The implementation of a new system – whether CRM, ERP, or CDP – is a complex project for any company. In the pharmaceutical industry in particular, the requirements are especially high and decisive for the success of a migration: data must not only be consistent but also legally watertight. Processes are often internationally interconnected, and compliance requirements add further complexity.
A successful migration from the legacy system to the new software requires more than just technical implementation. What really matters are clear goals, a solid project set-up, a reliable data foundation, and above all: user acceptance.
Our checklist shows what a typical project flow looks like, how we design it together with our clients, and which steps are essential.
1. Strategy & Stakeholders: The Foundation of Every Migration
A successful migration does not begin with the evaluation of technology, but with clear objectives and a shared understanding. Pay special attention to the following:
✓ Define and communicate goals
→ What problems should the new CRM solve? What opportunities does it create for Marketing, Pharma Sales Teams, and Medical Teams?
✓ Identify stakeholders and interest groups
→ Who is affected (Sales, Medical, Marketing, Compliance)? At what stage should they be informed and involved?
✓ Secure management sponsorship
→ Without top management, there is no success: the C-level ensures budget approval, sets priorities, makes final decisions, and acts as a visible role model in the daily project routine.
Especially in the pharmaceutical environment, it is crucial that management understands and actively supports the specific regulatory requirements – e.g., regarding compliance approvals, international regulations, and collaboration between Medical, Marketing, and Sales.
2. Project Organization: Structure Creates Security
System migrations are complex – especially in pharma, with long approval cycles and regulatory requirements. Projects are further complicated by the large number of stakeholders, often working within international structures, whose needs must be aligned early. The right project organization provides structure and defines important milestones. Key considerations include:
✓ Form a project team
→ Clearly define roles and responsibilities and, if necessary, bring in external expertise from the start. Especially for complex global projects, it is important to establish responsibilities and communication channels early to ensure efficient coordination.
✓ Create a project plan
→ Consider dependencies (e.g., other systems), plan fixed testing phases, and define key milestones (pilot, roll-out, later feature introductions) right from the start. This keeps the project manageable and progress transparent to all.
✓ Set a realistic budget
→ Beyond licenses, also account for training, maintenance, change management, and compliance costs.
In the Pharma and MedTech environment, it is essential not to introduce all functionalities at once, but gradually, based on clearly defined use cases. A roadmap helps to prioritize these steps, allow sufficient test cycles, and consistently meet compliance requirements.
3. Data & Systems: Quality Over Quantity
A CRM is only as good as the data maintained within it. Migration therefore offers the perfect opportunity to clean up legacy issues, remove duplicates, and build a solid data foundation.
✓ Clean and consolidate data
→ Outdated or incomplete data should be checked and updated beforehand. A workshop can help identify the potential of the new system and how the data needs to be structured for it.
✓ Clarify legal issues
→ Data protection, GxP compliance, and audit trails are mandatory in the pharmaceutical sector. Clear documentation processes should be established to provide proof of data and system integrity during audits or inspections at any time.
✓ Acquire appropriate licenses
→ Which licensing models are required? Inform yourself early about the different license and pricing models, as they may vary significantly depending on the number of users, data volume, and extensions.
In the pharmaceutical industry, it is especially important to systematically harmonize master data and sensitive customer data. This is the only way to reliably meet regulatory requirements such as GxP, while at the same time creating the foundation for data-driven services and AI-powered analyses.
4. Change Management & Adoption: Putting People First
The success of the new CRM system largely depends on how well it is adopted by employees. Therefore, they should be informed about and supported in using the system early on.
✓ Involve key users
→ Power users bring practical knowledge and act as multipliers within the teams. Involve some of these users early in the pilot phase and leverage their feedback to better align the company-wide rollout and increase acceptance.
✓ Training and communication
→ Training is essential for migration. It should be engaging, practical, and designed with an appropriate time frame. Feedback collected in this process should be taken seriously and used as an opportunity for improvement.
✓ Continuous improvement
→ Migrations typically do not end with go-live – they extend beyond and should be planned accordingly (keyword: phased rollout of new functionalities). Systems must also be maintained, data updated, and processes further developed. Use the post-go-live phase to gather real-world experience, make adjustments, and gradually introduce users to additional features.
In the pharmaceutical industry, change management is doubly challenging: measures must not only encourage usage and address regulatory requirements but also account for specific roles such as field staff and Medical Science Liaisons, who often do not work in offices and therefore have special system requirements.
How We Support Our Clients
Every system migration we conduct follows a proven process:
Discovery & Goal Definition – We assess the status quo and jointly develop target scenarios.
Project Planning & Set-up – Teams, roles, and processes are defined.
Implementation & Testing – We support technical execution and ensure data quality.
Go-Live & Training – We make sure everyone is ready to start.
Ongoing Support – We remain a partner even after go-live to drive optimizations forward.
System migrations are not a sprint but a marathon, which we accompany from the very beginning as a strategic partner. With our structured checklist, risks can be minimized, resources used efficiently, and user acceptance ensured. Particularly in pharmaceutical companies, data quality, compliance, and change management are critical success factors.
Whoever considers these aspects lays the foundation for a CRM system that delivers real value and remains scalable in the long term. Pharmaceutical companies that understand CRM as a strategic enabler build the basis for sustainable growth and a strong competitive position. They ensure regulatory compliance, meet – or exceed – customer expectations, and at the same time harness the opportunities of new technologies such as AI and automation.
We are happy to support you on this journey!
