ViewPoints Article: Medical Representatives Opinion Survey for Business Continuity with New Normal

K. K. Consulting Services has conducted this survey by contacting around 2200 medical representatives across the India using google forms. 

Objective of  Survey

The purpose of this survey is to design a platform for pharmaceutical sales professionals (PSP) to share their opinion about business continuity challenges faced by them due to the present COVID pandemic situation. The nature of the job for Pharmaceutical sales professionals is primarily field sales, which is meeting doctors and promoting medicines of companies and generating new business. Due to corona risk, field sales have become more challenging, and going out of the house may not be safe. Moreover, doctors are not finding it safe to meet pharmaceutical sales professionals to avoid the risk of corona infections to patients as well as hospital/clinic staff and from staff/patients to PSP’s.

With these challenges, there is pressure from company/reporting managers to work in the field and meet doctors for generating more business. Some companies are taking adequate measures for PSP’s to protect them from infection.

Understanding these circumstances, what is the opinion of Pharmaceutical Sales Professionals? How are they ensuring business process continuity? Are they willing to work in the field by taking risk of their health? For questions like these and more, this survey aims to seek opinion with the response to MCQ’s. The aim is also to give support to the voice of Pharmaceutical Sales Professionals by bringing it to the notice of key stakeholders of the Pharmaceutical Industry

Methodology of  Survey

This survey was conducted by the circulating link of Google Forms using social media. Participants had to choose the response from the given options and submit the form. It was a set of 11 questions with respect to survey title and demographic details. We compiled the information generated from participants and published it. No personal information is collected from any participant.

Outcome of Survey

Around 50% of survey participants have more than 10 years of professional experience and around 59% of total participants are working as team managers. This shows that the opinion shared by participants who have a good understanding of the business process and customer connects. (n=2206)

• Sending messages over “WhatsApp” was a preferred way of keeping in touch with doctors, Call doctors and promoting products was the 2nd preference. Surprisingly around 22% of PSPs choose not to keep any engagements at all with doctors.

• 75% of participants feel that it will take around 0-6 months’ time to start sales call like it was happening before COVID 19 pandemic.

• Successful engagement with doctors with the help of online tools is a long-standing task for the pharmaceutical industry, due to the corona pandemic, companies are not left with any other option other than trying this. Perhaps all these initiatives are implemented in a hurry and therefore poor response is observed.

• To maintain engagement with doctors, many companies conducted webinar/Facebook live events for sharing knowledge. In the survey, it is found that the effectiveness of such meetings was poor. 70% of participants feel that it’s not effective.

• The productivity of such meetings is also not seen; 78% of participants feel that online webinar/FB engagements do not have positive impact on business growth.

• 60% PSP’s suggested that they are pressurized by reporting manager/company to go in the field and meet doctors. This pressure is observed most at 63% in the east zone and least at 57% in the west zone. Team managers across India felt more pressure then Medical Representatives.

• Fear of losing a job due to COVID 19 pandemic was also observed, 72% of PSP’s voted for it. Team managers have more fear then Medical Representatives. If this of losing a job is divided among 4 zones, then it’s observed less in the south at 69% and most at North and East zones at 74%

Zones

Disclaimer

The opinions expressed in the survey do not reflect the opinions of KK Consulting Services or its Editors/Publishers/Sponsors.

Information contained in published results has been obtained from the survey. However, no author’s guarantees the accuracy or completeness of any information published herein and no authors shall be responsible for any errors, omissions, or claims for damages, arising out of use, inability to use, or with regard to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information contained in the publication.

No responsibility is assumed by the Publisher or Editors for any damage to persons or property as a matter of negligence, or otherwise, or from any use of information by any methods, product, instructions, or ideas contained in the published material. Information in this publication is as of date 6th July 2020.

All rights reserved. No part of any published work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher/author.

Image Source: Ind-Swift Lab