Why Pharma Reps Say They Aren't Going Anywhere

[Anonymous]

Thoughts?

Sales Job Watch May 20 2011
Why Pharma Reps Say They Aren't Going Anywhere
By Chris Prentice

Leading drug companies have been cutting staff in the last several years and "going digital" in order to fill that void and increase productivity. But pharmaceutical sales representatives are not going anywhere, according many professionals in the business.

A computer can never entirely replace a pharmaceutical rep, according to David Pineiro, 28, who works for the Japanese pharmaceutical company Daiichi Sankyo Co. Ltd. Salespeople and in-person visits are valuable resources for overextended physicians, Pineiro said.

"I would say at least 50% of physicians don't have the time to go out of their way and do that extra research on drugs or new warnings that have come out," he said. Pineiro worked for Novartis for six years before moving to Daiichi Sankyo.

In recent years, pharmaceutical companies are moving to make more of that information available online for physicians, obviating some of the need for reps.

AstraZeneca's digital marketing group has introduced "AZ Touchpoints," a website where doctors can ask questions and order free samples and ask about insurance coverage. Sanofi-Aventis and Merck offer similar services and information through "iPractice" and "MerckServices," respectively.

But many doctors are slow to embrace new technologies in their practices, according to Frank Wolson, vice president of marketing and recruiter for Vision Healthcare Services, a boutique healthcare staffing firm based in New Rochelle, N.Y.

Like its pharmaceutical counterparts, the vendor began to offer digital ordering and scheduling options for customers. Only about 7% to 8% of doctors utilize the online services since they were introduced 18 months ago, Wolson said.

"A lot of [doctors] don't have caller ID on their phones," Wolson said. "They're used to having interactions with patients, so many are more comfortable meeting with people face-to-face."

The human touch that sales reps provide is simply effective, according to Brad Sullivan, marketing director for the National Association of Pharmaceutical Representatives in Washington, D.C. IPhone apps, for example, can enhance a representative's visit or provide online research, but Sullivan expects the industry still needs a salesforce.

"You still want a live presence there. It's a psychological thing to get your product noticed," Sullivan said.

With pressure on costs, regulation changes and gifting guidelines, pharmaceutical companies are trying to squeeze sales forces. Plus, the drying up of product pipelines means a waning need for reps. But digital options are not a long-term solution, and human interactions are the real revenue-generators, Sullivan said.

Former sales rep Gwen Olson agreed. Olson, the author of Confessions of an Rx Drug Pusher, worked in the industry for over 15 years.

"Doctors truly believe they are not being influenced by pharmaceutical reps," Olson, 52, said. "[But] there is nothing more influential than a relationship with someone you like."

AztraZeneca and Sanofi-Aventis U.S. declined to comment for this piece, and Merck did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

http://sales-jobs.fins.com/Articles...hy-Pharma-Reps-Say-They-Aren-t-Going-Anywhere

 

[Anonymous]

AZ's silence is deafening....

 

[Anonymous]

If there were some new drugs coming to market, maybe, but even that's a stretch. Face it, drug representatives are salespeople. Doctors don't look to reps for scientific information, they look to reps for free samples. Maybe free lunches or a phony honoraria here and there, but it's samples, not information.

 

[Anonymous]

Thoughts?

Sales Job Watch May 20 2011
Why Pharma Reps Say They Aren't Going Anywhere
By Chris Prentice

Leading drug companies have been cutting staff in the last several years and "going digital" in order to fill that void and increase productivity. But pharmaceutical sales representatives are not going anywhere, according many professionals in the business.

A computer can never entirely replace a pharmaceutical rep, according to David Pineiro, 28, who works for the Japanese pharmaceutical company Daiichi Sankyo Co. Ltd. Salespeople and in-person visits are valuable resources for overextended physicians, Pineiro said.

"I would say at least 50% of physicians don't have the time to go out of their way and do that extra research on drugs or new warnings that have come out," he said. Pineiro worked for Novartis for six years before moving to Daiichi Sankyo.

In recent years, pharmaceutical companies are moving to make more of that information available online for physicians, obviating some of the need for reps.

AstraZeneca's digital marketing group has introduced "AZ Touchpoints," a website where doctors can ask questions and order free samples and ask about insurance coverage. Sanofi-Aventis and Merck offer similar services and information through "iPractice" and "MerckServices," respectively.

But many doctors are slow to embrace new technologies in their practices, according to Frank Wolson, vice president of marketing and recruiter for Vision Healthcare Services, a boutique healthcare staffing firm based in New Rochelle, N.Y.

Like its pharmaceutical counterparts, the vendor began to offer digital ordering and scheduling options for customers. Only about 7% to 8% of doctors utilize the online services since they were introduced 18 months ago, Wolson said.

"A lot of [doctors] don't have caller ID on their phones," Wolson said. "They're used to having interactions with patients, so many are more comfortable meeting with people face-to-face."

The human touch that sales reps provide is simply effective, according to Brad Sullivan, marketing director for the National Association of Pharmaceutical Representatives in Washington, D.C. IPhone apps, for example, can enhance a representative's visit or provide online research, but Sullivan expects the industry still needs a salesforce.

"You still want a live presence there. It's a psychological thing to get your product noticed," Sullivan said.

With pressure on costs, regulation changes and gifting guidelines, pharmaceutical companies are trying to squeeze sales forces. Plus, the drying up of product pipelines means a waning need for reps. But digital options are not a long-term solution, and human interactions are the real revenue-generators, Sullivan said.

Former sales rep Gwen Olson agreed. Olson, the author of Confessions of an Rx Drug Pusher, worked in the industry for over 15 years.

"Doctors truly believe they are not being influenced by pharmaceutical reps," Olson, 52, said. "[But] there is nothing more influential than a relationship with someone you like."

AztraZeneca and Sanofi-Aventis U.S. declined to comment for this piece, and Merck did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

http://sales-jobs.fins.com/Articles...hy-Pharma-Reps-Say-They-Aren-t-Going-Anywhere

Two things jump out at me...1. this is clearly a puff piece from the recruiter quoted in the story and 2. the pharma voice is from a 28-year old rep of a small pharma company. Wow, powerful sources here!!!

 

[Anonymous]

If there were some new drugs coming to market, maybe, but even that's a stretch. Face it, drug representatives are salespeople. Doctors don't look to reps for scientific information, they look to reps for free samples. Maybe free lunches or a phony honoraria here and there, but it's samples, not information.

Two things jump out at me from the OP's article...1. this is clearly a puff piece from the recruiter quoted in the story and 2. the pharma voice is from a 28-year old rep of a small pharma company. Wow, powerful sources here!!!

 

[Anonymous]

Two things jump out at me from the OP's article...1. this is clearly a puff piece from the recruiter quoted in the story and 2. the pharma voice is from a 28-year old rep of a small pharma company. Wow, powerful sources here!!!

28 yr old who has never done anythign else in his life aside from beng a pharma rep. can you spell L-O-S-E-R ?

first job out of college? poot little guy doesn't know anything else. probably still does 4 lunches a week, dinner programs, and prob even makes appointments. oh ya gotta know the DM and home office loves this guy: he identified who he worked for. and hes NOT a company spokesperson. he'll likely get fired for compliance violation..UNLESS it was the home office PR people that said "sure you can talk to our bright buld 28 yr old who parrots everything we tell him".

So, is he a parrot..or will he be fired for a policy violation for speaking to media ?

 

[Anonymous]

28 yr old who has never done anythign else in his life aside from beng a pharma rep. can you spell L-O-S-E-R ?

first job out of college? poot little guy doesn't know anything else. probably still does 4 lunches a week, dinner programs, and prob even makes appointments. oh ya gotta know the DM and home office loves this guy: he identified who he worked for. and hes NOT a company spokesperson. he'll likely get fired for compliance violation..UNLESS it was the home office PR people that said "sure you can talk to our bright buld 28 yr old who parrots everything we tell him".

So, is he a parrot..or will he be fired for a policy violation for speaking to media ?

So this is what it comes to? Being a pharma rep is a losers job? I was a pharma rep for 20 years when it was a plum position, the pay was good and the job was challenging and competitive. I have moved on but I learned many products and disease states, helped train many speakers, got products on IHN and state formularies singlehandedly, and worked territories both big and small. Metrics, programmed selling, and other tools from high priced consultants dumbed the job down just as they are dumbing down device sales. Gone are most of the reps making $200k a year selling devices. It eventually happens in every sales job, the territories get smaller and you have to work harder for less pay. Instead of being challenged and stimulated you start to hate what you do because you work harder for less money and can be easily replaced.

 

[Anonymous]

So this is what it comes to? Being a pharma rep is a losers job? I was a pharma rep for 20 years when it was a plum position, the pay was good and the job was challenging and competitive. I have moved on but I learned many products and disease states, helped train many speakers, got products on IHN and state formularies singlehandedly, and worked territories both big and small. Metrics, programmed selling, and other tools from high priced consultants dumbed the job down just as they are dumbing down device sales. Gone are most of the reps making $200k a year selling devices. It eventually happens in every sales job, the territories get smaller and you have to work harder for less pay. Instead of being challenged and stimulated you start to hate what you do because you work harder for less money and can be easily replaced.

the only thing that is challenging is trying a) trying to keep mouth shut when disagreeing with something and b) to comply with the nonsense metrics that are imposed by the consulting companies who were also responsible for the share-of-voice model.