The pharma industry’s move toward a more patient-centric approach to selling has afforded organizations many benefits. Among them is broad sales force appeal – helping to align everyone in the direction of more consultative health care provider (HCP) exchanges – and the ensuing impact on sales rep engagement.
When salespeople are motivated by blockbuster sales and financial rewards alone, it naturally takes away from the sense of purpose they would typically have when patients’ needs are prioritized. Some studies have even shown that a cultural focus on revenue and share price primes sales teams to become more self-focused and less collaborative.
A few notable pharma companies have already embraced models where reps are no longer measured solely on the ability to achieve individual market share targets, but are assessed and rewarded on technical skills, scientific knowledge, and the quality of service they deliver to HCPs.
Within these organizations, commercial excellence leaders focus on helping reps understand how poor compliance on the application of a certain drugs can cost lives, while at the same time reinforcing the depth of knowledge required to help physicians understand and adhere to correct dosage regimens.
Yet no matter how committed reps are, or how good sales meetings and training sessions are, gaps in knowledge will always remain. Identifying these gaps quickly is the key to making a patient-centric approach effective. Without a way to measure this, it can be difficult for sales managers, coaches and others to have clear insight into what reps are really prepared to bring to every call.
Data-driven solutions focused on improving sales capabilities through performance analytics, coaching optimization and knowledge reinforcement have direct impact on higher value HCP interactions. Well-developed technologies ensure that both clinical information and core messages are retained in the long-term, stay top-of-mind, and are put into practice.
Applying deep clinical knowledge, pharma sales reps can work in partnership with doctors to deliver the quality of information needed to ensure that patients reap the benefits of a patient-centric approach. Taking steps to encourage empathy for what a particular medical condition means for the patient, organizations can instill a stronger sense of purpose in their sales teams, too.
With the help of mobile reinforcement technologies and targeted coaching, organizations will find that salespeople apply the knowledge consistently on the job and ensure that the patients’ needs are not just an afterthought, but at the forefront of everything they do.
Watch our video to discover how Qstream's sales capabilities platform is helping 14 of the world's top 15 pharmaceutical companies create more efficient, effective and engaged sales teams today.