With the advent of more complex or/and specialty medicines and launch of new companies/molecules/brands, the industry continues to add new layers of Medical representatives. With increasing competition, the industry continues to further add MRs to improve coverage of untapped doctors/regions/locations. The line-up outside the doctor clinics are only getting longer by the day, drastically reducing the time and quality of sales pitches ” from being scientific to mere brand name reminders. Its becoming a vicious cycle, eventually leading to a significant drop in Medical representatives productivity.
The industry is ripe for disruption and the front-runners are already experimenting with a series of ideas to (a) grab doctor attention by differentiating vs. others who are still following the old methods, and (b) pin-down high ROI platforms for leaner and smarter doctor outreach.
Since data is available everywhere now, it is important for the medical reps to be prepared with up-to-date and interactive content. By doing so, they will have more opportunities to involve the doctors into the dialogues and excite the curiosity of the products or services. Another way to grab the attention of the physicians is to show them better ways to find an easy way to navigate medical data. Previously the medical reps performed a scripted conversation in front of the doctors. In today’s time the doctors do not have time, so the medical reps can share relevant and latest data with doctors and can easily promote their products.
As more pharma companies identify specialty areas as a primary driver for growth, the demand for representatives with specific therapeutic knowledge is significantly increasing. One key indicator of this trend, according to the TGaS Advisors Annual State of Incentive Compensation Landscape, is that the incentive compensation target payout for these representatives increased 9% between 2015 and 2016.
Good details are dynamic; the best reps tailor their messages constantly according to their client’s reaction. A friendly physician makes the rep’s job easy, because the rep can use the “friendship” to request favors, in the form of prescriptions. Physicians who view the relationship as a straightforward goods-for-prescriptions exchange are dealt with in a businesslike manner. Skeptical doctors who favor evidence over charm are approached respectfully, supplied with reprints from the medical literature, and wooed as teachers. Physicians who refuse to see reps are detailed by proxy; their staff is dined and flattered in hopes that they will act as emissaries for a rep’s messages.
