Assisting a global pharmaceutical company transform its customer handling from paper to digital with bespoke tech solutions.

The background.

This leading global pharmaceutical company, dedicated to developing and distributing vital medicines to hospitals, pharmacies, and wholesalers, faced significant operational hurdles in managing its Italian customer service. Prior to partnering with Transcom in 2011, a staggering 80,000 hospital orders were being processed daily through antiquated methods like mail and fax. This created a highly people-intensive order process, demanding extensive manual data entry and numerous quality checks to ensure both accuracy and regulatory compliance. Furthermore, addressing customer inquiries about crucial product information necessitated agents with a deep and specialized understanding of pharmaceuticals.

Recognizing these challenges, the pharmaceutical giant entrusted Transcom with the entirety of its Italian customer service operations. This comprehensive partnership spanned the complete customer lifecycle, encompassing everything from efficient order intake management to complex cash management processes, including handling refunds and goodwill payments. Transcom's responsibilities even extended to logistics coordination, effectively positioning them as the client's frontline for all customer-related requests. This long-standing collaboration since 2011 underscores the deep trust and reliance the pharmaceutical company placed in Transcom's ability to streamline their critical customer service functions and navigate the complexities of the pharmaceutical industry.

The solution.

To tackle the intricate challenges faced by the pharmaceutical company, Transcom embarked on a transformative journey, developing and implementing a suite of bespoke software solutions through several strategic initiatives over time. Recognizing the need for readily accessible and accurate information, Transcom first created a centralized knowledge platform in 2015. This evolved into a sophisticated knowledge base for agents, featuring intuitive search functionality via both voice and text, empowering them to quickly find answers and resolve queries efficiently. Critically, Transcom assumed complete responsibility for all platform updates, ensuring the information remained current and reliable.

Building upon this foundation, Transcom developed a comprehensive CRM application, launched in 2015 and continuously enhanced. This bespoke system served as a central hub, seamlessly managing the entire customer interaction lifecycle, from initial order placement to final cash management, effectively integrating various internal client systems for a unified view. A significant leap forward occurred in 2019 with the development of an ERP integration. Leveraging XML and Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Transcom facilitated a direct connection between the client's and the hospitals' ERP systems, dramatically automating the previously manual and time-consuming order processing. Complementing these technological advancements, Transcom also designed bespoke training methods, initiated in 2018 and ongoing. These tailored programs were specifically crafted to accelerate agent competency in navigating complex issues and processes, fostering a deep understanding across multiple systems, all while adhering strictly to Italian regulations to guarantee full compliance.

The results.

The strategic implementation of bespoke solutions by Transcom yielded significant and measurable improvements across the pharmaceutical company's Italian customer service operations. The introduction of the knowledge platform in 2015 immediately streamlined agent workflows, leading to a substantial reduction in Average Handling Time (AHT) from 5-8 minutes down to a swift 3.5 minutes, enhancing overall efficiency. The deployment and continuous development of the comprehensive CRM application, starting in 2015, not only boosted operational efficiency by approximately 10% but also contributed to a notable 3% increase in Net Promoter Score (NPS), reflecting improved customer satisfaction.

A pivotal moment came with the 2019 launch of the ERP integration. By automating the order process through XML and RPA, Transcom revolutionized order management, with an impressive 80% of all orders now being transmitted electronically, significantly reducing manual effort and potential errors. Furthermore, the tailored training methods, introduced in 2018, dramatically accelerated agent onboarding. The average training time was cut from three weeks down to a single week, enabling new agents to become proficient and contribute effectively much faster, ultimately enhancing the overall responsiveness and capability of the customer service team.