"I would say the biggest challenge I face is timeliness of vendor delivery and poor quality of solutions. Vendors seem to be very overstretched and over-committed at the moment."
Director Digital Implementation, Clinical Research Organisation
Those are words that no one in any industry wants to hear. But for the pharmatech industry, it seems to be a common theme. He's not alone in his sentiments- in fact, this is a problem that seems to be affecting many pharmatech providers.
As the founder of nuom, a product design & engineering studio specializing in developing innovative and compliant products for the pharmaceutical industry, I often speak with people within the industry to better understand their pain points. Time and time again, the issues of timeliness and quality come up. It's something that our clients are constantly struggling with, and also something that their end customers are demanding more of.
So why are timeliness and quality such enduring issues? Well, I think the main reason is pharmatech's insistence on keeping everything in house, due to perceptions of cost, appearance, and lack of faith in external providers. However, the truth is that each of these reasons are fallacies that are actually costing pharmatech providers more money, time, and business in the long run.
Cost
Let's start with cost. One of the main reasons that pharmatech companies insist on doing everything in house is because they believe it will be cheaper. They think that by keeping everything in house, they'll save money on external costs like consulting fees or outsourcing costs. However, this is often not the case. When you factor in the cost of staff, benefits, office space, and all of the other associated costs, you quickly realise that it's often cheaper to outsource.
They also end up missing out on the expertise and knowledge that comes with working with external providers, which can accelerate the project roadmap and save money. Working with a team that is truly product focused and agile working, can actually get products to market quicker- which can save you a lot of money in the long run.
Appearance
As for appearance, many pharmatech providers believe that by keeping everything in house, they'll come across as more professional and trustworthy to their customers. Again, this is rarely the case. In fact, many customers actually see this as a red flag. They can tell when a company is over-stretching themselves with a project, as this comes through in the chaotic processes that the client experiences, and the disappointing final product. This can damage your reputation and cost you business in the long run.
It's often much better to be honest with your customers about what you can and can't do, and then to partner with an external provider who can help you to deliver on your promises. This way, you'll come across as more trustworthy and reliable- two qualities that are essential in any business relationship.
By working with a team that specialises in product design and user experience in the pharmatech space, you can provide your client with a smoother, more efficient experience. You can use design thinking and agile working to gain alignment earlier in the process, and you can create products that not only look better, but also offer a better user experience. This will give your company a much more professional appearance and help you to stand out from your competitors.
Faith
Finally, there's the issue of faith. Many pharmatech providers simply don't have faith in external providers. They are afraid to work with teams that might have little to no experience with working in a regulated space, and don't understand the challenges of the space.
They may also fear working with new teams that have little or no experience working with a new type of pharma product.
This is where it is important to partner with an external provider that specializes in working in the pharmatech space. They will have the experience and expertise necessary to help you navigate the challenges of the space, and they will also be up to date on the latest regulations. This will give you the peace of mind that you need to focus on other aspects of your business.
It's time for pharmatech to overcome the fear of using, or talking about using outside help. Working with a team like nuom can help you to get alignment on needs by using design thinking; design workshops can help to gain alignment between the product team, and the customer. We have a deep understanding of the pharmatech space, and we can help you to create products that meet the needs of your customers.
We know that teams are stretched, and pharmatech's clients are also painfully aware of this. What customers really want is confidence that a product will be delivered on time and to a high quality.
This can be achieved with a better design process and a focus on prototyping. Outsourcing to an external provider, such as nuom, can provide you with an embedded resource of expertise and skills to propel your project roadmap. Get in touch to find out more.
