Veeva Ready to Go with AI-Generated Customer Insights in its CRM

Last spring, Veeva, a leading provider of customer relationship management (CRM) for pharma sales teams, announced an AI partner program and also one of its first partnerships, with the AI firm Odaia.¹ Now, the two are introducing Odaia Engagement Intelligence, currently integrated with Veeva CRM, and soon to be linked to Veeva Vault CRM, its next-generation platform.² (Veeva Vault also represents the company’s departure from the SalesForce.com collaboration, which will take several years to unwind.)

The prospect of incorporating generative AI and machine-learning technology to sales and marketing data is an obvious target; in theory, AI can produce relevant sales content, or predict HCP information needs. Veeva says that Engagement Intelligence will enable commercial teams to provide “every sales rep with AI-generated call lists, personalized pre-call summaries, and dynamic route planning,” all within the Veeva CRM.

Several years ago, Veeva offered a “Suggestions” tool for guiding sales rep activity, but the company says that the Odaia partnership goes well beyond that. “Veeva CRM Suggestions are based on customer data in Veeva CRM such as HCP interactions, sales data, and market research data that users then act on,” noted Mike Ferrell, EVP of commercial strategy. “Odaia’s AI leverages this same customer data but also pulls data from multiple other sources, including website visits, recent benefits verifications, patient journeys, event attendance, and script volume, to provide predictive intelligence on HCP behavioral and prescription trends.”

“This isn't a vision, in test and dev mode, or years away. Sales reps can start getting AI-driven insights in Veeva CRM within weeks,” asserted Paul Poulidis, Odaia CEO. He says that two of top 15 biopharmas are already using the Engagement Engine; those users will have a “head start and won’t have to wait for other solutions that may be years away.”

References

1. Basta, N. Veeva Rolls Out New Features While Transitioning Its CRM platform. Pharmaceutical Commerce. May 8, 2024. Accessed September 26, 2024. https://www.pharmaceuticalcommerce.com/view/veeva-rolls-out-new-features-while-transitioning-its-crm-platform

2. Odaia Delivers AI Agent in Veeva CRM for Pharma Sales Reps to Drive Better HCP Engagement. PR Newswire. September 18, 2024. Accessed September 26, 2024. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/odaia-delivers-ai-agent-in-veeva-crm-for-pharma-sales-reps-to-drive-better-hcp-engagement-302251234.html#:~:text=The%20integration%20provides%20an%20AI,with%20healthcare%20professionals%20(HCPs).