Is it possible to Sell Without Drug Reps?

Before I begin writing about this topic, here are some higher ranked articles that suggest - DRUG REPS SHOULD BE BANNED!

The above statements sound tough and harsh considering that drug / medical representatives are one of the most dedicated and hard working class of sales people around the globe.

So should pharma companies layoff drug reps? Will these companies actually succeed to promote and sell their products without them?

The Physicians' Perspective

Before we get into it, it is important to understand why physicians have changed/ are changing their perspective towards drug reps.

1. Physicians no more consider drug reps as their main source of knowledge update, unless they are promoting a new blockbuster drug. As one research states, 79% of doctors prefer getting information online instead of a sales rep visit. Moreover, almost all companies are promoting nearly the same group of drugs packaged with a different brand name.
2. Governments and trade associations have introduced strict regulatory guidelines for detailing and promotion of drugs. This have made the hospitals revise their policies and restrict the entry of drug reps.

Most doctors would actually prefer to find a better way to work with the reps, rather than ban them altogether. The doctors can't keep up with so many new drugs on the market and indications for specific medications, and the drug reps play an important role in the educational process.

Free drug samples are also not to be taken lightly in today's economic climate. For a lot of patients, that's how they get their meds. It's also beneficial to give samples before the doctor write a prescription, particularly if it's an expensive drug. 92% of physicians said they had received and distributed free drug samples, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation study.

The Employers' Perspective

I have personally asked brand / marketing managers, V.P.s and CEOs of Pharma companies if their drug reps represent their brands appropriately. I usually hear a similar answer, which is - "the brand message is usually lost when drug reps detail our products to the physicians".

I won't blame the drugs reps as they hardly get any quality face-to-face time with the doctors to have a proper discussion about their brands.

So Can Companies Succeed Without Drug Reps?

Would you buy a product that you haven't heard since many days or month. Chances are you buy what you see frequently. Even for ads to work, they have to gain your attention before you decide to buy or try the product. Similarly physician prescribe brands that they frequently see and acknowledge. And drug reps are currently the most efficient medium to expose the brands to the physicians.

The question remains -

1. Will physicians allow drug reps to meet often?
2. Can drug reps add value to the physicians' knowledge?
3. Can drug reps successfully help in passing the right brand message?
4. Can drug reps support in improving the brands' value?

Making The Drug Reps Capable In Today's Scenario

Improving Drug Reps' capabilities lies in improving their communication skills and keeping them motivated. Here are a few ideas to make those improvements.

1. Empowering drug reps with high-quality content

Are companies providing their drug reps with high-quality content, or just push the same stale communication again and again? Engaging and interactive up-to-date presentations are what each drug representative needs for successful visit to the physicians. If companies empower their drug reps with newer and game-changing content – they will have even more opportunities to involve the doctors into the dialogues and excite the curiosity of the products or services.

2. Using technologies to make work more efficient

Technological solutions enable med reps to do more things during the same period of time and in a more effective way. The field force can deliver instant messages, engage physicians into efficient conversation and gather instant commentaries and feedback. With special tools and systems, drug reps can plan the day and know about all future calls to be better prepared.

3. Doing more than just a training

The single most important thing for drug reps is the in between support they require over time i.e. how can one improve between learning activities and opportunities. It is not rare to find the most powerful rep feel lost, between sales meeting/CME/training. One aspect drug reps find very rewarding is the planning of business conversations that help them shake off their thinking that "I am not achieving anything!" This need to become ingrained in management, and welcomed by reps not as check points, but support points!

4. Adding A.I. to improve communication

Machine learning or A.I can actually give the drug reps valuable insights based on their past reports for a physician or a group of physicians. This will help them communicate with physicians with clarity, better information and higher confidence.

At my agency Enthof Brand Communications & Designs Pte Ltd, we have been researching and working on digital models to 1) improve communication between Drug Reps and Physicians and 2) keep the Drug Reps updated and motivated. If you are interested in knowing more about it, send me a message on [email protected]

If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments.