Physician Research Module from Manhattan Research

THE FUTURE OF THE TECH-ENABLED SALES FORCE

Meredith Abreu Ressi writes about the components of a successful closed-loop physician marketing strategy, and how to develop physician CRM with the physician in mind.


THE FUTURE OF THE TECH-ENABLED SALES FORCE

Table of Contents


INTRODUCTION

I. BALANCING THE REP WITH TECHNOLOGY
  • Physician Preference for Conducting Activities In-Person versus Online   
  • Incredible, Forgettable Email   
  • Who Are Physicians Emailing Today?

II. ELECTRONIC DETAILING EVOLVES
  • Impact of Electronic Detailing On Time Spent With A Rep   
  • Trends in Electronic Detailing Participation and Interest   
  • Demographics of Current and Future Users Of Electronic Detailing
  • Types of e-detailing   
  • Live Online Detailing With a Rep
  • Use/Interest in Online Detailing With Rep via Videoconference
  • Who Is Using Remote Detailing? Who Is Not Interested?   

III. CLOSING THE LOOP: THE TECH-ENABLED REP
  • Do Physicians Want Tech-Enabled Reps?
  • Physician Attitudes towards Tech-Enabled Reps 
  • What Should The Tablet PC Do?
  • Features of Interest for Reps to Conduct on Tablet PC
  • Closing the Loop…Without Tightening the Noose
  • Learning from Your Competitors: Points to Consider
  • Reach and Satisfaction with Reps Who Have Used a Tablet PC in the Office
  • The Future of Sales Force Effectiveness   

CONCLUSION


Excerpt

The time has come for pharma to catch up with most other industries in terms of the degree to which its promotional efforts are integrated across corporate silos and communication channels, to create one unified customer experience that provides optimal value for the physician and company alike. Tech-enabled reps, e-communications, robust Web content, and closed-loop interdepartmental communication are all critical next steps for pharma to catch up with the level of customer service that today's consumers -- physicians included -- have come to expect.

And while physicians are certainly the target audience for directing much of these innovations, it is important to keep in mind that there is another audience that is in many ways just as much of a customer for these projects: The sales force. As a peek into the Café Pharma messageboards reveals, any new launch must take sales force feedback into account if it is to be successful. The goal of technology innovation and integration is to provide value to the physician and improve the interaction between the rep and the physician -- and if that goal is kept in mind, the sales force is sure to endorse such efforts.

Sales reps are the face of the company, and yet, in many cases they are unable to access the full breadth of information, tools and resources they would need to provide physicians with a truly seamless experience of interacting with the company. A well-planned Tablet PC and interactive content strategy can go a long way toward closing that loop.

Finally, it's important to remember that at the end of the day, it's about keeping the customer happy.  What do today's busy physicians want from a pharmaceutical company? They want the rep to be informed. They want tools and resources that help them better serve their patients. They want the information to be relevant and on point, but concise. And perhaps above all, they want it to be quick. Any technology implementation should keep these goals at the forefront of the objectives for the project if it is to be successful.

Pharmaceutical companies are now faced with the task of re-inventing the service model that has been in place for decades. Traditionally the only avenues a pharmaceutical company had available for communicating with a physician were dinner meetings, conferences, and the sales rep. Today there are dozens of new channels of communication with the physician, and each physician will have a different preference for how they want to obtain information. To be successful in the coming years, companies must start the hard work of redesigning their internal and external communication channels to account for these preferences.

Over the years, pharma has seemingly reveled in its old-fashioned sensibilities and its lumbering behemoth pace. This conservative approach may be heralded by some as “sticking to what works” or “erring on the side of caution for safety's sake.” But when it comes to modernizing outdated service models, companies that continue to hold on to the old way of doing things will quickly find themselves left behind, as each passing year renders the traditional model increasingly obsolete.




Full access to this report is available for clients of Manhattan Research’s ePharma Physician® v7.0 study. For information on gaining access, please email sales@manhattanresearch.com.


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