This case study is based on the actual negative experience that Avinash Narula had

with Airtels customer service organization. This experience highlights the lack of
understanding of the concept of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) as
well as how to use the CRM technology to make the customers experience a
positive one.

This case study is based on the real life experience that Avinash Narula had with
Airtels customer service organization including the call center. This experience
raised a lot of questions in the mind of Avinash Narula about the validity of the
concept of Customer Relationship Management (CRM). Is this what CRM is all
about? Is this how CRM technology is supposed to work? Where all is Airtel going
wrong in implementing CRM, even though they are in the business of
telecommunications and internet technology which are the backbone of CRM?
What should Airtel do to serve customers like Avinash Narula in an efficient and
effective manner so as to retain them? Should Airtel have refunded Avinash Narula
Rs. 1,750 that he had paid for Sifys Internet connection? This experience seemed
to highlight the general lack of understanding of the CRM professional of the
meaning of CRM as well as how to make the CRM technology work for the benefit
of the organization.

What went wrong with the Airtel CRM?

Customer dissatisfaction?
Customer retention with effective CRM

Pfizers Product Relaunch of Zithromax and

Wellbutrin

Successfully re-launching a pharmaceutical product is a difficult feat. However, two wellknown pharmaceutical products were able to re-launch into major blockbusters. Product re-

launch is the hobgoblin of the pharmaceutical and biotech sector. Few brand leaders ever aspire
to this marketing challenge. Yet many find they and their companies must confront re-launch
scenarios or sacrifice hundreds of millions of dollars invested in underperforming products.

Extensive market research on Zithromax revealed the price was too high. Combined
with lowering the price, Pfizer was also able to deploy a different mix of sales people
to promote it.

Psychiatrists and internal advocates pushed for Wellbutrin's return to the market,
and Wellcome (before it was GlaxoWellcome or GSK) was able to establish that few
people were at risk for seizures and put forth strong messages highlighting its
strengths.

Key topics

Causes for Re-Launch (e.g., initial sales performance, challenges faced)

Relaunch Decision Factors

Opportunities Seized

Pricing Changes

Sales Force Changes

Overcoming Internal Resistance

Specific Relaunch Tactics Used

A hallmark of great brand and lifecycle management excellence is the ability to successfully relaunch a product that has not achieved its potential upon market entry. This business situation
occurs notably at two critical moments in a products lifecycle:

The first appearance is product re-launch due to a miscalculation in the product launch
plan. Pfizer's Zithromax is a notable example of a product that misjudged the market,
corrected pricing, packaging, sales force support and positioning and then re-launched.
Zithromax is now a multi-billion dollar annual brand and a hall of fame candidate for
re-launch excellence.

Another venue for re-launch is during market entry of a product combination or major
line extension. In this instance, two existing products are combined and must launch a
new or complementary positioning in the market. Advair and Prevacid NapraPac are
examples of smart combinations.

This Best Practices, LLC benchmarking study probed best practices and lessons learned in
successful product re-launches. This study also includes two highly successful re-launch case
studies: the history and lessons learned from Zithromax and Wellbutrin two blockbuster
products that nearly failed in the marketplace during their initial launches.

Industries Profiled:
Consumer Products; Diagnostic; Pharmaceutical; Biotech; Health Care
Companies Profiled:
Bayer Healthcare; Sanofi-aventis; UCB Pharma; Schering-Plough; Roche; Pfizer; Novartis;
Merck; AstraZeneca; DSM Pharmaceutical; Abbott Laboratories; Eli Lilly; GlaxoSmithKline l
Study Snapshot
Product Re-Launch Excellence: Transforming Lackluster Pharmaceutical Products Into
Market Success Stories (SM-170) benchmarks the perspectives of 19 brand leaders from a class
of 14 leading pharmaceutical companies. This report will help executives gain the insights
necessary to: set re-launch strategy, re-define brand character, invigorate sales support and set the
optimal investment level. After identifying areas for improvement, your organization can close
performance gaps in re-launching products and employ changes that will support and sustain
change in your organization.

1. What went wrong during initial launch.

2. Customized strategy fitting and tactical alignment.
3. Revised product positioning