What do you do if your medical sales team needs to collaborate with product development departments?

In todays era of Pharma/Medical product development, there can be many choices, either look for new molecule, which is going to be time taking process, either work on biologics, which can reduce overall cost of therapy or there is customization within existing molecule, so as to reduce side effect. Another aspect is making and improving devices, which improves overall monitoring of vitals for better well being of Humans. 1) Always good to share thoughts on all these products with development team. 2) Evaluate options to meet need. 3) Evaluate scalability, commercial aspect and whether the same will be important in the given value chain.

Not only do Sales People have to sell to customers, they need to sell back into their team. Tell your product development team the story, get them excited about the customer's program. Be honest and forthcoming with expectations/needs. Collaborate together so all parties have the best chance of meeting their goals.

As soon as I hear the two words medical and sales combined to a product the endpoint for this is and should always be what is in the best interest of the patient and how do you acquire for them best possible clinical outcomes. Once there is alignment to this goal the action items for change become very clear and focal.

For any problem there is a solution. Seeking solution is irrelevant if problem and goals are not stated properly. Every effort is vital to reach a certain goal. So define your goal as specific as you can so you can lay down all possibilities, circumstances and consequences to reach a successful result.

What's a medical sales team? could you please elaborate. Is it a sales team based in sales? or are you expecting to have a sales team based in medical?

Historically there has always been a significant communication gap between sales professionals and product development teams. I firmly believe that in order to bridge this gap, both sales and product dev teams must have an understanding of each other's roles and the value that their expertise brings to the company's success. While I agree having a dedicated Slack or Teams channel is good , true collaboration may only happen when facilitated. In most companies this is a cultural shift driven by leadership of both the sales and product development teams. Initially, the communication flow may need to be guided, but as they become acquainted, feel at ease sharing thoughts, ideas, and questions, communication tends to improve over time.

Once objectives are clearly set and expectations are clear, having this open dialogue where people share feedback, ideas and insights is critical. The sales team needs to use their courage to ne transparent and open about their opinions and feedback. At the same time, if they want their opinions to be heard, they need to state them in a way that makes the other team feel safe and appreciated. If the feedback is given in a way that makes the others feel threatened or unappreciated, feedback will not be accepted and some conflict may arise.

I will bring Sales team members and Quality team members together to discuss the demond of market and best possible quality production of products which will be best and leading in all demond aspects than other available competitor's products.

Facilitate open dialogue between your medical sales and product development teams to foster successful collaboration. Encourage the free exchange of insights from the sales team and emphasize their importance to the product development team. Maintain regular meetings and open communication channels like dedicated email threads or instant messaging groups to ensure a continuous flow of information. By creating a partnership where both teams feel valued and heard, you promote collaboration and drive innovation effectively.

Esto es imposible ya que las ideas entre varias personas o son mejores o incluso una idea de uno de ellos puede mejorarse o complementarse si el equipo trabaja en conjunto la comunicación es clave para el éxito en la mayoría de las áreas de trabajo

Everyday is a new day and you should be willing to learn something everyday. By this think about what can make your job more enjoyable, I personally like helping people go home the same way they went to work, by this I mean knowledge is power and you gain this by asking experienced people questions and whether you use that info or not you have gained insight to something you may have not known. Likewise be willing to share knowledge from experience as not everything is in a book (old school) or online. Life's experiences are a wealth of knowledge for all who's willing to listen and learn.

Encourage mutual learning between your sales and product development teams. Sales professionals should have a basic understanding of product specifications and development processes, while developers should grasp the market dynamics and customer pain points. This shared knowledge base will enhance collaboration, as each team can anticipate the needs and constraints of the other, leading to more informed decision-making and a more cohesive product strategy. Encourage your product development and sales teams to learn from each other.

I 100% agree! If each person/department etc doesn’t understand what the goals are of each team, as well as what each department team actually does there cannot be collaboration. Learning the A-Z processes is key. How can you help each other succeed collectively if you don’t understand how it all works as one?

To have mutual learning, it is important for both teams to adopt an open mindset, ie be open to feedback and be curious about it, rather than fell attacked and reject that feedback. It’s important to clarify this as part of the expectations from the meeting.

O Aprendizado Mútuo é um processo contínuo que pode ajudar a equipe de vendas médicas e o departamento de desenvolvimento de produtos a trabalhar em conjunto de forma mais eficaz. Ao compartilhar conhecimentos e informa??es, ambas as partes podem se beneficiar e melhorar seu desempenho. Exemplos de como o Aprendizado Mútuo pode ser aplicado: A equipe de vendas pode fornecer feedback ao departamento de desenvolvimento de produtos sobre os recursos que os clientes mais solicitam. O departamento de desenvolvimento de produtos pode realizar treinamentos para a equipe de vendas sobre os novos produtos e suas funcionalidades.

I believe that cross functional meetings and collaboration at early stages of any product development can be crucial to the success of the product, sometimes we may miss some important ideas like customers’ unmet needs that can contribute a lot to the final result of any project

Participating in the launch of a subcutaneous immunoglobulin. Goals had been given with direction as to who to open the market to. Daily sales activities revealed other specialties with prescribers who needed to be aware of the product. This insight was utilized in the field and forwarded up the ladder through appropriate channels.

Las metas son importantes ellas nos indican que rumbo seguir ya sea modificándolas o corrigiendo el camino a seguir sin metas no llegarás nunca a ningún lado

Product development and sales must work together to implement effective feedback loops. After every milestone or meeting, spend some time getting input from both teams. This will assist in quickly identifying any misalignments or potential improvement areas. As necessary, modify your strategy, procedures, or communication techniques in light of this input. Collaboration success is mostly dependent on feedback-driven continuous improvement.

Me parece muy interesante este aspecto para crecer tanto en lo profesional como en lo personal , siempre hemos de sumar todo lo que se aprende y realimentarse de aquellas oportunidades que se pueda implementar …

Collaboration is the key to understanding the market gaps. Market gaps can be an input from the sales team, which can be taken forward by the Product development team in developing the product as per market needs. This is the way new dosage forms development can be an USP for a product / brand. A successful team work can reduce the time for innovation.

Collaboration is the key to understanding the market gaps. Market gaps can be an input from the sales team, which can be taken forward by the Product development team in developing the product as per market needs. This is the way new dosage forms development can be an USP for a product / brand. A successful team work can reduce the time for innovation.

Yeah!! Collaborating between our medical sales team and product development department is a big chance to help patients succeed. By working together, sharing goals, and focusing on patients, we can achieve great results. :) When we collaborate well, we understand each other better, which leads to better products and care for patients. Working together also makes our teams stronger and sets us up for success in the long run. :) Our main goal is to bring value to both teams and ensure the best for our patients. It takes effort and commitment from everyone involved, but it's worth it for the outcomes we can achieve. Cheers!

Spot on! Bringing together the individuals who interact directly with the customers and those who drive innovation in product development to discuss product roadmaps can lead to valuable insights, open up new markets, and spur innovation within the company.

Absolutely, aligning the efforts of sales and product development teams can drive innovation and ensure products meet market demands effectively. Collaboration enables a deeper understanding of customer needs and preferences, leading to the creation of more marketable and user-friendly solutions. A well-defined roadmap that integrates sales insights into the development process can help maximize the strengths of both teams and deliver cutting-edge products.

Be a good listener! Take notes if possible as everyone has a different role and responsibility. In business it takes a team and good clear communication is key, don't be late to meetings! Working with engineering firms and power plants needs can get lost in the shuffle so face to face meetings are best but if you have to go online make sure your picture is up as I have been in to many meetings where people get called on who are off doing something else instead of paying attention, and meetings should not last more than 30-45 minutes.

Uma das principais barreiras para um projeto de trabalho Cross functional ter sucesso é a comunica??o que n?o é bem feita. Cabe as lideran?as fazer essa comunica??o de forma assertiva e criar um ambiente de engajamento e propósito. A quest?o das defini??o clara dos papéis vai dizer muito sobre o sucesso ou n?o deste projeto. Se isso ocorrer, a probabilidade de se atingir os objetivos é grande. A especificidade e complexidade dos projetos com colabora??o entre times, trás essa necessidade de se cumprir esses dois tópicos - comunica??o e papéis claros.

Los roles son importantes todo debe estar alineado sin exigencias ni imposiciones pero alineado puesto que cada situación es importante para el éxito de la empresa no para éxito personal

I would recommend to be realistic in the requests and to consider carefully time and costs for development, without forgetting that we should also take care of who is, unlikely, affected by a rare disease, not probably convenient to be scouted so to find a therapy.

1)Swap the roles - for some time, hence both teams can understand real time challenges and solutions in each departments 2) Meeting the end user- Product development team can work with sales team to get end user feedback 3) Focus group - Creating a group with blend of sales and development team before developing a new product

Product development is exciting. Sales reps love to launch new products. Understanding the product, understanding the prescriber and understanding the sales role in the success of the launch are all critical factors. The feedback loop is a crucial part of the continuum. Check for understanding and demonstrate mutual respect for the contributions made by all involved.

Wait a minute If that is not established since the beginning, then there would be NO market connection with your offer and the blame game would be going on Sales & marketing team blaming the management and product development team and vice versa You need to change company culture and start offering your products/ services as per market demands In healthcare product development and R&D is damn expensive. If your idea would be restricted towards existing offers, like addition of another paracetamol brand in your portfolio, then you need to take market feedback and plan accordingly Otherwise you'll spend tons of money for launch and would not get long term revenue

Actuar de manera responsable, pronta y eficiente por parte de ambos equipos cierra la brecha y forma un bloque sólido de trabajo. Explorar el terreno y actuar antes, incluso antes que la competencia es lo que hace equipos ganadores.