How practical is a Mobile MR Reporting software for Pharma?

mobile-mr-reporting-pharma-crm

mobile-mr-reporting-pharma-crm

Mobile computing & real-time communication has been a traveling sales persons dream for years. In the past, Mobile phone’s small screen size, slow download times with pre 3G telecom networks and different technological standards resulted in an inconsistent & unsatisfactory experience for Sales representatives.

One of the biggest obstacles in Mobile sales force automation implementation is end user adoption coupled by low market demand & complex technical issues.

Reality Check: Is Mobile MR reporting practical in India?

Not that long ago, medical representatives leaving their house in the morning usually only had two things they couldn’t forget – their wallet/purse and their leather tote bag.

mobile-sales-force

In Today’s times, a mobile phone, with another mobile device such as a handheld tablet, is an essential “mobile communication” tool. With Mobile devices; additional capabilities have emerged which is not available from a computer monitor. Smartphones are capable of capturing photos, voice recordings, and GPS data, all of which can be uploaded into a Pharma CRM software cloud server on the fly.

Apple sold 67 million iPad’s in less than 2 years of launch where it took them 24 years to sell the same amount of Mac computers!

Wireless bandwidth is increasing exponentially which supports the demands of business applications such as e-mail with large attachments, multimedia contents and other real-time communication channels. For a industry like Pharmaceutical; where sales representatives are often on the move & looking for concise, easy-to-use information on the go – it’s now easier than ever before to create a mobile field force.

How to choose the right mobile device?

Blackberry Bold smartphone, Samsung Galaxy Note phablet and Apple iPad 2 tablet

The industry is evolving to the point where consumers are going to choose a “phone” or a “tablet,” and it may not be necessary to have both.

Smartphones are getting bigger, and tablets are getting smaller!

In 2013, we already have a term called – “Phablet” – which is nothing but a tablet with phone call facility. We believe that Phablet is an ideal choice for Mobile Sales Force.

Can Smartphones & Tablets help overcome “Dead time”?

medical-rep-dead-time-dilemma

What is a dead time?

Dead time refers to the time during the working day that the medical rep perceives as wasted because it is spent without performing any work-related activity.

Without the lack of appropriate technological support Medical sales reps can’t perform work-related activity during dead time. A laptop computer appears awkward to support the reps during dead time – because of the size, time taken to boot the OS and hooking it to a Wireless Internet Dongle.

Smartphones, handheld Tablets and Netbooks are better positioned to turn periods of dead time into productive ones. It also makes more sense to carry these mobile devices as a typical Medical Representative Bag is already overstuffed and heavy to carry around.

What are risks of implementing mobile MR reporting?

pharma-sfa-adoption

When salespersons do not understand the benefits offered by mobile technology, they only see loss of time and effort of using it.

Therefore it is imperative that salespeople are included in the decision-making process so that they may not view the adoption of Mobile SFA as an imposition or odious step by the management.

Can Mobile increase work efficiency of a MR?

mobile-productivity-gain-pharma

Medical Reps are mobile workers and they spend most of their working time out of their office, interacting with customers and attempting to bring new orders to their companies. During sales trips the reps certainly get many opportunities such as time, where they can carry out some of their daily work activities (administrative work). However, the reps’ efforts to exploit such opportunities productively are hindered by the characteristics of the laptop, which does not support “any time work”.

“I often have to keep my laptop open after field work hours. I hardly get any time for my little daughter, my hobbies and my everyday tasks at home. I don’t get paid for the work I do after 7 pm.” – Undisclosed Name, ASM of a MNC Vaccine marketing company.

To compensate this, Medical Reps extend their working day from home to carry out tasks that they could do during the sales trips if they had access to an appropriate information technology device. They do this at the expense of their rest time and family time. . The inability to work whenever they have free time is the underlying barrier to their work efficiency.

Can Mobile MR Reporting system fully replace Web based CRM?

mobile-app-vs-web-app-pharma

Rather than starting a war between web based CRM and Mobile CRM, we must understand the merits and demerits of both the software deployment models.

Web based CRM and SFA systems are designed to generate powerful reports and business intelligence, which are not likely to be of much use on a 3.5 inch smartphone screen. Web-based reporting solutions offer a great degree of interactivity and performance for managers and management, who are less likely travel compared to Medical Reps and Area Sales Managers.

Whereas Mobile Reporting systems should be interactive and capable of presenting information into an easily readable and understandable format to busy Medical Reps who always on the go. Mobile Apps can complement rather than replace existing applications and support Reps to deal with specific tasks.

Pharma Mobile CRM is the answer to Field Force challenges

mr-mobile-reporting

One of the top CRM goals is to make sure that communication with physicians is continuous, consistent and based on their individual preferences.

Discover innovative paths to leaner, better and faster sales & marketing operations

CRM requires information from all relevant departments to be centralized. Cloud based CRM for Pharma makes intelligently assimilates key pieces of information to develop relationships with Physicians, Hospitals and Stockists. As all customer contacts from sales, support, field service and marketing are centralized; and accessible from a Mobile phone; sales reps are better equipped to provide better customer satisfaction and retention. With handheld tablets; Medical Reps can interact with Doctors with confidence and perform better e-detailing.

What are the Top Benefits of Pharma Mobile MR Reporting?

  1. Exponentially increase Rep productivity, allowing work to be accomplished on the fly.
  2. Make use of dead time (he wasted waiting time & traveling time).
  3. Access relevant CRM data wherever & when it is needed most.
  4. Aids in transparent communication, live task updates & status reports anytime, anywhere.
  5. Accessing the company database for information before meetings with physicians.
  6. Efficient Pre-call and Post-call planning
  7. Provide physicians with straight forward answers to their questions.
  8. Checking important official notifications during sales trips.
  9. Making use of free time by visiting nearby un-planned doctors.
  10. Hand held Tablets helps Medical Reps provide context-specific information to Doctors

Useful information that could support both the reps’ effectiveness and efficiency in the field
might be available in corporate database or rep’s laptop. Additionally, useful insights stay
locked in the reps’ heads and are not shared with other reps or with the sales managers. As the mobile device is “always on” by design; it enables users to get access to the mobile system’s functionalities anytime and with reduced booting time compared to laptop computers, especially in situations where the user has very less time to satisfy his information and communication need.

Today’s pharma sales force needs real-time access to marketing, sales, & product-level materials in a beautiful, easy-to-use package. Smartphone and handheld tablets are the key drivers for successful Mobile CRM & E-detailing implementation of Pharmaceutical marketing.

Manage Relationships on the Goday-call-planning-mobile-crm-pharma

Medismo Mobile CRM is a ready-to-run mobile application that provides your Pharma sales team with on-the-go management of key accounts, contacts, stockists from their mobile device. Give access to critical customer information into your sales reps’ hands when and where they need it.

We help you to succeed in developing Pharma mobile CRM strategies for your customers, so that you can communicate with them on their terms.

Medismo Pharma Mobile CRM is ready to realize the pharmaceutical company’s vision of a highly productive, nimble & totally mobile field force. Medismo CRM & SFA supports state-of-the-art mobile devices from Android, Blackberry, Microsoft (Phone 8) and Apple (iPhone, iPad).

About the Author

Dipesh Majumder

I am a Marketing Technologist, a strategist & a visionary with over 8 years of experience in traditional & digital marketing. I have been responsible for the development & execution of sales force effectiveness strategies, tools, processes for global Pharma sales organizations. Lead key initiatives, critical projects & continuous improvement activities.

Chennai, India · http://www.medismo.in

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