Entry Level vs Enterprise: Medical Device Sales Field Enablement & Inventory Optimization
The Right Enterprise Platform Makes All The Difference
When searching for the right tool, there are so many factors to consider. When you understand what is important, then everything else becomes easier.
After helping many of the world’s largest enterprise med device companies with their field sales enablement and inventory automation efforts, we know what to look for—and what to watch out for as well.
Of course, it needs to be fully functional.
Of course, it needs to be user friendly.
Of course, it needs to be integrated with your ERP and other systems.
Typically, med device companies come to us after they have outgrown their current system, or they aren’t seeing tangible results. We helped in both the recovery process from the aftermath of failed projects and with upgrading from entry level solutions (typically in-house built “solutions” or systems not made for enterprise manufacturers). In both situations, many of the same variables come into play.
These variables create an uneven playing field. If the foundational pieces aren’t present, it is not comparing apples-to-apples, or even apples-to-oranges (at lease those are similar in size), it is as bad as comparing peas-to-apples. Entry level solutions are small, outdated, and unscalable. Enterprises solutions help you create your desired future.
What we have found is that in order get real results, to drive user-adoption, and to experience a fundamental shift in behavior and operational excellence it takes effective change management and the proper tool.
The 8 Key Dimensions or Key Factors to be aware of are:
1. Collaborative Partnership
Transactional – (ENTRY Level)
Offer product as- is, “out of the box” with difficulty updating when necessary and in the time in which its needed.
Partnership – (ENTERPRISE Platform)
Configure system to well-defined business processes. Receive, assess, and respond to user feedback and input. Constant collaborative innovation and proactive improvement across entire system.
2. Complex Org Structure
Simple – (ENTRY Level)
Straight forward hierarchical structure, direct 1:1 relationships between sales/ops, homogenous business processes.
Complex – (ENTERPRISE Platform)
A scalable, adaptive, global solution. Supporting intricate field sales/operations relationships (multiple 1-to-many relationships), spanning multiple business lines with different business rules or regional regulations.
3. Complete ERP Integration
Single/Few Points – (ENTRY Level)
Limited integrations, still requiring high levels of manual work, high susceptibility to errors requiring extensive exception management
Multiple/ Many Points – (ENTERPRISE Platform)
Full integration – High levels of automation enabled by secure, fast, reliable and thorough integrations to multiple ERPs and other systems.
4. System Comprehensiveness
Limited – (ENTRY Level)
Minimal features must be supplemented with other tools or manual processes.
Comprehensive – (ENTERPRISE Platform)
A single, unified, scalable end-to-end platform augments and automates the daily mundane work for all end users.
5. Holistic Business Processes
Segmented – (ENTRY Level)
Disparate solutions or manual workarounds compensate for gaps in technology (lack of comprehensive tools), resulting in disjointed processes.
Holistic – (ENTERPRISE Platform)
High levels of automation and specific, comprehensive tools enable better processes across the entire field supply chain.
6. Engaging User Experience
Constrained – (ENTRY Level)
Software tools built on outdated technology, geared towards a single isolated user role, or with external benefits in mind, neglecting the end-user experience.
Engaging – (ENTERPRISE Platform)
A meaningful and relevant user experience is provided for all user groups, resulting in high user adoption and synergistic success of the tool.
7. Extensive Compliance / Security
Open – (ENTRY Level)
No data that is helpful with audits, insecure means of communication, risk of penalties/ lawsuits.
Extensive – (ENTERPRISE Platform)
A compliant partner minimizes risk and streamlines legal processes for maximum security and safety.
8. Future Proof Innovation
Prescriptive – (ENTRY Level)
Obsolescence risk, old or non- upgradable tools. Poor user experience leading to high turnover, or at worst, massive failure.
Innovation – (ENTERPRISE Platform)
Full-time dev teams constantly upgrading, new ideas, new solutions, proactive, forward thinking and always problem solving.
In conclusion:
The right platform is purpose built.
Movemedical was designed and built from the ground up as a cloud-native, next-generation, SaaS platform allows us to develop insanely fast, customize configurations, and innovate far superior solutions for our partners.
Movemedical is the enterprise software platform for Med Device Sales and Inventory Automation.
In addition to those 8 key dimensions to consider, when looking to upgrade, here are 2 more questions to ask:
- How much or little of the processes within the entire last-mile supply chain workflow will be included?
- Do we want a scalable platform that unifies all our current systems?
Movemedical’s enterprise-level solution sets the bar high for maximum adaptation as your business grows.
If you would like to explore further what the future of med device field sales enablement and inventory automation looks like, please reach out.
Connect With Us
If an in-depth field sales & inventory management discussion makes sense –
contact us here: info@movemedical.com / call 877.469.3992
or watch this VIDEO (executive case study)