April 09, 2015
Recently, one of my very senior friends in the Industry, during our casual interaction, lamented that when they were working in the Field those days, the Doctors and the Trade used to give them a lot of respect and time, which is not the case now for a majority of Pharma Companies & its field force. That prompted me to diagnose what could be the possible reasons for the lack of respect now, and also the ways and means to retrieve it back.
Root cause for the illness:
· Market is highly crowded, and there is a mad race for sales ‘some how’, leading to ‘unethical’ promotion of products by lot of Companies
- Products are mostly ‘me too’, and of average quality
- Lack of quality/standards in a majority of the Field Force
If these important issues are addressed in all sincerity, I am of the view that it is possible to reclaim the image and respect that this profession and the Industry once had in the minds of the Customers and the Trade . Let us see below, some of the ways and means to treat these root causes:
Manufacturing the products in a totally quality conscious environment (be it own manufacturing or third party manufacturing). There are a lot of certifications available now-a-days like GMP, WHO, FDA, etc. Choose the best and certified facilities to manufacture the products. Never try to cut cost by compromising on quality in any way. Beware, we are dealing with the lives of people.
Be choosy while Selecting the Products to manufacture and market. Consciously go for products with a difference, rather than getting into ‘me too’ products. It is perfectly understandable that every year it is not possible to come out with a totally new product for the first time in the world or in the country. However one can think through the so many new product options available, and launch only products which can create a difference, than what are already available in the market, though may contain the same molecule, which will enable the Doctors to treat their patients better. Marketing Team plays a vital role towards creating the ‘difference’ in a product, and making the customers understand it, through appropriate marketing strategy and detailing by the Field Force. I can quote a good example here for creating the ‘difference’ in a product. The ‘anti-anaemic tonic’ is currently a highly crowded market. Most of them, when consumed, leave a bitter after taste, to the patients. This has brought down the compliance level of the patients, and the Doctors were hoping if there is a tonic available without a bitter after taste, they can treat the patients better. One smart Company, identified the great business opportunity in this, and came out with the same tonic, but after buffering the bitter after taste, to improve patients’ compliance level. This feature was particularly highlighted in the promotional strategy, and in the detailing story, and the product was able to capture a good chunk of the market, quickly. The moment we get into the ‘me too’ category of products, without creating any difference, we may be forced to make ‘compromises’ whether we like it or not.
Identify products in such therapeutic segments which are not that crowded, so as to ensure that we don’t get caught into the ‘price war’ & ‘unethical practices’ segments to somehow survive and stay afloat.
Instead of having hundreds of products in the same basket, and frittering away the attention, it is better to have a manageable number of products, and give full attention or focus on them and make sure that each and every product is a total success in the market place, prescribed by the Doctors, and stocked by the Trade, with pride.
As a Good Marketing Practice, keep away from offers, discounts, schemes, deals, flooding the Doctors with lot of samples, costly gifts, so called ‘services’, sponsorships, CRM, and such other ‘unethical’ marketing strategies. Gains from such unethical practices are only temporary. The moment we stop such offers & services, the sales numbers will fall down drastically. The fact that competitors are giving schemes/offers, therefore we should also follow suit, should not be the argument. Once we get into this vicious circle, it will be very difficult to come out of it later on, even if we desire so.
With a sea of information already available in ‘on line’ now-a-days, at the figure tips of the Doctors, they expect only quality inputs, quality discussion, and excellent detailing from the Field Force. If these are missing, then one can’t expect due respect from them. They don’t want to waste their precious time on mediocre Field Force. Therefore it is very important for Companies to select quality candidates, provide quality training, and ensure quality discussion and excellent detailing by each Field Force. This starts right from the selection of good candidates, their training, and also on the job training to them by the Line/Field Managers on a regular basis.
Develop good, but not too lengthy, effective detailing communication for each product. Train the Field Force well, make them experts in Product Knowledge and detailing ability. In addition to class room training programmes, on line product related reading material and tests/exercises can be created, and the field staff should be asked to read and then answer to the test papers/exercises, till every one achieves the minimum standards, like 75%. This should be a regular activity. This might keep them updated with the latest product knowledge. This can be made compulsory for all layers of Field Force. Likewise whenever the Field/Line Managers, go for joint field working, before going for field work, they should spend atleast some time listening to the detailing of all products, and then correct the Field staff, where necessary. Only when the detailing is all right, for all products on promotion, the Manager should take the Medical Rep out for field work. The Doctors & the Trade should be made to feel that ‘giving time to the Field Force of this Company is worth it’. Thus the Field Force should compliment the efforts of Marketing Team – which try to differentiate the products through better strategies – by differentiating themselves from the crowd and standing atop, through better quality and focussed working, detailing and product knowledge.
Important role of Line Managers:
It is very important to have the Line Managers as ‘effective managers’, good ‘on the job trainers’ , and the one who ensures proper implementation of strategies in the field by each one in the team. Line Managers should train and develop their teams to achieve the objectives in a professional and ethical manner. They should not encourage them to do anything and everything just to achieve certain numbers at the end of the month. This is the starting point of picking up ‘bad habits’ or ‘unethical practices’. Line Managers should have the managerial courage to deduct wrongly charged allowances, if any, in the expense reports, rather than leaving this job to be done at Head Office. Instead, they should themselves deduct such wrongly charged allowances, explain to the concerned appropriately, so that the team member understands, and doesn’t repeat it again.
Role of HR:
Select good quality candidates only, who pass the selection criteria and their reference checks are found to be good. Pay them handsomely, or as per the prevailing market rates for similar sized Companies, and make sure that they stay with the organization for long enough, through excellent HR policies.
Attractive incentives, linked to performances, PF, Gratuity, ESI/Medical reimbursement, Medical/Accident Insurance, leave entitlements, attractive perks, retirement/severance benefits, loyalty bonus, comfortable Daily Allowances, travelling allowances, outstation allowances for boarding and lodging, revision of Daily Allowances to take care of increase in petrol/diesel prices as and when required, career growth for consistent performers, issuing of appointment letters on time, confirmation of employees on time, on time disbursement of salary, increments, reimbursements of expenses, full & final a/c settlement to employees who have left, promptly after completion of necessary formalities, etc. can be thought of as part of the ‘pro active’ HR policies, conducive for people to stay on, enjoy their working, and contribute their best to the organization, in the process.
Retain people and ensure continuity in promotion:
Two of the important reasons for field staff to leave too often, leading to higher attrition rate, are: 1) Too much of sales pressure month after month without Managerial guidance/inputs, and 2) Too much of paper work. These can be eliminated consciously through 1) improving the Product Knowledge and Detailing ability of the field staff, during class room training programme, and also in the regular Field working by effective Line Managers, which will equip them to convert Doctors to the products being promoted, and therefore it is possible to hit the sales numbers consistently with efforts, without feeling the undue sales pressure, and 2) Majority of Salesmen do not like too much of paper work any way, besides, it also eats away a lot of precious field working time. Offer them ‘on line’ reporting software to ensure that submission of daily reports is quite easy and doesn’t take much of their time. However, further benefits will accrue only if we take the field staff to the next level of analyzing their own field working periodically, through various reports that are available in the online reporting module, like Call averages, POBs booked, Product wise Primary, Secondary sales and Closing stock, Target Vs Achievement, Deviations made in actual working compared to approved Tour programme, etc., plan for corrective measures where necessary, in consultation with their Line Managers, and then implement them in their day to day field working in all sincerity.
Thus the field staff who are equipped (as above) to taste success consistently, will feel more confident, assured of doing a good job month after month, enjoy their field working, see improved earnings (including attractive incentives), better image, and also experience career growth within the same organization. They will be more loyal to the organization, and poaching of such employees will be that much difficult.
We do understand that, to maintain all these standards that we had discussed above, the operational cost will be slightly high, therefore the prices of the products must be kept higher than similar products available in the market place.
I can assure you here that, for a product, which enables the Doctors to treat their patients better, manufactured in a totally quality conscious environment, marketed ethically, correctly positioned, effectively detailed to the right customers by a well trained and professional Field Force, at the desired frequency of visits, price is not a limiting factor. The Doctors as well as patients will be happy to pay a price, if they are made to understand properly, the benefits that they get for the price. The visits by Field Force from such Companies will be eagerly look forward to by the Doctors, and the Trade, they may give preference to them, listen to their detailing attentively, and may also give a little more time to them, than other Companies’ Field Force.
By implementing all the above in all sincerity, we can safely establish, the following in the minds of the Customers (i.e.Doctors), and also in the Trade (i.e. CFAs, Stockists, & Retailers):
Better brand image, and respect for the Company, its products, its marketing strategies, and its Field Force in the market place, therefore they arehappy to pay a premium for the products. The Customers (i.e. Doctors), and the Trade will be keenly looking forward to the visits by such Field Force, people will be happy to be associated with such Companies, existing employees will last long, therefore less of vacancies, and also getting candidates to fill up vacancies, if any, will not pose much of a problem.
I know of many Pharma Companies practicing these values, without getting trapped in the ‘rat race’, doing a good job, and are proud of it!. No wonder, they and their field force are valued upon in the market place.
Author :
(Mr.V.Srinivasan is a well known author on Pharma Management with over 400 published articles to his credit in India and abroad. He is the proud winner of the award “The Transformational Leader of the Year” in 2013 for Pharma Industry. He has over 30 years of rich experience in Pharma Industry, having handled Sales Administration, HR, & Training functions. He can be reached at shridhar1956@rediffmail.com, Mobile:9972390513)
