Amgen
Stock response for biotech giant: going the extra mile
Background
With a turnover in excess of $3 billion, Amgen is the world's leading independent biotechnology company. Its remit lies in the discovery and development of globally life-improving human therapeutics. With three marketed products and more in the pipeline, Amgen's success is built upon an enviable record of scientific innovation, teamwork and risk-taking.
To further such excellence, the services provided by the firm's IT partners clearly need to be beyond reproach. But back in 2001, in the crucial area of tape backup and storage at its UK branch in Cambridge, Amgen found its previous supplier wanting.
"In theory, they'd supply us with a weekly stock of tapes for our regular Friday-afternoon backup procedures," explains Amgen's Administration Manager Ellie Paintin. "In practice, however, we were let down by this company on more than one occasion."
Requirement
In November 2001 ISC was asked to shoulder responsibility for supply of critical IT consumables. We agreed to stock our new client with various frequently-used items which personnel could draw upon at their convenience. To ensure supplies remained plentiful at all times, we also committed to a twice-monthly Amgen site visit.
Solution
With stockchecks taken for invoicing purposes, we effectively became Amgen's stock manager, relieving our client of the burdens of constant supplies monitoring, ordering and control. And if any extra consumables, hardware and services were required, our delivery was - and remains - equal to the task.
Benefits
"ISC's service has always been very prompt, with next-day delivery if required," says Ellie. "While we've never had any problem with ISC's hardware, we know that if anything were to happen there'd be a hardware swapout straight away. And if our requirements change, ISC always comes up with the right alternatives."
The Administration Manager is also very pleased with our pre- and post-sales support. "The ISC team is in continuous contact to confirm our needs are met." Ellie notes that ISC was instrumental in formulating what has proven to be a highly-successful bi-weekly consumables stock service. "ISC has always supplied the desired items on time. The service is excellent, no request is too big and ISC is always willing to go one step further to ensure we have what we require."
The Future
Our rapid, expert, reliable and cost-effective service to Amgen has clearly underlined the value that ISC provide; so much so that, whilst backup tapes remain the prime consideration, we have been able further to extend our consumables provision and build a lasting and fruitful business partnership with the biotech giant.
"We've never had any reason to complain about ISC... they're always willing to go the extra mile... 100 per cent."
Ellie Paintin, Administration Manager, Amgen
