customer service in clinical research markets jeff parke intellectual property

Customer Relationships and Service in the Clinical Research Market.

2

Contents

How to Manage Customer Expectations................................................................................. 3

Customer Satisfaction is Driven by Customer Perception ........................................................................ 4

The Importance of Analysis ....................................................................................................................... 5

Tips for Managing Customer Expectations ............................................................................................... 6

Key Issues that Stand in the Way of Positive Customer Relationships ..................................... 7

Companies and Customers Want the Same Thing.................................................................................... 8

Addressing the Top Issues ......................................................................................................................... 9

Build Customer Confidence .................................................................................................. 11

Achieving Service Excellence .................................................................................................................. 12

Engaging a Site ........................................................................................................................................ 13

Establishing Benchmarks ........................................................................................................................ 13

Maintain a Strong Relationship ............................................................................................ 15

Establish a Team Business Model ........................................................................................................... 16

Following the Industry ............................................................................................................................ 18


3

How to Manage Customer Expectations

earning how to manage customer expectations involves a variety of different

aspects. There are constant challenges that Biopharma are faced with in regards to

their customers. These challenges can often affect clinical trial performance – which

is why it is imperative that a relationship is managed properly.

The Biopharma-customer relationship is very similar in nature to all other customer

relationships. The goal is to maximize on the lifecycle of the relationship and ensure that

everyone is getting what they need.

There are changes throughout an industry on a regular basis. As there are changes, there

are needs that the customer wants to have met – and it is the goal of the Biopharma

company to ensure that these needs are being met. Otherwise, the customer could easily

move to another company or service provider in order to avoid various challenges.

Clients have expectations that grow and change direction – often without telling the

company. Customer satisfaction is based primarily on how the company is able to meet

these expectations and perform within them.

L


4

The key to managing customer expectations is understanding that there may be

discrepancies in the way that performance is perceived by the company as opposed to

how customers perceive it. As a result, it is imperative to understand what customers

want, exceed customer expectations to improve loyalty, and maintain a one-on-one

relationship with customers. The human element must be present at all times.

Customer Satisfaction is Driven by Customer Perception

Ultimately, customer satisfaction is driven by the perception of the customer. Even

though a company may do very little in regards to providing superior service, if the

customer feels that customer service is impressive, than a company does not have to do

much. This means that a company needs to understand where they exceed customer

expectations and where they fall short.

Compliance to customer service standards is critical. Patient safety should always be first

and foremost. Milestones must be met and quality products must be delivered to

customers. It is through these consistent service standards that customers will typically

gauge the level of customer satisfaction.


5

Various surveys can help to determine where a company is lacking. However,

communication is typically the best form of measure. Keeping an open line of

communication between the company and the customer is important to ensure that

everyone is open about the features that they do and do not like.

The Importance of Analysis

Customer expectations always need to be managed – and this means staying on top of

how their expectations are changing. A customer may suddenly have higher than average

expectations or they could be falling into a bottomless pit where they could care less

about what service or products look like. An effective company representative is going to

analyze what's happening.

If expectations are higher, a company must make a point to increase the level of customer

service to meet the demands. If expectations are lower, a company may need additional

help – even if they do not know it yet. If a company begins to lose all hope within their

own operations, it can lead to a loss of business.

Above all, it is important not to get wrapped up in providing services so much so that a

company loses sight of what the expectations of the customer actually are. Learning to

be observant and conscientious of what customers doing and what their environment is

can ensure that the satisfaction level is always at a positive one


6

Tips for Managing Customer Expectations

Every company needs assistance periodically when it comes to being able to meet and

manage customer expectations. Some of the best tips available include:

Create a strategy designed for a particular customer

Assign a point person

Use available analysis to gage satisfaction

Keep an open line of communication

Each one of these tips is important in their own right. Every customer needs to have their

own unique strategy establish for them. This is because they are unique in one way or

another from all of the other customers that are managed. A point person or

representative should also be assigned to ensure that person is maintaining the

relationship and providing a customer with a single call to make when they want to be

informed about progress on a certain topic. Available analysis can include a variety of

different reports in and around the industry to ensure that satisfaction is being met. Open

lines of communication are also a must to ensure that customers and companies can talk

about what is going on.

Every company is able to manage customer expectations, even as industries change.

Learning about what a customer expects and knowing how to combat issues is part of the

battle.


7

Key Issues that Stand in the Way of Positive Customer

Relationships

ompanies need to understand the various key issues that can stand in the way of

creating a positive customer relationship. There are proven solutions and

responses to ensure that issues are resolved – though it requires a company to

have competent staff members as well as a strong knowledge base.

Some of the top issues that a customer deals with include:

Change in the customer environment

Expectations not being managed

Lack of communication

Milestones not being met

C


8

When any of these issues are not met, it can affect the customer relationship and

ultimately the customer satisfaction. This means that the company could be in jeopardy

of losing a key customer. Everyone has experienced customers who want the world – and

want it delivered yesterday. Fortunately, there are still many customers who do not

demand the impossible. All they want is for a company to do what they promised. This is

relatively easy – as long as the company is realistic about what they have promised and

manage all of the aspects involved around delivering promised goods and services.

Companies and Customers Want the Same Thing

Maintaining a positive customer relationship should be relatively simple only because

companies and customers want the same thing. Companies want to be treated with

respect – and this is exactly what customers want as well. No one wants to be ignored,

bounced around to different point people, or treated in an unprofessional manner. Any

time that these issues occur, one is at risk of losing a customer.

The product is not the only thing that a customer is concerned about. They are also

concerned about the process. Customers want the product delivered on time and they

want to know the process that was used in order to create said product. This goes back

to creating a safe work environment, meeting all necessary industry regulations, and

providing the communication to the customer about the processes.


9

The technical element is not the only aspect that will keep customers coming back.

Regardless of how superior a technical aspect may be within a company, customers also

want a working relationship where expectations are being managed, communication is

present, and milestones are being met on or before deadlines. If the technical aspect is

the only thing that can be met by the company, the company must begin to change their

ways. Key issues must be addressed quickly.

Addressing the Top Issues

The top issues that are commonly found within struggling relationships are a change in

the customer environment, expectations not being managed thoroughly, a lack of

communication, or milestones not being met – or combination of these four.

A change in the customer environment must be noticed. This should include

communication to find out how the customers’ needs have changed based upon the

change within their environment. Recognizing this can help to strengthen the relationship

and ensure that the company is tapering needs based upon what the customer's new

environment demands.

If expectations are not being managed, service standards have likely dropped. This may

require attaching a specific point person to the customer and outlining all of the necessary

expectations to ensure that they are managed and met.


10

A lack of communication is common between companies and customers. Everyone wants

their calls to be acknowledged. This can include responding to voicemails and service

requests. Communication can be simple to rectify. A simple call, text, or email is usually

all anyone is looking for.

If milestones are not being met, this may have to do with time frames being different.

Service standards and time frames need to be established and communicated effectively.

If there is some kind of malfunction that will cause a delay, communication needs to

happen. It is also important for the company to agree to milestones that can be met based

upon available resources.

Once the key issues have been addressed, relationships can be strengthened.


11

Build Customer Confidence

Customers want to know that they can rely on the company that they work with. The

most precious asset that a company has is confidence from their customers.

Departmental heads must establish a vision in order to cultivate service excellence as well

as a mutual respect between companies, customers, and even patients.

The key strategy in pursuing this vision is creating specific objectives as well as operational

strategies. These must be implemented by the company on all levels.


12

Achieving Service Excellence

A company should reach the level where they do not have to "prove" their ability to

perform service excellence. It should simply be present – and customers should be able

to experience it in a palpable manner. The environment that a company operates and

needs to be proactive, innovative, accountable, and maintain a high level of

communication. All of these factor into being able to provide excellent customer service.

Every company needs to focus on how they are going to maintain high customer service.

This needs to be established at the top and filtered downwards. Any successful company

– and specifically a contract research organization, needs to provide great service to their

customers. It is this that will distinguish them from the other companies within the

industry.


13

Engaging a Site

Customer confidence can be built by engaging a customer's site. Whether it is a

biopharma company that involves providing doctors and patients with a high level of

service or any other customer, it is important to ensure that satisfaction is maintained at

all levels. The customers of the customers matter as well.

Establishing a site relationship needs to be a primary focus to ensure that impact the book

customer service is delivered to all of these sites. As a company understands the needs of

its customers' customers, it will be able to plan ahead and be able to deliver prior to a

customer actually acknowledging that they need a particular product or service.

Sites must know that they are integral to a company's success and treated as such. The

customer needs to know that their services provided to their customers are appreciated

– and this is where the representatives of the company need to ensure they focus the

greatest amount of their time.

Establishing Benchmarks


14

The only way that a company can be successful is by establishing benchmarks. This

includes recommending and analyzing service metrics and creating measurement

processes. A company can sustain service excellence for only so long without having

analysis behind each decision. All of the principles of excellence should be visible within

the culture of the company.

The training of new employees should focus on the culture of the company as well as

these principles of excellence that the company lives by. As it is all integrated into the

organization, measures of performance need to be monitored at all times.

When a company is able to respect the needs of its customers and respond in a timely

manner to meet all milestones, a customer will know that they are a priority and will begin

to establish confidence within the company.

The customer must be kept informed at all times. Many companies believe that it is better

to over inform the customer and let the customer decide when they do not need to know

something rather than potentially leaving the customer in the dark. Emails, phone calls,

and teleconferences can all be useful methods in maintaining communication.

When service is visible, customers will begin to relax and develop a higher level of

confidence within the company's abilities to perform the services that they have

promised to provide. The customer relationship is the most important driver in customer

satisfaction as well as customer confidence. When a company is more engaged in the

services that they provide, customers will know it – and thus be able to engage more

effectively with their own customers.


15

Maintain a Strong Relationship

Maintaining a strong relationship between the company and the customer is a lot simpler

then one may initially believe. There are some challenges that are persistent when it

comes to creating and maintaining these relationships. Especially when a CRO (contract

research organization) and a customer are working together, it can affect clinical trial

performance. Regardless of industry, the CRO-customer working relationship is

imperative for the success of both parties. There are various ways to strengthen the

relationship.

The point person within a company that has been assigned to the customer needs to

remember the three "Ps". These are people, processes, and products.

At the beginning of any study or project, it is important for a company to reach out and

meet with the customer. This provides an open line of communication in order to

establish issues, identify performance requirements, and address any roadblocks that

may slow down deliverables. The company and the customer must work together in order

to get the project started.


16

Establish a Team Business Model

There may be a coordinator assigned to a customer. However, a company must still

establish a team business model in order to ensure that the coordinator has everything

that he or she needs in order to be successful. Collaboration and assistance are critical in

establishing a working relationship. In order to develop any kind of strong relationship

with the customer, a company needs to have a strong interior relationship with its own

people.


17

Coordinators are able to work together in order to create motivation as well as assistance.

Many coordinators may be up against the same issues with different customers and by

keeping the lines of communication open, coordinators are able to get the assistance they

need in order to focus on the needs of their own customers.

Various tools can be used in order to open these lines of communication. Depending upon

the physical location of the coordinators and their customers, online whiteboards can be

used, teleconferences can be established, and emails can be exchanged. When internal

and external processes are streamlined, everyone benefits.

When a team business model is established, it allows people skills to be developed more

efficiently, relationships to be more engaging, and a quality-driven work environment to

be created. While many want to take a cold and hard approach to completing a task, the

reality is that developing people skills in order to work more efficiently can lead to a

happier work environment as well as a more satisfied customer.

Lines of communication can be opened and this can lead to a positive shift within the

regulatory processes as well as the contractual processes being more streamlined. This

can lead to faster drug development, an increase in productivity, and generation of

higher-quality data reports.


18

Creativity is not something that should be kept to one's self. If someone has an idea that

can help to strengthen relationships or increase the method in which a customer is

communicated with, it is important to share. Companies who foster the collaboration

aspect of teamwork are generally more successful because of sharing creativity between

departments.

Following the Industry

Contract research organizations must follow the industry of their customers. If a company

is contracted to work with a biopharma, then that company needs to live and breathe

within the pharmaceutical industry. A company will only be as successful as they are

knowledgeable. Those who have a large knowledge base to share with their employees

thrive within the field of customer service and relationships.

Customers want to know that they are being taken care of. This is in regards to all levels.

If a pharmaceutical company is getting ready to launch a new product, they expect the

company to know about the product and have strategies in place for the clinical research,

the launch, and all other aspects.

When a company is able to stay three steps ahead within the trends of the industry,

customers can relax. They know that the CRO is doing what they should be and they don’t

have to work as hard to manage the relationship. While the company may be working

behind the scenes to give the customer what they want, the goal is to make it look

effortless on the exterior.

Through team work within the organization and communication with the customer, a

relationship can be strengthened – and more business can potentially be obtained as a

result.

##

customer service in clinical research markets jeff parke intellectual property

Leadership & Management