BioPath Consulting

Even though PhRMA guidelines have ended the "arms race" between pharmaceutical companies, it is physician dissatisfaction that is proving to have the greatest impact on the sales force. It is this dissatisfaction that is leading an increased number of physicians to spend less, if any, time with sales reps. A recent study showed that 25% of physicians refuse to see sales reps[1] and of the physicians that do see sales reps, product discussions lasted fewer than five minutes at best[2].

So what is causing physician dissatisfaction? The vast majority of physicians are saying they want:

1. More integrated, customer focused exchanges.
2. Higher quality, more educated, trained, and experienced sales reps.
3. Sales reps to use more clinical studies and evidence based medicine during office visits.

What does this mean? This means that the current sales model is not working. According to experts: "the current sales model is broken...[1]" and as with most broken models, the initial "crack" starts at the foundation. In this case the foundation is the sales training model used by pharmaceutical companies.

As physician dissatisfaction grows and sales forces shrink, success can no longer be measured by the size and structure of the sales force, but by the quality of interactions with physicians. There is an urgent and dire need to reevaluate your sales model and institute one that allows your sales force to provide physicians with the type of information they are asking for.

Now that you've seen the problem, click here for the solution...

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References:
1) O'Reilly, K., “Doctors increasingly close doors to drug reps, while pharma cuts ranks”, American Medical News, March 23, 2009.
2) Brana, A., “A new sales blueprint”, TNS Heathcare (2008), http://www.tnsglobal.com/_assets/files/ScripsSFE1007ABrana.pdf.