In the ever-evolving pharmaceutical industry landscape, staying ahead requires constant innovation and adaptation. One of the most transformative tools at our disposal today is Artificial Intelligence (AI). Platforce hosted a webinar titled Is AI the Solution to Pharma CRM Challenges? that explored the potential of AI to revolutionize Customer Experience Management (CXM) in the pharma sector. The session brought together industry experts who shared their insights on balancing data, AI developments, and human creativity and explored ways to foster collaboration between sales and marketing teams.
Watch the full webinar recording:
Meet the Experts:
- Claudia Adreani, Independent Consultant at Belly Slide Consulting, brings over a decade of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, including strategic roles at AstraZeneca and Boehringer Ingelheim.
- Dan Buckland, Director at Brandcast Health, specializes in medical marketing and communications, with a keen focus on content strategy and delivery.
- Florent Edouard, SVP, Global Head of Commercial Excellence at Grünenthal Group, has extensive experience in leveraging data and AI to drive commercial success in the pharmaceutical industry.
- Stefan Repin, Head of Marketing at Platforce, guided the discussion with insightful questions and facilitated a dynamic exchange of ideas.
Introduction to the Promise of AI in Pharma CRM
The webinar began with an introduction by Stefan Repin, who set the stage by highlighting the immense potential of AI in transforming Pharma CRM. He emphasized the need for the industry to move beyond traditional CRM systems and use the power of AI to gain deeper insights into customer behaviour and preferences.
Data Analysis with AI Transforms Insights into Action
The first segment of the webinar focused on the role of AI in data analysis. Florent Edouard kicked off the discussion by sharing his experiences and challenges with CRM systems in the pharma industry. He highlighted the importance of aggregating data from various channels to understand customers better and pivot strategies accordingly.
“Without the help of tools like generative AI, the wealth of data you have to manipulate to be able to decide if Dr. Rein wants to have information on safety or efficacy is enormous. No human being can compute that.” – Florent Edouard
Florent explained that AI could process vast amounts of data quickly, enabling companies to personalize their interactions with healthcare professionals (HCPs) more effectively. He stressed that while AI could handle data analysis, human oversight is essential to ensure the insights are applied correctly.
CRM Data will Bridge the Gap between Sales and Customers
Next, the conversation shifted to the practical use of data in CRM. Dan Buckland discussed the common pitfalls in the industry, where the full potential of CRM systems often goes untapped. He emphasized the need for marketers and account managers to understand their CRM systems’ capabilities fully and integrate strategic data points to enhance customer relationship management.
“I think people don’t understand the capability of their own CRMs right now. It’s crucial to strategically design your CRM to capture the right data about your customers.” – Dan Buckland
Dan pointed out that many companies use CRM systems merely as call logs for sales reps, missing out on the strategic benefits that these systems can offer. He called for a shift in mindset, where data from CRM systems is used proactively to drive marketing and sales strategies.
Creating a Content Strategy with AI: How to Combine Data with Creativity
One of the most intriguing parts of the webinar was the discussion on creating a content strategy with AI. Claudia Adreani shared her insights on balancing AI’s data-driven capabilities with human creativity. She explained how AI could analyze customer data to provide insights and recommendations, but human input is necessary to ensure the content resonates with the target audience.
“I think that the essential work of humans vetting the creativity level. […] I don’t think we need to just leave it to devices but it (AI) definitely has got a lot of capacity to help.”- Claudia Adreani
Claudia highlighted the need for a collaborative approach, where AI provides data-driven insights and humans add the creative touch to develop compelling content strategies. This blend of AI and human creativity can result in more engaging and effective content that meets the needs of the audience.
Will AI Improve Collaboration Between Sales and Marketing Teams?
A key theme of the webinar was the importance of collaboration between sales and marketing teams. The panellists discussed how AI could facilitate this collaboration by providing data-driven insights that align both teams’ strategies towards common goals. Successful CRM strategies depend on the collaboration between sales and marketing teams. AI can facilitate this by providing insights that help align their efforts towards common goals, suggested the panellists.
The experts agreed that a unified approach, supported by AI-driven insights, could lead to more effective CRM strategies and better business outcomes. They emphasized the need for regular communication and data sharing between teams to ensure that everyone is working towards the same objectives.
Audience Q&A: Addressing Real-World Challenges
The webinar concluded with a Q&A session, where the panellists addressed various audience questions. One of the key topics was the practical application of AI in CRM and the challenges of integrating AI tools into existing systems. While AI can process and analyze large datasets to provide actionable insights, human creativity and intuition are essential for developing strategies that truly connect with customers remarked the speakers.
The panellists also discussed future trends in the industry, highlighting the potential of AI to drive even greater innovation and efficiency in CRM systems. They stressed the importance of continuous learning and adaptation to stay ahead in the rapidly changing pharma landscape.
Key Takeaways
The Platforce webinar provided a comprehensive overview of how AI can revolutionize CRM in the pharma industry. Here are some key takeaways:
- AI can process and analyze large datasets to provide actionable insights. However, human creativity and intuition are essential for developing strategies that truly connect with customers.
- Integration of AI in CRM: AI enhances CRM systems by enabling more personalized customer interactions. This requires clean data and a strategic approach to integrating AI tools.
- Successful CRM strategies depend on the collaboration between sales and marketing teams, facilitated by AI-driven insights that help align their efforts towards common goals.
- The industry must continuously adapt and learn to stay ahead in the rapidly changing landscape. This includes staying updated with the latest AI developments and integrating them into CRM strategies effectively.
This detailed exploration of AI’s role in Pharma CRM highlights the transformative potential of AI in the industry. By combining data-driven insights with human creativity and fostering collaboration between sales and marketing teams, pharma companies can enhance their CRM strategies and achieve better business outcomes.
About Platforce
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