In an industry where efficacy once reigned supreme, pharmaceutical companies are now being judged just as much by how patients experience their brand as by the results of their treatments. And that experience increasingly hinges on something far less flashy than drug discovery: customer support.
But support, in the age of AI, doesn’t mean what it used to.
The rise of AI-powered service platforms is shifting pharma’s role from reactive problem solver to proactive experience orchestrator. This evolution isn’t just about chatbots and faster ticket resolution – it’s about transforming service interactions into real-time intelligence engines. And it’s happening fast.
AI: The new front door to the patient journey
Over decades, customer support in healthcare has continuously revealed opportunities to enhance patient experience and build trust. Traditionally delivered via outsourced, structured processes, it now has the potential to connect more meaningfully with patient care. In an always-on world, trust is built only through timely, dependable, and consistent patient support, leaving little margin for delayed responses or inconsistent answers.
AI is flipping the script. Intelligent service systems now offer 24/7 omnichannel support, bridging communication gaps and delivering consistent, real-time responses whether it’s 2 p.m. or 2 a.m. This isn’t about automating empathy, but about removing friction. When a pharmacist needs urgent reorder support mid-shift or a patient has a disposal question late at night, AI ensures someone (or something) is there to help. Beyond serving patients better, this shift creates a trove of operational data that pharma has historically struggled to capture.
Every interaction becomes a feedback loop
Here’s the kicker: traditional customer support models typically audit a sliver of calls and rely on lagging indicators like satisfaction surveys or quarterly reviews. AI, on the other hand, monitors 100% of interactions, providing a live, data-rich view into the patient’s voice.
Trends in question, confusion around dosing, recurring complaints – AI flags them all in real time. This means teams can adjust instructions, tweak support scripts, or identify emerging education gaps without waiting for an analyst’s report three months later.
In other words, AI is turning service data into strategy.
Intelligent agents that learn (and help humans learn)
But it’s not just the software getting smarter. The real benefit lies in how it helps human resources manage workloads more efficiently, allowing teams to focus on high-value tasks that translate into better customer experiences.
For instance, AI-augmented agents, meaning human support reps assisted by AI, resolve issues faster by drawing on historical data, trending concerns, and predictive suggestions. This model not only reduces escalations but ensures patients receive consistent and accurate responses regardless of who picks up the phone. The result? A support experience that feels less like navigating a call center and more like engaging a knowledgeable care team.
Proactive, not just reactive
Perhaps the most transformative shift is moving from support as a passive safety net to a proactive care tool. AI can now trigger reorders, reminders, and wellness check-ins based on behavioral cues, not just schedules. These are no longer nice-to-have features – they’re essential for improving adherence and engagement across long treatment cycles.
Imagine a world where a missed reorder prompt flags a potential lapse in medication adherence, or a spike in patient confusion about instructions leads to instant updates in training materials. With AI, not only is this possible, but is part of the rising baseline of expectations.
Why this matters now
For a long time, customer experience has not always been the primary focus in pharma. But today’s patients are digitally native, information-savvy, and increasingly vocal; they expect nothing less than frictionless, consumer-grade interactions. They don’t care that your company makes medicine, not smartphones. They want answers, and they want them fast.
In customer experience, what patients don’t say can be just as revealing as what they do say. Besides answering direct questions, AI makes it possible to uncover hidden customer concerns and patterns. For example, confusion about a disposal method might signal a broader misunderstanding about medication use. Similarly, frequent questions about a drug’s side effects could point to gaps in the provider’s onboarding process; and AI enables support teams to read between the lines, uncovering unspoken concerns and delivering more effective, personalized care.
More often than not, support tickets are more than just requests for help. They’re insights that draw your attention to feedback straight from your most authentic source – the customer. In the race to improve outcomes and drive loyalty, those insights can make all the difference.
Support as a strategic asset
For pharma companies looking to differentiate in a crowded, commoditized market, intelligent support is a strategic imperative that makes its absence known in every delay and inefficiency. In this context, AI-powered service models make the rare combination of agility, insight, and scale more achievable than ever before. But more than that, they offer a chance to meet patients where they are – emotionally, practically, digitally.
In a space where trust can be hard-won and easily lost, being able to listen, learn, and respond in real time is no longer optional. It’s table stakes.
Jeff Miglicco is the co-founder and CEO of PureWay, a compliance and medical waste management company serving dental, veterinary, and pharmaceutical organizations across the U.S. He is passionate about transforming overlooked industries into mission-driven, tech-forward platforms for positive impact.
