Interview: Kevin Dohwan Kim, Regional General Manager for SEA and Korea, Beckman Coulter Life Sciences

Our heartiest congratulations to Kevin Dohwan Kim, Regional General Manager for SEA and Korea, Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, for leading his team to achieve the milestone of installing 200 CytoFLEX flow cytometers in Korea!

Kevin shares his views and insights with us on the team’s winning strategies, his views of the current business environment, and why customers are keen to adopt the latest technologies.

1.????Congratulations on your achievement of installing 200 units of the CytoFLEX flow cytometer in Korea! Can you give us some insights into your team’s winning sales strategies?

Kevin: “The highest quality flow cell analyzer by Beckman Coulter Life Sciences is the CytoFLEX flow cytometer, which we launched in Korea in late 2015. As of 2021, we have successfully installed over 200 units for customers. Our team is delighted by our customers’ responses to this product. We believe that this success is due to the superb product quality and technology of the CytoFLEX flow cytometer itself.

I am also very pleased that we had a great team who planned and executed customer engagement and channel partner management processes excellently. We organized on-ground engagements throughout Korea, meeting with prospects and customers for demo trials. At these trials, customers were impressed by the CytoFLEX flow cytometer’s superiority, and saw first-hand how this product was able to meet their highest needs and expectations.

Once we had received confirmed orders from customers, we ensured that every customer received the best after-sales service through our dedicated FAS (field application support) team. In this way, customers were happy to share with other influential members of their communities, such as research community or academic networks. Through this positive customer feedback, our team received more customer leads, and that was how our installations for CytoFLEX flow cytometers grew in Korea.”?

2.????Over the past 2 years as the world battled COVID-19, can you tell us how Beckman Coulter Life Sciences enabled COVID-19 research in Korea (Vaccine development)?

Kevin: “In the last 2 years, we have seen two main streams of demand caused by COVID-19. One is for COVID-19 testing while the other is on COVID-19 research and vaccine development. Actually, Korea’s public health sector had built up their diagnostic capabilities due to the impact of SARS, MERS and other pandemics over the years.

However, due to global attention on the recent pandemic, we are seeing strong interest in the private sector to create new solutions that will benefit society. There is a buzz in Korea’s biopharma sector with the establishment of new start-ups and bio ventures. Our team is working closely with customers in this sector so that they can leverage CytoFLEX flow cytometers to achieve their goals.”?

?3. Can you tell us about the new CytoFLEX SRT instrument? What’s the difference between it and the CytoFLEX flow cytometer ? How do your customers plan to use CytoFLEX SRT technology?

Kevin: “The best way is to remember that the CytoFLEX is the flow analyzer while the CytoFLEX SRT is a cell sorter.

Traditionally, researchers use separate instruments for analysis and cell sorting. This is because cell sorting is more complex and requires more steps than analysis, and it also used to require more maintenance due to the need to prevent cell contamination.

However, with the modern technologies in the CytoFLEX SRT, laboratory professionals can use one instrument for sample analysis and to sort specific populations based on the analyzed results. The capabilities in the CytoFLEX SRT enable customers to use it for cell or microbial sorting, and even to perform the next experiment using the sorted population.

As such, after the launch of the CytoFLEX SRT benchtop cell sorter, customers were impressed by its simple operation, ease of use and low maintenance. Prior to its launch, customers could not imagine that they would be able to operate a cell sorter without a dedicated operator. Now, with the CytoFLEX SRT, productivity in the laboratory has improved due to the automated operation workflow.”

4.????As we move into 2022, what are the key megatrends that you see for Beckman Coulter Life Sciences or research trends?

“We are seeing opportunities and challenges for 2022 due to the pandemic. Opportunities will be areas such as the growing biopharma market while challenges could be lower demand for PCR test instruments, and growing costs in different aspects such as manufacturing and logistics. Technology solutions such as our instruments would cost more to customers.

To help customers overcome these cost concerns, Beckman Coulter Life Sciences has plans to introduce several new products into the market and also to offer greater synergies through increased collaborations with our sister companies in the Danaher LSIG family. We will also address the challenges through our DBS (Danaher Business System) so that customers benefit from the value of our best solutions.”

5.????How do you plan to take your teams in Korea and Southeast Asia forward for 2022?

Kevin: “Beckman Coulter Life Sciences has always been a customer-centric organization with a solid network of channel partners throughout Korea and Southeast Asia. Throughout the pandemic, we have seen how important it is to strengthen our channel network so that they can continue to engage and support our customers with the best service and technology.

Moving forward, we plan to better support our channel partners, especially in Southeast Asia, with stronger tactics and programs so that they can effectively improve customer engagement. These on-site and virtual engagement efforts are in line with the modern working environments due to restrictions in travel and social distancing.

Additionally, we aim to continue to localize in Southeast Asia with in-country employees to work with channel partners, boost our direct capabilities for better engagements with major customers, and increase our market visibility in growing sectors such as biopharma.

With all these plans, solid teamwork is critical. My experience has shown me that success stems from a great team working strongly together. I will continue to do my best to motivate, inspire and guide my teams across Korea and Southeast Asia so that our customers, partners and our company win together!”

CytoFLEX and CytoFLEX SRT instruments are For Research Use Only.

Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

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