We Need to Operate

Gallup’s industry sector ratings are based on public perceptions of industry sectors. These are ‘the court of public sentiment’ ratings and encompass criteria including:

1.           Trust: act ethically and responsibly

2.           Experience: deliver quality products /services

3.           Impact:   economic contributions and social responsibility

4.           Reputation: historical performance and public relations

5.           Innovation: future fitness and ability to anticipate and adapt

Spoiler alert, the pharmaceutical industry in the 8/24 release was last.

This . . . the essential industry that changes the course of disease and suffering in living things . . . was seen as the Chicago White Sox of industries. (Sorry White Sox fans - I would have said the NY Giants as I am more of a football fan - but it is just too much this early in the season).

I Cry Foul

When you need them – when you need a medication and it offers relief or even a cure -  it must be the pinnacle of perception for the brand at least. Right?

Perhaps they did not poll many people with illnesses. Perhaps the declining Fans in the Stands are feeling unheard, undersupported, and are simply not getting what they expected.

So maybe, let’s look at it as a canary in a coal mine – a signal that there is trouble a ‘Brewin beneath the surface. Trouble signals often show up in gaps in operational prowess, and that prowess:

• enhances trust
• through great experience
• that has impact on lives
• which enhances reputations when done with ease and empathy
• all of which are results and requirements of innovation done beautifully

Diagnose First

Understanding where operations are falling short is an exercise in diagnosis and can be accomplished through solicited and unsolicited customer and customer frontline feedback. lackluster performance erodes trust and the chain to advocacy and adherence weakens further from there on.

Across channels of engagements, the ability to understand where trust is eroded, by unclear, ill-timed, and broken experiences is a matter of asking and observing.

Our operational metrics (O-Data) will tell us what is and mostly what has already happened. But do they tell us why?

Experiential data (X-Data) tell us how people felt about an engagement with our brand (digital, field, support, use, access).

Cut Second

Operational Excellence in Pharma customer engagement therefore, can be supported by a more complete diagnosis. It is not unlike the often quoted medical adage that "It is more important to know what kind of a person the disease has, than to know what kind of a disease the person has." they are likely not on your site, seeing your reps, attending your event, or rage-clicking in your prior authorization process because they do not have relevance to the brand at hand.

The Known data are artifacts, symptoms of engagement and operational shortcomings. Enhanced by the Knowable data that is lying in wait guides us to better understanding where we should take actions and what sorts of actions we should take and measure.

Winning in the Court of Public Opinion

We are winding down The Year of Trust and 2025 will build upon that 'price of entry' for showing up in a way that both customers and you and your colleagues connect to one another.

If we deconstruct the Gallup poll or any customer sentiment research and data, the path is pretty clear. The Knowable data is not a nice to have for and industry or relationship for that matter. Uncovering sentiment and acting on gaps and breaks is a great way to run your business and your life.