KOLgroups

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of business development at GuideStar Medical Devices. We’re a medical devices startup company currently developing a device for the epidural procedure.

What challenge were you trying to address with KOLgroups?

We were trying to determine if there was a market and demand for our product.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We hired KOLgroups to do market research with anesthesiologists. We didn’t want to do a survey, so they did about 12 45-minute interviews with every doctor. They took the value proposition of our device and led those respondents through a conversation.

First, we met with them and educated them on what our device did. We coached them through how it worked and helped them get the list of questions. After that, every conversation was a bit different and more free-flowing. They handled the calls entirely on their own and got the transcripts and audio recordings after each call.

What is the team composition?

We were primarily involved with Craig (Director).

How did you come to work with KOLgroups?

We found them through a simple search and narrowed it down to a few firms. We wanted a company that could do actual interviews and have a conversation instead of a survey.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together between January–February 2021.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

KOLgroups’ work was excellent. We got the full transcripts of the conversations, so we didn’t have defined outcomes. However, we learned far more from those conversations than we would from a survey. In the end, they gave us the final deliverable, which we shared with our investors.

Through the conversations, we wanted to validate if some of the features we laid out were important or not. We thought that cost savings would be a big deal, but it wasn’t. Moreover, we learned that safety was the most crucial factor, which we wouldn’t have guessed going in. Overall, we were highly satisfied with the results.

How did KOLgroups perform from a project management standpoint?

They did what they promised and delivered along the timeline they established. We didn’t have issues; they were excellent. We typically communicated through Zoom and phone calls. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They understood the value proposition of our device and were able to get valuable insights for us. It wasn’t their job to sell the merits of our device, but they did.

Additionally, communication was honest and open from the beginning.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we were pleased with the scope of this project. We were all on the same page, and they delivered everything they said they would.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Define the scope of work clearly. It’s easy for things to shift and change, but defining the deliverables usually makes projects go well.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of LBR Insight, a qualitative market research company. We conduct focus groups, one-on-one interviews, and anything to do with qualitative market research for our end clients. Our activities include a lot of healthcare and pharmaceutical research.

What challenge were you trying to address with KOLgroups?

We work with KOLgroups when we’re looking to find highly specialized, very experienced, or hard-to-recruit healthcare providers.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Once we have a potential project, we reach out to KOLgroups and provide them with the type of healthcare provider we’re looking to speak with. They give us their thoughts on the feasibility of the recruits and provide a bid for us. Once we have the approval to begin the project, we ask for their advice on the different types of healthcare providers we’re speaking to, such as what makes sense for their level of expertise or the number of patients they would be seeing. 

From there, we provide KOLgroups with a questionnaire to ensure that the healthcare providers they’re recruiting for us qualify based on our needs. The requirements depend on the research study we’re conducting. We’ve had to speak to everyone from specialized geneticists to pediatric physicians specializing in rare genetic conditions. KOLgroups is responsible for finding the appropriate candidates and seeing if they’re interested in joining my research study.

They handle all aspects of recruitment. The team finds the professionals, screens them based on our criteria, vets them, and then schedules them to make sure they’re all set for the project. They check in throughout the project to ensure everything is going well, and if a respondent isn’t showing up, they’ll reach out to them. Then, once the project is over, KOLgroups checks in with us again and pays the respondent.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with at least three of KOLgroups’ team members at different times. 

How did you come to work with KOLgroups?

They were recommended to us by a client to use for a research project on a rare disease. After working with KOLgroups for that project, we valued their ability to find great respondents who were really impressive and experienced in the fields we needed to learn about. That’s why we’ve gone back to them again and again. 

How much have you invested with them?

The project's price depends on how many people I’m looking to speak with. Roughly, we’ve spent $20,000–$30,000 per project to speak with an average of 18–20 physicians. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2018. Since then, we’ve done a couple of projects with them each year, so our partnership is ongoing.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

The physicians KOLgroups have recruited for our research projects have been very impressive, which both our team and our end clients have noticed. Our clients appreciate the value their recruits provide for the research. These results are why we go back to them, especially for hard-to-recruit candidates. 

When working with other research companies, we notice the difference in the value of the professionals we’re speaking to. If I’m working with KOLgroups on a project, I don’t have to worry about the qualifications of a healthcare provider, and I trust them to show up for the interviews. Moreover, every time we’ve worked with them, we’ve felt like the price they charge us is appropriate for the level of expertise of the physicians we’re speaking to. 

How did KOLgroups perform from a project management standpoint?

They hit all the timelines, are very communicative, and always address any problems we have. We typically communicate through email, which I find really easy and straightforward. Overall, they’re wonderful to work with. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m most impressed with the level of expertise of the respondents that KOLgroups recruits for us. They have a great relationship with their providers; I can trust that they qualify and will be good people for me to learn about the different conditions I’m researching. 

Moreover, their recruits are highly specialized in their field. I’ve been shocked by the level of expertise and professionalism of some providers I would never have dreamed I would be able to speak to if it weren’t for KOLgroups. I may have to be more involved with another recruitment company and push them along more. Meanwhile, once I bring KOLgroups onto a project, I don’t have to worry about anything — they’re the best. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there’s nothing they need to improve. I truly enjoy working with them and do so every chance I get. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

When you engage KOLgroups in a project, I recommend you talk on the phone with them and make sure they truly know what type of candidate you want to speak with or learn from. They really cultivate their group of respondents and can provide specific recommendations on asking qualifying questions to ensure you’re getting the highest level of respondents.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a senior human factors specialist at Priority Designs, a product development firm in Columbus, Ohio.

What challenge were you trying to address with KOLgroups?

We do a lot of product research, and we brought in KOLgroups to help us find research participants, primarily in the healthcare space.

What was the scope of their involvement?

KOLgroups helps us find qualified research participants when we’re in the process of doing medical device development or usability testing. They help us identify and screen healthcare specialists like surgeons, physicians, or nurses. These subject matter experts will use the devices once they’ve launched. 

The team uses their contacts and database to locate participants. Then, they arrange research sessions for us; they schedule sessions and ensure the participants have the right qualifications. Additionally, KOLgroups manages compensation, paying the research respondents for their time after the fact. 

What is the team composition?

We typically engage with one project manager for each project. Over the years, we’ve engaged with four different project managers, primarily Allyson (Managing Director) and Craig (Director & Consultant). I’m not sure how many people from KOLgroups are involved in the background. 

How did you come to work with KOLgroups?

I don’t recall exactly how we found them. KOLgroups was either referred to us within the healthcare space or recommended by one of my colleagues who had worked with them in the past.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend around $80,000–$100,00 a year.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around June 2017, and the engagement is ongoing.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

KOLgroups is very skilled at doing tough recruiting. Due to HIPAA and the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s been hard to get time with healthcare professionals, especially if we want to go into their space and see their work. Allyson has a list of trusted contacts that have enabled her to get us into these environments. While most other recruiters decline even to help us, Allyson gets us into complex situations within healthcare. 

We’ve built a lot of trust with KOLgroups and have strong means of communication. The rapport between us is open, honest, and respectful. Moreover, they come through for us. Getting a physician to spend time with us is a big ask, and the team is always honest when they don’t think they can do it and when they can. KOLgroups is incredibly reliable; when they say they can help, they find what we need.

How did KOLgroups perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re excellent at project management, which goes back to communication. They’re incredibly straightforward and communicative through email. I never have to ask them what’s going on because the team always keeps me in the loop. They ask for what they need and do whatever they can to ensure the project is successful. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

KOLgroups’ unique connections in the healthcare space and their ability to find us participants differentiate them from other recruiters. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could expand their reach. While they have a great set of contacts in larger cities, I wish they had a more national database so that we could use their help in other cities. For instance, sometimes we need to go to certain regions like Southern California or the Western US, and we can’t use KOLgroups because they don’t have contacts there. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Take KOLgroups’ advice! They really know research, and they give good advice on adjusting your criteria to find the people you’re looking for. Additionally, plan a big budget; their services come at a price.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the owner of a focus group facility with locations in New Orleans and Washington DC.

For what projects/services did your company hire KOLgroups?

We hired KOLgroups to recruit endocrinologists and nurse practitioners who work with type 1 diabetics who use insulin pumps.

How did you select this vendor?

We were turned down by a number of vendors due to needing a quick turnaround time. KOLgroups responded promptly and gave us a price and let us field the project even faster than initially anticipated

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

We had a kick off call to go over our screener, required documents, and the scope of work. We were provided daily updates, although the recruit of 14 doctors and nurses was done in a handful of days. KOLgroups also handled scheduling and incentives.

What was the team composition?

I worked primarily with Allyson, who was extremely helpful and professional.

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

KOLgroups recruit helped us keep a client very happy and made us look better! The client also got a result they were very satisfied with.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

I couldn’t ask for more. Emails were always promptly replied to. The recruits were on point. Nothing I would change.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Professionalism, speed, and overall commmunication.

Is there any area for improvement or anything that could have been done differently?

Nothing at all, genuinely.