Unlocking NHS sales opportunities through customer insights
When it comes to engaging the NHS, the biggest challenge sales and market access teams face isn’t just getting in the room – it’s knowing what to say when they’re in there.
In my work over the past year, I’ve seen this play out time and again. Teams approach NHS decision-makers without truly understanding their priorities, pain points or what motivates them to collaborate.
That’s precisely why I’ve made customer insight interviews a core feature of my enhanced 2025 online programme Sell Better To The NHS. These interviews – conducted with a carefully selected mix of NHS professionals including Integrated Care Board (ICB) commissioners, hospital pharmacists, Health Improvement Network leads, GPs, Primary Care Network business managers and federation CEOs – are designed to bridge the gap between what the industry offers and what the NHS actually needs.
If you’ve ever wondered why your pitch didn’t dazzle or why a promising conversation fizzled out, the answers might just lie here.
Read my blog – Start your NHS pitch by talking about inequality – here.
Understanding NHS decision makers – the key challenges
From (ICB) commissioners to practice managers, NHS leaders are united by one thing – the sheer weight of demand they face daily. Whether it’s managing endless patient appointments, addressing non-elective admissions or dealing with tight budgets, the workload is relentless.
During my customer insight interviews with NHS decision-makers, one question struck a chord across the board: What are the top three work-related items that keep you awake at night?
The answers painted a clear picture of an overstretched workforce grappling with systemic pressures. But they also revealed something else – a hunger for innovative solutions and genuine partnerships that ease the burden.
What NHS leaders want from Pharma, Med Tech and Device companies
The NHS decision-makers I spoke to were refreshingly candid about what makes them want to work with pharma, med tech and device companies and what doesn’t.
Their feedback highlights three critical takeaways:
- Start with patient outcomes
One GP told me bluntly: “If you don’t improve the patient outcome, I’m not interested.” It’s as simple as that. Every collaboration must start with a clear focus on how it will improve care, whether that’s reducing hospital admissions, speeding up diagnoses or enhancing long-term management of chronic conditions. - Address systemic pressures
NHS professionals aren’t just thinking about patients. They’re also thinking about workload. They’re looking for solutions that reduce demand on their teams, whether that’s fewer referrals, streamlined processes or better tools for managing complex cases. - Collaboration over sales
Time and again, I heard the same message: “Work on my agenda, not yours.” Decision-makers value partners who come to the table with genuine curiosity and a willingness to understand their specific challenges. Sales pitches, however polished, fall flat if they aren’t grounded in genuine empathy and insight.
The perfect triangle – a win-win-win strategy
At the heart of these insights lies what I call the “perfect triangle” of collaboration:
- Win for the patient: Improved outcomes must always be the starting point.
- Win for the NHS: Every solution needs to demonstrate how it reduces workload, cuts costs or otherwise supports the system.
- Win for the business: A company’s success is welcomed – but only when it’s built on the first two wins.
What we asked NHS decision-makers about market access issues and why it matters
To dig deeper into these priorities, I asked NHS leaders a series of targeted questions, including:
- What role do you see for pharma, med tech and device companies in supporting your work?
- When you’ve worked with industry in the past, what convinced you the collaboration would work?
- What non-monetary support from industry do you value most?
The answers revealed not only what NHS leaders need but also how they prefer to engage. For example, while tools like audit frameworks and budget impact models are helpful, they’re only valuable when tied to actionable insights.
Similarly, while financial support is often appreciated, non-monetary contributions such as training or additional staffing can be just as impactful.
Bringing it all together in the 2025 programme
The customer interviews are more than just an insight exercise. They’re a blueprint for action.
By incorporating these findings into my 2025 online NHS Sales programme, participants will learn how to:
- Tailor their approach: Understand each decision-maker’s specific challenges and priorities.
- Ask better questions: Use open-ended, agenda-driven questions to build trust and uncover pain points.
- Position their solutions effectively: Align offerings with patient and system benefits first, before addressing business outcomes.
- Build trust and transparency: Establish credibility through genuine collaboration and problem-solving.
Ready to transform your NHS engagement?
If you’re tired of pitches that don’t land and meetings that don’t convert, it’s time to rethink your approach. My 2025 Sell Better To The NHS online sales programme gives you the tools, insights and strategies to create meaningful, results-driven partnerships with the NHS.
By combining the power of customer insight with practical training and proven templates, this programme will help you craft your perfect triangle of success – one that delivers for patients, the NHS and your business.
Don’t wait – schedule a call today and start immediately building better partnerships with the NHS.