5. If the foundation is strong and maintained
properly, then the building will also remain
healthy and strong.
6. Let us see below –
how to keep the Physician List, Strong, Active
by periodical pruning, cleansing, and updating so
that it remains active, healthy, at all times.
7. The total number of customers (Physicians), as
well as Speciality wise composition/Break-up,
should be exactly as per Sales & Marketing
strategy.
8. The selection of customers (Physicians) List
must be done only after thorough Retail Chemist
Prescription Audit to ensure Right Customers
(Physicians) for Right Products.
9. The Field Managers and Brand Executives/Brand
Managers must ensure the Selection of Right
Customer (Physician) List.
10. Most of the case, there is a tendency of Medical
Promotion Officer to select the lower level customers
(Physicians) who are easy to call on e.g.
SACMO/DMF/RMP/PC.
11. Maximum Medical Promotion Officer (Thana Health
Complex Based) is doing mistake to select the Right
Customers (Physicians). At the same time, they have
tendency to select the least potential prescribers.
12. After getting the job, the most important work of a
Medical Promotion Officer is to select Right
Customer for Right Products. Without this, they
can not ensure their success.
13. There are two important steps for a Medical
Promotion Officer:
Step 1 – Prepare Physician List
Step 2 – Regular Visits(desired Number and Frequency)
14. The most important step is to ensure
Prescription support from each customer
(Physicians) on whom we are investing efforts
and resources (Doctor Service).
15. Even though the Prescription support may vary
from Physician to Physician. This can be
ensured by Periodical Prescription Auditing
and Cleansing of the Physician List.
16. Let the Medical Promotion Officer makes at least 8
calls, i.e. if 2 calls are scheduled for a Physician every
two week, it means, after 2 months of giving visits and
promoting the identified products to the Dr by the
Medical Promotion Officer.
17. At least two more visits by any of his superiors like Field
Manager/Area Manager, Regional Manager, Zonal
Manager, Sales Manager, Brand Manager, during
these two months.
18. If no support has come from the Physicians, then such
Dr. Names may be deleted from the coverage list. i.e.
after a total of 8 visits (6 by MPO & 2 more by any higher
officials) decide whether to retain or not.
19. Always try to select new, but potential
Physician from the same locality from the same
Speciality who has the best potential to prescribe
our products, based on Retail Chemist
Physicians Audit.
20. While doing this exercise, side by side, we can also
plan for improving the business volume from
Physicians from whom we are getting very low volume
of Prescription support.
21. Now let us discuss about Chemist List and
Pharmacies List.
22. A similar exercise with other customers like
Chemist, Pharmacies can also be conducted, and
wherever necessary, dead woods can be removed,
and new but potential ones can be included.
23. Such an exercise will ensure that we remove dead
woods, and the Physician List (i.e. foundation) is very
active, and we get support from all the Physicians in
the list.
24. It also ensures that we focus all our efforts,
activities, and resources on the potential and right
Physicians only, thus avoiding wastages of
promotional efforts and field working.
25. Many organizations (Pharmaceutical Companies)
do not do this activity sincerely, and leave it at the
discretion of the Medical Promotion Officer and
the Field Manager concerned.
26. Once we ensure ever active and updated Physician
List, besides number and frequency of visits as per
strategy, we should also ensure proper detailing of the
products being promoted (i.e. communication) which
can have the desired impact for conversion of
identified Physicians.
27. The whole exercise is aimed at keeping the
business tree free of dead woods, & dried leaves,
and keeps it hale and healthy.
28. If Organizations ensure the above in all
sincerity, I am sure the results will be highly
rewarding.