Gartner ITxpo 2010 : MR Productivity @Eli-Lilly Japan

Driving MR Productivity Through Mobile IT

Case Study: Eli Lilly Japan

Date: Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Time: 16:15–17:00
Speakers: Bryce Bowman, Manish Prabhune

Introduction

In 2010, Eli Lilly Japan embarked on a strategic initiative to significantly improve the productivity and effectiveness of its Medical Representatives (MRs) by leveraging mobile IT. As the role of MRs continued to expand beyond traditional detailing into more consultative and data-driven engagement with healthcare professionals, the company recognized the need to fundamentally rethink how work was performed in the field.

This session, presented by Bryce Bowman and Manish Prabhune, described how Eli Lilly Japan deployed a mobile platform, anchored initially on BlackBerry and extended through the introduction of iPad to transform MR workflows, improve sales execution, and enable more meaningful engagement with physicians.

Business Challenge

MRs traditionally spent a substantial portion of their day on indirect, non-customer-facing activities: documenting calls, accessing internal systems, preparing materials, and traveling back to sales offices to complete administrative tasks. This fragmented workflow limited the number of customer calls MRs could make each day and reduced the time available for high-value interactions with physicians.

Eli Lilly Japan’s core objective was clear: move as much indirect MR work as possible onto a mobile device that could be used anytime, anywhere, thereby minimizing dependence on physical offices and maximizing time in the field.

Strategic Approach

The mobile IT strategy was built around three guiding principles:

1. Enable work on the go by shifting indirect tasks—reporting, CRM updates, content access, and internal communication—onto iPads and smartphones.

2. Increase the number of daily physician calls by eliminating unnecessary travel and downtime.

3. Use mobile devices as multi-purpose tools, serving simultaneously as sales enablement platforms, training tools, and productivity accelerators.

Solution Overview

1. Moving Indirect Work to iPads

By enabling secure, seamless access to internal applications and data, Eli Lilly allowed MRs to complete call reporting, review sales information, and prepare for upcoming visits directly from their iPads. Tasks that previously required trips to a regional or head office could now be completed during travel time or between customer visits. This shift dramatically reduced administrative friction and allowed MRs to stay productive throughout the day without interrupting their field schedules.

2. Maximizing Field Time and Call Volume

Always-on connectivity enabled MRs to leverage non-detail field time more efficiently. Travel gaps, waiting periods, and short breaks became opportunities to complete administrative work or prepare for the next call. As a result: The number of physician calls per day increased, Time lost to office visits was significantly reduced and Sales activities became more focused and consistent

3. iPad as a Sales Tool for Doctors

The iPad was also positioned as a powerful customer-facing device. Its intuitive interface and rich visual capabilities allowed MRs to:Deliver more engaging, interactive product presentations, Tailor discussions to specific physician interests and respond to questions in real time using up-to-date information. This improved the quality of doctor interactions and reinforced Eli Lilly’s image as an innovative, digitally enabled partner.

4. iPad as a Training and Enablement Platform

Beyond sales execution, the iPad served as an on-demand training tool. MRs could access training materials, product updates, and compliance content directly in the field, reducing the need for in-person training sessions and accelerating knowledge transfer. This continuous learning model helped ensure that MRs remained informed, compliant, and confident—without pulling them out of the field for extended periods.

Key Outcomes

Eli Lilly Japan’s mobile IT initiative delivered measurable improvements across several dimensions:

• Improved sales force execution and capability

• Higher MR productivity through increased daily call volume

• Reduced travel to sales offices and administrative centers

• Greater responsiveness to physician needs

• More effective training and knowledge retention