The high cost of sales force management
Pharmaceutical companies have long relied on large, expensive sales forces to influence physicians in their prescribing behavior and to drive revenue. However, today's busy health care professionals have little time for sales representatives, which calls the old approach into question. Compounding the problem are formulary challenges and a burgeoning army of sales representatives competing for increasingly limited physician face time.
Microsoft solutions enable salespeople to access and share information wherever they are -- in the office, on the road, or across the globe.
To increase marketing share in this changing environment, life science companies need secure, up-to-date business intelligence so they can determine the most effective channels for delivering timely messages to physicians, payers, hospitals, and consumers.
Existing customer relationship management (CRM) systems can be complex and cumbersome and do not support emerging requirements around the management of key accounts and key opinion leaders. The systems do not help salespeople understand complex influencer networks and past prescribing habits. Even worse, the time needed to enter data after visits can cause salespeople to lose their focus, resulting in poor data records.
CRM systems are often incompatible with standard mobile and office technologies, which can lead to information bottlenecks. Managers can't get the real-time data they need to respond to a fast-changing marketplace. And it is difficult for users to obtain a 360-degree view of the customer across channels.
With new electronic channels on the rise, many existing CRM systems cannot integrate customer touchpoints from company Web sites, call centers, and direct channels -- wasting valuable insight and creating the risk of inconsistent communication.
Agility is key
Life sciences firms need solutions that provide the right people with the right information exactly when they need it. The solution must be secure and easy to use, and it has to provide quick access to corporate databases. It must seamlessly integrate data from various departments and sources as well as smoothly operate across standard mobile devices and office platforms. The solution should lead to better information sharing, customer insight, and sales force management.
Microsoft and partner solutions
Microsoft and industry-leading solution providers have developed innovative software tools for creating, revising, and delivering targeted physician communication.
With these tools, sales representatives can deliver timely, relevant messages customized to each physician's customer profile -- across multiple channels and devices. The interactive solution seamlessly captures physician survey responses, requests for follow-up, and time spent discussing specific topics. The information is transmitted to headquarters, where it is aggregated and integrated with other data sets, "closing the loop" between sales and marketing.
Engineered for quick, painless deployment with minimal training, the tools integrate with familiar Microsoft Office technologies, helping to reduce the time salespeople spend on administrative tasks. By taking advantage of the Microsoft platform, these collaborative tools reduce information silos and enable salespeople to access and share information wherever they are -- in the office, on the road, or across the globe.
Driving revenue growth
Microsoft technology delivers solutions that make it easier for life sciences companies to access and share key customer information to create and deliver timely, targeted messages -- wherever they are.
Our intuitive solutions are easy to use. They seamlessly integrate information from mobile devices, the Web, and office-based systems, freeing salespeople from time-consuming data-entry chores so they can focus on deepening their client relationships.
The solutions also foster collaboration. Equipped with a more complete picture of the customer, brand teams are better able to develop engaging, relevant messages. Sales managers have the information they need to evaluate sales performance and identify emerging trends throughout the global operation.
Microsoft can help your business become more competitive and agile. Our solutions help improve sales force productivity while controlling costs, which in turn can fuel revenue expansion.
Maximizing opportunities
Increase sales force productivity with easy-to-use tools that eliminate time-wasting chores.
Facilitate collaboration and communication on the road and in the office.
Gain greater visibility into customer information to deliver the right messages.
Monitor key performance indicators and sales productivity to make the best management decisions and identify early trends.
Optimize the sales processes though more personalized interactions.
Help control sales costs and accelerate revenue growth.
Focused on efficiency
Solutions built on the Microsoft platform can help provide secure access to important data across the product life cycle -- from early-stage discovery, clinical trials, and FDA submission to manufacturing and sales. With these easy-to-use solutions, sales representatives can efficiently access and share information, improving communication and collaboration. By integrating information from various sources and formats, our solutions give managers the information they need to accurately assess sales performance -- and make their best decisions.
