We outline the considerations and actionable strategies for life sciences companies in the wake of the split between Veeva Systems and Salesforce in 2025.
The separation of Veeva from Salesforce presents an opportunity for pharmaceutical companies to reassess their CRM strategies to maintain operational continuity and leverage technological advancements. The impending split will fundamentally alter the CRM solutions landscape. Life sciences services companies must reassess their strategies to ensure continuity, compliance, and competitive advantage in leveraging these technologies.
Announcement and initial planning (2022–2023): The split was publicly announced, and initial communications regarding the transition were shared with stakeholders.
Detailed transition planning (2023–2024): Companies should use this time to conduct in-depth assessments of their current systems. During this period, companies must assess their key technology platforms’ capabilities and innovation roadmaps or timelines.
Start of transition (2025): Formal separation where Veeva will stop renewing its Salesforce partnership is set for September 2025. This marks the beginning of the operational shift. Companies should solidify their architecture strategies and start defining migration and integration plans.
Migration phase (2025–2030): After the split, there will be a five-year wind-down period, during which companies can continue using Veeva CRM on Salesforce. This period is crucial for executing the migration strategies, including transferring data, testing the new environment, and training users.
Final cutover (2030): This is the final milestone where companies should have completed transitions and fully adopted the target platforms.
Post-transition optimization (Post-2030): Ongoing evaluations and optimizations of the new systems will be crucial to address emerging challenges, optimize processes, and ensure that the systems meet evolving business needs.
Veeva Systems: Continues to offer specialized CRM solutions with its Veeva Vault platform, enhancing life sciences-specific functionalities.
Salesforce and IQVIA: The recent announcement of their partnership enhances Salesforce’s Life Sciences Cloud, integrating advanced analytics to improve operational efficiencies and customer engagement.
Other Key Players: Oracle Health Sciences, Cerner, SAP, Microsoft, BioClinica, Medidata, Parexel, and other emerging companies continue to offer complementary technologies supporting CRM functions.
Comprehensive IT and data audit: Begin with a thorough audit of current systems to identify critical data flows, integration points, and potential risks associated with the migration.
Continuous monitoring and evaluation: Continue monitoring capabilities, partnerships, and innovations offered by the key players in the industry. Assess strategic alliances with other technology providers to enhance capabilities that Salesforce and Veeva previously managed.
Strategic vendor partnerships: Engage with System Integration partners who understand the pharmaceutical landscape and can offer tailored solutions that meet specific industry needs.
Conduct comprehensive risk assessment: Conduct thorough risk assessments to prepare for potential challenges during the system integration and data migration phases.
Robust migration strategy: Develop a migration strategy that minimizes downtime and data loss, that includes pilot testing phases to ensure data integrity and system functionality.
Regulatory compliance and data security: Ensure that all data handling and processing during and after the migration comply with industry-specific regulatory requirements. Enhance data security measures to protect sensitive information during the transition.
Training and change management: Implement a comprehensive training and change management program to facilitate a smooth transition for all stakeholders, including regular updates and feedback loops to address concerns and challenges during the transition.
Long-term strategic planning: Look beyond the immediate transition and plan for long-term technological and business impacts.
By understanding the implications and preparing adequately, companies can turn these challenges into opportunities for growth and innovation. Navigate the complexities of CRM evolution in the life sciences sector, ensuring that companies are well-equipped to maintain their competitive edge and meet the changing needs of their customers.
