Seamless Support: how Almac’s helpdesk elevates clinical trials
Daniel Magill
Director of Clinical Project Services | Almac Clinical Technologies
We are living in an age of unprecedented technological progress; from AI to self-driving vehicles and the omnipresent personal phone, we are exposed daily to an increasingly diverse range of technological wonders. Within clinical trials, Interactive Response Technology (IRT) is at the forefront as the complexities of protocol design increase. IRT providers are offering innovative approaches for novel study designs, with a keen eye towards delivering a streamlined user experience, making it easier for all involved in a clinical trial. At Almac Clinical Technologies we are pioneers in providing IRT solutions and ensuring our staff have the requisite skills to support our users.
When questions or issues arise, as they invariably will, it is critical that the support service matches the technological offering. The first point of contact for sites and sponsors regarding questions about the randomization and trial supply technology will often be the IRT providers Helpdesk. Almac Clinical Technologies’ Helpdesk staff take personal pride in providing best in class customer experience.
Balancing Technology and Human Connection
While technology enhances connectivity between the site, sponsor, and the Helpdesk, it may inadvertently create a gap between the Helpdesk support staff and the patient waiting at the site for their treatment. At Almac, we work to bridge this gap.
Often described as a passionate visionary and philanthropist, Sir Allen McClay—Founder and Chairman of Almac Group—always believed that people were our greatest asset. At Almac, we recognise the value of our staff and ensure we provide them with not just the technology tools to support clinical trials, but also the training and understanding to complement and enhance the technological offerings. The goal being to reduce the time patients and sites are impacted, while being conscious of the unique user journey each patient and user has. Part of our training involves a peer led review of a subset of our support cases each month. This review helps empower our team to critically evaluate their own performance, highlighting both exemplary service and areas for improvement.
The Almac TIER-ed Approach to Support
At Almac, we developed a TIER-ed approach to support. Not only in the levels of support we provide, but also, how we deliver that support.
T – Time
Patients could have travelled for hours, for many miles to reach the clinical site. Clinical staff could be running multiple studies across multiple sponsors every day. Time is precious for everyone, whether they are a patient in the trial, an investigator running the trial or a sponsor managing the trial. With our IRT, we have an intuitive system that helps the end user not only navigate the system but also provides an enhanced self-help offering. In addition, having omnichannel contact options, along with appropriately skilled staff to address the issue, means that no matter what the question is, you can be assured that it will be dealt with as effectively and efficiently as possible.
I – Integrity
The simple act of just listening is a very powerful and sometimes underutilised skill. While time to resolve is a key factor, taking time to listen and ask relevant questions is equally important. The ability to listen, not interrupt and summarise what you have heard is vital when it comes to providing exceptional customer service. By actively listening, one can often determine the root cause of an issue, not just the symptom of it, that the end user may be experiencing. Combine this with transparency – being honest about what the issue is and expected resolution time – significantly helps build trust and lets the end user feel confident that we can provide resolution.
E – Empathy
We work hard to ensure our staff understand how the service they provide can have a significant impact on patients and site staff. We ensure that the same level of care and attention is given to all queries no matter how small or large; from routine account unlocks or password resets to a critical situation where a patient is on site awaiting drug assignment. Our training programmes emphasise the unique patient’s journey and how every aspect of our support can influence that journey, regardless of how standard a request may seem. By putting ourselves into the shoes of a patient, a parent or a site clinician; we are able to develop a whole new perspective on our role in providing helpdesk support. Understanding the impact of what we do and how we do it, is a key factor in Almac being able to provide consistently high levels of customer service.
R – Resolution
When resolving a query, we always ensure it is addressed to the customers complete satisfaction. Looking beyond the surface level and asking relevant questions to establish the full picture is critical as often what the user is experiencing is a symptom of what the actual root cause is. We empower our staff to go that extra mile to identify not just the immediate fix but to proactively assess the situation and prevent any future issues from occurring. Efficiency in resolution should not be at the expense of effectiveness and is key to providing great customer service.
24/7 Global Support
The Almac Clinical Technologies Helpdesk provides 24/7, year-round global support. This support is unified through our omnichannel Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. Whether your case is picked up in Tokyo, Singapore, Northern Ireland or the US, it will be treated with the same degree of expertise and empathy in each of our locations. In addition to local language support and study specific training, the CRM system provides support staff with bespoke Knowledge Based Articles (KBA) that synchronise project specific information to ensure each support case is effectively triaged, processed and resolved.
Integrating Technology with Human Touch for Exceptional Service
In an era where technological advancements are reshaping industries, the human element remains irreplaceable. Our commitment to providing exceptional customer service through a tiered approach—focusing on Time, Integrity, Empathy, and Resolution—ensures that we not only meet but exceed the expectations of our clients. By integrating cutting-edge IRT solutions with a deeply empathetic and well-trained support team, we bridge the gap between technology and human connection.
Our dedication to continuous improvement, through regular training and peer reviews, empowers our staff to deliver unparalleled support. This holistic approach guarantees that every interaction is handled with the utmost care, precision, and efficiency, ultimately enhancing the overall experience for patients, clinical staff, and sponsors alike.
