Google Cloud Platform Case Studies Why Counsyl Chose Looker to Unify Access to Data

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	Why Counsyl Chose Looker to Unify Access to Data Google Cloud Platform

Why Counsyl Chose Looker to Unify Access to Data

Google Cloud Platform

Technology Category	Analytics & Modeling - Predictive Analytics Analytics & Modeling - Real Time Analytics
Applicable Industries	Healthcare & Hospitals
Applicable Functions	Discrete Manufacturing
Use Cases	Predictive Maintenance Process Control & Optimization
Services	Data Science Services
Challenge	Counsyl, a high-tech genetic testing company, was struggling with financial modeling and optimizing operational workflows. The finance and billing departments were particularly challenged with billing medical services to health insurance companies, which made predicting revenues and cash flows difficult. The company initially tried using their CRM software for reporting, but it wasn’t a good fit for their industry-specific requirements. As a result, the finance team had to manage multi-gigabyte Excel files with complex nested pivot tables and VLOOKUPS, which took hours every morning to manage and often resulted in frozen machines. Additionally, they had to pull developers and software engineers away from their work to get the raw data needed for their analysis. Read More
About Customer	Counsyl is a genetic testing company that combines deep expertise in genetics and a sophisticated robotics platform to make DNA testing more broadly available and affordable. The company is committed to compassionate customer service, delivering test results to patients using straightforward, easy-to-understand language, along with one-on-one counseling, as needed. Counsyl has screened more than 700,000 patients to date through an automated lab that runs 24/7, evaluating lab samples for risk factors related to preconception, prenatal and hereditary cancer — including breast, ovarian, and colon. The company uses modern media technologies to help patients access, interpret, and understand the test results. Read More
Solution	Counsyl's data analysts chose Looker for its advanced analytics capabilities. They built a platform using Looker that helped accelerate revenues, empowered employees to manage their daily workflows, and eliminated time spent refreshing massive and complex Excel models. The first problem the analysts tackled was in finance. By moving the logic behind the finance team’s nested pivot tables, and unwieldy VLOOKUPS into Looker, the analysts were able to create a replica of the model that automatically updated every night and was ready for use as soon as coffee was brewed in the morning. This move saved dozens of hours every month and empowered the group to make improvements to the model with ease. On the operations front, Counsyl needed to build a window into where the team was spending time through their many touchpoints with patients, doctors, and insurance companies. By feeding the workqueue data into Looker, the team was able to visualize where they were spending the most of their time, discover bottlenecks in their operations, and eliminate redundancies in their flows. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Analytics & Modeling - Predictive Analytics

Analytics & Modeling - Real Time Analytics

Applicable Industries

Healthcare & Hospitals

Applicable Functions

Discrete Manufacturing

Use Cases

Predictive Maintenance

Process Control & Optimization

Services

Data Science Services

Challenge

Counsyl, a high-tech genetic testing company, was struggling with financial modeling and optimizing operational workflows. The finance and billing departments were particularly challenged with billing medical services to health insurance companies, which made predicting revenues and cash flows difficult. The company initially tried using their CRM software for reporting, but it wasn’t a good fit for their industry-specific requirements. As a result, the finance team had to manage multi-gigabyte Excel files with complex nested pivot tables and VLOOKUPS, which took hours every morning to manage and often resulted in frozen machines. Additionally, they had to pull developers and software engineers away from their work to get the raw data needed for their analysis.

About Customer

Counsyl is a genetic testing company that combines deep expertise in genetics and a sophisticated robotics platform to make DNA testing more broadly available and affordable. The company is committed to compassionate customer service, delivering test results to patients using straightforward, easy-to-understand language, along with one-on-one counseling, as needed. Counsyl has screened more than 700,000 patients to date through an automated lab that runs 24/7, evaluating lab samples for risk factors related to preconception, prenatal and hereditary cancer — including breast, ovarian, and colon. The company uses modern media technologies to help patients access, interpret, and understand the test results.

Solution

Counsyl's data analysts chose Looker for its advanced analytics capabilities. They built a platform using Looker that helped accelerate revenues, empowered employees to manage their daily workflows, and eliminated time spent refreshing massive and complex Excel models. The first problem the analysts tackled was in finance. By moving the logic behind the finance team’s nested pivot tables, and unwieldy VLOOKUPS into Looker, the analysts were able to create a replica of the model that automatically updated every night and was ready for use as soon as coffee was brewed in the morning. This move saved dozens of hours every month and empowered the group to make improvements to the model with ease. On the operations front, Counsyl needed to build a window into where the team was spending time through their many touchpoints with patients, doctors, and insurance companies. By feeding the workqueue data into Looker, the team was able to visualize where they were spending the most of their time, discover bottlenecks in their operations, and eliminate redundancies in their flows.

Impact #1	Looker has empowered Counsyl employees to radically streamline processes, increase revenues, and position the company for future growth.
Impact #2	The billing team uses Looker dashboards to manage their workflow, allowing them to optimize their daily routine and focus on the highest value-add processes.
Impact #3	The use of Looker spread organically to other groups throughout the company. Because Looker provides a single, reliable source of data, each department, team, and individual can view the information through a unique lens that provides just the right insights for the job at hand.

Impact #1

Looker has empowered Counsyl employees to radically streamline processes, increase revenues, and position the company for future growth.

Impact #2

The billing team uses Looker dashboards to manage their workflow, allowing them to optimize their daily routine and focus on the highest value-add processes.

Impact #3

The use of Looker spread organically to other groups throughout the company. Because Looker provides a single, reliable source of data, each department, team, and individual can view the information through a unique lens that provides just the right insights for the job at hand.

Benefit #1	100+ users spend over 75k minutes every month using data
Benefit #2	Over 300+ scheduled reports are sent to inboxes each month
Benefit #3	Saved dozens of hours every month by moving the logic behind the finance team’s nested pivot tables, and unwieldy VLOOKUPS into Looker

Benefit #1

100+ users spend over 75k minutes every month using data

Benefit #2

Over 300+ scheduled reports are sent to inboxes each month

Benefit #3

Saved dozens of hours every month by moving the logic behind the finance team’s nested pivot tables, and unwieldy VLOOKUPS into Looker

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Overview

Why Counsyl Chose Looker to Unify Access to Data

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit