Introduction
A Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company recognized the need for a more efficient way to manage its patent search process, a critical component of its innovation and R&D efforts. Given the rapid advancements in pharmaceutical technology and the increasing frequency of patent searches, the company sought a solution that would streamline this process and reduce bottlenecks in its workflow transforming patent searches.
Diagnose: Addressing Bottlenecks and Enhancing Efficiency in Patent Search Requests
The pharmaceutical company faced significant challenges in managing their patent search requests:
- The centralized process of routing all patent search requests through a single stakeholder-led to delays and inefficiencies.
- Frequent patent searches were essential due to the fast-paced innovation within the industry.
- The need for domain expertise in conducting technical patent searches added complexity to the process.
- The existing process risked the loss of critical information, impacting the accuracy and speed of search results.
Design: Streamlining the Patent Search Process with Searchstream
To overcome these challenges, the company adopted Searchstream, a platform designed to simplify and expedite patent search requests:
- Customized Search Scope: Searchstream enables users to tailor their searches, select preferred databases, and specify the types of data they need, ensuring the capture of all relevant information.
- User Control and Speed: The platform empowered users to independently manage their search requests, eliminating the need for coordination with multiple stakeholders. Quotes for search requests were generated within minutes, significantly speeding up the process.
- Data Security: Given the sensitivity of patent searches, Searchstream provided robust data encryption, giving the client confidence in the confidentiality and security of their search information.
Deploy: Implementing Searchstream for Operational Excellence
The implementation of Searchstream brought significant improvements in the company's patent search process:
- Efficiency Gains: The platform integrated seamlessly into the company's workflow, allowing for rapid and accurate search requests without the delays previously caused by centralized management.
- Streamlined Approval Process: The platform simplified the approval process for patent search proposals by eliminating the need for internal sign-offs and stakeholder coordination.
- Faster Turnaround: Searchstream delivered search results within a week, allowing the company to stay agile and responsive to its R&D needs.
Impact: Achieving Significant Time Savings and Enhancing Innovation
The adoption of Searchstream had a profound effect on the company's operations:
- Dramatic Time Savings: The company achieved a 90% reduction in the time required to process search proposals, decreasing the duration from days to minutes.
- Improved Innovation Pipeline: The streamlined process allowed the company to focus more on innovation and less on administrative tasks, ensuring a more efficient and effective R&D strategy.
- Enhanced Competitive Edge: With quicker and more accurate patent searches, the company could better protect its innovations and maintain a solid competitive position in the market.
Conclusion
The implementation of Searchstream transformed the pharmaceutical company's patent search process, enabling it to overcome previous bottlenecks and achieve substantial efficiency gains. The platform's user-centric design and robust features empowered the company to accelerate its innovation efforts, secure its intellectual property more effectively, and maintain a leading edge in the highly competitive pharmaceutical industry.
