Did CafePharma put clinical sales reps out of work? No. Doctors did.

If you’ve read this blog for long, you know my views on CafePharma.  The level of professionalism in online forums leaves a little to be desired.  That said, though, there’s an interesting discussion going on in the comment section of the IN VIVO blog’s article Don’t Come Knockin’ On My Door.  The upshot is that the effectiveness of pharma sales forces is declining.  That’s a fact.  Doctors are requiring appointments, if not absolutely barring sales reps.  There’s some speculation that it’s because of the restrictive schedules imposed on doctors by heath systems and institutional rules and regs of large organizations.  But I think that while there are some great quality pharma reps (and I place them frequently), many of them don’t bring much value to the sales process—BECAUSE, they have no technical or science background, which means that often the customer knows more about the product that the sales rep does. 

In my preferred arena (laboratory revenue, pharma device revenue, pharmaceutical software sales, biotechnology sales, clinical equipment sales, etc.)  I place reps with strong biology/molecular/chemistry education, AND the sales skills.   On-the-job training just doesn’t cut it.

Article courtesy of  Peggy McKee - Owner / Senior Recruiter at the nationally
recognized pharmaceutical and clinical sales recruiting team of PHC Consulting.
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