L2L Group

The role of the pharmaceutical sales representative has often been challenged from a public relations perspective. There are some who believe that the pharmaceutical company, through their representative, retains more than the appropriate share of influence over the healthcare practitioner’s decision-making process. From time to time, populist media points out that far more is spent on pharmaceutical marketing than research associated with the development of the products. Nevertheless, pharmaceutical marketing techniques are essential in disseminating the information necessary for the practitioner to make a final deliberation as to whether the product should be prescribed or not. The sales force plays a critical role in bringing the product to the market as efficiently and effectively as possible. More

How many times have we been to a sales seminar, or to a top-flight convention, to become totally engrossed in what we find there, able to "milk" in the atmosphere and to feel the motivation building up inside us? This is exactly what these events are designed to do, to instil that sense of excitement, ready to propel us into the market and really sell whatever product or service is in question. Pharma training sessions or books can be similarly motivational and there is always an important time and a place for these tools to be used by the typical sales force. However, we can never underestimate the importance of effective implementation, as when the "rubber hits the road," a lot of that motivation quickly seems to be absorbed into the atmosphere. More

It's no longer acceptable for a pharmaceutical company to operate according to the mantra that "bigger is better," based on the concept that the more people engaged in the marketplace, the better the return. There was a time when pharmaceutical companies used to challenge each other based on the size of their workforce and there was an assumption that such a volume would equal adequate revenue and a rate of return that would satisfy the corporate accountant. However, in many respects this approach has led to saturation in the market, even as the market itself changes its characteristics. There is more emphasis now on "niche" products and marketability and as such there is more demand for dedicated training and focus, rather than a blanket approach to the issue. Sales force effectiveness is coming under scrutiny like never before, as it is realised that an oversized sales force could not only be neutralising, it could be detrimental to the success of the company. More

The recent landmark passage of health care reform legislation in the United States surely represents one of the most significant milestones in the global health industry and will certainly drive changes that will be far-reaching for all pharmaceutical companies and their marketing operations. The common marketing landscape has been changing in recent years, in part in response to the lengthy worldwide recession and this has provided notable challenges for every pharmaceutical company and supporting consultant organisation. Traditional methods of operation simply do not work anymore and organisations have been forced to become more consumer-centric and strategically positioned in order for their voices to be heard in the marketplace. More

To establish market superiority in the pharmaceutical sales business requires a large degree of analysis and the establishment of certain criteria to enable the training consultant to analyse and to get the most out of the sales force resource. The goal of first-rate performance is achievable if the consultant is able to help the client understand and first define benchmarks and competencies. Without the ability to measure these competencies, goals cannot realistically be set and individuals may not aspire to meet them. It is therefore important that the pharmaceutical company understands and helps to develop the framework at the outset. More

You could argue, in many respects, that pharmaceutical and healthcare consulting firms form the position of a referee, or maybe even an arbitrator, challenging conventions and bringing a real world perspective to bear, both in the boardroom and in the training class. The pharmaceutical company has many, considerable challenges, not the least of which is the ability to generate the latest and most advantageous products for the end-user in a highly regulated and emotionally charged environment. We know that the pharmaceutical industry represents one of the most significant driving forces within any country's economy and as the stakes are so high, the levels of complexity encountered by pharmaceutical company management at every level are extraordinary. Pharmaceutical and healthcare consulting firms are able to take a somewhat independent role and may even be able to stand back and look at the challenges facing the client company, through experience, know-how and positioning, when the hurdles might seem too great. More

One of the ongoing challenges facing the pharmaceutical company is the attraction, motivation, management and handling of key salespeople. The company itself has a significant reputation in the marketplace and has allocated certain resources to the development of its reputation and the dissemination of its cutting-edge products. Every organisation is, of course, very dynamic and its ongoing success will depend on the correct, but complex interaction of many moving parts, on an ongoing basis. The organisation will have to pay much attention to how its all important clients are handled and this will involve the development of key account management techniques and policies, to ensure successful relationships with implied integrity. More

Are we to believe the analogy that "the customer is always right," under every circumstance? If so, are we to extend this thought, so that we pay the utmost attention, at all times to every customer, under every circumstance? This would surely lead us to the conclusion that every account that we process is "key" and should lead us to implement our best and most comprehensive set of resources to the process of servicing each account. Of course, in reality, not all accounts are created equally and some accounts will mean more to the organisation than others. In fact, in many organisations, certain accounts are critical to the very survival of the company, while others are far from so important. The quandary that we face is to accurately determine the correct position of each account. How is it possible to accurately determine and consequently service, allocating resources correctly and effectively? We know that key account management is a skill that must be mastered, but in truth many organisations do not have the skill set, experience, education or resources to be able to identify and consequently manage these clients. More

There is far too much at stake to take a passive approach to the organisation of a company's sales force, and senior management should ensure that they are well aware of the effectiveness of the operation and are adequately placed to make changes as and when necessary to improve. With the typical cost of a sales call estimated to be anywhere in the region of about $400 or more, a lot is at stake if the sales executive is not being as efficient as possible.  More

The deployment of the sales force can be broken down into several categories and performance in each category should be used to determine the effectiveness of the force. While plenty of time should be spent in training the executive, both in ongoing personal inter-communication skills and in direct product knowledge, adequate time should always be allocated by the pharmaceutical company to establish as near a perfect territorial picture as possible. The sales force may not be as effective as they could be subject to poor designation of individual territories, bad alignment or excessive travel times. While it is true to say that the interaction between the sales executive and the client or potential client is more an art than a science, the creation of the battlefield owes more to planning and technology than anything else. More