Are we suffering from "COVIDIGITALITIS"?
We feared the first wave of COVID19 but managed to curtail the further widespread in mid of chaos. Now knowing that COVID 19 is here to stay, we are coping to ride the wave. Since the invasion of COVID19, apart from other industries, the entire pharmaceutical & healthcare ecosystem including sales and marketing teams are suffering from what we can now call it "COVIDIGITALITIS".
This COVID-induced digital inflammation aptly showing similar clinical signs & symptoms as the physiological "inflammation" are apparent.
Functio Laesa: Sudden loss of capability to function the way which was practice over decades. Having lost the traditional practices overnight, everyone seems to be struggling to identify the "right digital platform" that might work and identify what habits might fade away. Many brands and companies yet to catch up.
Dolor: Pain is felt due to sudden change in the cash inflows & outflows of various entities in the entire ecosystem from companies to the chemist & from practioner to patients. The system is ought to be bruised a bit due to the very reason for patients' reluctance to see a doctor. Going further we even see traces of vice versa happening. That should not surprise us. Fear has its own pros & cons.
Calor: The temperature is rising further due to the pressure of sales and confusion over acute segments taking a hit & chronic segment trending under panic buying by the patients. Also, the steep falls in various elective treatments & surgeries we saw are yet to fully recover. The fear which COVID19 instilled among the people across the world took the face of anger which is getting reflected in various live and social media conversations. Be it on the confusion over the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine & remdesivir or the frustration of not having a sure shot vaccine in place.
Rubor: I went red in anger when I received an invite to attend a seminar on "Scuba-diving in the post-covid scenario". Exactly, I gave the same expression. Being a weird topic I was wondering why they want me to attend? What will I do knowing about scuba-diving?
Well, can't blame the doctors either for going red on being bombarded with thousands of webinars, WhatsApp forwards, app download requests, and what not all. Several companies showing a blinking red signal to their expenditures or shifting it to fund some digital activities. Not to forget the whole world going red over China and WHO alleging mismanagement or miscommunication.
Tumor: With several experts' and reports' predictions coming true that the big brands will grow bigger and small brands going small, the tumor soon will be surfacing with excess stocks and more credit periods amounting to a significant tumor that might take several months to subsidize. The market is already seeing the emerging tumor of new segments of products revolving around "immunity" and "hygiene" coupled with a load of digital platforms.
No prize for guessing that the fear will persist till a vaccine is in place. Fear created some panic buying in several segments. But at the same time, people are getting careless due to the restlessness of lockdown restrictions which is another concern.
However, what we can learn is by recalling the days of demonetization & GST being implemented where many doctors or pharmacists rarely had service features of a point of sales machine (card swiping machine). Pharmacists in thousands were not even having a computer then. However, what surged then were the various e-wallet options and people adapting to digital money. It evolved. Likewise, many new things will evolve during the COVID19 pandemic.
I feel that COVIDIGITALITIS will lead to not only residual habits but a considerable change in the overall habits of everyone in the ecosystem. There will be new ways to meet & reach the customers. History is evident that many habits formed during the crisis will leave effects that will become a part of the habit.
Treatment for COVIDIGITALITIS?
Accept and add emotions
Be it a doctor, a pharmacist or a patient. Ultimately are humans. All will develop a strong sense of ownership and connectivity with brands/companies that provide them comfort when needed; even if digital.
With not knowing what might work and what might not, pharma by now have tried more digital in the last few months than it probably did since its existence. The ecosystem will partially change and also accept some emerging trends which in a long run will be benefiting. One of them is "work from home" culture that has come with its pros & cons. Brands now have to seek a deeper sense to connect with the doctors.
● Marketers must listen to consumers, venture into social listening, know what they seek before forcing down their throats of what you have.
● This is the right time to set our company or brands with emotional connect than just stick to functional benefits with consumers.
Embrace with grace
A little xenophobia will be seen due to uncertainty. Historians say that during the time of crisis, countries with dictator leadership models progress faster than those who have a democratic mindset. Whether companies too should have one such dictator to guide through is a moot question to ask. In the corporate world, one should express empathy and at the same time protect their strengths. Trying to create new ones during a crisis is not a good idea. By which I mean, marketers should ideally invest more in their big/high equity brands, KOLs, and critical mass customers.
Especially for sales and marketing., see "digital" as an augmenting medium and not a frugal alternative. It's here to stay.
The recent KPMG report mentioned digital ad spends have grown exponentially in several segments and will soon take over other media spends. Bingo! but is pharma having a digital mindset? I repeat, making a visual aid copy into an animated video for WhatsApp or a tab is not digital.
● Brand managers should try to ascertain the challenges of future trends. Invest to prepare for those trends.
● Marketers need to build a digital mindset with new metrics of RIC (reach, impressions & clicks).
● If planned well, digital as medium is more malleable, flexible & economical too.
● In a crisis, safeguard your strengths first, attempting to build new strengths in crisis might end up in a blunder
● Set your digital objectives clear and align them with business outcomes.
Avoid Overdoing
In this pandemic, new heroes are emerging in form of healthcare workers, police, defense, and people working around essential supplies and other support systems. There is also a positive flow of hope, gratitude, pride, and happiness for those who helped the needy. A pharmacist near my home laughingly said he got 6 appreciation certificates from different pharmaceutical companies and all called him a COVID HERO, WARRIOR, FIGHTER, etc. Several doctors might opine the same feelings with frustration.
● Avoid overdoing, be a master of minimalist be consistent, yet drive a powerful gesture/message.
● Think and design brand campaigns which are not one-sided communication but which are in a complete loop. Digital gives you that opportunity.
● Be receptive and develop an agile mindset to adapt in tough times.
Not long, in January 2020, I was in Baku, Azerbaijan with our sales teams. Many of them were in touch on WhatsApp's call with their stockists. Someone said on a lighter note, "Sir, extend the trip for few more day, and we can even achieve 100% sales closing in India sitting in Azerbaijans".
Little did we realize then that in a couple of months the whole world would be caged and be working from home and restricted. The nature of doing business is changing and will bring in newer habits. It's time for us to adapt to new systems without whining. So let's be agile.
Well, do we have any options?
The author is a pharmaceutical marketing professional, digital enthusiast with 20 years experience. Currently working as General Manager -Corporate Strategy with a leading pharmaceutical company in India. The views expressed in the articles are solely those of the author in his private capacity. Twitter handlle - @pawankulkarni.
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