Virtual vs In-Person Medical Product Demo: Which is Right for Your Product?

The COVID-19 pandemic brought in a humanitarian crisis like no other, affecting and claiming the lives of millions of people. This crisis resulted in unprecedented challenges for societies and economies worldwide, especially on the frontlines of healthcare delivery. As a consequence, healthcare professionals faced difficulties in maintaining effective communication and coordination within various medical departments, which had previously relied on face-to-face meetings. This lack of interaction hindered the exchange of expertise, complicated the decision-making process, and disrupted the continuity of patient care. 

However, what was once considered unimaginable became a reality. After the pandemic, as things slowed down, resulting in exponential losses, technology advanced rapidly, enabling easier communication and collaboration for everyone, including medical professionals. This enabled them to showcase complex medical products in innovative ways. 

Technologies such as telemedicine platforms, virtual conferences, and digital marketing tools allow medical professionals to connect with colleagues and potential clients across geographical barriers. Additionally, online platforms, webinars, and virtual demonstrations facilitated the showcasing of medical products while also widely disseminating information and interacting with a worldwide audience. As a result, medical product demonstrations became more engaging and inclusive, ultimately leading to greater awareness and adoption of innovative medical technology. However, despite the many opportunities, there is still a debate on whether product demonstrations should be conducted in a virtual or in-person setting. This article delves into the pros and cons of both. 

Virtual Medical Product Demos

Did you know that virtual care adoption rates in healthcare peaked at 72% during the height of the pandemic? However, as things stabilized, the percentage of virtual visits in this field decreased but is still rather high at 54%. This indicates that a substantial number of patients continue to use virtual care even after the pandemic. 

Since then, there has been a significant shift towards virtual healthcare due to social distancing needs and travel restrictions. This shift led to the increased adoption of virtual demonstrations. MedTech companies began using virtual and augmented reality tools to showcase their innovative medical products to customers remotely. This allowed both medical professionals and patients to explore complex medical products in detail without the need for physical transportation or in-person meetings.

It also enabled faster decision-making, protected intellectual property, and empowered sales representatives to quickly educate customers on the latest product features and capabilities. As the MedTech industry continues to evolve, the use of different visualization technologies has become important for medical device manufacturers to convey the value and benefits of medical products to a remote audience. 

Advantages of Virtual Medical Product Demos

Virtual product demos can offer a myriad of advantages, starting with:

Cost Savings 

Virtual medical product demos eliminate the need for transportation and in-person meetings, enabling MedTech companies to reduce travel expenses, venue rental fees, and associated logistic costs. It also enables them to reach a wider audience across different locations with minimal investment. Additionally, digital platforms allow the repurposing of content such as recorded demos and interactive modules. This continuous availability maximizes ROI and ensures that the product is always accessible. 

Logistical Ease 

Virtual demos are more flexible in terms of scheduling, allowing individuals from different time zones to participate without the need for physical travel. These demos are easy to produce, are less expensive as compared to physical prototypes, and can be easily modified or updated as needed. Additionally, the ability to share digital content and resources during virtual demos can further streamline the process, making it efficient and accessible. 

Faster Decision-Making

Compared to in-person demos, virtual demos do not require customers or medical professionals to schedule and coordinate physical meetings, which can often be time-consuming due to logistical constraints. Furthermore, virtual demos allow for real-time interaction and feedback, enabling decision-makers to ask questions, clarify doubts, and make informed decisions on the spot. 

Limitations of Virtual Medical Product Demos 

Although virtual demos are useful and have many advantages, there’s always a "catch.”

Lack of physical interaction

Virtual demos lack the tactile experience and personal connection that come with in-person interactions, making it difficult for participants to comprehend and assess the product's features, usability, and functionality. Certain aspects, like weight, features, and tactile feedback, might be challenging to communicate. Without the ability to physically manipulate the device, customers could misunderstand certain features or find it difficult to grasp the product's size and dimensions.

Trust Barriers 

This is one of the most common limitations when it comes to virtual medical product demos. Building trust can be more challenging due to the lack of interpersonal dynamics and nonverbal indicators. Customers might also be hesitant to make purchase decisions for complex products based just on a virtual demonstration. This could raise concerns about the accuracy of the virtual representation or a desire to physically interact with the device before committing.

Regulatory and compliance concerns

While conducting virtual demos, medical device manufacturers need to ensure that the digital platforms and content they utilize for these demos comply with all applicable regulatory rules. This involves protecting sensitive product information, maintaining HIPAA compliance when demonstrating devices used in clinical settings, and verifying that virtual interactions align with marketing and advertising regulations. 

In-Person Medical Product Demos

Even though virtual medical product demonstrations offer numerous benefits, in-person demonstrations are still essential for demonstrating complex devices and reinforcing the enduring value of hands-on interaction. For medical products, it is frequently necessary for users to be able to interact with them in person to completely comprehend their features, functionality, and ergonomics. 

In-person demonstrations allow presenters to better understand the audience's reaction, tailor their presentation to address specific concerns or interests, and establish a personal connection that enhances the overall experience. In the healthcare sector, where the stakes are high and decisions often involve considerations of patient safety and well-being, these interpersonal dynamics are especially important.

Additionally, understanding the product in person and being able to interact with it in a real-world situation, as well as observing its size, scale, and texture, improves overall understanding and its capabilities, which may take time to convey virtually. In-person demonstrations also facilitate one-on-one meetings where sales representatives can tailor the experience to each customer's specific needs and concerns, fostering personal connections and trust among sales representatives and customers. 

Advantages of In-Person Medical Product Demonstrations

In-person demonstration offers its own set of advantages to medical device manufacturers

Enhancing In-Store Experience

81% of the population would prefer discovering or interacting with new products in person. In-person medical product demos allow customers to see and feel the product quality and functionality firsthand, which is crucial, especially for medical devices which require precision and reliability. The ability to ask questions and see the device operate builds confidence and trust in the product as well as the brand. 

Tailored Experience

One of the significant differences between virtual vs in-person demos is that virtual demos often take a one-size-fits-all approach, while in-person demos allow for real-time customization on the spot based on feedback and questions from the audience. This one-on-one engagement often allows the sales team to focus on the main features and functionalities that are most relevant to them, enabling them to create a personal connection with the customers. Such interactions are imperative in the medical industry as they often involve multiple stakeholders. 

Balanced Approach 

While in-person demos can offer a more detailed and thorough understanding of the medical product, virtual demos provide convenience and broad accessibility. Maintaining a balanced approach guarantees a well-rounded perspective, combining the depths of hands-on expertise and the efficiency of digital platforms. This way, MedTech companies can cater to diverse customer preferences and needs, fostering a more informed and confident decision-making process. 

Limitations of In-Person Medical Product Demonstrations

In-person demonstrations, even though could be a better option as compared to virtual demos, come with their own set of limitations

Logistical Challenges

In-person 3D MedTech product demos come with significant logistical challenges, especially when it comes to sending expensive medical equipment to customer locations for demonstrations which require coordinating shipping, travelling, and accommodations for sales representatives. This incurs substantial costs for medical device manufacturers. Additionally, language barriers and cultural differences could also create hurdles in effectively communicating the product's benefits and conducting demonstrations. 

Difficulty Demonstrating Complex Workflows

For medical devices with multiple components or multi-step processes, it becomes difficult to fully demonstrate the features and benefits while conducting an in-person demonstration. This often makes it difficult for sales representatives to ensure customers fully understand the nuances of how a particular device operates, especially if there are many different settings, accessories, or steps involved.

Intellectual Property Concerns 

The risk of unauthorized access or duplication of sensitive product information, at times, increases when customers are allowed to physically interact with the prototypes or new devices. During in-person medical product demos, sales representatives ought to be vigilant in ensuring that confidential details about the medical equipment's design, features, and functionality are not compromised during these hands-on demos. This could be problematic, especially for cutting-edge and innovative products where intellectual property is a key competitive advantage.

Virtual vs In-person Medical Product Demo: Which is Best for My Product?

Deciding which one is best for your product:  virtual vs in-person demos, depends on multiple factors. Firstly, it depends highly on the complexity of the product. If the medical product can be effectively demonstrated virtually using software or digital platforms, and immersive 3D simulations, then this could be a cost-effective way to showcase functionality and engage customers remotely. However, for medical devices that require hands-on interaction to fully understand the benefits and features of the product, in-person demos are imperative, since factors like weight, texture, and tactile feedback are difficult to convey virtually. 

Secondly, healthcare providers and clinicians who are familiar with hands-on interaction with medical equipment may prefer in-person demos to fully experience the product's capabilities. On the other hand, for a geographically dispersed customer base, virtual medical product demos become an excellent choice as they provide a more accessible and scalable solution. Ultimately, this depends on the customer's needs and preferences as some may expect a hybrid approach while others would prefer in-person sessions. 

Thirdly, this also depends on specific industry standards. Some medical products would require in-person demos to ensure customers fully understand proper usage and safety protocols. This could be because certain industry associations may specify that live demonstrations are required to fully present a product's features and capabilities. However, virtual demos are nowadays highly accepted and even encouraged as they offer advantages related to cost, logistics, and remote scalability. 

Ultimately, for medical device manufacturers and marketers, the decision comes down to aligning the demo format to the unique medical industry standards, laws, and customer preferences within the medical field. 

Conclusion

For decision-makers, the choice between virtual vs in-person medical product demos depends on various factors, including the complexity of the product, the needs and preferences of the audience, and also abiding by various industry standards. Virtual demos can offer advantages such as cost-effectiveness, logistical ease, and broader audience reach, making them the most suitable option for showcasing products to their customers. However, they do come with their own set of challenges. On the other hand, in-person demos can provide hands-on experience that can build trust and facilitate a deeper understanding of the product. Ultimately, the choice depends on the type of product that medtech sales reps and marketers are willing to showcase. Balancing these approaches, or employing a hybrid model might help MedTech companies to effectively communicate the value of their products while addressing a diverse audience.