Endo Pharmaceuticals
An intelligent communications solution by Avaya and IBM
Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Endo) was established in 1997 from a leveraged buyout of The DuPont
Merck Pharmaceutical Company. Today, the company is headquartered in Chadds Ford, Pa., and
specializes in branded and generic pharmaceuticals that are used primarily to treat and manage pain.
Endo’s research, development, sales and marketing efforts have produced a portfolio of established
analgesic products, including Lidoderm,
®
Percocet,
®
Frova,
®
and DepoDur™. For more information,
visit www.endo.com.
Challenge
In an attempt to keep its business as lean as possible, Endo had outsourced its sales force. In
December 2003, however, the organization completed the internalization of its sales processes,
which required it to more than double its headcount. As a result, Endo needed to quickly expand
its communication infrastructure and improve the availability and efficiency of its current Microsoft
Exchange email environment. The company found that it also needed to improve its telephone
systems.
Solution
To develop and implement this new communication network, Endo turned to IBM Global Services–
Integrated Technology Services (ITS). The team suggested that Endo consolidate its email systems and
upgrade its messaging software with telephony and modular messaging solutions using Avaya.
Although the company had a long-term relationship with both IBM and Avaya, using Avaya hardware
as well as IBM technologies and networking expertise, this project would be the first time Endo would
be working with the two organizations in an integrated fashion. After successful assessments, IBM
Global Services ITS performed system migration and software upgrade services for Endo. At the same
time, IBM introduced a new IBM TotalStorage
®
DS4100 Storage Server into Endo’s infrastructure. In
addition to hosting saved Exchange messages, the storage server also acts as a repository for back-
office SAP data.
With its email environment in place, Endo turned its attention to its phone systems. IBM expanded
an existing Avaya Communications Server in one of Endo’s facilities and installed another at a
recently built Endo location. The team constructed a unified messaging platform using Avaya Modular
Messaging, which would enable the company’s sales force to receive distribution list messages via PC
or telephone.
Results
Scalability. ▶ For Endo’s rapid growth, the ability to scale the solution to the need was and continues
to be important.
Enhanced productivity and collaboration. ▶ Robust messaging is critical to any organization, but to
Endo’s new sales force, it plays a vital role in productivity enhancements. The solution supports every
employee worldwide, facilitating enterprise-wide collaboration.
Minimized training requirements. ▶ By using popular and standard interfaces, Endo’s training costs
simplified migration.
“ IBM and Avaya went above the call of duty by dealing with anomalies in a very solid,
upfront way, providing the level of technology to make it successful, and offering the
best people from both sides.”
– Eric Bloom, Vice President of IT, Endo Pharmaceuticals