Connecting the data dots

“Analytics comes from listening,” says Karl Erickson, VP - Technology and Innovative Solutions. “Working hand-in-hand with manufacturers over the years, we’ve learned what really matters to them—specific to their drug programs. Our clients trust our counsel and often ask for our help compiling custom analytics for them. It’s a natural progression in our role as their business and third-party logistics partner.”

Our deep understanding of both information technology and the business side of pharmaceutical manufacturing has made it an invaluable consultant to its clients. It’s not uncommon for the company’s IT experts to join the business development team during client meetings to discuss specific needs and how analytical tools can be customized accordingly. Each interaction enhances the team’s understanding of the client’s requirements and expands the capabilities of our analytics.

This gives manufacturing clients the flexibility to shape these tools to meet their unique needs. For example, some clients wanted to track when their products were delivered. In response, we developed a Proof of Delivery (POD) report. This report integrates data from UPS to show exactly when a product arrived and who signed for it, all based on the order number. Whether it is delivery tracking or other custom analytics, we are committed to making it happen for its clients.

 

It is important to note that it goes beyond tailoring analytics — it helps manufacturers uncover which data to integrate and why. For instance, by connecting chargeback data to 867 data, manufacturers can forecast chargeback costs, gain visibility into chargeback accruals, and track utilization by product and distributor. We also deliver critical analytics that allow manufacturers to identify their top customers, understand purchasing behaviors, and analyze trends by state and ZIP code. Additionally, we help clients integrate unique data points, such as invoice fees and discounts. For one client, we created a dashboard that provided a rolling inventory by week, enabling visibility into stock levels at each distributor. During this project, the team also developed functionality to analyze data by salesperson, offering insights into individual and territory-level performance.

Some of the most innovative features of our analytics have been inspired by client feedback. For example, one manufacturer requested custom alerts for key metrics and business rules to better manage customer behaviors. In one case, a manufacturer with a service-level agreement (SLA) limiting a customer’s monthly orders to 10,000 units wanted to be alerted if the limit was exceeded. The tool was programmed to notify the manufacturer and hold the order until next steps could be determined. This unique capability is possible because we serve as the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system for its clients, enabling real-time analytics that optimize performance and support better business decisions.

“[the tools] are designed to be proactive rather than reactive,” says Erickson. “It’s not just about gaining visibility into inventory levels and sales trending, it’s about cross-referencing them to forecast restocking needs. We deliver actionable intelligence, so when a client has inventory about to expire, they can quickly decide if they should destroy it, put it in quarantine or push it out. Or, if a client’s sales have dropped over the past few months, they can very easily determine whether the decrease is product-specific or central to a particular area, related to sales efforts or community need.”

Connecting cause and effect is the essence of analytics, and we deliver this seamlessly to clients. The company’s approach goes beyond simply showing manufacturers what has happened; it provides insights into what will happen, why it will happen, and how to respond. This tailored approach ensures that analytics meet the unique needs of each manufacturer.

Erickson illustrates this point when he says, “Many in the industry tout ‘analytics packages.’ That’s not analytics, that is a reporting package. People might brag about how good it looks, but what about the content? If it hasn’t had that human touch, that understanding of the relationship between a manufacturer and its customers, the knowledge of their unique program, then it’s just extracted data wrapped in a colorful bar chart. That’s why [we] will never have one analytics solution for our clients.”

This commitment to collaboration ensures that our analytics capabilities continue to evolve. By sharing what has worked—and what hasn’t—with its clients, we are redefining what it means to be a trusted third-party logistics partner.