For the tenth time since 2002, we here at BioInformatics Inc. were honored to once again host the 2018 Life Science Industry Awards – the only awards in our industry that are based on the opinions of thousands of scientists who rely on our clients’ products every day. This is an extremely important point – we don’t sell these awards like some companies do. These awards truly represent the voice of scientific customers and are based on a statistical analysis of the votes.
As in years past, we began with a social hour where attendees could catch up with old friends and meet new ones from across the breadth of the life science industry – from our industry’s giants to start-ups. Although we were scheduled to start at 6:30 pm our guests started arriving before 6pm!
Innovation isn’t just found in the amazing new products our clients companies produce each year. It can also be found in the ways life science companies communicate with your customers, how you guide them through their customer journey, and how you find new and better ways to support them.
This kind of innovation in communications, service and support is what we saluted in this year’s awards. Through our online ballot, more than 2,000 scientists selected 50 companies they considered best-in-class in the 10 categories.
Using our scoring methodology the top 10 were designated Nominees and the top 5 are Finalists. As we presented the awards, we first announced the Silver Award Winner, the Gold Award winner and then the #1 Category Winner as selected by the scientists who voted and invited them to make some remarks.
The event was held in the stunning Edge ballroom at the Hard Rock hotel in the Gaslamp District of San Diego. The venue set just the right tone for celebrating the rock stars of the life science tools industry!
The Presentation of the Awards
Dr. Kara Bortone of JLABS-San Diego was our Keynote Speaker who spoke about creating a culture of innovation where emerging technologies can transform the scientific discoveries of today into the breakthrough healthcare products of tomorrow. Then it was time to reveal the winners of the 2018 Life Science Industry Awards!
Most Knowledgeable Technical Support
There’s a saying that “the customer who complains to you is your friend.” Resolving technical problems as quickly as possible is a key element in creating a branded customer experience. In addition to enhancing satisfaction and building loyalty, information derived from technical problems is instrumental in developing new and better products.
Scientists were among the first to use the Internet to publish and share information and to communicate with each other. This evolution continues today with suppliers and scientists alike. As scientists take advantage of new digital media their suppliers respond with new ways to inform and influence their customers online.
At a time when technological differentiation is becoming difficult to achieve, providing fast response and rapid problem resolution has become an important way to create value and ensure customer loyalty. And when a customer experiences a technical problem, exemplary service can generate lasting goodwill.
Successful advertising can help build brand equity and boost long-term profitability. As we learned in our recent report “Advertising to Life Scientists”, creating awareness in print is still an important part of your marketing mix in building brand awareness and customer loyalty.
Improving the customer experience through innovation, mass customization and customer intimacy programs is a key strategy many life science companies are pursuing. Innovation is not restricted to developing revolutionary new products. Innovation can also be incorporated in the ways customers find, buy and use your products.
Digital advertising is both an art and a science. When executed properly a digital marketing program will deliver highly personalized content through the right channel rendered appropriately for the device on which it was accessed. Mastering the constantly evolving digital technologies and technique is an ongoing challenge for life science marketers.
The company website is the centerpiece of all digital marketing efforts and as such, it should be as dynamic as the company itself with new content continually added to drive traffic from customers and prospects alike. Intuitive navigation, advanced search capabilities and content designed to support the customer’s “buying journey”.
Sales representatives are a vital part of a life science supplier’s success because they provide a direct link to customers. By improving a rep’s credibility and effectiveness, lasting relationships with customers are formed. These relationships often boost satisfaction, loyalty and ultimately long-term profitability.
Corporate sustainability is a business approach that creates long-term consumer and employee value by creating a “green” strategy aimed toward the natural environment and taking into consideration every dimension of how a business operates in the social, cultural, and economic environment. Our surveys have repeatedly shown that scientists applaud these efforts.
Some people worry that industry consolidation is reducing competition and perhaps more importantly stifling innovation. This is far from the case there are countless amazing small and medium size companies that are producing remarkable products, services and business models to drive biological research forward. BioInformatics asked scientists which innovative company did they think was the one to watch in 2019.
Thanks to all of our clients who joined us at the Hard Rock San Diego on November 6th. So much attention in the life science industry is placed on that segment focused on discovery – the discovery of new genes, new cellular mechanisms, new protein functions and ultimately the discovery of new treatments that make lives better.
The amazing life transformations from a therapy often overshadows the fact that these discoveries resulted from the labors of small groups of dedicated scientists who themselves are supported by the relatively small number of companies that produce the “tools of science.” Without the vision and foresight of those who were sitting in the audience on Tuesday night, many of the scientific advances of the past decade would not have been possible. Our clients are rarely in the spotlight of public attention but we know they are the foundation upon which biological research and drug discovery rest.
See you next year at the 2019 Life Science Industry Awards in Washington DC!
