April 13, 2015
It has been found out that one of the main reasons for the field force to feel dejected in the job is, if it involves ‘lot of clerical work’. Field Force generally have an apathy for clerical work, besides it eats away precious field working time as well. Other Companies’ Field Force who are already automated, as well as our own customers like Doctors and the Trade look down upon us, if we still carry lot of physical files, and fill up our Daily Call Reports manually, in this computer and internet age. Therefore all organizations are making efforts to automate the field working processes involved as much as possible, and invest the times thus saved, in more productive activities/field work, which makes better sense as well.
Let us see, some of the ways and means as to how Pharma Companies can save precious field working time of their Field Force from unproductive/clerical activities, and at the same time help them perform better :
1) Instead of calling them over phone – which is costly, and also some times they may not take the call at all, if they know we are going to shout at them for not achieving the objectives during month ends – we can use SMs, Whatsapp, Hangouts, Google message/talk, etc. to send crisp messages, which are equally faster, less time consuming, but much cheaper. This also doesn’t disturb a field force when he is in front of a Doctor.
2) Instead of manual reporting, we should go in for ‘online’ reporting system. This is user friendly, and doesn’t take much of precious time. Can login and submit the Daily Call Reports when one is free from field work. This also saves lot of time, stationery items, carbon papers, postal/courier charges, etc. to the organizations.
3) Keep all writing work, maintenance of files, etc. at the bare minimum level for the Field Force.
Don’t create opportunities for them to maintain lot of physical files , containing monthly field working analysis, details of customers/trade visited, sales data, Number of Personal Order Booked (POBs) and its value , deviations from approved tour programmes, outstanding details of customers, Stock & Sales Statements of Stockists, etc. Instead, these reports/analysis are already available in the online reporting system, we just need to educate the Field Force as to how to extract these reports, and use it for understanding and designing of corrective measures for implementation, instead of maintaining volumes of physical records/files. Besides,reports/analysis available in online reporting system are far more accurate, and remain confidential, than manually worked out analysis. Managers, whenever they go for joint working with their team members, don’t have to carry lot of physical files, but can use the various analysis/reports available in the online reporting for meaningful discussion with the Medical Representative concerned.
4) I have noticed Representatives and Managers from Pharma Companies during field working time also, come and wait at the Stockists’ places for collecting Stock & Sales Statements for the month. This waiting time, if spent in the field, can be put to better use. Now-a-days, Stockists who have automated their operations, upload the Stock & Sales Statement of each of their Companies in their websites, which can be accessed and also downloaded by the concerned Pharma Companies’ Field Force, using the user id and pass word provided by the Stockists, whenever they are free from field work. Such an option can be thought of to save the precious working time of the Field Force.
5) Submission of Monthly Tour Programmes, Monthly Tour Expense Reports, Incentive claims, to and fro communication, Performance evaluations – monthly/annual, leave records/details, Sales Bulletin/magazines/internal publications, reading material/updates on products/training programme, etc. can also be managed well online. Organizations can save huge amounts year after year on account of these. For example, instead of calling all the Field Force to Head Office, for conducting a test, the test papers can be put online along with necessary instructions, which can be completed by the Field Force in their H.Q. only, when they are not in field work. This s aves the absence of all field force from their territories for a few days (to go to Head Office, complete the test, and then come back), their to and fro fares, boarding and lodging expenses for stay at Head Office, etc.
6) Another big headache being faced by Pharma Companies now-a-days is the availability of poor number of Medical Representatives who can detail well (i.e.communication), thus convert the Doctors to the Companies’ products. This is compensated to a great extent by E-detailing feature being tried by some of the Companies. The whole detailing stories along with its visual effect for all products under promotion are already downloaded in the tablet/laptop of Field Force. The Medical Representative can open his lap tap or the tablet, select the products for detailing to the Doctor concerned, and click on it to play. I am given to understand that the E-detailing with its better quality communication and visual effect, is faster (thus saves detailing time), and has better impact on the customers, than manual detailing .
7) Another important process which can possibly be automated, not only saves a lot of unnecessary delay in manual processing, but above all can inspire the field force to perform well, is the ‘Performance Evaluation’. The agreed parameters for evaluation of each layer of field force, for the year, can be set in online reporting, and the actual score against each of such parameters can be plotted from the various online reports/analysis, which can be accessed by the concerned Field Force every month. This is very transparent, available online (hence no delay) and the Field Force can see at the end of every month, where do they stand actually, against the set parameters, and take corrective measures where necessary to improve their score in the coming months..
Author :
V.Srinivasan has rich experience in Pharma Industry, having handled Sales & Marketing Administration, HR, and Training functions. Besides he has over 400 published articles on Pharma Management to his credit. He is the proud recipient of “The Transformational Leader of the Year” for Pharma Industry in 2013. He can be reached at shridhar1956@rediffmail.com, mobile no:9972390513)
