ZS|25: Striving to Anticipate Clients' Needs-3

ZSAssociates

Below is the third installment in the ZS history messages series.
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Striving to Anticipate Clients’ Needs.

In 1981, Andy and Prabha purchased an Apple II Plus computer and used it
to display territories on-site for another E Company project.  While the
bulk of the solution was developed on a mainframe computer, the use of a
portable computer to show solutions as they emerged made a powerful
impression on the client. Developing alignment and sizing software for
the Apple II and later the IBM PC were major milestones in ZS history.
It provided the entrepreneurs with a significant differential advantage
over competitors. Prabha programmed the initial software for these
applications.

 

The following year, Andy presented their mathematical models for sales
force sizing and territory alignment to the Pharmaceutical Management
Science Association (PMSA).  Executives from many famous companies were
“floored” by the ability to solve sales force sizing, sales resource
allocation, and territory alignment issues and see solutions visually
in real time; with one person exclaiming, “I’ve been waiting my whole
life for this!”  This meeting led to many new clients and considerable
new work, as well as strengthening the relationships with our important
clients.

 

One executive attended these PMSA meetings. His goal was to develop an
understanding of pharmaceutical market behavior, including answering
questions such as: what is the advantage of being first into a market;
what indications have the biggest impact on product success; and what
is the impact of sampling, journal advertising and detailing? His company
commissioned Andy and Prabha to undertake this research, which lasted
many months. They, plus several other faculty members and numerous
Ph.D. students, worked on the project, while the company educated the
team on pharmaceutical market dynamics. From the beginning, ZS has worked
with companies to understand and meet their needs in creative, yet
pragmatic, ways.

 

To be continued....