What are your customers
saying about the ideal supplier relationship? We will examine what your customers are
saying based on representative feedback, published articles, and interviews with
influential customers in private practice, hospitals, labs, retail pharmacy and managed
care organizations.
Our research includes the compiled data from over 4800 respondents and
over 1200 sales professionals selling pharmaceuticals, OTC products, biotech products,
medical equipment and surgical products.
Your customers feel that you (if you are in sales) provide them with
very good product presentations or technical details; outstanding service; solid
competitive information; and helpful training in product use. You supply customers with
relevant research data; give fair-balance to your products and those of the competition;
and do not waste the customer’s time during your meetings. Where appropriate you
supply product samples and demonstrations.
All of this has been acceptable practice in the past, however, today's
environment requires that decision-makers consider the overall business impact of
products. Thus, the need for justifying product decisions is greater now than at any time
in the past. And this justification means more than just your products’ clinical
attributes.
Technology has greatly improved the ability of healthcare
decision-makers to evaluate therapy. This is achieved through studying outcomes
information and treatment protocols. The shift is toward a total picture of providing care
(disease state management, treatment protocols, care pathways, etc.) and moving toward
wellness and preventative steps.
Healthcare professionals also have so much objective product
information available at the "touch of a finger" that they are less open
to hearing a company's product pitches.
Articles in the healthcare press show a growing use of the Internet for
product information. Some clinicians feel this is more valuable since it is from less
biased sources. The addition of healthcare Intranets is also on the rise. This will allow
a hospital, for example, to provide its own information to clinicians. |
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So how do we as sales
professionals improve our approach to customers? Based on research, the greatest value
sales professionals can provide is in the area of developing business partnerships with
customers. This is an overworked word but one that was consistently presented to us as the
ideal relationship. It means developing credibility beyond your product. It means sitting
down with all the relevant decision-makers and determining where your products and
services offer the greatest potential for improving total care for the patient.
A requirement for this kind of relationship is a clear understanding of
customer business issues and goals. Your ability to determine how individual customers
will balance cost and quality will help you in your efforts. How do you find out this
information? Ask them!
These customers also expect that such a relationship is a two-way
street. They realize that for partnerships to develop, a win-win situation must be
realized. The net of this is that customers are willing to listen to what you need in
order for the decision to make sense to your organization as well. Both parties must be
committed to the steps that will be necessary to make all changes and to adjust the
process where necessary.
The justification issue is next in line. Though your influencers may
see the benefit of your product/service, they will need to develop the support materials
required to show the business benefit of your solution. During this step it may become
necessary for you to pull together your own internal company resources to assist in
developing the cost justification and implementation steps.
Making necessary adjustments (fine-tuning) will not be achieved before
or during product implementation. The follow up period can be a difficult time. This is
especially true when the commitment is large or the change to treatment protocols is
significant. When relationships and trust are not strong from the outset, significant
issues may interfere with your product's success. The advantages to you of such an
approach are significant in terms of your sales success.
Your customers realize the need for your valuable services but they are
becoming much more selective in how they allow access to their organizations. For those
few that gain credibility and trust early, the rewards will be significant. |
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