How to empower your account teams to meet the challenges of a changing marketplace
Everyone knows the pharmaceutical industry’s commercial model is changing; or at least it should be. The legacy approach, led by traditional sales force detailing of key clinical messages to individual target customers, is being replaced by more account-focused communications delivered across diverse stakeholder groups.
As the communications paradigm shifts with the rapid growth of mobile and digital technologies, multi-channel marketing methodologies are increasingly being deployed to ensure communications are built around the appropriate balance of clinical, health economic and diagnostic information, and delivered across a complex mix of channels. In a data-rich society, sales and marketing are being reconfigured to thrive in the so-called knowledge economy, and the industry is forced to align its operations with customers’ changing needs, behaviours and expectations.
But for pharma the theory of evolution goes beyond the transformation of an old commercial model; it requires the full integration of new systems, processes and cultures to support a new breed of commercial executives. Yet the metamorphosis is only just beginning. Pharmaceutical companies are steadily redesigning their strategies and infrastructure to adapt to the emerging environment – but are they doing enough to ensure that their account teams have the right competencies, resources and support to succeed? The origin of the species – the traditional medical sales representative – is almost extinct. But in the new, fast-paced knowledge economy, progress for account managers will be all about the survival of the fittest.
So, in a highly competitive marketplace, how do you empower your account teams to meet the challenges of a changing marketplace, and drive sales force performance? Here are ten ways to do just that.
In this practical guide, part of our 10 Ways series and produced in association with Data Intelligence, we look at how to drive sales force effectiveness.
View 10 Ways to drive sales force effectiveness
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