| What is your background, in terms of agencies, accounts, and client-side experience? | |
|---|---|
| HeeSun Yu, SVP Account Services | FCB, JUICE Pharma, CDM, Ogilvy, Harrison & Star, PHCG |
| Danielle Zertuche (Brown), VP Account Management | Maxcess is third Managed Care specific agency. I have also worked briefly on the Med Comm side. I have worked on multiple accounts across chronic care and specialty markets. |
| Jacque Fisher, EVP Managing Director, Maxcess Managed Markets | 20+ years in account management/client services for healthcare agencies in Global and US markets: medical communications, publication planning and managed markets |
| HeeSun Yu, SVP Account Management | Professional and managed markets advertising - with more than 15 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry Experience spans launch, US and global as well as several therapeutic areas: dermatology, diabetes, respiratory (COPD/asthma) and biologics including immunology and adult vaccines Digital experience includes online marketing strategy and implementation—range of experience from Web Sites and Mobile including iPad platforms (veeva, Adobe DPS) |
| John Keefe -- SVP Account | Have worked at Maxcess for 6 years. 10 years previous at Roche in US and global Marketing, Business Development, and new Product Planning/Strategic Marketing roles. Also a hospital lab sales rep for 3 years. |
| Roseann Kovelman, VP, Account Management | I have experience in patient, HCP, med/ed, and payer communications. I have always worked on the agency side of the business. My therapeutic experience ranges from traditional pharmaceuticals, like hypertension and COPD, to specialty pharmaceuticals, like oncology and immunology. |
| What has been your role in the new business and organic growth efforts of the agency? | |
| HeeSun Yu, SVP Account Services | RFP, pitch presentations |
| Danielle Zertuche (Brown), VP Account Management | I have always been part of pitch teams, and development of RFPs. |
| Jacque Fisher, EVP Managing Director, Maxcess Managed Markets | owned organic and new business goals: in terms of revenue, relationships, responding to new bus requests (RFI/RFPs / pitches). |
| HeeSun Yu, SVP Account Management | New business: Present pitch presentation as lead account. Organic growth: Responsible for the ongoing success and growth of the existing account including the development of the annual profit and staffing plans as well as Client/Agency reviews |
| John Keefe -- SVP Account | Generally involved in all new business and organic growth activities at some level. |
| Roseann Kovelman, VP, Account Management | As an account person, I have always been responsible in some capacity for organic growth and have had success in that area. Many of the previous agencies I've worked with had dedicated BD folks so I have limited experience with obtaining completely new clients. |
| As if you were writing to a prospective client, describe the agency in no more than 3 sentences: | |
| Danielle Zertuche (Brown), VP Account Management | Maxcess is a highly-focused agency specializing in managed care strategy and tactical execution. Our team is comprised of dedicated colleagues with a wide cross-section of experience across the industry. We focus on providing our customers with full support across the entire product lifecycle. |
| Jacque Fisher, EVP Managing Director, Maxcess Managed Markets | Maxcess is the market access agency in PHCG. We bring our deep experience in designing access to payers and organised customer targets. As a strategic partner we provide insight and expertise to create innovative managed markets solutions to optimize access and strengthen brand plans. |
| HeeSun Yu, SVP Account Management | Maxcess Managed Markets is the market access agency within Publicis Healthcare Communications Group.We are a full-service agency with strategic and creative know-how to help you develop an effective managed markets plan. We solve communication challenges and create meaningful connections. |
| John Keefe -- SVP Account | Maxcess is a full-service strategy and communications firm working with Pharma/Biotech to access organized B2B customers including payer, health system, physician group, employer, and pharmacy decision-makers |
| Roseann Kovelman, VP, Account Management | Maxcess Managed Markets is a full-service agency that takes a holistic approach to securing access. We create a winning experience for your brand to succeed across the paradigm of payers, organized customers, and providers. |
| Now bring the agency to life. You have certainly been through this exercise, however applying it to your agency agency can be quite revealing in understanding more about your "DNA". If the agency were a car, what kind would it be? What color? Why? | |
| Danielle Zertuche (Brown), VP Account Management | Jeep Wrangler. Blue. I think a jeep wrangler because we are smaller, but nimble and can navigate through multiple terrains based on the need. I think Blue is important because we need to focus on blue ocean opportunities for our clients, blue is the sky - and creativity should be sky's limit and it's a calming color when many times clients could be going through chaos |
| Jacque Fisher, EVP Managing Director, Maxcess Managed Markets | a midnight blue Audi: Audi is intelligent (clever engineering), sophisticated, high value but not flashy (BMW) or luxury. Once you drive an Audi you highly recommend to your friends. Deep blue - communications color, and serious, thoughtful. |
| HeeSun Yu, SVP Account Management | This is a hard one to answer as any car brand is well known and Maxcess is not. |
| John Keefe -- SVP Account | Lexus GS SUV. Strudy, reliable, dependable. Can take anything you throw at it. A performance vehicle (i.e., timely), with a reputation for being high quality and long-lasting. The ride is as important as the destination. |
| Roseann Kovelman, VP, Account Management | Audi A6 in white. We are a classy, powerful, and reliable type of vehicle. |
| As best you can answer, in which client categories does the agency have the most robust experience? Please list what you think are top 2 - 4, prioritized by those that best meet these 2 criteria: 1) You have the most robust experience (including case studies); 2) You have most new business potential (there's business to go after vs. a very small category or one that spends little on agencies). Note: we’re looking for “categories” as traditionally defined by clients (i.e., automotive, grocery retail, travel, retail banking, packaged foods) vs. “agency-invented" categories such as challenger or lifestyle brands. | |
| Danielle Zertuche (Brown), VP Account Management | Top Categories - Pharmaceutical Manufacturers - Health systems - specialty pharmacies - Payers |
| Jacque Fisher, EVP Managing Director, Maxcess Managed Markets | we work in market access which is a specialized area. Within our industry, we have robust experience in payer, and in healthsystem channels - both are supported by case studies. Both are areas given significant investment by pharma. |
| HeeSun Yu, SVP Account Management | Specialty |
| John Keefe -- SVP Account | 1) Health Systems/IDNs, 2) Payers, 3) Medical group |
| Roseann Kovelman, VP, Account Management | Pharmaceutical Managed Markets and Health System Work Streams. |
| Which 3 - 5 services does the agency most often provide these clients? | |
| Danielle Zertuche (Brown), VP Account Management | Product launch execution Health system strategies and tactics Rx Journeys Value Proposition development/messaging platforms |
| Jacque Fisher, EVP Managing Director, Maxcess Managed Markets | Services that we regularly provide include: development of payer value proposition, messaging and tactics designing pull through strategies creating market access strategies to secure market readiness and product resonance at launch researching channel market opportunities |
| HeeSun Yu, SVP Account Management | Strategy and creative |
| John Keefe -- SVP Account | 1) Field communication tools, 2) Strategy and planning support, 3) market research, |
| Roseann Kovelman, VP, Account Management | We are typically agency of record for the managed markets or health system channels. |
| List the top few agencies that you do/will compete against most often. | |
| Danielle Zertuche (Brown), VP Account Management | The Access Group (Frontier) Beacon Hobart (Precision for Value) |
| Jacque Fisher, EVP Managing Director, Maxcess Managed Markets | Precision for Value FCB/Mosaic CDM/Entree Health MediMedia Managed Markets |
| HeeSun Yu, SVP Account Management | MediMedia, Hobart Group, Precision |
| John Keefe -- SVP Account | 1) Precision for Value/Hobart, 2) Access, 3) MediMedia, 4) Payer Sciences |
| Roseann Kovelman, VP, Account Management | Precision for Value, Mosaic, McCann. |
| In the eyes of clients, what do you provide of value, that none of your competitors do? | |
| Danielle Zertuche (Brown), VP Account Management | We have access to robust line of services through PHCG |
| Jacque Fisher, EVP Managing Director, Maxcess Managed Markets | excellence in service - delivering an inspiring customer experience is our goal proactive and consultative approach - we work with clients at the table together figuring out strategies and solutions, vs competitors who take direction and deliver on that alone. |
| HeeSun Yu, SVP Account Management | Flawless execution |
| John Keefe -- SVP Account | Reliability and consistency. |
| Roseann Kovelman, VP, Account Management | The positive feedback I get most often is around our quality deliverables, attention to detail, and strategic thinking. |
| In the eyes of clients, what do your competitors provide of value, that you do not? | |
| Danielle Zertuche (Brown), VP Account Management | Strong analytics; Industry leaders |
| Jacque Fisher, EVP Managing Director, Maxcess Managed Markets | Ability to access data, analyze and drive segmentation strategies to their customer groups Belief/credibility provided by in-house experts from the clients' customer base (pharmacy/medical decision makers) |
| HeeSun Yu, SVP Account Management | Market insights from network of payers |
| John Keefe -- SVP Account | Direct target customer expertise |
| Roseann Kovelman, VP, Account Management | I have never heard a client say that another agency provides something positive that we do not provide. |
| Are there any negative perceptions about the agency that might hold back your new business efforts? | |
| Danielle Zertuche (Brown), VP Account Management | tagged as "health systems" expertise, not saturated in Payer space |
| Jacque Fisher, EVP Managing Director, Maxcess Managed Markets | old experience of previous leadership issues with a few client companies |
| HeeSun Yu, SVP Account Management | Not well known, small |
| John Keefe -- SVP Account | no |
| Roseann Kovelman, VP, Account Management | We are perceived as "small". |
| On a scale of 1-10, how well do your presentations back up the agency’s recommendation with an irrefutable logic trail? In other words, how well do you typically build a strong argument for the agency’s recommendation? (10 = we are always strong in this area) | |
| Danielle Zertuche (Brown), VP Account Management | 5 |
| Jacque Fisher, EVP Managing Director, Maxcess Managed Markets | 6 |
| HeeSun Yu, SVP Account Management | 6 |
| John Keefe -- SVP Account | 7 |
| Roseann Kovelman, VP, Account Management | 9 |
| On a scale of 1-10, how well do you build your presentations around a new and unexpected strategic consumer insight vs. a predictable consumer insight? In other words, how well do you always have something brand new to share about the client's target audience? (10 = we are always strong in this area) | |
| Danielle Zertuche (Brown), VP Account Management | 8 |
| Jacque Fisher, EVP Managing Director, Maxcess Managed Markets | 6 |
| HeeSun Yu, SVP Account Management | 6 |
| John Keefe -- SVP Account | 3 |
| Roseann Kovelman, VP, Account Management | 8 |
| On a scale of 1-10, how well do you build your presentations around a new and unexpected creative/concept/program/tactical idea? (10 = we are always strong in this area) | |
| Danielle Zertuche (Brown), VP Account Management | 7 |
| Jacque Fisher, EVP Managing Director, Maxcess Managed Markets | 6 |
| HeeSun Yu, SVP Account Management | 6 |
| John Keefe -- SVP Account | 3 |
| Roseann Kovelman, VP, Account Management | 8 |
| On a scale of 1-10, how well do you demonstrate the business impact of your recommendations? (10 = we are always strong in this area) | |
| Danielle Zertuche (Brown), VP Account Management | 5 |
| Jacque Fisher, EVP Managing Director, Maxcess Managed Markets | 6 |
| HeeSun Yu, SVP Account Management | 6 |
| John Keefe -- SVP Account | 5 |
| Roseann Kovelman, VP, Account Management | 7 |
| Overall (and as you consider the questions above), what do you believe most holds back the effectiveness of your client and new business presentations? | |
| Danielle Zertuche (Brown), VP Account Management | Creativity - look and feel and industry expertise in certain areas |
| Jacque Fisher, EVP Managing Director, Maxcess Managed Markets | we have acknowledged the need to build our pitch story - strengthen the strategic story, and improve the creative/dynamic impression it leaves. |
| Roseann Kovelman, VP, Account Management | For new business presentations, we typically have very limited time to present so we have to make tough choices on what to include/not to include. I think we do a significantly better job on presentations to existing clients. |
| What are the top 2 or 3 changes or trends you see in terms of how clients are interacting with agencies? | |
| Danielle Zertuche (Brown), VP Account Management | 1) regarding gaining new business: There is more and more social media, but am unclear on how it translates to meaningful interactions - other than sourcing prior relationships through LINKEDIN 2) regarding day to day interactions: More focus given on the results - measurement of success. Often a little more difficult to produce hard numbers in this space, but achieving softer goals |
| Jacque Fisher, EVP Managing Director, Maxcess Managed Markets | relationships win out - who you know, have they worked with you before and trust you? Clients are either novice in our space - don't know what they don't know, need lots of hand holding, on rotation through brand roles - or, have been in managed markets so long that they feel they know it all and find it difficult to be open to new, creative, different thinking rfi/rfps are written by procurement and often don't accurately tell you what the actual client is looking for or needs |
| HeeSun Yu, SVP Account Management | Clients are willing to tap into multiple vendors to get what they need. |
| John Keefe -- SVP Account | Increased dependence on agency expertise; more stringent budgets; increasingly rigorous/time-consuming review processes |
| Roseann Kovelman, VP, Account Management | 1. More clients are taking an integrated approach and folding managed markets in with the brand team 2. More people on the client side are involved in decisions regarding managed markets (senior leaders paying more attention) |
| What are the top few changes you see in terms of why clients put accounts into review? | |
| Danielle Zertuche (Brown), VP Account Management | I am not sure if there are changes as to why they are in review other than performance, but i think there is a need for agencies to provide more creative approaches and measurements of success |
| Jacque Fisher, EVP Managing Director, Maxcess Managed Markets | Frustration when poor service makes them look bad to their management, or peers - even if they have been remiss in directing the agency Poor results in the market - agency's fault! |
| HeeSun Yu, SVP Account Management | People turnover at Client or agency-side. |
| John Keefe -- SVP Account | Brand under-performance, new client leadership, holding company model |
| If you’re able to answer, how is most new business coming in to the agency (i.e., competitive reviews/RFPs, proactive prospecting, referrals, etc.)? | |
| Danielle Zertuche (Brown), VP Account Management | referrals - i think |
| Jacque Fisher, EVP Managing Director, Maxcess Managed Markets | significant new business has come through referrals within client companies - opening doors into new brands and customer channels |
| John Keefe -- SVP Account | Referrals |
| Roseann Kovelman, VP, Account Management | Our existing clients tell their friends how great we are. |
| Bottom line, what do you think the agency most has to do to improve at new business? | |
| Danielle Zertuche (Brown), VP Account Management | finding leads, and optimizing linkages to industry experts |
| Jacque Fisher, EVP Managing Director, Maxcess Managed Markets | Increase our lead generation so that we can build more business outside of current client portfolio Improve our pitch (strategic story, credibility and dynamism in pitch, creative look of pitch) |
| HeeSun Yu, SVP Account Management | Crystallizing our unique value proposition to prospect customers. |
| John Keefe -- SVP Account | Get opportunities to prove value to new customers (foot in the door) |
| Roseann Kovelman, VP, Account Management | Focus on pitching for new customers outside the companies we already work with. |
| Any final advice for us as we prepare your training program? | |
| Jacque Fisher, EVP Managing Director, Maxcess Managed Markets | we are a small team compared to other agencies in PHCG, we are in a specialized space and we are a fast growing team (we increased staff base 100% this year) - so our pitch team is new and not fully defined, yet ready to learn and formulate our approach. |
| Roseann Kovelman, VP, Account Management | We have obtained so much business through organic growth, that we are a bit rusty at putting together new business presentations, in my opinion. |