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E-Folder - Should You Take Care of Your Customers?
Sometimes it feels like business would be so much better without customers. We could go about our internal meetings without problems, set-up strategies that we like and understand, decide where the funds should go...life would be so easy...no customers, no cry (to paraphrase a famous song). Of course, this scenario conveniently forgets that it is the customer who pays our bills.
There is no doubt that t
There is no doubt that t
According to USFDA, a combination product is one composed of any combination of a drug and device; biological product and device; drug and biological product
he customer should be at the centre of every business strategy and yet, it often feels like focusing on them comes as an afterthought, a single paragraph in a business plan, nothing more (the famous 'Them' and 'Us' strategy.)
Let's face it, while the title of this article would make any marketer cringe, it is still common practice to make decisions without the customer in mind...and remain successful (b
Let's face it, while the title of this article would make any marketer cringe, it is still common practice to make decisions without the customer in mind...and remain successful (b
; or drug, device, and biological product and fixed dose combination would include two or more combinations of drug.
Examples of combination products may in
Examples of combination products may in
t for how long?)
Thinking about the customer is not a natural function for many businesses. Even many marketing departments avoid it, despite the fact that their very reason for being is to understand their customer. After all, isn't marketing's favourite discussion about how well they understand the customer, often better than anyone else in the company?
Unfortunately, even the relationship between 'm
Thinking about the customer is not a natural function for many businesses. Even many marketing departments avoid it, despite the fact that their very reason for being is to understand their customer. After all, isn't marketing's favourite discussion about how well they understand the customer, often better than anyone else in the company?
Unfortunately, even the relationship between 'm
lude drug-coated devices, drugs packaged with delivery devices in medical kits, and drugs and devices packaged separately but intended to be used together.
rketers' and customers is being eroded and in today's fragmented business place, customer interaction and customer treatment is often managed by a branch manager, a Customer Relationship Manager, a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solution or even a web site or call system. If you critically analyse many businesses, you will find that many marketing decisions simply have little impact on customers.
here is enormous increase in the number of combination products entering the market in the recent years. Combination products have proven advantages but fixe
Remember the 4Ps? There was a time when marketing was defined by the 4Ps (Price, Place, Product and Promotion.) In Asia, very few marketers really manage them all as they are either decided in headquarters or by someone with no direct marketing responsibility.
The 4Ps are gone
The complexities of delivery, promoting to the right people, business in general, have shown over and over again that business
d dose combinations are still in the process of convincing regulatory authority on their advantages over the single ingredient formulations.
Combination pro
Combination pro
s must strive to understand their customer beyond products and demographics, beyond the marketing department.
Interestingly, most of us as consumers have experienced instances that suggest many companies simply do not care much about us. And yet we seldom take this learning back to our own businesses.
There is an old proverb that states, 'If you cannot smile, do not open a shop.' This simple admonition
Interestingly, most of us as consumers have experienced instances that suggest many companies simply do not care much about us. And yet we seldom take this learning back to our own businesses.
There is an old proverb that states, 'If you cannot smile, do not open a shop.' This simple admonition
ucts have become life saving products for the pharmaceutical companies who doesn’t have many innovative molecules in their product pipeline and have been inc
should be enough to decide if you have what it takes to take care of customers days-in, days-out. After all, customers are becoming more and more sophisticated, more and more aware and more and more involved with the brands they choose (and therefore less and less involved with the brands they do not choose.)
The practice of taking care of your customers revolves primarily around three main actors on th
The practice of taking care of your customers revolves primarily around three main actors on th
easingly used in the product life cycle management. Even the companies having product patents are trying to extend their product life cycle through the combi
e business stage: the customer, the marketer and the business owner. There are, of course, many other stakeholders but it is these three that drive the business.
The case of the 'sophisticated' customer
'We all are customers' should be the new mantra. But are we all good customers?
It is obvious to state that customers around the world have become more sophisticated. Today they have the power to compa
The case of the 'sophisticated' customer
'We all are customers' should be the new mantra. But are we all good customers?
It is obvious to state that customers around the world have become more sophisticated. Today they have the power to compa
nation products and maximize the revenues. But the companies involved in this practice are overlooking that they are burdening the patients both economically
e price, buy abroad, buy directly or online, travel more and shop more. Even more importantly, they know they can complain to the right person (often with less effort than going through 'customer service'.)
This sophistication is at a cross-roads however. Today, the customer can no longer assume that companies will try to get his business. Let's face it, we should hardly expect corporations to treat us
This sophistication is at a cross-roads however. Today, the customer can no longer assume that companies will try to get his business. Let's face it, we should hardly expect corporations to treat us
and physically. They need to rightly judge the benefits of the combination products and they have to even look at the risks involved when combining the produ
ell if we are not ready to commit, if we are not ready to be involved in their success.
This could mean focusing on one brand per category, for example, in return for which we could rightly expect to be recognized as a 'good' customer. We must face the fact that corporations are becoming Masters at recognizing that not all customers are created equal.
When you are bombarded with irrelevant offers and o
This could mean focusing on one brand per category, for example, in return for which we could rightly expect to be recognized as a 'good' customer. We must face the fact that corporations are becoming Masters at recognizing that not all customers are created equal.
When you are bombarded with irrelevant offers and o
ts. Some of the combination products were well accepted by physicians while others suffered. Companies involved in development of combination products are fi
her marketing messages, deciding to be a good customer is a Life strategy. If you don't, your life could become more and more difficult to manage.
We have the right to select one brand and ask to be treated correctly. We have the right to put all our accounts into one bank and then ask to be treated well...if we don't, then we have nothing much to ask in return for our lack of commitment.
Marketing Tip
We have the right to select one brand and ask to be treated correctly. We have the right to put all our accounts into one bank and then ask to be treated well...if we don't, then we have nothing much to ask in return for our lack of commitment.
Marketing Tip
ding difficulty in defining their combination products and facing various challenges from selecting a combination to marketing it.
Following aspects would a
Following aspects would a
Understanding that the customer is as sophisticated as he or she wants to be (no more, no less) could reduce the numerous marketing mistakes we make by trying to be too clever, too cute or to humorous
The case of the 'sophisticated' marketer
At the same time as customers were becoming more sophisticated, so were marketers, helped in no small part by the advent of the Internet.
Marketing as a discipli
The case of the 'sophisticated' marketer
At the same time as customers were becoming more sophisticated, so were marketers, helped in no small part by the advent of the Internet.
Marketing as a discipli
dd to the challenges in developing combination products:
Which markets to tap where the combination products can do fairly well?
Which combination prod
Which markets to tap where the combination products can do fairly well?
Which combination prod
e has changed in the past 100 years, and not always for the better. Reading some of the older marketing texts from 60+ ago, it seems that they might have been more in touch with customers then that today. It also seems that they knew better their role in the growth of the business.
Today's marketer is often so sophisticated than he or she has lost touch with customers. Hidden behind research numbers and
Today's marketer is often so sophisticated than he or she has lost touch with customers. Hidden behind research numbers and
cts are meaningful and rational?
Which therapeutic categories to select?
Which Combinations can address unmet needs of the patients?
Do combin
Which therapeutic categories to select?
Which Combinations can address unmet needs of the patients?
Do combin
focus groups, the marketer often has a warped view of what the customer true behaviour really is. Analytics based on behaviour is very much in vogue and is an attempt to regain that lost knowledge.
While thankfully not all marketers are so remote, we all should be careful of the 'ivory tower' syndrome and ensure that we and our team get down in the trenches where customers are voting with their credit c
While thankfully not all marketers are so remote, we all should be careful of the 'ivory tower' syndrome and ensure that we and our team get down in the trenches where customers are voting with their credit c
tions increase the patient compliance?
What would be the developing cost?
How to tackle the risks encountered during combination product developmen
What would be the developing cost?
How to tackle the risks encountered during combination product developmen
ard.
Marketing Tip: Keeping an open mind and constantly ask the right questions (like how can I help sales?) The consumer is the only one who can say if a marketing campaign works, everything else is an opinion.
The case of the 'sophisticated' business owner
Last but not least, the role of the business owner in serving the customer cannot be ignored. While not always in their midst, his or her beliefs
Marketing Tip: Keeping an open mind and constantly ask the right questions (like how can I help sales?) The consumer is the only one who can say if a marketing campaign works, everything else is an opinion.
The case of the 'sophisticated' business owner
Last but not least, the role of the business owner in serving the customer cannot be ignored. While not always in their midst, his or her beliefs
t?
As combination products don't fit into the traditional categories of drugs, medical devices, or biological products, the USFDA is in the process of devel
As combination products don't fit into the traditional categories of drugs, medical devices, or biological products, the USFDA is in the process of devel
and business philosophy will determine whether a company becomes customer centric or not. The danger is, once again, to be too remote. Never treat customers as numbers - or even worse, as financial numbers. It is that simple. If the business leader is not customer centric, no amount of internal training or strategy will make the company focus on the customer.
From experience, it looks like the way peopl
From experience, it looks like the way peopl
ping new procedures for reviewing their safety, efficacy and quality.
Professional from academic institutions, pharmaceutical industries, health care indust
Professional from academic institutions, pharmaceutical industries, health care indust
are paid has a direct effect on the company's customer strategy. If sales people, for example, are paid to bring in business but not nurture the relationship, then customer will not get much post-sales service. In all fairness, that's not their role is this example. Can you imagine, however, a customer who only sees a sales person when they want something? What are the mid and long term implications? Wo
y and representatives from various regulatory agencies are working out to design the regulatory requirements for manufacture and sale of combination products
ld this impact the overall company's brand? You bet it would, and most probably negatively.
Marketing Tip: If you are a marketer and your most difficult customer is the General Manager, change job. You want to work for someone who will use all the best tools available to succeed, including marketing
Remember...
Becoming a customer centric organization is no longer a strategic question, it's a necessit
Marketing Tip: If you are a marketer and your most difficult customer is the General Manager, change job. You want to work for someone who will use all the best tools available to succeed, including marketing
Remember...
Becoming a customer centric organization is no longer a strategic question, it's a necessit
.
As there is an increasing trend of the combination products companies manufacturing such products should be able to tackle the problems involved in the de
As there is an increasing trend of the combination products companies manufacturing such products should be able to tackle the problems involved in the de
. You have to become one. If you don't your competition will and your customers will follow them. And while you can use all the technology you need to enable your business to be customer centric, if your business philosophy focuses on something else, you will never achieve that goal.
Points to Remember: - The customer should be at the centre of every business strategy (easier said than done but not impo
Points to Remember: - The customer should be at the centre of every business strategy (easier said than done but not impo
elopment. They need to be wiser in analyzing the market trends and the regulatory requirements.
Companies that provide selfless information through particip
Companies that provide selfless information through particip
sible) - The 4Ps are gone, move on - Customers are sophisticated (and we are all customers) - Marketers are sophisticated (sometime too much for our own good. Let's refocus on helping sales) - If the company owner does not believe in marketing, you might be fighting a loosing battle - And don't forget, your sales force focuses on what they get paid for, NOTHING else.
Copyright (c) 2006 Frederic Moraillo
Copyright (c) 2006 Frederic Moraillo
tion in industry events and feedback to regulatory authorities would be able to face the challenges and will be successful in developing combination products
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