IT Best Practices: How Do We Keep Our CRM up to Date?

When Heraclitus remarked that ‘change is the only constant,’ he certainly could not anticipate that he would be describing software systems that wouldn’t even be invented for another two millennia. That’s especially true in the world of pharma CRM systems, which must be responsive to constantly changing business, regulatory and customer requirements. To remain competitive, it’s vital to make sure your CRM system remains relevant over the long run. Functionality that may have provided a competitive advantage back in 2009 will be considered a merely basic feature today. Thus, your ongoing competitive advantage will partially depend on access to a continuous stream of innovation. No wonder then that IT managers constantly ask us, “How do we keep our CRM up to date?”

In the commercial pharma world, one thing that sets leaders apart from second-tier players is the ability to quickly take advantage of innovation. Conversely, implementing such innovation means that you must proactively follow a structured release management process. Having worked closely with some of the most experienced IT folks in the biopharma industry over the years, we’ve come to learn quite a bit about the best practices that guide their release governance. These include:

A real-world example can be illustrative. One Veeva CRM customer, a top 20 pharma, utilizes a structured assessment process for each new release. This is based on a pre-defined schedule, which helps them ensure that they do not fall behind as new functionality is released. Moreover, they work closely with their internal business partners (as well as with Veeva’s Managed Services group and their dedicated Veeva Customer Success Manager) to understand the benefits of the functionality, evaluate specific release requirements, then prototype and implement the new features. Collaboration, transparency and open communication, they argue, are central to their success [defined as high adoption rates.]

One of the benefits of this approach is that advanced planning allows them to minimize any potentially disruptive impact – such as training requirements – while also encouraging adoption. Closely involving the business team, having them understand IT resource utilization and making joint decisions has substantially improved the relationship for all participants.

Ultimately, no successful commercial team can afford to rely on a static CRM solution in the long run. That is why Veeva is focused on consistently delivering new innovation for pharma. Regardless of which new functionality a company adopts, be it Veeva CRM Suggestions, account timelines, or multichannel cycle plans, implementing a best practices approach will help increase the utilization rate and thereby provide another point of competitive advantage.