Data-Driven Insights to Create An Omnichannel Approach

Q: What added value does Trilations offer to healthcare companies?

A: Trilations is a consulting firm based in Belgium, operating in 50 countries. We primarily focus on large pharmaceutical companies and medical device companies, helping them to become more customer-centric than their competitors and increase their share. When these companies get closer to their clients, they get a better understanding of the market. Even before a product is commercialized, companies can already learn how to succeed in that market. After the product is launched, especially in very competitive areas, we help them understand their place in the market relative to their competition to then determine how to improve to be better positioned.

Everything we do is data-driven and fact-based; even with industry experts within the company, the strategies that we put forward are always rooted in data. Much of the information is collected through market research, upon which we perform advanced analytics to come to conclusions that are sometimes not obvious but very effective. After we have developed the insights, we work with our clients to help develop action plans to ensure improvement. Our work goes beyond a study: we work cooperatively with brand teams and product teams in interactive workshops to make sure that the right goals, both realistic and effective, are developed. We then come back to perform the same process again at least once a year, which establishes accountability to the goals and links the efforts to their business and brand planning processes.

Q: What potential does Mexico offer to Trilations’ foreign clients?

A: We have been in Mexico for over five years. The country is one of the largest pharmaceutical markets in Latin America so a lot of our work has been in pharma where Mexico has strong potential. This is a competitive market. All of the major industry players work in Mexico, which creates many opportunities for us to help these companies to identify what is happening in their market, how to improve and win

Q: How has Trilations adapted its solutions to the Mexican market?

A: Our methodologies are much the same the world over. The main difference is in the collection of the data, and the results. We work with partners to collect the data and over the years the process has evolved thanks to the use of digital tools. Traditionally, the Mexican people put a great deal of stock in face-to-face meetings, which is different from some other markets around the world. However, they are adapting and growing in the digital market. This has impacted healthcare providers and executives, in particular, who were formerly interviewed in person but now are open to digital options.

The country is significantly growing its investment in healthcare technology and innovation. Over the past two to three years, Mexico’s GDP has grown, which has impacted healthcare provision through the increased use of technology and medical devices. One of the other drivers of this growth is the response of the healthcare sector to the market’s needs. For example, Mexico’s population, due to aging and its unfortunate participation in the global obesity epidemic, is increasingly at risk of chronic diseases, which creates demand for the latest healthcare services to improve, extend and save lives.

Q: What opportunities has COVID-19 created in the Mexican healthcare market?

A: Pharmaceutical and medical devices companies can no longer meet healthcare providers face to face during the COVID pandemic. There has been a growing need for a service that we provide called omnichannel strategy. Through this service, we analyze the market to understand what communication channels reach physicians and healthcare executives and which ones they prefer. Through data, we can determine which of those channels has the greatest communication impact. There are often between 10 and 20 channels, ranging from conferences and a variety of in-person visits to digital platforms, like email, social media, and web meetings. Our work enables our clients to both simulate and then to knowledgeably shift their efforts during COVID-19 from less effective to more effective channels, based on real data rather than hunches or feelings.

For us, also, the pandemic has made it harder to meet new potential clients in person. To continue growing in the Mexican market, tools like LinkedIn are well-suited to the country. These have made it easy for us to keep having discussions, which from a prospective standpoint is very positive. Other times, our work is frequently spread by word of mouth thanks to our good results. As our clients are multinational, they often seek us out in other countries, or recommend us to their local partners.

To collect data, we have relied on the local companies that have expertise in the country and have growing healthcare panels.

The pandemic also impacted the way we delivered our services. Most of our solutions include delivering insights through workshops because that is where we engage with the customer and their teams. Now, we have migrated to web-based meeting platforms, which has proven very effective as it allows large group sessions as well as breakouts.  As our clients have already been using these tools inside their companies, the transition to digital workshops has actually been extremely smooth.

Trilations is a management consulting firm that helps its pharma and medical device clients to make fact-based decisions based on market research, advanced analytics and organizational engagement.  Started in 2001, Trilations helps the world’s largest healthcare firms realize the tangible benefits of enhanced customer centricity in over 50 countries.