Implementing a strategic meetings management program for long-term success

Challenge

We were approached by a leading pharma client to review their meetings management processes across the US, Latin America, Europe and Asia. At the time, their meetings program was complex, ineffective and not uniformly followed, resulting in various countries and regions operating in silos with no link to a global policy. Our client was aware that they therefore currently had no visibility of spend and no insurance that HCP interactions were being managed in accordance with compliance policy.

Solution

Over a year-long project, Ashfield worked with our client to put in place a global strategic meetings management program. In collaboration with our client, we identified the critical factors we needed to accomplish for the greatest chance of success with the program. These included technology transitions, stakeholder engagement, internal communication planning, training and compliance. We then integrated the tools that they would need to support the program, such as HCP databases, a system for contracting and paying HCP honoraria, sales tools, travel and group air processes, and meetings and transient data reporting. A global policy was launched to enable smart decision-making, and all stakeholders were held accountable for their actions. We held quarterly senior management meetings for the purposes of reviewing KPI performance and contractual compliance, analyzing financial performance and monitoring and reviewing integral policies and procedures. We also held quarterly operational meetings to review SOPs and ensure project best practice. We created and implemented targeted SLAs to ensure ongoing measurement and validation of the program. The KPIs identified and implemented included delivering core logistical and event management requirements, proactively monitoring regulatory guidelines, fiscal transparency and efficiency with fixed fee structure, contractual KPIs and HCP spend reporting across multiple regions.

Result

Our client obtained senior leadership approval to launch their global meetings policy and program as a result of their collaboration with the Ashfield team. The resultant meetings program is structured to enable global meeting governance and provide centralized quantifiable, reportable data. Our consultative approach cemented our partnership and we have continued working to evolve and refine the client’s SMMP. Our main contact, the Director Of Congress & Events, commented: “Ashfield provided us with an unrivaled level of support, not only at an operational delivery level but also with our strategic meetings management. They have helped us shape the way we do business and how we have successfully adapted our working practices to meet new industry challenges.”