Q4. Do you believe that technology induced changes like digital initiatives are here to stay for good or will we go back to the old, routine ways of working once the lockdown is over? How does your organization see it? Are you playing an active role in defining the new set of actions?

• All participants felt that the new normal is “Phygital” a hybrid of physical and digital. It is here to stay for good. Work design will substantially change from hereon as more and more work goes digital.
• However, innovation is still found wanting big time. Customers (HCPs) are fed up with the industry efforts already. Every single company is hosting 2-3 webinars daily. It is reported that on an average a good KOL receives 7 webinar invites a day. Most webinars are disease area related, some are new product launch related and a few are guised CRM efforts. KOLs are turning down invites as a result of oversaturation by companies in hosting webinar events.
• It is reported that webinars are fast losing their relevance. KOLs do not find content as differentiated. They are forced to become panelists of two competing companies sometimes in same therapy area on a given day. This has lead to fatigue and loss of engagement.
• Strangely enough, the focus seems to be on “Survival of the Quickest” to reach the customer in these times and not on Quality when actually a lot more meaningful and differentiated work can get done if only more thought and rigor were applied. Customers want to engage in digital outreach efforts by companies but there seems to exist a lack of understanding by the industry in how to bring about a meaningful engagement.
• It is also felt that tactical actions like daily WhatsApp messaging on brands, good morning wishes and subtle surrogate reminders have not gone down well with the HCP community and have earned the ire of HCPs. Physicians have reported disappointment, criticized sales people for lack of imagination and in some cases, extreme reactions, when companies persisted in such activities in name of doing digital calls on customers since the in-clinic calls have been put on hold now.
• One participant reported positive benefits of the digital engagement due to innovative actions taken. The company has tied up with the leading Physicians Association of that TA and built out the calendar for next 4 months in a meaningful manner based on geography, disease state, relevant interest of the HCP community and availability of choice speakers. More thought has been applied and as a result, gains are materializing. Care has been taken to avoid overload and stagger it well.
• Colleagues realize that at times, webinars are being pushed down the throat of the physicians since the mandate comes from above and focus is to engage with the HCP at any cost. As a result, quality can get compromised and one merely goes through the motions.