AstraZeneca: Transforming the Digital Supply Chain with Veeva

This video provides an in-depth case study from AstraZeneca detailing the strategic drivers, implementation methodology, and realized benefits following the global deployment of Veeva Vault PromoMats. The pharmaceutical company identified simplification as the main business driver for selecting the system, aligning with a massive, enterprise-wide initiative to streamline platforms, processes, and systems. This simplification effort was crucial for achieving increased information transparency, which directly supports regulatory compliance and, consequently, reduces organizational risk.

AstraZeneca highlighted three critical success factors that ensured the successful, rapid, and sustainable implementation of the platform across numerous global markets. The most critical factor was adhering strictly to a "global core configuration," meaning markets were brought onto the same system with minimal or no customization. This strategy was instrumental in facilitating quick delivery and guaranteeing future sustainability. Furthermore, successful deployment relied heavily on robust collaboration between the global team and dedicated local and regional teams. Given the short time scales and the necessity of managing many deployments in parallel, the third essential factor was the establishment of very clear plans, ensuring all stakeholders were aware of dates and expectations, and that adherence was maintained throughout the process.

The implementation yielded significant, quantifiable benefits, primarily centered on enhanced efficiency and user satisfaction. AstraZeneca reported a major increase in productivity, resulting in the saving of "thousands of hours every year." This demonstrates a clear return on investment (ROI) derived from process automation and content management streamlining. Beyond efficiency, the system dramatically improved customer (internal user) satisfaction. Approximately 85% of users rated the new system as easier to use compared to the previous legacy platform, underscoring the success of the change management and the intuitive nature of the Veeva solution.

The system's intuitive design and inherent compliance features allowed AstraZeneca to successfully onboard markets that had not previously utilized the legacy system. This expansion of adoption across the global organization further harmonized content management processes, reinforcing the initial strategic goal of simplification. The overall outcome showcased how standardizing on a compliant, intuitive platform like Veeva Vault PromoMats can drive significant gains in productivity, user experience, and regulatory adherence within a complex, regulated enterprise environment.

Key Takeaways:

• Simplification as a Primary Business Driver: The core strategic motivation for adopting Veeva Vault PromoMats was a company-wide drive toward simplifying platforms, processes, and systems, indicating that technology adoption must align with broader organizational transformation goals.
• Compliance Enabled by Transparency: Increased information transparency resulting from the system implementation was directly cited as the mechanism that enables compliance and reduces regulatory risk, highlighting the system’s value beyond mere content management.
• Mandate Global Core Configuration: Sticking to a global core configuration—minimizing market-specific changes—was the most critical success factor, ensuring rapid deployment, system standardization, and long-term sustainability across the enterprise.
• Collaboration is Key to Global Rollout: Successful implementation required intense collaboration between global, regional, and local teams, emphasizing the need for a unified organizational structure to manage complex, multi-market deployments.
• Clear Planning for Parallel Deployment: Managing numerous market deployments in parallel, often under tight deadlines, necessitates extremely clear plans, defined dates, and strict adherence to schedules to maintain project momentum and avoid bottlenecks.
• Quantifiable Productivity Gains: The system delivered significant ROI by saving "thousands of hours every year," providing concrete evidence of improved operational efficiency in content creation and review workflows.
• High User Satisfaction Drives Adoption: User experience is a critical metric; 85% of users rated the new system as easier to use, demonstrating the importance of an intuitive platform for successful change management and high adoption rates.
• Intuitive Design Expands Reach: The system’s intuitive nature allowed AstraZeneca to successfully bring on board markets that were not using the previous legacy system, thereby expanding the scope of standardized processes globally.
• Focus on Sustainability: The choice of a global core configuration was explicitly linked to ensuring the long-term sustainability of the system, a crucial consideration for regulated enterprise software investments.

Tools/Resources Mentioned:

• Veeva Vault PromoMats

Key Concepts:

• Global Core Configuration: A strategy for enterprise software deployment where the system is implemented with minimal customization across all markets to ensure standardization, rapid rollout, and simplified maintenance.
• Simplification as a Business Driver: The strategic goal of reducing complexity in processes, systems, and platforms to improve efficiency, reduce cost, and enhance organizational agility.
• Information Transparency: The ability to easily access and track content and data throughout its lifecycle, which is essential for auditability and regulatory compliance in the pharmaceutical sector.
• Parallel Deployment: The methodology of launching a system in multiple markets or regions simultaneously, requiring rigorous project management and planning.

Examples/Case Studies:

• AstraZeneca Implementation: The video serves as a case study detailing AstraZeneca’s successful global implementation of Veeva Vault PromoMats to streamline content creation, enhance compliance, and achieve significant productivity savings.