Focus Magazine - Fall 2015 - (Page 36)

TECHNOLOGY Developing Reps: 5 Critical Steps to Success ■ By Simon Mormen A er 10 years' experience of implementing technology solutions to improve field rides, field coaching and learning development, one of the most alarming remarks I have recently heard from first-line managers is, "We just don't have time to develop our reps." One thing we have learned from experience is that with the right approach and the right system, it is possible to give them back the time that they need to increase the sales performance of their teams. We find it is usually a combination of problems that culminate in one major flawed underlying issue. e coaching parameters, guidelines or mechanics that you have currently put into place are more than likely outdated and lacking in relevance and eﬀectiveness for today's pharma sales landscape. If you make it diﬃcult, managers oen see field visits, training reinforcement and coaching as a chore and assign it a much lower priority until it becomes a "tick-the-box" exercise. e following five steps can help you change this perception and initiate a world-class field ride process that is underpinned with a scalable and sustainable platform. 1) What's Broken? You may think you know what the biggest issues are but there's nothing like getting it straight from the horse's mouth. Conduct a simple 20-point survey that gets to the heart of the 36 issues that are part of the core problem with the current manager to representative development process. Make sure that you get feedback from both sides and include second-line managers as well for real eye opening information. 2) Make the Process Mirror Today's Reality No doubt as you gather feedback you will find that the current coaching process whether automated or not contains many steps and redundant fields to be completed. is is the first area for ruthless culling. Remove the irritation and if nobody can answer "why do we need this text field" succinctly, then delete it without mercy! Unfortunately time aer time many historical "needs" have become so ingrained in the organization that it takes an outsider looking in to pinpoint the issues before the killer question can be asked. 3) Think Automated Toolkit A world-class development process needs a world-class tool to support it seamlessly while keeping the manager on the correct track and delivering visibility, transparency and continuity in addition to the crucial reporting metrics and Key Performance Indicators to to rapidly perform corrective action when things are not going to plan. Integrating the tool with existing sales force automation services is the key to ensuring that the in-field experience for the manager and representative is as streamlined and seamless as possible. Current skillspecific training materials, sales attainment, rankings and on-demand FOCUS | FALL 2015 | www.L-TEN.org http://www.L-TEN.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Focus Magazine - Fall 2015

Focus Magazine
From the President: Training's Transformative Power
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Guest Editors: The Role of Tension Management
Directions: More Ways to Connect
Front of the Room: Delivering the Unexpected
Neuroscience: The Neuroscience of Mindfulness
AstraZeneca: Creating a Blended Learning Curriculum
44th LTEN Annual Conference: The Power of Networking
Executing a Key Account Management Strategy
Member Solutions: Managing Global Learning
The Making of Great Leaders
Developing Reps: 5 Critical Steps to Success
Reaching Potential: Two Essential Skills
Virtual How: Medical Device Training Priorities
Ad Index
Focus Contacts
5 Questions with Anthony Caliendo

Focus Magazine - Fall 2015