THE EVOLUTION OF THE PHARMA SALES REP

THE EVOLUTION OF THE
PHARMA SALES REP

When pharmaceutical sales reps arrived on the scene in the 1960s, they were equipped with little more than a car, marketing materials, and samples to drive engagement and brand preference among HCPs. At that time, there were fewer pharmaceutical companies and drugs, and it was easier for reps to get access to, and time with, doctors. Good reps could easily build trust and meaningful relationships with their HCPs.

Since then, there have been significant changes in the industry that have made the job of the pharma sales rep more difficult.

Further complicating matters has been the explosive growth in technology, digitization, and online channels to reach, influence, and engage HCPs. Digital communication channels such as email led to the rise of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platforms, while more recently, the availability of data such as HCP prescribing habits, channel preferences, and content engagement have led to Next Best Action (NBA) insight and tools. And today, artificial intelligence (AI) is leading the charge.

The pharma commercial model has evolved from traditional promotion dominated by face-to-face (F2F) interaction, to a multichannel approach including digital avenues, to the current hybrid model that leverages an orchestrated omnichannel strategy ¹:

Figure 1: Progression in commercial model over time

Face-to-face

Successful and valued approach
Often excludes digital activity
Classical sales strategy of making ‘noise’ + building in-person relationships
Social and emotional bonds created via in-person interaction with customers
Proven effective sales strategy

Multichannel

Emails, phone calls, remote detailing
Disconnection between channels
Need for improved content
Company readiness
- Integrated CRM systems
- Data strategies
- Planning

Orchestrated Omnichannel

Complementary channel strategies and channel harmony
Seamless and valued customer experience across multiple touchpoints
HCP channel preferences considered
Next best option technology (AI)
Revolutionised customer journey

_{Source: IQVIA}

The pressures on the pharma rep’s selling environment, combined with the increased HCP insight available to them, has propelled pharma reps to rapidly evolve their roles. Being a brand ambassador is no longer sufficient. Reps need to show up and prove themselves to be trusted advisors and strategic partners to their HCPs. To establish value, they need to be prepared to speak about their product initially in terms of a new treatment option, followed by more clinical education, and then progress the conversations to how their product impacts better patient outcomes and better practice/HCP outcomes. In so doing, sales reps position themselves as trusted advisors who can help HCPs achieve desired results with their patients and with their practice. ²

Despite accelerating digital adoption, the sales force still represents 80% of the non-direct-to-consumer promotional spend across pharma organizations.³

What’s your biggest concern when it comes to enabling field reps in today’s omnichannel environment?

Reps forget key training and clinical messages too quickly
Sales aids are too hard to find or not used at all
Reps lack confidence in live HCP conversations
Coaching feels like a check-the-box exercise, not a growth driver
We lack insights into rep readiness or message delivery quality

Footnotes:

1 From Surviving to Thriving: Changing the Paradigm of HCP Interactions
2 BTS: Insights Pharma Sales Transformation
3 The Evolution of Pharma Field Force Deployment and Targeting