In the pharmaceutical industry, field force effectiveness refers to the ability of a company’s sales team to reach its goals successfully. It combines training, support, motivation, and technology into one cohesive system for enhancing efficiency and increasing sales. Field force effectiveness is closely related to the concept of sales enablement, which refers to the strategies used by pharmaceutical companies to ensure that their sales reps have the resources they need when entering a new market.

Field force effectiveness differs from sales enablement in focusing more on tactics and techniques for achieving successful outcomes. It requires an understanding of customer motivations and preferences as well as an understanding of how competitive forces can impact success rates. Additionally, field force effectiveness often includes strategies for developing relationships with stakeholders within a particular market segment or region. By utilizing these tactics, pharmaceutical companies are better able to reach their customers and increase sales successfully.

Five Best Practices for Field Force Effectiveness

Assess & Improve Sales Processes

Companies must continually assess and improve their sales processes to ensure they are current with current trends and technologies. This includes assessing customer needs, developing strategies for overcoming competitors’ positions, and effectively utilizing resources.

Develop a Field Force Culture

The culture of the field force should encourage collaboration, innovation, and positive attitudes toward customers. By creating an environment where employees feel supported and appreciated, companies can increase employee engagement, enhancing productivity within the field force team.

Invest in Training & Technology

Pharmaceutical companies must invest in training programs and technology solutions to ensure field force members have the knowledge and tools to perform their job effectively. This may include investing in sales automation, customer relationship management, or performance metrics solutions.

Your field force program must be thoughtfully organized to align with your business goals for maximum value.  Companies that “throw a program together” often negatively impact performance, morale, and business outcomes.

Companies with small sales teams may value our outsourced enablement service to create a solid foundation for the future of their field force effectiveness programs.

Focus on Performance Metrics

Companies should focus on performance metrics when measuring the success of their field force effectiveness efforts. These could include the number of sales made, customer satisfaction scores, revenue generated per team member, or any other metric relevant to the company’s goals.

There are hundreds of potential business metrics to measure.  Start small, iterate, and remain agile.  Consider our definitive guide of metrics as you evaluate your programs.

Monitor & Track Results

Finally, companies should monitor and track results from their Field Force Effectiveness initiatives to assess whether they meet desired outcomes or if adjustments need to be made. Regular feedback loops between teams and stakeholders should be in place to ensure that any changes are being implemented promptly.

Final Thoughts

By implementing these Field Force Effectiveness strategies, pharmaceutical companies can better equip their teams with the training and resources they need to succeed and remain competitive in today’s dynamic market. When done correctly, this will increase productivity and customer satisfaction, ultimately resulting in greater profitability for the company.

For more information, please read our guide to pharmaceutical sales success.