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Creativity and the Code13/03/2007
It is now 12 months since the ABPI Code of Practice (CoP) was overhauled and the regulations pertaining to the organisation of Meetings and Hospitality were strengthened.Up until this period, many pharma companies had pushed the CoP restrictions as far as possible for physician meetings, whether it was using the local luxury resort hotel and golf course for a meeting or hiring a boat on the Danube for some sightseeing. In most instances, the companies managed to remain under the contravention radar screen. Since January 2006, however, pharma ethics have been even more under the spotlight and companies have taken a significantly more cautious approach. Indeed, there now exists a degree of uncertainty (almost a fear factor) about holding certain types of healthcare meetings. Many companies actually hesitated in 2006 to use meetings as part of their marketing strategy, because of their concern about threading their way correctly through the CoP minefield correctly because the line between right and wrong application is still a rather grey one. A fair CoP?Healthcare meetings, if correctly organised and CoP-compliant, have become an even more integral and important sales and marketing tactic. The challenge for the sales force is now how to leverage promotional opportunities from the organisation of their local meetings, workshops, regional roadshows and company closed meetings.Are you managing to achieve this in the context of the revised CoP? And is that as far as it goes? Has any further creativity gone out of the window? For how many sales professionals have the restrictions on choice of venue and the new rules for hospitality impacted on the results of the meeting? The areas within which you would express any individuality appear to be restricted. So lets explore some parameters to help put your meetings on a creative but still compliant track. 1. Content of the meetingBoth the purpose and the content define your meeting, and much has been said about how the focus must now be even more on improving the quality of the latter. As a current organiser of event logistics and production for pharma companies, and as a former consultant to the sector, I have experienced at first hand how important forward planning is to securing the best speakers and formulating the strongest quality agenda and educational content.I have also experienced how some companies work in silos, and dont share valuable information or data when it comes to meeting preparation. As so many meetings take place throughout the pharma drug lifecycle, it is easy for good content to be archived, lost or simply not shared. Meetings should have protocol too. If a formula works, then it deserves to be re-used! 2. Technology and productionPharma companies are not reputed for their investment in technology or creative production sets, so do not accept that what you have done at meetings in the past is good enough to make a difference today. Why not start with the Web and have a bespoke meetings site? This will not only make you look leading-edge, but will also enhance your meetings efficiency. Meetings management will undeniably be web-based in the future.Perhaps you should introduce keypad voting to conduct real-time surveys and evaluation at your next meeting. Or you could try one of the latest technologies, Spotme: a PDA and interactive mobile communication handset all rolled into one. Spotme helps conference delegates to identify and form relationships with the people they want to reach. At PHARMA360 we collaborate closely with our sister company OLIVE360, who work with a range of other business sectors including automotive, government, law, IT, retail and telecoms, so that we can keep in touch with the latest creative touches and best practices for meetings, sales conferences, roadshows and exhibitions. 3. Choice of venueMeetings must be held in appropriate venues conducive to the main purpose of the event. Yes, absolutely, to conformity and working within the CoP guidelines but to make a meeting for doctors truly enjoyable and motivational within the current climate, venues still need to be as interesting as possible. The reality is that doctors are seeing a decline in the standard of venues, and this needs to be addressed somehow.So we must set aside the luxurious 5-star hotel with its leisure facilities or the excellent Michelin restaurant for your Friday night meeting. But we can think instead about the characterful 4-star hotel, local conference centre or university. Consider the new venues emerging in your region. These are often in prime locations, and increasingly are equipped with the latest meetings technology. Better deals can often be struck here, as new venues are keen to launch their brand. Perhaps you could use the new flexible servicedoffice space on the High Street, or (with obvious synergies) sample the Old Operating Theatre in London or the new Surgeons Hall Complex as a venue in Edinburgh. If the venue presents itself carefully and sensitively and its location is pivotal to your requirements, you could still use the nearby racecourse or football ground, provided of course that it is not a race or match day. On occasions, it may also be possible to substantiate the use of a 5-star hotel in your region. The Code of Practices Section 19.1 should not always be interpreted as a No. A good venue finding agency can also seek out the unusual, but still CoP-compliant, venue to provide a creative edge for you. Ambience, an annual directory of venues for pharmaceutical sales professionals (including venues for educational meetings and conferences), is published by Health Sector Publishing; for a free copy, phone Jagdeep Oubhie on 0870 609 2834 or e-mail jagdeep.oubhie @healthpublishing.co.uk. Adopting a creative approach to sourcing your venue can also end up saving you and your company money. Think about using a preferred venue or a group of hotels to accommodate a series of meetings, rather than just a one-off. Negotiate from the centre, or get your events agency to negotiate for you, so that you can channel the venue supply to deliver cost savings that can top up your budget! 4. Hospitality offeredThe level of subsistence offered must not exceed that level which the recipients would normally adopt when paying for themselves. One of the downsides of having to technically downgrade your venue selection is the subsequent potential downgrading of the associated food and beverages. The networking opportunities after the meeting have always been prime time for the sales force but these can easily be eroded if your delegates leave early because the subsistence offered does not reach that level which the recipients would normally adopt when paying for themselves!When you are booking a meeting venue and hospitality is a requirement, dont hesitate to ask to sample the food in advance. If necessary, consider paying a small supplement to improve it. Also check out the room where any hospitality will be provided to ensure that it sets the correct tone and will facilitate networking. If youre using a university, hospital or alternative venue, hiring an outside caterer will ensure that the required standard of hospitality is achieved. In such cases, the caterer should not be publicised in the promotional material or invitation. Breaking the mouldIn conclusion, being creative and being CoPcompliant in your meeting arrangements are not mutually exclusive. Finding the right balance is a challenge. But if you dont try, you wont succeed.
Nigel Glover is Commercial Director of PHARMA360, a full-service event management company specialising in the pharma sector. For more information, phone 0870 2403 360 or e-mail nigel.glover@pharma360.co.uk. |
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