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KeywordPharma Conference Insights - Mobile and Wireless Sales Force Strategies
NetworkPharma Ltd, April 2006, Pages: 20
The dust seems to be settling in the mobile communications world after several years of upheaval. The mobile revolution seemed to take everyone by surprise, probably because it was an evolution rather than a revolution. Unlike the web, which was hyped to the skies in the late 1990s (by the current author among others!), mobile sales tools evolved from standalone laptops to more convenient PDAs (personal data assistants) to a wireless set up that enables representatives to take pre-sales information and file post-sales call reports on the move.
A few years ago, most people looked in bemusement at PDAs, which just seemed to be electronic calendars. They had heard about tablet PCs and wondered whether mobiles would ever be used for anything other than talking. That old bugbear of emerging technology in the pharmaceutical industry, the lack of provable return on investment (ROI), together with a scarcity of examples of its effectiveness, can now be addressed. The proliferation of options is still there, and in fact new methods of using technology are emerging as the potential for mobile and wireless among pharmaceutical representatives becomes clearer. Maybe pharmaceutical companies don’t buy until they have a very limited choice, in a latter-day variation on the old saying, 'No-one ever got fired for buying IBM'. But the days of companies hanging back and waiting for someone else to stick their neck out have gone.
So what is mobile technology being used for? The vast majority of companies have opted for sales force automation (SFA) features, notably increased sales force productivity and mobility, and improved territory management and gathering of customer data. eDetailing is important, but it can’t be done on a pocket PC, which means that companies keen to adopt will have to invest all over again in tablet PCs.
And devices? Most users have gone for a PDA or pocket PC, largely because of familiarity. However, the tablet PC is slowly gaining ground as its value as a demonstration device becomes clearer. The BlackBerry can’t be discounted either, since it now has almost universal uptake in the executive suites of the world.
Interestingly, mobile is not being used for what an outside observer might think was the primary purpose of representatives: to persuade doctors to prescribe more of their company’s products. Mobile is only - so far - being used to keep track of who, when, how often and for how long representatives visit, not for what they say when they finally see a doctor.
These were the main takeaway messages from the eyeforpharma Mobile and Wireless Sales Force Strategies conference, which saw case studies from some of the leading players in Europe. The agenda was split into theory and practice: day one looked at strategic analysis and the business case for wireless deployment in the field; day two covered successful implementation, execution and ROI measurement. The main issues that were discussed were strategy, how mobile increases efficiency, implementation headaches and which device to use - a PDA, a pocket or tablet PC, or a BlackBerry
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