At the core of Augnito’s groundbreaking journey lies the brilliance and creativity of its team members. Our collective is a mosaic of talents, encompassing researchers, engineers, designers, and healthcare mavens, all united in a singular mission to redefine healthcare through the lens of artificial intelligence. The #VoicesOfAugnito blog series is your invitation to delve into the essence of our company, offering a glimpse into the lives and minds of the eclectic personalities that drive our progress and innovation.
Embark on a narrative voyage across the diverse landscapes of our departments—be it Product, Sales, Engineering, or Marketing. Each feature in this series is a window into the individual journeys and insights that fuel Augnito’s vision of delivering AI solutions that are not only technologically advanced but also deeply human-centric. Through these stories, you’ll encounter a team bound by a relentless pursuit of innovation, creativity, and the development of intuitive technologies that enhance healthcare intelligence and operational efficiency.
The Mission That Unites Us
At Augnito, we are driven by a bold mission to redefine clinical documentation worldwide, setting the stage for a transformative impact on global healthcare. Our guiding principles – convenience, productivity, and intelligence – propel us toward a vision where our Medical Voice AI not only accelerates and enriches the care provided by healthcare professionals but also enhances their expertise. We aspire to a future where healthcare systems are underpinned by a robust, centralised AI infrastructure developed by Augnito, creating an environment where both physicians and patients benefit. This advanced framework promises to streamline clinical workflows, secure critical health data, and free up physicians to concentrate on their most important duty: patient care.
Our dedication to this transformative journey is embodied in our innovative Voice-AI solutions, which are meticulously designed to meet the daily needs of healthcare professionals. Augnito’s proprietary AI technology delivers unparalleled accuracy (99% straight out-of-the-box) and user-friendly interfaces, allowing seamless integration into various clinical settings. Our solutions are already enhancing clinical operations in over 375 hospitals across more than 25 countries, demonstrating our significant and growing influence on the global healthcare ecosystem. United by our mission, we at Augnito are committed to leading the charge towards a future where superior patient care is a universal standard.
Meet Our Teammates
Augnito thrives on a foundation of innovation, accessibility, and attentiveness – qualities that are reflected across our diverse team. From the intricacies of healthcare management and the dynamics of AI SaaS sales to the precision of software architecture and the guidance of technical leadership, every team member plays a crucial role in advancing Augnito’s mission. This collective endeavor highlights our commitment to building a user-focused, responsive, and innovative environment, which is key to fostering growth and excellence in the healthcare AI sector.
In our third episode, we feature Anuj Dua, Senior Manager, Sales, who is the lifeblood of all in-person events and a key driver of our ever-expanding global presence.
Having started his career straddling the intricately interdependent fields of Marketing and Sales, Anuj quickly assimilated key skills in process standardisation and strategy development. Over a four year stint at Next Education – a SaaS-based end-to-end education solutions provider for the K–12 sector – he served as Area Sales Manager, before advancing into the role of Marketing Lead. Anuj went on to become the Manager of Business Development at Explorars, a future-forward education administration program provider based in the UAE, before taking on the same role at OYO. He then joined Augnito in April 2021, working as an Enterprise Sales Manager for the first year, before advancing into the larger role of Regional Sales Head. He is currently spearheading our on-ground Sales operations in the Middle East.
At Augnito, Senior Manager, Sales is responsible for developing and executing strategic sales plans to achieve company targets and expand the customer base. They lead and mentor a section of the sales team, ensuring high performance and alignment with the company’s fiscal goals. Additionally, they play a crucial role in building and maintaining relationships with existing and prospective clients across markets, facilitating the company’s global expansion.
Key Insights From Anuj
How do you foster trust and long-term partnerships with clients?
“Trust and relationship are fundamental to any sale or solution,” says Anuj. He firmly believes that sales are a byproduct of the product’s fit and the relationship created with the client. Speaking specifically about the Middle East, he says it’s crucial to understand their language – whether dealing with a Medical Director, CIO, or CEO – one must grasp their background, the challenges they are facing, and how the solution can address and resolve these challenges.
He highlights, for example, that in India, the challenge lies in EMR Adoption, which Augnito addresses by enabling EMR data entry through voice. The Middle East, having already adopted EMR, faces a different issue – the quality of data input. This quality directly impacts insurance claims. Therefore, the focus is on enhancing the quality of reports or data fed into the EMR, which, in turn, reduces the rate of claim rejections.
Understanding their workflow and tailoring the pitch or solution accordingly naturally builds trust. Long-term partnerships require being consistently available for a client. Anuj is proud of both himself and the organisation for their strong emphasis on listening to challenges and then providing guidance. They have onboarded numerous clients in the region who have themselves become advocates for Augnito after a year or more of usage.
What sales channels work best in the Middle East? How do you balance online and offline strategies to fit diverse communication styles?
Anuj references how, when they initiated operations in India, they established three distinct verticals: Retail (individual clients), Enterprise, Large Enterprise, and Partnership (encompassing strategic partnerships, resellers, distributors). He then equates it to the scenario in the Middle East, where leveraging an understanding of the market dynamics and incorporating key learnings from the Indian market proved beneficial.
For instance, he talks about how they focused on engaging all channels simultaneously, recognising that clinicians or users, whether associated with a hospital, diagnostic centre, or any related entity, could make purchasing decisions at various levels. It was therefore deemed crucial to engage with every possible level. This multifaceted strategy has been fruitful for the team, evidenced by a significant influx of inbound leads, which underscores the pressing issue of physician burnout that Augnito aims to address.
Anuj also elaborates on how strategic partnerships have been forged in various countries within the GCC, opening up numerous opportunities for pilots and discussions. Communication strategies are also tailored to resonate at different levels; for end users discovering Augnito, the messaging highlights the software’s benefits, such as time-saving and workflow optimisation, with the Marketing team playing a pivotal role in tailoring content and information to these perspectives through direct interactions and research. For CIOs, the focus shifts to the ease of integration of the solution, whether it requires integration or is plug-and-play. Meanwhile, CEOs and top-level management are engaged with discussions on how the solution can reduce claim rejection rates, improve data quality in EMRs, alleviate clinician burnout, and enhance overall revenue, ensuring a direct and impactful connection.
He concludes with insights on how the approach is meticulously tailored to each individual, avoiding generic messages. Additionally, there’s a concerted effort to resonate with the culture and language of the region, with a significant amount of content being circulated in Arabic and regional languages, acknowledging the universal customer behaviour of gravitating towards one’s own culture.
How do you tailor marketing messages to resonate with Middle Eastern customers?
Anuj elaborates further on this point, talking about the strategy of creating detailed user profiles for individuals across sales, marketing, and leadership teams, based on their roles within the hierarchy or departments of healthcare organisations. For instance, he highlights how a Radiologist or Histopathologist would interact with Augnito in a manner distinctly different from someone in the Outpatient Department (OPD) or an Ambulatory Consultant. The latter group would be more inclined towards using Augnito’s Ambient solution.
Anuj also mentions how communication and marketing materials have been meticulously crafted to clearly delineate which solution best fits each user profile. Language adaptation, particularly in Arabic, has been a focal point to enhance relatability and comprehension for the end user. Recently, there has also been a significant emphasis on integrating support elements like ACD, which enhance the intuitiveness and value of the customer experience. Effectively communicating these features has proven to be a successful strategy for the company, ensuring that each user understands the specific benefits and functionalities of Augnito tailored to their professional needs.
What metrics do you use to measure success in the Middle East and how do you track progress?
One of the primary metrics for any salesperson is the conversion ratio. However, Anuj believes this to be a somewhat short-sighted and tactical metric. When considering the broader regional perspective, they focus on more comprehensive metrics such as Net Promoter Score (NPS), referrals, and advocacy.
He recounts how, just last week, before flying to Dubai, he received a call during dinner with his family. A client, while having coffee with a friend, had showcased Augnito’s product, which the friend, affiliated with a large hospital group, greatly appreciated. The client not only praised the product but also arranged a meeting for Anuj with this potential new customer for the following week.
This incident underscores a valuable metric of success: the client took the initiative to promote the solution, effectively acting on behalf of Anuj. This not only saved acquisition costs and effort but also marketed the product organically, lowering the barriers to opening new accounts. For someone in sales, there is arguably no better endorsement than a client advocating for your solution, as it directly reflects the trust and satisfaction customers have in the product.
What are your future goals for the region?
Anuj and his team have a clear vision: they want every clinician in the region to try Augnito. The strategy is to make the technology widely accessible, allowing clinicians to experience it firsthand and form their own opinions. This approach is crucial because individual perceptions of technology can vary significantly.
By offering a 7-day trial, both organisations and individual users have the opportunity to test the technology and provide feedback. This not only facilitates easy deployment but also enables the company to understand the unique challenges faced by each user, thereby creating a more tailored fit. Unlike traditional SaaS companies, Augnito provides clinicians with the time to make an informed decision about the product, supporting them extensively throughout the trial period. This level of support continues even after the sale, with the Customer Success teams dedicated to assisting users throughout their journey with Augnito.
Although ambitious, Anuj concludes that the goal is for every single clinician in the region to use Augnito at least once, ensuring they have the opportunity to evaluate its benefits personally.
A Look Behind The Curtain
Through this series, Augnito has offered a glimpse at the extraordinary people powering its Voice AI breakthroughs – offering a deep dive into their crucial contributions, varied backgrounds, and the shared vision that drives the company’s progress. From the creative geniuses in Product Design to the energetic forces in Sales and Customer Success, each narrative not only highlights Augnito’s commitment to innovation and ease of access but also delves into the personal paths that contribute to the vibrant tapestry of the company’s culture. These stories collectively paint a picture of a team marked by innovation, creativity, meticulousness, and a keen focus on detail.
The #VoicesOfAugnito series intends to do more than merely showcase the company’s focus on its people; it aims to chart a path of relentless innovation and the creation of empathetic technologies designed to elevate healthcare worldwide. By bringing to light the individuals who form Augnito’s core, the series celebrates the rich diversity and ingenuity within the team, while also casting a spotlight on the overarching goal of enhancing patient care through advanced technology.
As we wrap up this episode, let’s pause to reflect on the narratives shared and the wisdom imparted. Consider this an open invitation to explore career opportunities with Augnito and join us on this groundbreaking journey in healthcare AI, where your work can contribute to shaping the future of global healthcare.
