Maximizing sales rep success
The significant expansion of sales forces and the increase of mirroring tactics during the late 1990s and early 2000s backfired on many companies as doctors began limiting sales rep calls or shutti
By on Oct 29, 2009The significant expansion of sales forces and the increase of mirroring tactics during the late 1990s and early 2000s backfired on many companies as doctors began limiting sales rep calls or shutting their doors altogether. Even the doctors who still want to meet with drug reps could never see every rep that walks in the door at least not unless the doctor wanted to quit seeing patients instead.
As such, primary care reps only succeed in speaking with physicians on 59% of their visits, and specialty/hospital reps only manage to reach 64%. Though primary care reps have increased their success by 6% in the last two years, specialty/hospital reps have shown minimal improvement, as seen in Figure 1. 
Not every company faces difficulty in reaching physicians. In fact, many are averaging 80% or higher success rates. These companies have reduced mirroring and visit frequency in their strategies and have implemented closed-loop marketing systems that track physician preferences. These actions have increased the bond between rep and doctor.
Above all, the relationship between rep and doctor is the key determinant of physician access. When there are three reps sitting in the waiting room and the physician only has time to see one, he will meet with the one who has established a rapport with him. The physician knows his time will not be wasted his questions will be answered, new trial results will be explained, and the rep will not spend time elaborating on information given to the physician on the reps last visit.
But getting in the door is only part of the struggle drug reps face. The clock starts ticking as soon as they shake hands with the doctor. Many times, the physician is in-between patient appointments and only has a few minutes of free time free time that must also be spent transcribing, speaking with pharmacies and signing checks for the office manager. Physicians have little time to waste chatting. As soon as the rep quits giving the doctor what he wants, the visit is over.
Reps average 4.4 minutes with primary care targets and eight minutes with specialty and hospital targets. While this does not seem like much time to get a message across, it is definitely an improvement over 2007 figures. In 2007, reps only averaged 2.8 minutes with primary care physicians and 5.6 minutes with specialists (Figure 2).
In these few minutes, reps must deliver product messages and label updates, answer any physician questions, and improve on the rep-doctor relationship, as well as gather more physician data that will be used in segmenting analytics. With such limited time, drug reps must be creative and industriously utilize the latest selling techniques to make the most impact in the least amount of time.
Cutting Edge Information analysts have culled the following best practices for getting in the door and extending access time to physicians. These strategies come from executives from the most successful and proactive sales functions at leading companies.
1- Assist Physicians with Managed Care Activities
One of the most interesting trends emerging in the field today is the cross-training of reps on managed care and market access issues. With this knowledge, reps are assisting doctors to get reimbursement for their patients and navigate what can be confusing formularies of their clients. Reps also relay the latest market access changes regularly to make doctors aware of evolving market access situations.
Physicians focus on getting the right medicines to their patients and do not have enough time to keep track of every formulary change across the numerous insurance plans of their patients. Sales reps can and should keep their targets up-to-date on changes that affect their brands. This added level of service is something that the next generation of sales rep will have to do to stay competitive.
2- Provide Reps with All Information Available on Targets
Though the most successful reps think on their feet and adapt their messaging strategies based on cues from their targets, every rep should be provided with the most comprehensive and up-to-date information their company has on its targets. At some companies, reps are provided with the longitudinal data and plan track data about their individual targets which goes far beyond the normal information given to most reps.
These companies reps receive:
-Brand switching information if the doctor switches to the reps brand, the rep knows which brand the doctor was prescribing previously. Likewise, if the doctor switches from the reps brand to a different brand, the rep knows which brand the doctor now prescribes.
-The breakdown of insurance plans of the doctors patients (for example, 50% managed care plan 1; 25% managed care plan 2; 15% managed care plan 3; 10% managed care plan 4).
-Qualitative information from the physician about previous visits
Having this data allows each rep to customize their messaging and approach techniques before entering targets offices. For example, if a rep knows his target has switched from the reps product, then the approach would be different from the approach for a doctor who has switched to the reps product.
3- Communicate Other Touches between Company and Targets
Along the same lines as the previous section, as the main point of contact between pharma companies and physicians, sales reps should be kept informed of any other contact the physician has with the company. Physicians have options available to them that do not involve their sales reps including some eDetailing sessions, medical information call centers, company websites and other avenues.
The most proactive companies update the physicians designated rep after each contact. Many companies use CRM tools that will automatically send an email to the rep, but even companies without CRM tools can and should update their reps. The company employee who interfaces with the physician will send a note to the rep at the end of the call, for example.
Many of these contacts involve off-label questions and other topics that sales reps should not discuss with their targets, so caution is the order of the day. However, it is best for reps to know contact has occurred in case the physician asks for more from the rep.
4- Limit Rep Turnover
Turnover will kill any ongoing relationship the physician previously had with the company, and the new rep must start from scratch building rapport again. Therefore, taking great care in retaining reps is primordial.
5- Never Take the Office Staff for Granted
Some reps have found that building relationships with the office staff will also enable them to see the physician. Oftentimes, the office manager controls whom the physician sees; building a positive relationship with that employee can go a long way toward detailing the doctor.
Several companies have taken this strategy to heart, and much of the reps training focuses on getting past the office gatekeeper. Several tactics learned in the training include:
-Sending cards for each staff members birthday, as well as office anniversaries.
-Remembering details given by the staff about office hours, the physicians peak times, etc.
-Above all, treating every staff member with respect, not seeing them only as a tool to reach the doctor.
6- Perform Total Office Calls
In a similar vein to the previous best practice, many high-performing reps provide total office calls. Performing a total office call means delivering the product message/detail to everyone the rep sees. This includes detailing nurses, office personnel and anyone else that will take the time to listen and learn. When talking to receptionists, reps emphasize the drugs patient and physician benefits. When speaking with nurses, this knowledge transfer shifts toward more scientific data.
Some reps find total office calls particularly useful when doctors simply do not want toor have the time totalk to any reps. In these situations, most reps resign themselves to simply dropping off samples without attempting to detail the physician. Interviewed sales representatives say this is a big mistake. They strongly believe that a rep, through a total office call, can still indirectly influence doctors, as the product message will trickle back to the doctor as Figure 3 shows, even though the rep may never speak directly to the physician.
Most often, these influencers are intra-office personnel, such as nurse practitioners. Doctors turn to these influencers to keep them current, so they can avoid meeting hundreds of reps.
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This entry is adapted from an excerpt of a study conducted by pharmaceutical intelligence firm Cutting Edge Information. To know more about the study, download summary here: http://www.cuttingedgeinfo.com/reinventing-sales-forces/