The continual shrinking of the pharmaceutical industry's sales forces increasing resembles 'The Death of a Salesman' scenario. But those responsible for overseeing the thousands of remaining reps say that some of the problems can be laid at the doorstep of their own employers - there simply isn't enough resources and thought given to helping managers improve their own skills.
At least that's what a survey of more than 100 district sales managers, marketing directors and vp's from 20 pharma companies, including eight of the largest drug makers, which was conducted by Delta Point, a consulting firm. The upshot: "A significant gap exists between the importance placed on skills that enhance customer relationships and the training structure and opportunities that pharmaceutical companies are currently providing managers."
A few findings: Only 32 percent say formalized programs exist to improve managerial sales skills on an ongoing basis (49.5 percent said there is none). Only 34 percent say training resources target improving relationship building and connecting with customers that are difficult to connect with - and only 33 percent say training is available to learn how to connect.
Meanwhile, 24.8 percent say their companies have easily accessible programs for developing selling skills (and 58 percent said there is none). Also, only 52 percent say enough time is spent to help managers improve their skills; only 33 percent say there is training on how to connect with people who we do not naturally connect with. Another nugget: only 21 percent say resources are available to teach relationship building to their team.
Finally, only 34 percent say their company has a formal process to evaluate the success of a rep who has become a manager. Hmmm.... Of course, these findings can't be taken as the final word in why sales reps are less desirable, but it does make you wonder about future investments in sales teams. The survey may, however, explain why so many reps complain about their managers on CafePharma.
16 Comments
What other sales force in the universe does-on the-job training in front of their customers other than Big Pharma?
Two day field rides with reps every two weeks has become the norm, driving reps and physicians insane.
No sympathy here for district managers. They are overhead and are a big part of lost access to offices.
In an industry where the "sales reps" sell. . . exactly n o t h i n g.
Look, I do not mean to be glib, here, but pharma "sales jobs" are not really sales jobs, at all -- in the sense most people use the term.
Even the overtime rules seem askew here.
Namaste
Please abstain from quoting or even referencing Cafepharma. It's a very small representation of a population, and an extremely poor one at that.
Reps don't sell anything, at least scientifically. They don't have the education to do that. Back in 1979, when I entered pharma, just about all reps were trained pharmacists, and could discuss drugs intelligently with doctors. The last company I worked for recruited reps from the ranks of shoe salesman. They speak from a memorized script while the doctors are munching on the sushi that the rep brought them for lunch. Science used to get us in the door. Now it's a good menu. More and more docs these days however have decided that their own time is more valuable than a free meal.
As for Cafe Pharma, check the recent indictment of Schering-Plough and its corporate officers involved in the ENHANCE study. Key evidence in that document was allowed by the judge based on postings on CP, despite efforts from SP to suppress it.
"Back in 1979, when I entered pharma, just about all reps were trained pharmacists"
First off your a dusty old fossil who can only bitch and complain about the "good old day" cause you are so close to death. Stop already.
Secondly, I'm in specialty and have 4 reps in my district that have been with the company over 30 years. I have met other veterans of over 30 years. When I came into pharma in 1990 (ya I know, I'm too new to know what I'm doing) I had met many reps that came in before 1979.......NOT ONE OF THEM ARE OR WERE PHARMACISTS! Go lie somewhere else, fossil.
Lastly, who cares about slapping a label of "salesman" on pharma reps. Ok, we are not sales, we are marketing. Who really cares and why do you people have a hard on for it? I don't get it.
Many Pharma reps/DM'S ect are nothing but glorified public relations robots yes robots.They excel in bringing lunch and pointing with a pen to the all important detail piece. They are told what to say,how to say it and when to say it. The scripts are word for word during role plays plain and simple. They are the biggest scam going and many of them have an arrogance now that is unreal. Many dr's have told them to take a hike and rightfully so ! There are some good ones out there who do bring value to offices but for them it is like trying to fight city hall with the way these pharma companies now operate !
I am a current 12 year biotech rep. The job is a joke, but the pay is good. I made a lot of money outside of pharma sales because of the freedom throughout the day. This is not a true sales job. Don't fool yourself. If you are not using the freedom to produce a second income or starting a business, you are just wasting time in a dead end career.
I will not leave this industry until I am forced out. I will never become a manager or move up. Not worth the few extra $$.
Rep training is seriously wanting. They are trained to spit out pre-digested marketing messages, developed from advisory committee MDs that are paid for their opinion.
Most reps have little to no science background, yet the phamra companies perpetuate the myth that they are "experts" and know more about their drugs than practicing physicians. (Who also happen to have years of post graduate education in medicine)
Would anyone want the local pharma rep that sells their specific anti-hypertensive making treatment decisions for them? Gosh, I wonder what they would recommend 99% of the time?
Due to off label compliance, reps can only answer basic questions that any MD could find in the PI faster and more easily on the net or ePocrites. Any serious medical question must be handled by the medical department.
So what has developed is a "sales" force of essentailly biased marketing mouthpieces, with little real medical understanding that are told to "hold their doctors accountable to prescribing the medication". Accountable to who? Apparently the rep, who is a proxy for the Product Marketing VP.
Can you imagine someone who came to your home once a month, with a printout of what kind of foods you buy at the store and "selling" you on why you should feed your family and children their brand X of food?
No reasonable person would stand for it, yet pharma does this to MDs every day and pays reps outrageous salaries and bonus to do so.
Only in America!
Well if 'douche' is typical of the people 'Doc' sees I'm not surprised there is so much dissatisfaction.
'Doc' - I assume you no longer see reps?
Started in pharma in 1973. Douche may think that makes me older than dirt, but that is not the case. I do however remember when dirt went generic. PharmaVet was probably with Eli Lilly. In the 70's they maintained a sales force of over 85% degreed pharmacists. Most pharma that wanted true sales people avoided pharmacists because they chronically worked part time as pharmacists when they were supposed to be selling, would jump back to pharmacy if the pressure got too high, and tended to have ego problems. They WERE very good at "detailing" because of their pharmacy degrees.
Christopher, Sadly out of 100s of reps I have known over 30 years, about five standout as actually bringing value. 3 were exerienced RNs, 1 was another medically trained individual and the last was an extremely smart and one of the best read reps ever - but he was not trained by his company.
To keep the myth alive that reps are well trained in anything other than their marketing message is pathetic.
The best way to uncover the shortcomings is to begin questioning them in depth on complicated patient scenarios - then you see them lost.
Doc, So why do you continue to see the reps? Isn't it a matter of expectations? I would never expect a rep to be able to handle the discussions you mentioned here: you are (presumably) a trained physician and thankfully can understand and deal with complicated patient scenarios. The rep is not - otherwise he/she would be in practice earning a fortune :-)
I believe the dynamic has changed in recent years. Whereas the rep was previously one of few ways the pharma industry could communicate information about its products in a reasonably coherent and controlled way - along with journal articles - there are now so many other means available to the practitioner to get that information, as you mentioned earlier. The rep's role has diminished, as well as being regulated to an extreme, and so presumably has his/her value as a communicator.
No question the caliber of reps has changed, and so has their reputation, at least for many. But I don't understand why so many docs expect anything more than what the rep can offer. If that's not good enough, shouldn't they stop seeing them and wasting everybody's time?
Christopher, Most MDs see reps for 1 reason, free samples for their patients. Every survey shows this is the # 1 reason.
You make many good points, my biggest beef is that industry trys to market their reps as experts, which to your point, they will never be.
Unfortunately, many reps believe that they are.
I apologize, douche. I should have been more specific. I went to work for Lilly in 1979, and unless you were a pharmacist, the sign said "Do Not Apply".
Just to let Doc and others know, the last remaining value-added responsibility of the reps, i.e. sample dropping, will be easily managed out at much lower cost using just-in-time technology and companies like UPS. I spent time working for a laboratory supply company which developed a computer algorithm, which, upon the simple press of a button by the physician let us know when he/she was low on supplies. Within 24 hours that same MD was resupplied. Same can easily be done for drugs. A few years ago an industry survey estimated that it cost a typical pharma company about $250/rep/office visit. If you add in the mandatory catering costs, it's probably now closer to $300/visit. The UPS person can drop ship at a fraction of the cost, and doesn't need food to get in the front door. By 2015, all major pharma cos. will be using some variant of this or low-paid part-time contract force.
All reps who can only be admitted by bringing lunch, usually for the ENTIRE office staff(!)from my experience, will be in trouble if this is their only entry requirement. I believe that part of the Health Care bill now nefore congree will include some changes in the way that reps can operate during their sales calls. If the entire country goes the way we have here in Massachusetts, you won't be able to leave anything behind except samples.