Veeva and Qlik

Working hard to make our customers’ lives easier

In the past we’ve written about our relationship with Veeva, but we have also fielded a number of questions about how our solutions complement each other. So, my colleague and friend Christopher Ferrara, Senior Director, Industry Solutions at Qlik decided to conduct a 1-on-1 interview to shed some light on the topic. Take it away Chris!

Over the past several years, we’ve seen many companies shift from an individualistic and competitive mindset to one that is more collaborative and partner-centric. Qlik works with more than 1,700 partners to develop integrated solutions that drive innovation in the marketplace and exceed customer expectations. Veeva is a strategically important technology partner that shares our collaborative approach. Qlik is one of only three certified Gold Technology Partners with Veeva, and currently the only BI partner in the program.

In 2017, Veeva and Qlik have continued to deliver on the vision we have to support our customers, yet even the best partnerships can see some challenges. When Veeva launched Veeva CRM MyInsights, a powerful data visualization tool embedded within Veeva CRM, Qlik was releasing its Qlik Sense Mobile iOS application for offline mobile analytics nearly at the same time.

At the Veeva Global Commercial & Medical Summit held in May, where Veeva unveiled CRM MyInsights, we came to better understand how the two solutions complement each other. There we had the opportunity to meet with Arno Sosna, the General Manager for Veeva CRM, to get an update on the reaction CRM MyInsights was getting from customers.

Here is some insight to the conversation that may help you understand how these technologies provide complimentary capabilities to joint Life Sciences customers.

CHRIS: “Congratulations on the announcement! How are customers receiving the new product?”
ARNO: “Customer feedback has been fantastic. Our customers have been asking for this kind of capability for some time now and we believe we’ve now fulfilled this need.”

CHRIS: “So what are the main use cases for CRM MyInsights?”
ARNO: “MyInsights has three main use cases. To customize the CRM interface and allow for actionable and visual insights based on CRM data, to provide a platform to develop custom applications, and to provide embedded data visualization for offline CRM users.”

CHRIS: “The last use case sounds like what Qlik could provide. Are you concerned we will be competitive in that space?”
ARNO: “Not at all. The products are complementary, not competitive. CRM MyInsights is not meant to be an enterprise analytics tool, nor do we want it to be. There are plenty of tools in the market that do that. MyInsights provides insight based on the data that is within the CRM system. It is meant to provide a powerful visual way of consuming information to help people do their job and to use the CRM system to gain actionable insights. We see customers using CRM MyInsights as a platform to customize their CRM experience and build custom applications, not as a BI tool.”

CHRIS: “So when do you think customers should use CRM MyInsights versus Qlik?”
ARNO: “CRM MyInsights is good when you're looking to get actionable insights in real time whether you're connected or off-line. It's also good when CRM users need a visual way to display their CRM information that is completely embedded within the CRM system, allowing them to seamlessly jump to an action. CRM MyInsights is also all about apps. It's very powerful when customers integrate custom apps such as e-learning or other creative capabilities. When customers need more detailed analytics they should use products like Qlik Sense.”

CHRIS: “That makes a lot of sense to us. We have seen some challenges with integration where Life Sciences companies want their users to easily navigate from Veeva CRM to Qlik or vice versa, and especially moving from Veeva CRM Mobile app to the Qlik Sense Mobile iOS app for off-line analytics. Moving from one app to the other and staying in context seems more complex than it should be.”
ARNO: “That's true. Both products are relatively new and given where the technology is, it's still early. For example, features like Smart Linking don’t exist yet. It's simply not an option right now, but we expect to see additional developments soon. As we move forward we will listen to our customers’ needs and if that’s something they are looking for, it is something that will become a priority for us.”

CHRIS: “How do you envision customers using the two technologies?”
ARNO: “There is still a clear need for both technologies. Veeva CRM and Qlik Sense Mobile iOS will likely run in parallel in the near term. In the same way you don't have a single app for your Email, your Calendar, and for your Tasks you will not have a single app for your CRM system and your enterprise analytics. The best approach is to have the two separate apps with clear objectives for each. It’s still very early stages. Over time, the products may work together more closely, but we will let the customers guide us on that journey.”

Since May, Veeva CRM MyInsights and Qlik Sense are both gaining traction, and continuing to receive positive feedback from customers. The Qlik Sense Mobile iOS app was released in Sept 2017 and can be found on the Enterprise Apple Store at vpp.itunes.apple.com.

For more information on how to use these solutions together, please visit the Veeva CRM MyInsights or Qlik Sense website pages.

Qlik is a Gold level sponsor of the 2017 Veeva European Commercial & Medical Summit

#Qlik's Christopher Ferrara explains how Veeva's and Qlik's solutions complement each other:

 

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