Mémoire-projet

Abstract

Cerhum, a Belgian start-up specialized in 3D printing of patient-specific bone grafts, faces commercial inertia despite clear interest expressed by many surgeons. The conversion process from qualified leads to clients is long, uncertain, and often stalls at the consideration stage. This thesis examines this friction to determine whether it stems from internal sales organization shortcomings or from structural constraints inherent to the medical device market. A mixed-method approach was adopted, combining semi-structured interviews with both internal and external stakeholders, along with CRM data analysis. The sales process was modeled using the BPMN method, and performance indicators were used to assess the impact of the improvements made. Findings reveal that although several organizational levers were introduced (CRM deployment, lead reactivation campaign, process automation, pipeline structuring), their short-term commercial impact remains limited. The complexity of hospital decision-making circuits, rigid hierarchies, restrictive reimbursement mechanisms, and resistance to innovation appear to be the main barriers to lead conversion. In conclusion, Cerhum’s conversion challenges are primarily linked to structural constraints of the market rather than internal deficiencies. This highlights the need for MedTech start-ups to approach commercial optimization as a strategic adaptation to a slow-moving, codified institutional environment, strongly shaped by entrenched professional practices.