Exceptional client support is playing an exponentially increasing vital role across industries, and life sciences is no exception to that. As innovation continues to accelerate, ensuring clients have the expert guidance they need through drug development, study management, and regulatory processes has never been more significant. In this discussion, Mike Thurogood, VP of Global Marketing at Instem, joins Gaynor Boycott, Director of Global Support, to explore how strengthening client support drives continued success in life sciences R&D and how Instem empowers its clients to thrive in a rapidly evolving and ever-changing landscape.
Tell us about your history and role here at Instem.
I joined Instem in 1998 as a fresh university graduate, stepping into the role of Application Support Analyst on the helpdesk team. It was the perfect place to start – support is a fantastic foundation for learning not just our systems, but also our customers’ businesses and challenges. Over time, I progressed to manage the EU helpdesk, primarily supporting our Preclinical Datatox, Places, and Provantis applications. This era also marked the emergence of the SEND standard and the development of our Submit product – it was an exciting time to be part of the team.
After several years in support, I transitioned into our Project Management Office, where I spent 17 incredibly rewarding years as a Project Manager. I worked closely with our implementation teams and clients, guiding them through bringing new or upgraded software into production use.
Gaynor Boycott, Dir. of Global Support
Now, 27 years after first walking through the doors at Instem, I’ve come full circle—returning to the Support team as the Director of Global Support. It’s an honour to lead such a dedicated group of professionals and to help shape the future of client support here.
Can you share some of the things you’re passionate about as a Client Support Leader?
Throughout my career—both here at Instem and elsewhere—I’ve always worked in customer-facing roles. That’s given me a deep appreciation for the importance of strong, trust-based relationships. For me, it’s all about being open, transparent, and committed to delivering value. The customer is at the heart of everything we do, and I’ve been fortunate to work with some incredible clients and colleagues over the years.
Support is never about easy wins—we’re here to solve problems. No one picks up the phone just for a chat! I genuinely enjoy the process of uncovering the issue, analyzing the evidence, and finding the right solution. That puzzle-solving mindset is something I try to instill in the team every day.
As the leader of a global support organization that sits within Instem’s larger Operations group, I’m incredibly proud to be part of a team that’s committed to being the trusted, indispensable service partner in preclinical (nonclinical) research. We are united by a shared vision—to deliver high-quality solutions that help our customers succeed and contribute to a healthier world.
What are some of the most important elements in Client Support?
Our main goal is to take the pain out of the process for our clients. We recognize there’s always room for improvement—and we’re actively implementing changes to raise the bar. Some of the key initiatives underway include:
• Enhanced training frameworks for our team to build expertise and consistency.
• Quality audits to ensure ticket handling meets our standards.
• Improved communication so clients always know what’s happening and what to expect.
• A searchable knowledge base to empower self-service and faster issue resolution.
• A focus on response and resolution times to ensure we’re delivering timely support.
• Closer collaboration with our product and technology teams to improve how faults and enhancement requests are managed.
Ultimately, we’re working hard to ensure responsiveness, clarity, and ease are hallmarks of every client interaction. With a strong and empowered Operations team behind us, we’re confident in our ability to achieve this.
Where do you see the future of Instem Client Support heading?
We’re focused on making support faster, smarter, and more proactive. Here’s a look at where we’re heading:
• Integrated systems – streamlining tools like Salesforce, Azure DevOps, and Ivanti for a more connected support experience.
• Expanded self-service options – with templates, workflows, and automation to simplify ticket logging, tracking, and resolution.
• Proactive platform monitoring – working with our Platform Engineering team to stay ahead of issues and better manage planned/unplanned maintenance.
• Automation of routine requests – like password resets—freeing up our analysts to focus on complex problem-solving.
• Continual improvement of ticket management – with clear, regular updates, and a focus on customer empowerment.
We’re also exploring AI integration, preventative maintenance strategies, and other innovations to help our customers become more self-sufficient and reduce their reliance on reactive support. The future is about smarter support—designed to anticipate needs, solve issues faster, and deliver an exceptional experience every step of the way.
Thank you for your time, Gaynor!
We highlighted in this conversation that strong client support is essential to driving success across the entire R&D lifecycle, from accelerating drug discovery to streamlining regulatory submissions. At Instem, we are dedicated to providing expert, reliable, and responsive support that meets the evolving needs of our customers. By staying rooted in science, guided by client feedback, and committed to continuous improvement, we ensure our solutions empower researchers to confidently discover, accelerate, and advance life-changing programs with greater speed and assurance.
