The pharmaceutical industry is undergoing a major CRM transformation. With Veeva Systems officially ending its reliance on Salesforce’s platform by September 2025, life sciences companies must now choose between two divergent paths: migrate to Veeva Vault CRM or remain with Salesforce and rebuild their CRM stack. This decision will have long-term implications for commercial operations, compliance, and digital transformation strategies.
Why the Split Matters
For over a decade, Veeva CRM—built on Salesforce—was the gold standard for pharmaceutical sales and marketing teams. It offered a tailored solution for managing HCP (healthcare professional) relationships, compliant content delivery, and field force effectiveness. However, Veeva’s move to its own Vault platform signals a shift toward vertical integration and greater control over innovation.
Key Drivers Behind the Split:
- Platform Independence: Veeva wants to innovate at its own pace without being tied to Salesforce’s release cycles.
- Cost Optimization: Veeva paid Salesforce hundreds of millions annually in licensing fees.
- Unified Ecosystem: Vault CRM integrates natively with Veeva’s regulatory, clinical, and quality platforms.
- Security and Compliance: Veeva can now offer end-to-end compliance and data governance under one roof.
Platform Deep Dive: Veeva Vault CRM vs. Salesforce
Veeva Vault CRM
Strengths:
- Purpose-built for life sciences with pre-configured modules for medical, commercial, and regulatory teams.
- Integrated ecosystem enabling seamless data flow between CRM, content management, and clinical systems.
- Compliance-first architecture built to meet FDA, EMA, and HIPAA standards.
- Modern UI/UX designed for mobile-first field reps and intuitive workflows.
Challenges:
- New platform maturity may mean fewer third-party integrations.
- Migration complexity requires careful planning and execution.
- Training needs for staff unfamiliar with Vault’s interface and backend.
Salesforce Health Cloud (Post-Veeva)
Strengths:
- Proven scalability and trusted by Fortune 500 companies across industries.
- Advanced AI and analytics capabilities through Einstein AI and Tableau.
- Highly customizable for bespoke workflows and integrations.
- Large ecosystem of third-party apps and partners.
Challenges:
- Less tailored for life sciences, requiring custom development.
- Loss of Veeva-specific modules like CLM and Approved Email.
- Greater responsibility on IT teams to ensure regulatory compliance.
Risks of Inaction
Failing to act before the September 2025 deadline could expose companies to:
- Security vulnerabilities: Unsupported platforms are prime targets for cyberattacks.
- Compliance gaps: Outdated systems may fall short of evolving regulatory standards.
- Operational disruptions: CRM downtime can cripple sales force effectiveness and HCP engagement.
- Data integrity issues: Poorly managed migrations risk data loss or corruption.
Best Practices for a Successful Transition
1. Conduct a Strategic Assessment
- Map your CRM architecture, including systems, data flows, and integrations.
- Evaluate business processes across sales, medical affairs, marketing, and compliance.
- Identify future needs such as market expansion, new product launches, or digital engagement strategies.
2. Choose the Right Platform for Your Business Model
- Assess platform alignment with your operational and strategic goals.
- Consider long-term scalability and how each platform supports future growth.
- Evaluate total cost of ownership, including licensing, customization, training, and support.
3. Plan a Phased Migration
- Start with pilot programs to test the new CRM in a controlled environment.
- Use agile methodologies to break the migration into manageable sprints.
- Monitor performance metrics like user adoption, data accuracy, and system uptime.
4. Invest in Change Management
- Communicate the transition plan clearly to all stakeholders.
- Develop tailored training programs for different roles within the organization.
- Create feedback channels to gather user input and improve system adoption.
5. Ensure Data Integrity and Compliance
- Conduct data audits to clean and validate existing records.
- Use automated tools for secure and accurate data migration.
- Validate post-migration data and engage compliance teams to ensure regulatory readiness.
6. Leverage External Expertise
- Hire consultants with experience in CRM transitions for life sciences.
- Use system integrators to connect CRM with other enterprise platforms.
- Tap into vendor support resources from Veeva and Salesforce to accelerate implementation.
Final Thoughts
The Salesforce–Veeva CRM split is more than a technical migration—it’s a strategic pivot. Companies that act decisively can modernize their commercial operations, improve HCP engagement, and future-proof their digital infrastructure. Whether you choose Veeva Vault for its life sciences specialization or Salesforce for its scalability and innovation, the key lies in proactive planning and execution.
- AI/ML(47)
- AWS(1)
- Business Process Optimization(2)
- Case Study(6)
- Cloud Enablement(4)
- Consumer Packaged Goods(3)
- Data Governance(7)
- Data management(17)
- Data Observability(3)
- Data Quality(4)
- Data Security(1)
- Data Virtualization(2)
- Databricks(4)
- Datasheets(5)
- Digital Transformation(4)
- Financial Services(7)
- Government(1)
- Healthcare(5)
- Informatica(8)
- Insurance(3)
- IT Industry(5)
- Latest(16)
- Life Sciences(10)
- Manufacturing(1)
- Master Data Management (MDM)(23)
- Microsoft(2)
- MuleSoft(1)
- Partners(1)
- Product Data Management(3)
- Product Information Management(2)
- Reltio(2)
- Retail Industry(5)
- Salesforce(4)
- SAP(2)
- Service Management(1)
- Snowflake(1)
- Software Engineering(1)
- Stibo(2)
- Talent Solutions(2)
- Telecommunications(1)
- White Paper(3)
- Workforce Transformation(3)
How Reltio rebuilt Data Models for Clinical, Commercial, and Product Operations to Accelerate Data AI Readiness ?
AI-Powered Customer Connections: Redefining Relationship Marketing for the Experience Economy
Accelerating Healthcare and Life Sciences Innovation with Databricks: Strategies, Use Cases, and Implementation Pathways
5 Critical Master Data Management Use Cases in Life Sciences
IDMP Compliance with Effective Master Data Management – The Apptad Way