement. Also, their current CRM solution was outdated, which limited their growth. The company struggled to merge data globally, which hampered its ability to understand valuable customer insights.

Exeevo, with its Omnipresence CRM, came to the rescue. Our unified, scalable, low-code/no-code Omnichannel solution is tailor-made for the Life Sciences sector and has assisted them in overcoming their challenges. The outcomes? 

• The company’s Omnichannel strategies have revitalized its go-to-market endeavors. 
• AI and ML integrations have supercharged their commercial productivity and elevated the customer experience.
• Combining their data sources has heightened operational prowess and given them quicker access to invaluable insights.

Sanofi China Leveraged Omnipresence Fine-Tuned Sales Plans and Optimize HCP And Customer Engagement

SANOFI China, an arm of global healthcare innovator SANOFI, has showcased its dedication to Life Sciences innovation, boasting $2 billion in yearly sales. SANOFI’s legacy systems, essential for field operations and events, became restrictive. These legacy solutions and non-compliance with Border Data Transfer (CBDT) and the Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL) hindered growth and data management. 

Exeevo’s intervention proved transformative. By implementing our tailored OneCRM solution:

• SANOFI added to market shifts, optimized sales plans, and enhanced customer engagement. This integrated solution, catering to commercial and event management, streamlined decision-making processes. 
• Exeevo’s expert domain knowledge facilitated the seamless deployment of OneCRM for over 5,500 users across China. 
• With intelligent insights, SANOFI’s operational teams achieved better alignment in customer-facing roles. This has empowered them to create targeted sales strategies. As a result, SANOFI China positioned itself as an innovator with exceptional customer experiences.

Challenges in Modern Pharma Commercial Operations

Life Sciences companies are using new technologies to improve the experience for healthcare professionals and patients. They want to elevate healthcare professionals’ and patients’ experiences to compensate for past tech delays. Even with this tech investment, only half of professionals feel it improves the customer experience. 

PwC reminds us that using technology isn’t enough. Companies should combine a customer experience strategy with the right technology to clarify their messaging and manage their data well.

This holistic method gives clear data and deeper knowledge about customers. Yet, the challenge remains. There’s a big difference between customer expectations and actual experiences. 4 in 10 leaders feel their digital transformations have limited impact and even successful projects encounter new hurdles. 

Using tools like CRM or marketing technology isn’t the answer. Life Sciences companies must rethink how they manage customers to overcome traditional challenges like regulatory compliance.

Regulatory and Compliance Challenges

In modern pharma businesses, the rules keep shifting, and companies must stay agile and forward-thinking. Both global and local compliance rules are essential. Global rules give a general guide, while local ones address specific market needs. Modern pharma commercial operations are facing many ever-evolving regulatory challenges. 

As regulations transform, pharmaceutical companies deal with complexities that demand adeptness and foresight. Adherence to both global and local compliance standards is imperative. While global standards provide a broad framework, local regulations ensure that products meet individual markets’ specific needs and concerns.

Solutions like Exeevo’s Omnipresence have emerged as invaluable tools in this challenging environment. Omnipresence CRM provides a haven in this complex web. It offers a regulatory-compliant solution that includes a Medical Liaison (MLR) content management module to ensure companies can focus on innovation and service delivery without compromising compliance. 

Pharma businesses can address regulatory demands by integrating such advanced solutions. They can ensure safety, efficacy, and trustworthiness in all their commercial endeavors.

System Integration Issues

System integration is complex and costly as it involves aligning various subsystems—each with its own hardware, software, and operational protocols—to function as a coherent, unified system. Challenges include:

Data Consistency and Compatibility: One of the foremost challenges is ensuring that all systems speak the same “language.” This isn’t just a matter of using the same data format but also ensuring that the data’s semantics and operational logic align across the board. If one system calculates profit margins differently from another, for example, then integrating the two could result in flawed business insights. Data governance and integrity checks must be established to ensure seamless integration.

Security Concerns: As you combine different systems with security protocols and vulnerabilities, you risk creating “weak links” in your security chain. Data can be exposed during the transfer from one system to another if the integration isn’t secure. A dedicated employee needs to be assigned to oversee comprehensive security risk assessments and develop unified security protocols that adhere to regulatory compliance, ensuring that data remains secure during and after integration.

Legacy Systems: Many organizations still use outdated software or hardware that performs a critical function and cannot be easily upgraded or replaced. These legacy systems can be a nightmare to integrate with newer technologies. The challenge lies in figuring out how to make old and new systems communicate effectively without exorbitant costs or risks to operational stability.

Downtime and Business Continuity: Integration often requires taking systems offline for some time, which can disrupt business operations. The longer the downtime, the more significant the impact on productivity and revenue. The downtime needs to be planned meticulously to minimize disruption by staging integrations during off-hours or in a way that allows partial functionality to continue. They also need to have rollback plans in case things go wrong.

Exeevo, a Microsoft partner, solves many of the challenges faced by IT departments. 

An Omnipresence integration allows: 

• Unified common data model across apps and business processes 
• Robust security and compliance features
• Elimination of disparate legacy 3rd party software 
• Reduction of downtime maintaining and updating legacy system
• Reduces IT system integration, maintenance and employee workloads

The architecture of the Microsoft and Omnipresence solution is tightly integrated with Azure cloud, and can be easily extended or customized during the Microsoft Power Platform their partnership represents the strength of teamwork.  

Adapting to Rapid Market Changes

Now more than ever, commercial companies must remain flexible. They must be ready to respond to market variations, new trends, and unexpected hurdles. This adaptability opens the door to new opportunities and provides a safety net against risks. It ensures consistent growth even in unstable market conditions.

Businesses must prioritize ongoing market analysis and leverage predictive analytics to remain at the forefront of market shifts. This helps them meet changing customer needs. So, here’s what helps: 

• Being open to new ideas and trying new experiments helps you adapt faster. 
• Teams need ongoing training and new methods to handle these changes. 
• Talking with industry peers or participating in group discussions can provide great insights.

The Future of Pharma Commercial Operations

Thanks to new technologies, the pharma industry is changing. Historically, pharma brands focused on therapeutic benefits and ignored the customer-centric approach. Now, they focus on the healthcare professional over the drug. Health professionals, patients, and providers get technical information. But these details fail to address their concerns.

Life Sciences organizations must focus on quality over sheer content volume to resonate in this new era. Strategic collaboration, accentuating customer value, and understanding HCP needs must become a priority. The future isn’t about digitizing content but reinventing content creation. It should connect, engage, and meet the audience’s changing needs.

AI is paving the way for advancements in Life Sciences Commercial operations. Watch Exeevo’s webinar to get invaluable insights on AI’s transformative role. 

Looking into the future, tools like Exeevo’s Cloud Solutions Omnipresence CRM emerge as game-changers. Recognized by Gartner, IDC and Everest as the only alternative to Salesforce-based systems, Exeevo’s cutting-edge technology offers: 

• Accelerated global productivity;
• Real-time advanced insights;
• Harmonized common data model;
• Single License Framework;
• Seamless third-party integrations.

Exeevo combines technology with market demands. We have designed our solutions to guide Life Sciences companies through market changes so that they achieve their commercial goals.

Get in touch with us to learn how Exeevo’s solutions can drive your business forward. You can also explore more insights on our blog page.