BUSINESS STRATEGY |
Co says the plus side of India's distance from
the U.S. is that it can "follow the sun" with uninterrupted support for customers' scientists. The firm is installing videoconference equipment to keep the two facilities connected with each other and with customers. Co admits that maintaining seamless contact with customers will be a challenge, even with the latest conferencing technology. But, he adds, in his previous job, working in New Jersey for the French-German drugmaker Aventis, communications were tough, too. "Germany may as well have been on Mars," he says. lower cost of conducting research in India is also a selling point. "Big pharma is all about quality, but the people we talk to are focused on cost as well," he says. "It's going to be a lot cheaper to work with Co. Co is convinced that Co and other companies that offer cost-effective chemistry resources will become successful players in the U.S. contract research market. But he knows that winning the confidence of drug industry research executives won't be easy--and it won't have anything to do with the price of Co.`s services.
"In this business, someone will challenge you with a small part of their program--usually the most difficult part," he says. "It's a testing ground. You either accomplish it or you don't. If you don't, you usually don't see them again. But if you succeed, the doors will open."
|