Transform MedTech Order Management with AI

Effective MedTech order management is crucial for organizations to remain competitive. Yet many companies are still held back by the inefficient manual processes that order management entails. Fragmented data and siloed teams lead to long and less-than-ideal customer engagements, ultimately lowering customer satisfaction. Customer service and sales representatives spend a lot of valuable time trying to answer constant inquiries of “where is my order?” (WISMO). A world where technology can help provide real-time order updates to both your teams and your customers is a lot closer than you might realize, however. AI can help free up your teams to focus on high-value activities that drive revenue growth and ultimately improve margins. Here are steps you can take to drive value from using AI for MedTech order management:

1. Identify the waste associated with tracking order statuses
2. Eliminate repetitive inquiries about order status that bog down your staff
3. Connect your systems for greater efficiency
4. Maximize upsell and cross-sell opportunities to drive revenue growth
5. Resolve cases more effectively with AI
6. Take advantage of tools that promote better collaboration

Identify the waste associated with tracking order statuses.

The inefficiencies associated with tracking order statuses can have a profound impact on an organization’s overall performance. One of the most significant challenges companies face is the sheer amount of time and energy spent looking for order details, and because of that complexity, sales representatives often outsource WISMO inquiries to shared services teams within the organization like sales operations or call centers, this takes those teams away from their regular day-to-day duties and leads to providing less-than-ideal service for more complex issues. This not only leads to a significant loss of productivity but also diverts resources from more strategic and high-value activities. According to a recent study, employees can spend up to 20% of their time on administrative tasks, including order tracking, which translates to a substantial drain on operational efficiency.

The repercussions of these inefficiencies aren’t confined to productivity alone. Strained customer relationships often result, as delays and ambiguities in order status can foster dissatisfaction and erode trust. Moreover, the burden on employees can lead to elevated turnover rates and diminished morale. When employees are freed from the tedium of tasks like tracking orders, they can redirect their efforts to more engaging, strategic work. A Deloitte survey found that companies with high employee satisfaction levels are 22% more productive, highlighting the direct link between a positive work environment and operational success.

The financial repercussions of suboptimal order management are equally significant. The expenses linked to manual tracking, frequent inquiries, and error resolution can accumulate, impacting the company’s financial performance. Research by McKinsey has demonstrated that organizations can realize up to 30% in operational cost savings by adopting automated order management systems. This not only curtails waste but also facilitates the swifter integration of new personnel, as automated systems are generally more user-friendly and require less training.

Eliminate repetitive inquiries about order status that bog down your staff.

Life Sciences Cloud revolutionizes order management for MedTech organizations by taking advantage of advanced AI capabilities and autonomous agents to extend your workforce and service customers 24/7. One of the key benefits of this system is its ability to reduce the constant influx of WISMO inquiries, which often bog down inside sales and support teams. Life Sciences Cloud powered by Agentforce addresses this challenge by delivering real-time order updates across a multitude of channels, including portals, agent interfaces, phone systems, and collaborative tools like Slack. This comprehensive approach ensure that sales reps, service reps, customers, and partners are all equipped with accurate and timely order status information, significantly reducing the need for manual follow-ups and inquiries, cutting down frustrating experiences, and giving time back for more impactful activities.

Life Sciences Cloud integrates with manufacturing execution systems (MES), enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, commerce systems, electronic data interchange (EDI) systems, and logistics platforms to provide a single, accurate view of order status. This integration reduces the manual effort required to track down order information by consolidating data from multiple sources into a single, easy-to-use interface. As a result, inside sales and support teams can quickly and easily access the information they need without having to log in to multiple systems, leading to increased efficiency and more productive customer interactions.

Life Sciences Cloud’s real-time order tracking capabilities are not confined to internal use. Customers and representatives can both access the latest order information through a variety of channels, from self-service portals to phone calls and even Slack messages. This omnichannel approach not only decreases the number of WISMO calls but also heightens customer engagement and satisfaction.

Connect your systems for greater efficiency.

The MedTech industry is evolving rapidly, and with it, the complexities of supply chain and manufacturing. In the current landscape, it is difficult to pinpoint an accurate status of an order across a supply chain. The intricate nature of personalized manufacturing and multi-step build processes, often involving numerous vendors, can obscure the true location and status of an order. 

To overcome these challenges, MedTech organizations can turn to integration solutions that can bring information from different sources together in a central location. MuleSoft’s Anypoint Platform operates as a unified integration layer, seamlessly linking various systems within the organization, from ERP systems to supply chain partners and even MES. This integration ensures that all pertinent data is centralized and accessible, delivering a comprehensive, real-time view of order statuses.

Data Cloud is a pivotal component in this integration, providing a centralized repository for all order-related data. By consolidating information from disparate sources, Data Cloud establishes a singular, accurate source of information. This empowers MedTech companies with a comprehensive view of their orders, allowing you to simplify tracking and bolstering capacity to make well-informed decisions and optimize supply chain processes.

The real-time connection with MES is particularly advantageous for the tracking of personalized devices. With personalized medicine, where devices are customized or even manufactured to individual patient requirements, immediate insights into the manufacturing process are critical. Through the integration of MES with Data Cloud and other pertinent systems, MedTech companies can ensure they receive prompt notifications on the status of personalized devices, thereby improving patient outcomes through timely delivery.

And not only can we see where the order is in the manufacturing process, but we can also combine steps involving patients, providers, specialists and more. Whether that’s measurement and consulting or up through to final fitting, this provides a truly comprehensive supply chain overview.

An integrated approach also enables automated workflows. With MuleSoft’s Anypoint Platform, automated workflows can be established to trigger notifications in response to order status changes. This not only reduces the need for manual intervention but also ensures that all parties involved, from manufacturers to healthcare providers, are kept up to date with the latest information on order progress. By enhancing communication and minimizing the potential for errors, these automated workflows significantly contribute to improved efficiency and satisfaction among customers.

It all comes together with Salesforce’s agentic layer, Agentforce. Agentforce brings together data, AI, and works together with humans. Agents can be deployed across any business function to help you get work done faster.

Maximize upsell and cross-sell opportunities to drive revenue growth.

Automating order management processes with Agentforce opens the door to new sales opportunities. With more time and resources at their disposal, sales teams can focus on understanding customer needs and preferences, identifying opportunities for additional sales, and building stronger customer relationships. This targeted approach can lead to increased revenue through more effective sales strategies and personalized customer interactions. 

Likewise, Agentforce can help turn a cost center like customer service into a revenue center by guiding service representatives through upsell or cross-sell opportunities.

The advantages of AI-driven order management are not solely confined to revenue expansion. Through the reduction of manual labor, organizations can realize significant cost efficiencies. Automation cuts down on repetitive tasks and errors, and instead helps you optimize resources. This reduces operational costs. Furthermore, the real-time data and insights provided by AI helps you improve decision-making that can lead to better inventory management, waste reduction, and even reduce employee churn.

Resolve cases more effectively with AI.

In the event of a hiccup that requires human intervention, a robust system of engagement can help expedite resolution. This is where advanced case management with Agentforce steps in. Agentforce creates a unified view of the customer across all interaction channels, consolidating a customer’s history, preferences, and any ongoing concerns. This holistic perspective helps agents address issues more effectively because they don’t have to search different places to find information.

The ability to track orders in real time is a further advantage of AI-driven case management. This promotes proactive communication with customers to keep them informed throughout the resolution process. By integrating with CRM systems, AI can deliver a seamless experience for both customers and service representatives. This integration guarantees that all relevant data is centralized and easily accessible, reducing the time spent on retrieving data and allowing service representatives to focus on resolving issues.

Agentforce can also streamline the process of routing cases so that the most qualified individuals address issues promptly. This focused approach not only speeds up resolution but also bolsters the overall efficiency of case management. Moreover, AI and machine learning can scrutinize customer interactions to pinpoint common issues and trends. This data-driven strategy can help you identify areas for improvement so that you can reduce the likelihood of similar issues in the future.

Through the application of AI in case management, MedTech organizations can enhance their capacity to manage exceptions and resolve issues. Employees at companies with AI have greater bandwidth to tackle complex casework. This elevates customer satisfaction and frees up resources to focus on more high-value tasks. 

Tools such as Tableau Pulse and Slack can empower both internal and external teams to work together, share information, use AI and analytics, automate workflows, and communicate in real-time for more effective problem-solving and innovation.

Effective collaboration is key to maintaining operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. Platforms like Slack provide a central location for teams across the organization—from sales and customer service to manufacturing—to communicate and coordinate. By bringing all of these teams into one workspace, critical information and documents are easily accessible, reducing the risk of miscommunication and delays. This keeps everyone on the same page and creates a more cohesive environment for managing orders more effectively.

Furthermore, these platforms allow for the facilitation of real-time collaboration with external partners, such as suppliers and logistics providers. By integrating these stakeholders into relevant channels, companies can quickly resolve issues and better coordinate supply chain activities. This improved communication not only streamlines processes but also helps to build stronger relationships with external partners, leading to more efficient operations.

The incorporation of AI-powered tools and analytics within collaboration platforms further enhances their utility. AI can provide valuable insights and recommendations, assisting teams in the optimization of order management processes. For example, predictive analytics can anticipate potential delays or issues, enabling proactive measures. Moreover, automating workflows through these platforms reduces manual effort, allowing employees to focus on more strategic tasks. By streamlining processes and providing real-time data, these tools can significantly increase efficiency and productivity, ultimately benefiting both the organization and its customers.