Redefining digital ROI: Engagement, experience, and the new metrics of success

Early in the discussion, both speakers challenged the conventional, siloed ways in which pharma teams have historically approached digital ROI.

"We were measuring ROI of digital initiatives in a silo — disconnected from business objectives, disconnected from patient outcomes. That makes it really challenging to claim success.” – Alyssa Fenoglio

Florent agreed, noting that many digital projects still lack a clearly articulated value proposition.

“The classical mistake is deciding to do something without a clear idea of the value it's going to create. That prevents prioritisation — and it prevents you from measuring the impact.”

The panel explored how ROI isn’t just about financial return. For digital leaders, it means delivering measurable outcomes for patients, HCPs, and the business. The conversation covered:

• The importance of aligning lead and lag KPIs to connect digital activity with business impact

• Making space for learning KPIs in innovative scenarios

• Building practical, transparent frameworks that move beyond abstract measures of ‘engagement’

"Experiments are fine. Experiments forever are not fine.” – Alyssa Fenoglio

Florent advocated for clear definitions of value before any investment takes place — from both a business and patient perspective.

“Pharma companies aren’t non-profits. But our role is to maximise patient impact and business return. ROI is about balancing the two.”

A recurring theme was the industry’s ongoing reliance on vanity metrics. The speakers challenged attendees to think beyond clicks and reach, and focus on outcomes that matter.

Alyssa shared a use case where a cross-functional team at a company she'd worked at built a tailored engagement model for under-served pharmacies, resulting in improved revenue and customer satisfaction.

Florent pointed out that too often, digital initiatives are launched without insight, governance, or accountability:

“If someone comes with a non-articulated problem that they want to solve with a website, it's usually based on what they think people want. That’s where research matters. If you're not starting with the real user need, you're guessing.”

Both panellists emphasised the need for better data infrastructure and cross-functional alignment.

“Get your data in order. Make sure it's clean, governed, accessible, and actionable. That’s the foundation for any kind of measurement.” – Florent Edouard

Alyssa also stressed the need for regular audits of existing digital metrics, to ensure teams are tracking what actually matters. Too often, she said, metrics become disconnected from value.

“Is what you're measuring connected to business and customer outcomes — or are you just doing it because it’s shiny and sounds good in a PowerPoint?”

The session also offered practical advice on how to communicate value in ways that resonate across functions:

• Tailor the story for each stakeholder: finance wants numbers, medical wants evidence, leadership wants alignment.

• Use qualitative input — customer stories, satisfaction scores, or testimonials — to bring impact to life.

• Start small: identify early adopter teams and use their results as a proof point to scale.

“CFOs want to see the numbers. Nurses want to hear about patient outcomes. Both stories matter.” – Florent Edouard

Looking ahead, the panel discussed where digital ROI frameworks might evolve — particularly with the rise of AI. Alyssa urged organisations to think carefully about which areas to build versus buy, and where they want to create competitive advantage.

Florent made a compelling case for investing in proprietary AI infrastructure:

“AI will become the intelligence of your company. You don't outsource your intelligence. It needs to be built around your strategy, not someone else's.”

To close the session, both speakers shared their guiding principles for evolving how digital success is defined and measured in pharma:

“Always start with the value you’re trying to create — for patients, HCPs, and the business.”– Alyssa Fenoglio, Teva Pharmaceuticals

“Show the impact. Once you do, people will want more of it. So get your data in order now.” – Florent Edouard, Sanofi

These reflections encapsulate a key message that emerged throughout the discussion: ROI in digital pharma isn’t just about proving value - it’s about creating it.

The future of digital success will be defined by teams who can connect user needs with business outcomes, and who are equipped to communicate that connection clearly across functions.