Medical device specialist company, Boston Scientific, has installed an Octel Overture 200 Message Server from ATIO Corporation to facilitate better communications between head office in Boston, and the company`s South African operation.
Boston Scientific is a $3 billion dollar global leader in the production of medical devices for the less invasive treatment in Interventional Cardiology, Interventional Radiology, Vascular Surgery, Endourology and Gastro-enterology. The company produces more than 15 000 different medical devices such as catheters and stents to support the new, less invasive procedures in these medical fields.
As part of its global expansion programme, Boston Scientific decided to set up its own office in South Africa in October last year to grow its already strong share of the local R250 million medical device market.
"It took us ten weeks to get up and running from nothing to fully operational, furnished offices with computer systems, networks and telephones," says local commercial director Corne van Steijn.
"Although we already have up to 30% market share in some areas, we intend to dominate the South African market," says Van Steijn. "To achieve that we need the best staff and the best support systems."
No private or state-run hospital can afford to keep stocks of all 15 000 of Boston Scientific`s products. Standard items and some more specialised devices are delivered to client hospitals on consignment basis and are replenish as needed. Using a specialised courier service, Boston Scientific guarantees delivery before 10:00 tomorrow, if clients call before 17:00 today.
It also offers an emergency service whereby special items can be delivered within an hour in cities it operates in. "To succeed, all communications must proceed smoothly. The doctor won`t forget if we fail to deliver on even one critical mission when the patient is lying on the operating table."
"Voice messaging is considered key to the company`s success as it enables easy communications with its worldwide offices. ATIO Corporation`s voice messaging products are a standard at Boston Scientific, so we were advised to contact the local office."
"To meet daily emergency calls promptly and to be there when your advice is needed are key to succeeding in this market," says Van Steijn. "The Octel voice messaging system helps us deliver this service. Its benefits go beyond our borders. We are in hourly contact with head office for advice and enquiries. I sometimes put through up to 100 calls a day to the USA."
Putting calls through to a sleeping America means the ability to leave messages is key. "We leave messages overnight and they reply when they are in the office and we have gone home."
Staff are able to phone in and listen to their voicemail from any location. After keying in their voice mail numbers and passwords, they are able to dial though to the overseas office, via the Octel system. Octel uses a proprietary protocol called Octel-Net to transmit the messages to Boston head office via analogue lines. This results in huge savings on international telephone calls.
"One of voice mail`s big benefits is the retention of the nuances and tones of voice communication which are lost when text-based messaging systems are used," says Van Steijn.
"Octel is helping us to focus on what we do best. It has certainly contributed to some of our success in the past six months were we have begun to see growth of up to 20% a month."
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