X/Procure® - Electronic Procurement & Media Solutions

X/procure® are the leading specialists in delivering electronic advertising and pharmaceutical ordering software to more than 63% of our country's pharmacies, utilising electronic procurement systems.

Manufacturer of treatments for specific skin conditions, Galderma Laboratories will advertise ClobexR Shampoo for the treatment of moderate-to-severe scalp psoriasis through the use of strategically placed announcement screens, html messaging, banner advertising and screen savers on the X/procure® system, ensuring that Clobex® Shampoo advertising material and product benefits will continually reach well in excess of 1200 pharmacies during the launch drive.

Clobex® Shampoo is the only available corticosteroid based shampoo. The active ingredient, clobetasol propionate, is a highly-potent class 1 corticosteroid. We believe our strategic objectives will be met by launching Clobex® Shampoo to pharmacists on the X/procure® interface, a platform they interact with several times a day," said Turid Stacey, Marketing Manager, Clobex® Shampoo.

Born in 2001, X/procure® Software recently topped R20 billion in orders processed. This represents a fantastic achievement in anyone’s books, especially for a company a mere seven years young.It all boils down to an efficient electronic procurement system that simply satisfies its clients. The proof is in a holistic relationship, product and service assessment study undertaken by Ipsos Markinor towards the end of 2007.

‘While establishing transparency was one of our aims for this survey, ensuring client satisfaction was the main goal,’ says Deon Lewis, X/procure®’s MD. There’s no doubt that the South African health care industry is better equipped to assist its pharmacy stakeholders through the utilisation of electronic procurement systems.

X/procure® realised this gap in the market, but also took the process one step further by combining electronic ordering with electronic advertising technology and thus enabling pharmaceutical companies to advertise their products to pharmacists exactly when they are about to place an order.

‘We provide a premium system, that’s why we enjoy the relationship high ground with our clients. Pharmacists simply cannot escape the banners, intervention adverts, watermarks and announcements of various products that appear on their computer screen. This ensures that they are locked into our clients’ brands when it counts the most,’ Lewis adds.

X/procure® ’s competitor’s clients were also questioned by Ipsos Markinor when it prepared a quantitative questionnaire geared to ask various questions about the electronic procurement system that they use; determine their behaviour and intentions, and also gauge X/procure® ’s interaction with each client.

‘We first had to understand clients’ reasons behind purchasing certain products, how frequently they utilise the system and their individual buying patterns, before we could establish their satisfaction with our system,’ says Lewis. ‘Superior X/procure® service levels came to the fore, as did our continuous focus on product innovation,’ he confirms, when explaining that the statistics indicate that four in ten of X/procure®’s current clients had chosen the company’s system over that of its competitors. While the challenges of current economic conditions continue to increase, pharmacies across the country realise, now more than ever, the efficacy of electronic procurement in saving time and money.

‘This is evident in the significant increase in the number of retail pharmacies using our software,’ says sales and marketing director, J-D Henderson. ‘In June 2007, X/procure® hosted just over 1 000 pharmacies on the system. A mere nine months down the line this figure escalated over 19%, to 1 191,’ he explains. A key factor influencing X/procure®’s growth is its reputation for delivering on its promises. Ipsos Markinor recorded ‘excellent service delivery, reliability and an overall attractive product offering’ as key X/procure® attributes. ‘Ongoing product innovations, maintaining transparent relationships a 24-hour call centre with trained professionals are also key elements prized by our clients,’ Henderson adds.

X/procure® ’s procurement software is currently utilised by 53% of SA’s retail pharmacies including Pick n Pay, Clicks, Medi-Rite, Netcare and Dis-Chem and an astounding 61% of all pharmacies that use electronic procurement are X/procure® clients.