[Marketing Information System] 2009
1.0 INTRODUCTION:
Beximco Pharma is a leading edge pharmaceutical company, based in Dhaka, Bangladesh
and is acclaimed for outstanding product quality, world-class manufacturing facilities,
product development capabilities and outstanding service.
At Beximco Pharma, they are in the business which deals with human health and this makes
them more responsible to keep the highest standards of their products. Through their products
they try to deliver clear benefits to the patients.
For their purpose they always need huge amount of information. Today, information is
critical for effective business operation. The wealth of information available not only to the
Beximco but also to other business managers grows exponentially each year, and the
technologies available for processing this information are continually expanding. These
changes make managing business information complicated and create opportunities for
business managers who seek competitive advantage in the marketplace.
Businesses are linked to global economies. Markets are quickly affected by competitors’
actions, new Government policies, changing technologies, shift in consumer sentiment, even
changes in a company’s product, price, sales force, distribution system, and promotional
programs. This information must be managed in a way that provides guidance for decision
making. Here, they are going to describe about the Marketing Information System (MKIS)
practice by Beximco Pharmaceutical Limited.
10
Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
[Marketing Information System] 2009
2.0 COMPANY PROFILE:
Beximco Pharma is a leading edge pharmaceutical company and is a member of the
BEXIMCO Group, the largest private sector industrial conglomerate in Bangladesh. Their
strategic strengths include strong recognition of their brands, highly skilled work force and
diversified business mix. Their two brands - Neoceptin R (Ranitidine) and Napa
(Paracetamol) are the top two selling brands in the Bangladesh Pharmaceutical market. They
started their operation in 1980, manufacturing products under the licenses of Bayer AG of
Germany and Upjohn Inc. of USA and
now have grown to become nation's
one of the leading pharmaceutical
companies, supplying more than 10%
of country's total medicine need.
Today Beximco Pharma manufactures
and markets its own `branded generics'
for almost all diseases from AIDS to
cancer, from infection to asthma, from
hypertension to diabetes for both nationall and internationall markets.
The recipient of three times `gold' national export trophy, Beximco Pharma is the largest
exporter of pharmaceuticals from Bangladesh. They are the only pharmaceutical company in
Bangladesh received this highest national accolade for export, for record three times. They
market their brands through their own professional sales and marketing teams in African,
South Asian and other markets. They also supply their products to renowned hospitals and
institutions in many countries, including Raffles Hospital and K K Women & Childrens'
Hospital in Singapore, MEDS and Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) in Kenya, Jinnah
10
Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
[Marketing Information System] 2009
Hospital, Agha Khan Hospital and Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital in Pakistan. They are
also an enlisted supplier of World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF.
3.0 COLLECTING AND ANALYZING DATA:
Beximco Pharmaceutical Ltd. is facing intense competition in local and international market.
Therefore, they need to collect, gather and analyze this information very cautiously and
quickly. Now, we are going to describe about their data collection and analyzing system.
3.1 Data on Competitors: They collect data about the competitors from a external source.
They collect it from 4P market research firm. This organization conducts survey on various
pharmaceuticals and then sells to them. After collecting data from 4p Beximco analyze them
by using their own “Informational Management Software (IMS)”.
3.2 Data on Doctors: Doctors are another important external source of collecting data. They
collect data on doctors’ behavior on writing prescription by their own sales force and medical
information officers. Then, Beximco analyze data by using “Informational Management
Software (IMS)”.
3.3 Data on Consumers: Consumers are the main power of a company. Beximco collect data
about consumer taste, preferences, and experiences with their own data collecting cell. This
cell is named “Market Research Cell” (MRC). They are the mainly responsible for collecting
and analyzing information about consumer.
3.4 Internal data: Internal data is very important for the success of a company. Therefore,
Beximco also collect internal information about their sales force, production, quality control
and employee reactions with the help of MRC.
10
Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
[Marketing Information System] 2009
4.0 DATABASES:
Beximco pharma maintains both internal and external databases. They maintain and control
them separately to obtain information quickly.
4.1 Internal Databases: Beximco pharma’s internal databases are the combination of
following databases —
Sales and warehouse reports
Sales person commission
Ordering Records
Inventory Information
4.2 External Databases: Beximco pharma’s external databases are the combination of
following databases —
Market trends
Competitors’ sales trend
Doctors Reports
Factory Reports
Contact database
5.0 APPLICATION SOFTWARE:
Beximco pharmaceutical uses various application software to main databases mentioned
earlier. They are at present using the following application soft wares —
Microsoft Office Access
Oracle
SQL server
Linux operating system
Informational Management Software (IMS)
10
Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
[Marketing Information System] 2009
6.0 SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT:
Beximco pharma has got a strong and effective supply chain management. This helps them
achieve their goal and target efficiently and effectively.
Inbound logistics
Production & operation
Marketing decision
Outbound logistics
Sales & Marketing
6.1 Inbound Logistics: Beximco uses different types of inbound logistics systems that help
them to work smoothly. They are maintaining following inbound logistics systems:
6.1.1 Purchasing systems: In this system they maintain the information related with
the raw materials and stationary purchase.
6.1.2 Accounts Payable system: Most of the time they purchase raw materials on
account. So, maintain these huge amount of payable they maintain an accounts payable
system.
6.1.3 Receiving system: This is the system where they keep record about the raw
materials received and other damaged medicines returned by the territory suppliers.
6.1.4 Raw material inventory system: This is an important part of the inbound
logistics system. If raw materials can not be supplied in time, then production will be
stopped. Therefore, Beximco maintain an automated inventory system that provide signal
when raw materials comes down below the safety stock.
6.1.5 Product Inventory system: Beximco maintain an automated inventory system
that provide signal when products are needed to be supplied and stored.
10
Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
[Marketing Information System] 2009
6.2 Production & Operation: They need to
maintain several systems for production and
operation. Beximco is a pharmaceutical company.
For producing medicines they need different types
of formulas. They maintain and preserve these
formulas in a system for ensuring security.
6.3 Outbound Logistics: Outbound logistics is an
important part of supply chain management.
Beximco’s outbound logistics contain following
systems.
6.3.1 Warehousing records of finished goods: Beximco keeps a warehousing system
for better use of their finished goods.
6.3.2 Shipping and supplying system: This system is made up of SQL server and
ORACLE. Using these system territory officers can order and send feedback to the central
office.
6.4 Sales and Marketing: Sales and Marketing system is the most important part of the
supply chain management. Beximco pharmaceutical is using the following sales and
marketing information system.
6.4.1 Doctors database system: Doctors are the part of their marketing. Therefore,
they keep record and always update this database. In this system, they keep all sorts of data
about the doctors.
6.4.2 Quotation system: By this system, they can easily find and process the quote of
the territories. All the territories are not equal in size and demand also varies. So, with help of
this system they can easily allocate products.
6.4.3 Order Entry System: All the territories of the country are connected with the
central server system. As a result territory managers can easily collect orders from the market
and can send them to the head office.
6.4.4 Sales Commission: Beximco’s sales force is working through out the country.
Beximco pays on their sales amount. For this purpose, they maintain database for individual
sales personnel in each territory. These databases include name, address, joining date,
performance, and sales amount of the each sales personnel.
10
Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
[Marketing Information System] 2009
6.5 Customer service systems: They are using integrated customer service system for
providing better customer service. They also use hotline numbers for customers. Even they
established Health Points in different places of the country. These points are connected high
speed internet connection. That enables them to video conferencing, teleconferencing for get
help from specialists’ doctors about different diseases.
7.0 MARKETING DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM:
Marketing decision support systems (MKDSS) is an information system that helps with
decision-making in the formation of a marketing plan. The reason for using an MKDSS is
because it helps to support the software vendors’ planning strategy for marketing products; it
can help to identify advantageous levels of pricing, advertising spending, and advertising
copy for the firm’s products. This helps determines the firms marketing mix for product
software.
Beximco pharmaceutical limited is using mainly two types of Marketing decision support
systems. By using these systems they are trying to gain competitive advantage over their
competitors. Beximco is using mainly following two MKDSS.
7.1 Reporting System: This system is mainly using for analyzing the historical data for
better decision. The managers are collecting, analyzing and reporting past sales data, markets
trend, and customer behavior from this system.
7.2 Analytical Model:
7.2.1 Forecast Models: Beximco pharmaceuticals mainly uses forecast model for
analysis. In this system, managers provide necessary information and then automatically
analysis becomes completed. They can effectively and efficiently forecast future sales and
market trend by using this system.
10
Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
[Marketing Information System] 2009
8.0 WORKING PROCESS OF BEXIMCO’S MARKETING INFORMATION
SYSTEM:
Inbound Logistics system Outbound Logistics system
IMS Central Sever
And Database MRC
Marketing Decision Support
System
Customer Service System Sales & Marketing
10
Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
[Marketing Information System] 2009
9.0 CONCLUSION:
Beximco Pharmaceutical Limited is one of the largest pharmaceuticals companies in
Bangladesh. They are very much keen to success. They first introduced MKIS practice in
Bangladesh among local companies. Now they have the largest MKIS setup in Bangladesh.
They collect information from the route level. All territory managers are connected by central
server system. They send daily sales reports and other information via terminal directly to the
central office. This helps them timely, efficient and effective decisions. As a result they enjoy
competitive advantage in the pharmaceutical business. The Group has been on the cutting
edge of new technology and innovation in Bangladesh with an emphasis on Total Quality
Management and international standards of corporate governance.
10
Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
[Marketing Information System] 2009
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
1. http://www.beximco-pharma.com/aboutus/aboutus.htm
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beximco_Pharmaceuticals_Ltd
3. Marketing Information Systems, Creating competitive advantage in the Information
Age, By Kimball P. Marshall.
10
Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
