Rethinking the customer engagement model in Japan for COVID-19 and beyond

COVID-19 has disrupted the traditional engagement model and demands a fundamental rethink of how pharma companies engage with their customers. But few players seem to be rising to the challenge, write Patrick Branch (pictured) from LEK Consulting and Ludwig Kanzler from Hanegi LLC, in an Expert View piece.

Severe disruption

Unlike many other markets in the world, Japan had until very recently been driven by ‘share-of-voice’, with market development and patient share being largely sensitive to sales activity. Growing pressure on pricing and creeping restrictions on HCP access had begun to chip away at the sustainability of this model pre-COVID. Companies had been experimenting with new channels such as remote and digital to find lower-cost alternatives to the traditional sales model. In specialties such as oncology and immunology, as well rare and orphan diseases, a shift had already occurred towards a leaner, more medicalized engagement model. Nevertheless, whether due to challenges around customer acceptance, effective execution, or commercial relevance, sales for most franchises and brands in Japan were still largely driven by sales-muscle prior to COVID-19, even as companies broadened the array of engagement channels they used.