CRM Transformation: A strategic choice for leaders in Life Sciences

Navigating the Veeva-Salesforce-Split: The perfect time to rethink Customer Experience CRM

So far, the partnership of Veeva Systems and Salesforce has played an important role in the pharma world by providing an industry customized state-of-the-art CRM. Now that both companies are parting ways, many life sciences leaders must evaluate their CRM strategies to stay ahead of the curve. Before the final cut-off in 2029, organizations will need to completely migrate to either of the platforms to avoid disruptions and capitalize on the benefits of modern CRM solutions. This separation presents an opportunity to reassess current CRM strategies, and to establish a new next-generation customer management platform as the backbone for future growth.

Selecting the right CRM is essential for life sciences companies to effectively engage with healthcare professionals (HCP) and healthcare organizations (HCO). Traditional CRM systems can be rigid, with limited integration and outdated workflows, leading to inefficiencies across sales, marketing, customer service, field service and medical functions. These limitations prevent organizations from delivering personalized, experience-driven customer interactions and managing the full commercial lifecycle seamlessly. Market access strategies and the rise of generic competition further challenge the industry.

Next-generation CRM platforms aim to resolve these issues by creating a unified digital foundation that consolidates HCP and HCO interactions, event management and engagement into a single source of truth, providing a 360-degree view of customers. This enables more informed relevant interactions and supports automation and innovation through technologies like generative AI. Modern CRM systems also expand beyond customer engagement to include patient-centric capabilities such as education programs, outreach, and support for value-based care and personalized treatments. Ultimately, they help life sciences companies manage global operations by standardizing processes, enabling data-driven decision-making, and ensuring scalability across all commercial functions.

Fresenius Kabi transitions to the Salesforce Life Sciences Cloud

Fresenius Kabi is pioneering the change with its “PULSE” transformation program. In a strategic partnership with Capgemini and Salesforce, the healthcare leader will globally transform its commercial processes with Salesforce Life Sciences Cloud as an enabler by 2029. Capgemini, as a strategic partner, will define and harmonize all business processes (sales, marketing, customer service, field service), develop the technical design, and together with Fresenius Kabi and Salesforce execute the implementation and rollout. The solution will replace all existing CRM instances to create a unified, scalable system, and business processes. The transformation covers the Pharma, BioPharma, Nutrition & MedTech business units. The four units target distinct customer groups, and the different countries come with their own unique processes, adding to the complexity of the landscape. The new CRM solution is set to drive organizational change with a dedicated change management, communication and training team from Fresenius Kabi and Capgemini.

“Our CRM transformation journey is taking place on a global scale and represents the first-of-its kind Life Sciences Cloud transformation in our industry. With Capgemini as a trusted strategic partner, we will leverage the Salesforce Life Sciences Cloud to streamline our commercial strategy and gain access to advanced data insights,” says Kai Dins, Head of Commercial Ecosystem & Enablement at Fresenius Kabi. “We’re focusing on reaching the maximum level of standardization while co-creating local solutions for specific market needs.”

The Salesforce Life Sciences Cloud will manage the entire commercial lifecycle, from marketing, sales and customer services to field service management, for a seamless information flow and standardized commercial processes worldwide. As compliance with regulatory requirements is critical in the life sciences industry, a global CRM ensures that all interactions adhere to the necessary regulations.

An opportunity to redefine your CRM landscape

Against the backdrop of the Veeva-Salesforce split, life sciences and specifically pharma companies should reassess their current CRM strategy to retain a competitive edge and ensure operational continuity. By leveraging the capabilities of modern CRM technology and a strong partnership with Capgemini, life sciences organizations can strengthen customer engagement, drive growth and access key data for precise decision-making. Our collaboration with Fresenius Kabi and Salesforce shines a light on these benefits for other leaders looking to take the next step.

For a deeper dive into our perspective on CRM transformation in life sciences, explore our Point of View on HCP Engagement.