Technology Everywhere, Satisfaction Nowhere
In pharma marketing, technological innovation has raced ahead. From MCE and OCE to AI-driven “Next Best Action” engines, omnichannel capability has exploded. We now have the tools to tailor content, optimize journeys, and deliver messages with pinpoint precision.
Yet healthcare professional (HCP) satisfaction remains stubbornly low. Despite all the promise of digital engagement, recent industry surveys from Precision AQ show that HCP satisfaction with pharma’s omnichannel efforts has never crossed the 50% mark — even at the peak of digital investment.
Tellingly, 2024 saw digital budgets fall back to pre-pandemic levels after hitting a high in 2023. (Precision AQ Maturometer 2024 Report: https://www.precisionaq.com/en-gb/blog/maturometer-2024)
This points to a hard truth: technology alone isn’t delivering.
What’s Going Wrong?
The problem isn’t a lack of tools — it’s a lack of human insight.
Pharma continues to prioritize system-generated metrics like clicks, reach, and impressions. But these say little about whether the content actually resonates. As a result, many campaigns broadcast messages HCPs don’t need or want — across more channels, and at greater speed.
If everyone is using the same data and algorithms, the result isn’t personalization — it’s homogenization. And while marketing automation grows more efficient, it often just amplifies the same strategic missteps.
Bring Back the Human Element
To fix this, we must re-center strategies around HCPs as people — not just CRM records.
Real engagement requires more than technical targeting. It needs:
- Content that engages
- Messaging that connects emotionally
- Channel strategies that respect time and context
At DeltaMV, we call this the “Three Pillars” of engagement: content, message, and channel excellence.
A common mistake is that content and messaging are the same thing – they are not!
- Content That Helps, Not Just Sells
Content should be a value exchange — not a broadcast of brand talking points. That means understanding the real-world challenges HCPs face and building around their needs:
- Help me with the drug: How does it work in practice? What are the patient considerations?
- Help me with the therapy area: What clinical dilemmas need guidance?
- Help me as a doctor: What professional or emotional pressures am I under?
Topics like comorbidity management, confidence with new therapies, patient communication, or even burnout are more likely to earn attention than reiterating a familiar product’s mechanism of action.
- Messaging That Moves Beyond Features
Changing prescribing behavior means engaging hearts as well as minds.
DeltaMV’s behavioral framework maps drivers and barriers by segment, helping brands shift from rational benefits (e.g., “improves OS by X months”) to emotionally resonant messages (e.g., “gives patients more time with family”).
The strongest messaging architectures combine:
- An emotional benefit the brand can credibly own
- A rational proof to support it
- Tailored expression for different HCP personas
- Channel Excellence That’s Context-Aware
Pharma often gets omnichannel wrong by overlooking contextual nuance.
Just because HCPs use a platform doesn’t mean they want pharma content there. A PDF white paper might be welcome in a morning email — but disruptive in a midday app notification.
Smart channel strategy considers:
- Channel fit: How does the HCP emotionally use the platform?
- Format and timing: When are they most receptive? In what form?
- Journey orchestration: Are we building a coherent path or delivering disjointed noise?
Moving From Metrics That Count to Metrics That Matter
CRM system generated KPIs — impressions, opens, time-on-page — reflect activity, not impact. They optimize for noise, not influence.
To truly measure engagement, pharma must adopt human insight metrics, including:
- Mental Availability: Is your treatment the one that comes to mind when it counts?
- Net Value Score: Do HCPs believe your content is worth their time? What content adds value and what does not?
- Touchpoint Equivalence Scores: Which touchpots are most effective and how can you compare?
- Effective Share of Voice: How does your presence compare to competitors — in value, not volume?
These are derived from primary research, not CRM logs — and they offer a far richer view of brand performance. They are easilly inteagrated into broader data ecosystems to enhance your existing system-generated metrics.
AI as a Partner, Not a Panacea
Artificial Intelligence is a powerful tool — but not a silver bullet.
Yes, AI can rapidly generate channel-specific content, localize messages, and refine journeys based on behavior. But without human insight to guide it, AI risks scaling irrelevance.
DeltaMV’s approach blends:
- Insight-led prompts: Based on real HCP needs
- AI-powered content engines: For fast, adaptive execution
- Validation filters: To ensure local and emotional resonance
The result is scalable content that is not just efficient — but emotionally intelligent.
Conclusion: Relevance Over Reach
Omnichannel isn’t broken — but the way we’ve been using it is. The future of HCP engagement isn’t more tech — it’s smarter tech, led by human truth.
In an AI-enabled world, success belongs to those who understand that real connection begins with real insight.
