Have hybrid congresses reached their full potential in providing a true omnichannel experience? Michelle Collins, Head of Digital Solutions at Prime Global, discusses.
We have made positive steps in this direction but we still have further to go to achieve a true omnichannel experience. Omnichannel might be the buzzword of the moment and come with a multitude of different variations, but in our minds, it is when we place a person at the centre of their experience, who can move from one channel to another and be able to view material in context to their last engagement.
So, in order for us to provide a seamless experience across these different channels, we need to ensure that those touchpoints are sharing information between each other effectively.
From what we have witnessed in 2022 so far, is that this is not happening effectively due the following challenges:
- Data being siloed which is hindering providing that true omnichannel experience
- Client platforms that are being leveraged to only 10% of their capability
- ePermissions (email consent) that are not being collected
- Third party platform data that is not being collected (behavioural and personal data) or connected to a brand’s eco-system
Omnichannel is now an expectation amongst our audiences and clients, so how can we provide this in a congress setting to overcome the challenges listed above:
1. Map out the customer journey with the physical and virtual delegates in mind, leveraging personas to identify touchpoints and help fulfil their personalised needs:
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- Ensure we have the appropriate e-permissions for audiences and if not, a robust strategy on how to obtain them e.g., an asset library on a booth.
- Ensure touchpoints provide a true value exchange for the different persona types, as we need to interact with and consent to their data being obtained.
- When mapping out the customer journey, ensure we are reaching the right audience, at the right time, with the right content.
2. Ensure we are embedding the correct data pipes, so these touchpoints are sharing information effectively between each other in real time.
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- Provide a joined-up data approach for a single view of your audience – this can be done through leveraging profiling, cross channel integration and ID linking.
- Pharmaceutical companies have the technology in place but need guidance at a brand level on how to leverage them to provide a true omnichannel experience.
3. Educate brands, MSLs and rep teams on the why, what, and how of providing a true omnichannel experience.
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- Ensure market access, commercial and medical affairs teams are not working in silo and are working in a cross-functional way when engaging their audiences.
- Communicate with teams on the benefits of providing an omnichannel experience to their audiences.
4. Work with IT and digital teams to ensure we are leveraging the right technology to provide an omnichannel approach.
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- A big question for providing an omnichannel approach is how to marry up the offline and online experiences whilst at a congress – this can be done through QR codes, digital empowered booth experiences, eDetailng aids and booth asset libraries.
In summary, providing an omnichannel experience is no longer ‘a nice to have’ but an expectation amongst our audiences, so we need to take into account the above steps to provide an immersive, consistent and seamless omnichannel experience.
Further information
- Recap on our post from last year “Re-imagining congresses: how far have we come”
- Watch a webinar where our experts lead thought-provoking discussions on the shape of MedComms post Covid -19, especially around congress and live events
Michelle and the digital team are ready to harness innovation and creativity, and take your communications to the next level! They are ready and waiting for their next challenge.
