November 2006
	What is the Ideal Sales Rep? SFE Study Data Sheds Light on Topic For those charged with planning and evaluating their company’s Sales Force Effectiveness (SFE) efforts, there is a genuine need for current data and trends affecting the area, which is becoming increasingly important in the pharmaceutical industry. GfK Market Measures is intent on filling this void and helping those directly involved in SFE by conducting annual studies on the topic with physicians, sales representatives and district managers. GfK Market Measures recently discussed its 2006 study findings during a free teleconference entitled, The Ideal Sales Rep: Identifying How Physicians and Sales Reps Prioritize Key Selling Attributes, for clients in October. Nearly 700 physicians (covering primary care and a variety of specialties), 80 sales representatives and 20 district managers participated in this year’s study, which involved both qualitative and quantitative research methods. While we encourage you to review the teleconference presentation, which includes details of how GfK Market Measures conducted the study, the questions asked of respondents and the actual survey data collected, we would like to highlight here some of the “big picture” research findings that shed some light on the state of SFE today and what constitutes the “ideal rep” in the minds of physicians. To download the presentation, click the link on the graphic image below. 2006 SFE Study - Key Findings: Physicians across specialties, including Primary Care Physicians (PCPs), are in greater agreement as to what they are looking for in a valuable sales representative. Physician access appears to be stabilizing across most specialties as the majority of restrictions were put in place in previous years, with PCPs being the last to follow in reducing access. Physicians continue to emphasize the basics of every valuable sales interaction: Right-sized visits (right frequency, right time, right length, right content) Tailored clinical information (to the practice and to the amount of time) Credible and trusted source (balanced view of the facts with no bashing) Impeccable service and extension of our staff (follow-up from previous call, samples, patient education and formulary updates) “People smarts” Pfizer was rated one of the top sales forces and the top force despite a decline over last year, with Forest, Lilly and AstraZeneca making gains with certain key specialties. e-Detailing is occurring among 23 percent of physicians with certain specialties being under-detailed based on their usefulness ratings for this medium. Sales representatives and/or district managers are out of sync with nine of the behaviors that physicians consider important by at least a 25-point spread. It is critical for all pharmaceutical company personnel to realize what physicians expect from not only the sales representative, but the company itself. Want to know how your sales force measures up? As a follow-up to its larger SFE study, GfK Market Measures will analyze your field force’s understanding of their customers’ needs. Using an Internet-based survey, the company will measure the perceptions of your designated sales representatives and district managers against those of the physicians they call on. If you are interested in a customized study for your field force, please contact Raj Kuchibhatla at rkuchibhatla@gfkmarketmeasures.com. Want to learn more on this topic? Please contact: