RPA enables pharmaceutical company in China to support sales events during pandemic

Client Challenge: After the COVID-19 pandemic forced its sales representatives to shift from in person events to online, a pharmaceutical company in China wanted to improve the efficiency and reduce the cost of meeting the associated compliance requirements

Solution: With Capgemini as its partner, the company used robotic process automation (RPA) to introduce seven robots that collected and prepared screenshots of online events to ensure compliance with regulations

Benefits: Lesser reliance on third-party agencies lowers the cost related to gathering screenshots. Greater efficiency as robots can provide 24/7 support. Ensured compliance with government regulations

Meeting safety and compliance requirements

In the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic, many everyday events and aspects of life have needed to adapt to new circumstances. For one pharmaceutical company in China, new restrictions imposed in response to the pandemic meant that its sales representatives could no longer run seminars and conferences, which played a key role in showcasing and selling products, in person. While keeping its employees and customers safe was the organization’s top priority, the company still needed to ensure that its salespeople could connect with hospital personnel and medical experts. As a result, the organization shifted these seminars to an online format, which enabled business to proceed as normal.

However, compliance requirements meant that the business needed to monitor these events and provide proof that they were not being abused by the sales representatives running them. This meant assigning a team of 20-30 people to collect and submit screenshots that would demonstrate that the online events met compliance expectations. The company quickly realized that such repetitive work could be automated, which would lower costs and reduce the organization’s reliance on third-party agencies. In order to identify and implement a solution that would achieve this vision, the business engaged with Capgemini to form a collaborative partnership dedicated to the project.

Automation provides the key

Working together, the partners decided that robotic process automation (RPA) offered the best fit for achieving the company’s goals of improving efficiency and lowering the costs of processes associated with compliance. Following Capgemini’s proven RPA methodology, business analysts reviewed the organization’s existing tools and processes in order to identify the steps needed to complete the project. Once this plan was approved by key stakeholders from the pharmaceutical company, the partners then launched the development of multiple robots based on UiPath.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, the company and Capgemini coordinated in a fully remote capacity throughout the project, which included consistent coordination and communication with users to ensure that the automated process aligned with their needs. This remote access also lowered the overall production cost for the business while enabling the partners to connect more flexibly while maintaining employee safety and ensuring that the project proceeded in a smooth and agile manner. Finally, once the robots were built, the company and Capgemini performed thorough testing to identify any issues prior to introducing the live solution.

RPA drives efficiency and lowers costs

Following the conclusion of the project, the company and Capgemini introduced 7 distinct robots that were programed to produce the necessary screenshots and prepare them for submission to ensure ongoing compliance. As a result, the pharmaceutical company has empowered its sales representatives to continue leading their online events without worrying about compliance issues while enabling the business to focus it s effort and resources elsewhere. The introduction of RPA technology has reduced the overall costs associated with meeting compliance regulations by reducing the business’ reliance on third-party workers who previously created the screenshots manually. Additionally, the company and Capgemini ensured that the solution was simple for event organizers to use so that any sales representative can now easily request a printout during the meeting.

Based on the success of this RPA implementation, the pharmaceutical company and Capgemini will continue to explore new opportunities for the implementation of automated solutions. Together, the organizations will expand their innovation efforts in a continuing search for efficiency that supports the company’s future goals and the efforts of its employees.

Contact Business Services

To learn more, contact Capgemini’s Business Services at: businessservices.global@capgemini.com

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