Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - November/December 2007 - (Page 22) 22 Advertorial Nov/Dec 2007 Pharmaceutical Executive Europe Bringing a Product to Market? Increase the Effectiveness of Your Sales Force with the Right CRM System! Pharmaceutical CRM Solutions Standardise Processes, Deliver Greater Business Visibility and Improve Customer and Supplier Relationships By Nigel Huxtable, Managing Director, StayinFront or today’s pharmaceutical sales professional, the complexities of managing a territory requires more than just being skilled at selling. Closing the sale is only one part of the job. Success – both of the organization and the sales force – lies in the details. Pharma reps are required to not only know and track all of their customer contacts; they also need vast product knowledge, understanding of compliance regulations and insight into trends and market activity to further perpetuate business growth. The difference between pharmaceutical organisations that are successful and those that are not is having the right customer relationship management technology in place and effectively using it to meet business goals. CRM solutions, especially those designed for the complexities of the pharmaceutical industry, offer a competitive edge to the sales force by delivering a single platform that bridges the connection between customers, suppliers and the organization. Having such technology in place significantly eases the burden of managing compliance, provides a centralised repository for customer data, delivers the ability to uncover untapped opportunities and ensures existing customers receive high quality service to meet their business needs. Yet, improved customer relationships are just some of the benefits offered through a CRM solution. Better customer information is paramount to optimising sales force effectiveness and enabling reps to more efficiently manage their territories, respond to changes in the market and ultimately increase sales volume. The CRM system provides a secure platform for capturing detailed, timely and accurate customer data such as frequency of visits, products sampled, office staff configuration, detailed notes and pending opportunities. Information is up-to-date, easily accessible from on the road or in the office and facilitates forecasting and planning to ensure stronger territory management. Having real-time data reduces the amount of time needed to gather information and detail visits and helps establish more productive customer relationships. F The CRM solution also delivers the power of knowledge by arming sales representatives with a detailed portfolio of product information when they need it most – while they are on a sales call and in front of a provider. Through an integrated CRM solution,marketing materials are easily accessible, consistent with corporate branding, and improve the sales representatives’ ability to deliver targeted message points. As much as CRM is about technology, it is equally about improving business processes through powerful functionality by bringing together information about customers, marketing effectiveness, and market trends. From initial contact through customer support, a CRM solution enhances the ability to capture pertinent information to gain actionable business insight. By implementing the right pharmaceutical CRM solution, better sales performance is no longer a dream. The sales force – and organisation - gain a competitive advantage to meet –or exceedprofitability goals and support bringing a new product to market before the competition does. ■
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