Digital Practices Drive Successful Business Intelligence

Q: What is the reach of FANASA’s services?

A: Farmacos Nacionales (FANASA) oversees the commercialization and distribution of medicine such as RX, OTC, generics, hygiene and beauty products. We work with national pharmacy chains, self-service stores, regional purchasing groups and independent pharmacies. The company can offer tailor-made solutions for every client.

Q: How does FANASA integrate technology and innovation into its practices?

A: To provide the best services to Big Pharma chains that have automatic purchasing systems, FANASA employs logistics technology from reception of the order to its fulfillment and distribution process. Through electronic data interchange (EDI), the company takes advantage of the client’s technology and FANASA’s own developments to share data related to inventory and supply to generate the order. With smaller clients, we usually do face-to-face visits to understand their needs and formulate an order that addresses their requirements. It is important to understand that sales will not be same from Monday through Wednesday or from Thursday through Sunday. This fact changes the days for distribution and the structure of the order to avoid overstock or shortages in the pharmacies.

We have also implemented a shopping cart on our website because we recognize that many individual users prefer this style of purchase. Through our online shopping portal, we offer additional promotions and discounts. Additionally, FANASA offers an app to facilitate orders. Using the app, clients can submit their orders and they also have access to an account portal where they will find their bills, accounts receivable, credit notes to be applied and future promotions.

Q: Why is FANASA the best partner for pharmacies?

A: FANASA use of client information is one differentiator. Information is delicate. Trust and long relationships are necessary to ensure that it will not be misused. We collect information to create demand models and forecast sales for the coming weeks and up to three months forward. The objective is to achieve the most productive stock and supply for clients to maximize their sales. This is especially valuable for big pharmacy chains. Demand shifts according to the season and weather conditions, which is one of the strongest determinants on sales. The right use of data can help our clients boost sales. Using its database, FANASA can also generate demand forecasts for laboratories and organize production for the following weeks.

Additionally, all our warehouses are regulated by COFEPRIS, which guarantees the right environment for the products we handle, ensuring that the medications we provide will serve their purpose. In this industry, counterfeit products are common, so it is important to comply with regulations.

Q: How does your product portfolio target and successfully address the needs of the Mexican population?

A: FANASA divides its portfolio into high-demand products, normal demand, low demand and sporadic demand. Our goal is to guarantee the client at least 95 percent availability of high-demand products, which account for up to 80 percent of a pharmacy’s sales. The company receives daily orders from pharmacies, meaning that our distribution services are also working daily to comply with those orders.

As a provider, we guarantee supply of medicine to the pharmacy, which has become the first point of contact with the patient. With the smart use of information, we also avoid shortages from production to supply.

Q: What are FANASA’s short-term goals?

A: Our goal is to continue investing in technology because this has differentiated us from our competitors. Technology is also a big plus as it has provided us with security protocols related to installation and distribution processes. FANASA keeps track of its distribution orders and the location of its vehicles. If cargo runs into trouble, our programs will lock the vehicle to avoid robberies. We also invest in logistics equipment to meet client specifications, as most of them prefer to receive their stock early in the morning.

We will continue to upgrade our system to improve our forecasting services for independent and small pharmacies to be able to offer more personalized solutions. To do this, we might have to look into other servers beyond EDI, to connect with companies’ platforms and offer the benefits of digitalization to compete with national pharmacy chains. Also, our loyalty program to the small independent will be deployed in the upcoming months.

Q: What impact has COVID-19 had on FANASA’s practices and operations?

A: This pandemic demands a safe quick reaction and the ability to adapt to changing demands. FANASA has experienced fast growth in its digital tools. We thought our digital presence was good before, but now we are focusing on strengthening it by feeding it with more content and information that is attractive and useful to our clients. COVID-19 has also taught us to improve communication with our clients and the correct use of social media.

Farmacos Nacionales (FANASA) is a 25-year-old Mexican company dedicated to the commercialization and distribution of a wide portfolio of pharmaceutical products. The company follows strict quality standards to guarantee the perfect condition of medications