Medical Rep to President - Inspiring Story of Subroto Banerjee

MEDICINMANField Force Excellence
TM
June 2014 | www.medicinman.net
ofemployee
satisfaction
W
hy are employees in restaurants like Café
Coffee Day seemingly happier than in MNC
pharma companies? For that matter why
is it that Medical Reps in Mankind Pharma are happier
than most other better paying companies? Attrition in
Mankind is rare and field force is far more productive
even in specialties like cardiology.
Sometimes little things make a big difference.
Employees are not machines that can be driven by
efficient processes alone. They need the motivation
to make the processes work. According to a Harris
Interactive Poll, 67 per cent of employees are dissatisfied
because of:
1Inability to get information needed in timely
manner. The best of the Indian companies suffer
from this malady. Even good information takes its own
sweet time to reach the people at the ground level. Field
sales are probably one of the loneliest jobs. Quality of
information and timely dissemination of information
can do wonders to the morale and enthusiasm.
Take a survey today from your field force people to
know their level of satisfaction and their pain points
instead of introducing the newest software to increase
productivity. It is the concern for the people and their
feelings that can improve this score.
2Too Much Paper Work. This problem is endemic.
Paper might have been replaced by spreadsheets,
but managers who should be spending time with
their team members or customers and busy filling
spreadsheets for the sadists at the head office! Examine
what report is critical and what is peripheral. There must
be a single window approach to demanding reports
from field sales people.
3Organisation is not up to date with the latest
technology. Pharma is a laggard when it comes to
adopting the latest technology. I have friends in pharma
who are still using the archaic Windows Explorer. Many
of them complain to me about being unable to access
MedicinMan regularly. We have made the process
so simple, yet these worthies must get everything in
PDF file through email! Some of them ask for personal
information like mobile number via email, when it is
possible to get the same just by Googling my name!
Editorial
Since 2011
Top5Killers
amongFieldforce

Anup Soans | Editorial: Top 5 Killers of Employee Motivation
4Organization has the technology but co-workers
don’t use them to the full potential. Why invest
scarce resource in technology if there is not follow-up
mechanism to ensure its full utilization? Employees who
are laggards in adopting technology must be given the
help that make them to cross the divide quickly instead of
pulling everyone else down with their lethargy.
5Don’t understand the process, rules and
regulations. Can there be anything more ridiculous
than this? Yet company after company fails in clarifying to
their employees what is expected of them vis-à-vis their
roles and as a result, what happens is something this funny
narrative illustrates:
This is a little story about four people named Everybody,
Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.
There was an important job to be done and Everybody was
sure that Somebody would do it.
Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.
Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody’s
job.
Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, but Nobody
realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it.
It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody
did what Anybody could have done.
What steps are you going to take to remove these
minor irritants that have a major impact on employee
satisfaction? -AS
2 | MedicinMan June 2014
Connect with Anup Soans on LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter
Anup Soans is an Author, Facilitator and the
Editor of MedicinMan.
Write in to him: anupsoans@medicinman.net
Meet the Editor
“Sometimes little things make
a big difference. Employees
are not machines that
can be driven by efficient
processes alone. They need
the motivation to make the
processes work.”

*INR 800/- for 1 copy of both the books inclusive of Speed Post charges.
Contact anupsoans@gmail.com | +91-93422-32949 to make a purchase.
MRP Rs. 599/-
“When the only tool you have
is a hammer, every problem
looks like a nail.”
Stop hammering away at your role as a front-line pharma
professional and get the right tools for the job!
MRP Rs. 799/-
Special 1+1 offer A1,398 800/- *
HardKnocks for the GreenHorn
and SuperVision for the
SuperWiser Front-line Manager
are best-selling books that have
been widely used to develop
and motivate front-line pharma
professionals.
Written by industry veteran Anup
Soans, these books will give you
the Knowledge, Attitude, Skills
and Habits (KA$H) to succeed in
you role as a Medical Rep or Front-
line Manager.

1. In Conversation with Subroto Banerjee of
Strides Arcolab.........................................................5
Subroto Banerjee shares his thoughts on what’s
driving Indian pharma and what’s holding it back.
Interviewed by Anup Soans
2. Ten Steps to Becoming a Leader-Manager.....9
10 ‘do’s’ and ‘don’ts’ for new and aspiring people-
managers and team leaders.
K. Hariram
3. Overcoming Attention Deficit Disorder in
Everyday Detailing.................................................16
Pharma selling is an art that requires the
combination of scientific value-add and
presentation skills to make an impact in the mind
of the Doctors.
Dineish Pardesi
4. Visual Card: An Alternative to Visual Aid?.......18
A digital card with product information can add a
new dimension to in-clinic interaction.
Mayank Bedi
5. Drivers of Sales force Effectiveness................20
A refresher on what Sales Force Effectiveness (SFE)
is and is not.
Prof. Vivek Hattangadi
6. The OTC Market in India: Some Growth Drivers
.................................................................................23
Socio-economic changes that are driving the growth
of the OTC market in India.
Kumud Kandpal
7. Chai pe Charcha.................................................25
10 lessons learnt by a Product Manager (PM) from
the Prime Minister (PM) of India.
Kailash Khatod
8. Artwork by M.Pharm student Varsha Phirke.27
MedicinMan Volume 4 Issue 6 | June 2014
Editor and Publisher
Anup Soans
CEO
Chhaya Sankath
COO
Arvind Nair
Chief Mentor
K. Hariram
Advisory Board
Prof. Vivek Hattangadi; Jolly Mathews
Editorial Board
Salil Kallianpur; Dr. Shalini Ratan; Shashin
Bodawala; Prabhakar Shetty; Vardarajan S;
Dr. Mandar Kubal; Dr. Surinder Kumar
International Editorial Board
Hanno Wolfram; Renie McClay
Executive Editor
Joshua Soans
MedicinMan Academy:
Prof. Vivek Hattangadi, Dean, Professional Skills
Development
Letters to the Editor: anupsoans@medicinman.net
CONTENTS (Click to navigate)

Anup Soans: Can you tell us something about your
journey in the Indian Pharma industry?
Subroto Banerjee: Unlike most people, I started my
career, as a Medical Representative by choice. Most
of my career, I have worked in oncology, nephrology,
critical care and other specialty therapy areas. By working
up the ladder, I gathered all the required expertise at
different levels of management. I have worked in great
organizations like Farmitalia, Biological E, Dr. Reddy’s,
Dabur Pharma and currently with Strides Arcolab Limited.
The two pillars of my journey are the key opinion leaders
(KOLs) and my teams. I owe all the success to the great
teams that I have worked with and am proud to have
such great KOLs as friends.
AField Sales produced many leaders like you. What do
you think are the reasons for decline in the quality of
field force and what measures can reverse the trend?
SI believe that the current generation is far more
intelligent than what we were at the start of our
careers. The challenge is attracting these intelligent
people to pharma. Job opportunities in India have
increased manifold and unfortunately, pharma is lagging
behind many sectors in terms of being a preferred career
In
Conversation
E
With Subroto Banerjee of Strides Arcolab
Anup Soans | In Conversation with Subroto Banerjee
Subroto Banerjee joined Strides Arcolab in March 2012 as
President India region responsible for the BU which included
the brands business and specialty injectables business in
therapy areas like Oncology, Nephrology and Critical Care.
After acquisition of the injectables business of Strides by
Mylan, he is responsible for the brands business in India.
Along with P&L responsibility, he is also responsible for
building up sustainable front-ending capabilities and to
develop and execute the long term plan to emerge as a
sizeable player in the Indian Pharmaceuticals space.

Indian Pharma needs
complete image make-
over. I hardly see
any student aspiring
to make a career in
pharma. Indian Pharma
must undertake image
building measures in the
colleges and universities.
Our industry leaders
must be more visible
in different forum to
influence the society
positively.
option. Thus, we tend to get the left overs. Indian Pharma
must attract girls and boys from the academia and train
them according to needs of the industry. There must be a
syndicated approach towards this effort of attracting talent.
Indian Pharma needs complete image make-over. I hardly
see any student aspiring to make a career in pharma. Indian
Pharma must undertake image building measures in the
colleges and universities. Our industry leaders must be more
visible in different forum to influence the society positively.
After all pharma is an evergreen sector with abundant growth
opportunities both in the domestic and international market.
All that is needed is a clear focus to attract and develop
talent, so that people have a better career progression.
AAre pharma management institutions serving their
purpose and how can they adapt their curriculum to the
needs of Indian Pharma?
SI am working with an institution of repute and am happy
to mention that they seem to be doing a very decent job.
However, the true learning for the students will happen with
more real time projects and interaction with the industry.
Seminars and group discussions with industry leaders is a
good way to add value to their curriculum.
AWhat is your assessment of current crop of product
managers and what are the areas for improvement?
SWhile we see a good crop of brand managers, the focus
must be more on the patient and therapy area. The
industry will be driven by ailments which are chronic in
nature. Thus the patient will remain in touch with the brand
and the organization for many years. Product managers
must keep this in mind and build sustainable strategies
towards building the bridge between the patient and the
organization, of course keeping the doctor in the loop.
Product managers must have the bigger picture in mind in
addition to driving the day to day execution of strategies.
They must focus on driving strategies for mid-term and long
term growth.
AWhat are some areas in Indian Pharma where digital
technology and social media can have beneficial impact?
SDigital technology and social media can be a major
platform for health awareness and patient education.
This can also serve as a common communication platform
for all the patients and they can be encouraged to share their
experiences and victories. We must also use the burgeoning
social media to create a positive image for the industry.
“
”
In
Conversation

The industry is
currently facing the
fall of the DPCO and
going forward stringent
regulations in the
domestic market are
expected. I see this as
an opportunity to focus
on increased volumes
and make medicines
accessible for a great
number of Indians.
AWhat other trends do you see impacting Indian
Pharma?
SOTC medicines are an encouraging trend and will
become a major market in the next decade. The
informed and conscious Indian will take to common
OTC products. Trends show that areas like aches/pains,
cough, colds, hyperacidity, minor topical infections, and
indigestion are major OTC categories.
AWhere do you see the Indian Pharma industry in the
immediate, medium and long term?
SThe industry is currently facing the fall of the
DPCO and going forward stringent regulations
in the domestic market are expected. I see this as an
opportunity to focus on increased volumes and make
medicines accessible for a great number of Indians.
The healthcare infrastructure is expected to grow both
through government and private investments and the
pharma industry must bank on this development to
make medicines available to millions of people who
hitherto did not have access to quality medicines. Many
of the existing Fixed Dose Combinations (FDCs) have
also been challenged by the regulators. The industry will
now have to establish the clinical and safety justifications
of such FDCs. This again will bring more efficiency and
transparency in the system.
Though the last few quarters have been tough for the
domestic market, I feel this is temporary and we will see
increased volume growths. We should get back to the
12% – 14% growth phase soon.
The industry will be driven by increasing affordability,
shifting disease patterns and healthcare reforms. The
market is set to reach $ 20 billion mark by 2016 and will
move to world’s top 10 pharma markets.
AWhat are some key areas that Indian Pharma must
take care of, to ensure success in the domestic and
global markets?
SIn the domestic area we must be able to make
medicines accessible to increased number of
patients. In the mid-term horizon this in itself will lead
to a huge and purposeful growth. The industry must set
targets of increasing access year on year till we achieve
global standards in this area.
A very strong partnership model must be built up with
the government to ensure access to quality medicines for
the poor.
“
”
In
Conversation

The industry and the state governments must agree to
develop a model for the purchases made for BPL patients.
We must invest heavily on quality and regulators must be
more stringent towards the fly-by-night operators. There
should be much stricter entry barriers into this industry.
Investing on the right people and the best practices will
ensure growth in the longer term. We must focus on
building people capabilities. We must understand the
key requirements of patients and doctors and try to offer
solutions. For this we need teams who are passionate
towards the cause.
The recent initiative by six pharma giants (LAZORR) is a good
example of improving efficiencies and bringing down input
costs in the supply side. Many such activities need to be
initiated.
I feel that the Indian industry should focus on the following:
1. Shift from market share capture to market creation.
2. Adopt new differentiated business models.
3. Product access
4. Strengthen sales & marketing capabilities -MM
“
In
Conversation
Abdul Basit Khan
Ajay Kumar Dua
Amlesh Ranjan
Amrutha Bhavthankar
Andris A. Zoltners
Anthony Lobo
Aparna Sharma
Arvind Nair
Atish Mukherjee
B. Ramanathan
Chayya Sankath
Craig Dixon
Devanand Chenuri
Venkat
Dinesh Chindarkar
Dr. Amit Dang
Dr. Aniruddha
Malpani
Dr. Hemant Mittal
Dr. Neelesh Bhandari
Dr. S. Srinivasan
Dr. Shalini Ratan
Dr. Surinder Kumar
Sharma
Dr. Ulhas Ganu
Geetha G H
H. J. Badrinarayana
Hakeem Adebiyi
Hanno Wolfram
Hitendra Kansal
Iyer Gopalkrishna
Jasvinder Singh
Banga
Javed Shaikh
Jitendra Singh
John Gwillim
Jolly Mathews
Joshua Mensch
K Hariram
K. Satya Mahesh
Ken Boyce
Mahendra Rai
Mala Raj
Manoj Kumar
Juneank Saigal
Milan Sinha
Mohan Lal Gupta
Neelesh Bhandari
Neha Ansa
Nishkarsh Likhar
Noumaan Qureshi
Parveen Gandhi
Pinaki Ghosh
PK Sinha
Prabhakar Shetty
Vivek Hattangadi
Rachana Narayan
Rajesh Rangarajan
Ralph Boyce
Renie McClay
Richa Goyel
Richard Ilsley
RM Saravanan
Sagar S. Pawar
Salil Kallianpur
Salil Kallianpur
Sally E. Lorimer
Sandhya Pramanik
Sanjay Munshi
Shafaq Shaikh
Shalini Ratan
Sharad Virmani
Shiv Bhasin
Spring Sudhakar
Subba Rao Chaganti
Sudhakar Madhavan
Tony O’Connor
V. Srinivasan
Varadharajan K.
Vijaya Shetty
Vishal V. Bhaiyya
Vishal Verma
Vivek Hattangadi
William Fernandez
Our Authors
MEDICINMAN invites contributions from Pharma professionals on topics related to Field Force
Excellence. See: www.medicinman.net/author-guidelines for more information.

Getting promoted and becoming a Manager (FLM)
requires a shift in outlook, approach and development
of tenacity—qualities that aren’t usually taught in MBA
schools or in company training programs.
A report from Corporate Executive Board states that,
“Nearly 60 percent of the Front Line Managers un-
der-perform during their first two years and more than
50 per cent would rather not manage people.”
So, what do successful Managers do that works so well
and make them future leaders?
While there are many aspects, here are the top 10
aspects (in reverse order) that will help YOU become a
better Manager:
10. Get your priorities right
1. Your Team members and Customers come first
2. Context-based participation and progress mean
everything
3. Coach and empower your team members
9. Be willing to take reasonable risks.
1. Go the extra mile to challenge the‘status quo’for
your team members.
2. Don’t take“no”for an answer easily
3. Encourage creative problem-solving
8. Be open to new and challenging ideas
1. Always look out for new and creative ways to im
prove performance.
2. Engage in rigorous practice to achieve expertise
(skills are performed fluently, with ease and speed).
K. Hariram
E
10STEPSTO
BECOMINGA
LEADER-MANAGER10 ‘do’s’ and ‘don’ts’ for new and aspiring
people managers and team leaders.
K. Hariram is the former MD (retd.) at
Galderma India.
He is Chief Mentor at MedicinMan and a
regular contributor. khariram25@yahoo.com
A report from
Corporate Executive
Board states that,
“Nearly 60 percent
of the Front Line
Managers under-
perform during their
first two years and
more than 50 per
cent would rather
not manage people.”
“
”

7. Understand and manage change - systemic and
human.
1. Be a patient problem-solver and carefully work
within your organizational systems.
2. Constantly look for tipping points (small things
that help people change).
6. Achieve situational mastery over challenging
market scenarios.
1. Display confidence and control over your work
place.
2. Win others through bedrock leadership ideas
and beliefs.
5. Do a few things well, rather than many things
poorly
1. This applies across your team and customers
4. Have a clear PURPOSE and goal for everything
you and your team does
3. Continuously update your own knowledge and
skills
2. Insist on teamwork, consultation and collabora-
tion
1. Develop excellent LISTENING skills
Becoming a better manager isn’t always about the
tangible skills, expertise or energy. You need to hone
the above intangible skills, too. -KH
K. Hariram | 10 Steps to Becoming a Better Leader-Manager
“
”
Be a patient problem-
solver and carefully
work within your
organisational
systems. Constantly
look for tipping points
(small things that help
people change).

EMPOWER YOUR FIELD FORCE
KA$H=CASH
REPEAT Rx
Pharma-specific Training:
Medical Representatives
Field Sales Managers
Senior Managers
Learning and Development Programs from the Leaders in Pharma Field Force Excellence
Signature Programs for Medical Representatives
Constructed on the fundamental premise that a
Medical Representative’s success depends on his
Knowledge, Attitudes, Skills and Habits (KA$H).
Representatives seek success in their personal
and professional lives but look for it in the wrong
places leaving them frustrated. Companies and
bottom-lines suffer when the front-line is not ful-
ly engaged. KA$H=CASH is a high-engagement
module for customer-facing employees.
Repeat Rx is an advanced module for customer-facing
Representatives based on the book by Anup Soans.
Repeat Rx focuses on building lasting relationships
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Calling Connecting Consulting Collaborating
with the Doctor.
At each stage of this Four Stage process the Represen-
tative acquires measurable skills and competencies
that enable him to add value in the Doctor’s chamber.
Repeat Rx comes with detailed evaluation tools.
In Any Profession,
More KA$H = More Cash
KNOWLEDGE  ATTITUDES  SKILLS  HABITS
MEDICINMAN

SuperVision for the SuperWiser
Front-line Manager.
WHY SHOULD ANY-
ONE FOLLOW YOU?
THE HALF-TIME COACH
anupsoans@gmail.com | +91-934-2232-949 | www.medicinman.net
Signature Programs for Front-line Managers
Signature Programs for Second-line and Senior Managers
Based on the best-selling book by Anup Soans, this program
is for new and experienced Front-line Managers who would
like to get breakthrough performance from their teams.
SuperVision for the SuperWiser Front-line Manager focus-
es on topics such as Team Building, Emotional Intelligence,
Situational Leadership, Coaching and more.
VALUE ADD: Psychometric Assessment*
The Half-Time Coach is based on the concept of half-time
in football. If half-time is so crucial in a game that last only
90 minutes, how much more important in a career that last
a life time.
The Half-Time Coach is a learning-by-reflection program
with a focus on Coaching Skills for senior managers. Mod-
ules also cover Self Awareness, Emotional Intelligence, Em-
ployee Engagement and Sales Change Management.
A walk-the-talk program for cross-functional senior
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*Psychometrics assessments give in-depth insights into one’s personality preferences and its impact on
interpersonal relationships and teamwork.

anupsoans@gmail.com | +91-934-2232-949 | www.medicinman.net
Methodology
Webinars and E-Learning
All programs are fully customizable. A pre-program questionnaire is used to capture the
needs and expectations of the participants. Company’s June request a demonstration of a
particular module at no expense (except conveyance to venue).
Programs incorporate the principles of adult learning and are highly participative, audio-vi-
sual and activity-based. Important truths are conveyed through games, stories and videos.
Companies are advised to give participants the books on which the programs are based
for continued learning and development. The same June be procured from the author at
a discount.
Company’s June choose to deliver a program as a webi-
nar - giving the advantage of scale and lowering costs.
Audiences are kept engaged using visually stimulating
slides and powerful delivery. Emphasis is placed on
taking charge of one’s success, even in the absence of
oversight.
Most recently 1,000 reps of a leading MNC were
trained over four webinars with excellent feedback.
Customized issues of
MedicinMan, with inputs
from the company can be
given to the Field Force for
their continuous learning
and development.
MedicinMan currently
reaches 60,000 pharma
professionals.
Interactive Classroom Training
Management Games Audio/Visual
Learning-by-reflectionSimulation
Case Studies
iSharpenMMy Success is My Responsibiliti

KOLManagementWorkshop
A MEDICINMAN Initiative
OBJECTIVE:
This workshop will be hands on approach to
understanding the challenges and identifying solutions to
help you develop an effective KOL management strategy.
TARGET AUDIENCE
- Field Force people responsible for KOL management
- Marketing team people involved in KOL management
- Medical Affairs people engaged in KOL management
- Members of existing KOL management team
- MSLs responsible for KOL Management
- Company shortlisted candidates for KOL management
TOPICS (included, but not limited to:)
1. Moving from a Sales Mindset to KOL Relationship
Management Mindset
2. Understanding Factors that Lead to KOL Satisfaction
3. Effective Communication – The Key Skill for KOL
Relationship Management
4. Understanding and Executing Effective KOL
Relationship Management program
5. Interaction and Q A with a leading KOL
OUTCOME:
1. Clear understanding of issues in KOL Management
2. Fine tuning existing KOL management programs
3. Developing a KOL management strategy and plan
4. Executing the KOL strategy
WORKSHOP DURATION: 1 Day
WORKSHOP MATERIAL: Delegate notes - synopsis of the
workshop
WORKSHOP COORDINATOR: Knowledge Media Venturz
CONTACT:
Chhaya Sankath: +91-98674-21131 | chhaya@kmv.co.in
Arvind Nair: +91-987-0201-422 | arvind@kmv.co.in
Worshop Date: 12th
July 2014
WorkshopTimings: 10:00 am - 04:00 pm
Venue: Luxury Hotel, Mumbai
Total seats: only 25 Registration fees:R5,000+tax
WORKSHOP LEADER:
Anup Soans
Anup Soans has worked as a Medical Rep, Oncology
Product Specialist and Front-line Manager in Pharma.
Later he moved to IJCP, a pioneer in CME, medico
marketing, healthcare communication, where he rose
to become the Executive Director. At IJCP, he was
responsible for identifying, developing and sustaining
a mutually rewarding relationship with over 300 KOLs
in all major specialties for 12 years. Many of the leading and emerging KOLs
identified and nurtured by Anup Soans went on win prestigious awards like
the Padmashri and Dr. B.C. Roy awards among others.

KOL WORKSHOP REGISTRATION FORM
Workshop date : Saturday 12th July 2014 Workshop timings: 10:00 am to 04:00 pm
Venue : Luxury hotel, Mumbai Total seats: 25 Only
Name :
Designation / Title :
Company Name :
Company Address :
Phone :
Email :
In case of multiple delegates from the same organization please fill up individual registration forms
for each member.
Registration Details
Registration fees: INR 5000 + 12.36 %Service tax (Per Delegate)
The Fees is inclusive of Lunch Tea Snacks (Morning Evening)
Payment must be made in INR by Cheque / Bank Draft or NEFT on or before 7th of July 2014.
Cheques to be issued in the name of KNOWLEDGE MEDIA VENTURZ LLP , payable at Mumbai
sent to The Conference Secretariat, A-302, Kshitij C.H.S.L, Off Film City Road, Behind Satellite
Towers, Goregaon East, Mumbai 400063.
NEFT Details
Bank Name : AXIS BANK
Bank Address: Goregaon West, Mumbai (MH), Gr Flr, Patkar College, S V Road, Goregaon West,
Mumbai -62.
Account Name : KNOWLEDGE MEDIA VENTURZ LLP
Account No : 913020033732313
IFSC Code : UTIB0000647
For further details Contact:
Arvind Nair Chhaya Sankath
9870201422; arvind@kmv.co.in 9867421131; chhaya@kmv.co.in

I
n the era of digital marketing iPad presentations may take over
traditional printed Visual Aids. However, generating interest in
product promotions is becoming increasingly difficult. Medical
Reps have little time to impress the doctor because every company
is operating with several divisions and each generic molecule has
more than 40-50 brands. Indian pharma companies are not just
copying molecules, they are copying one another’s business strate-
gy as well - of multiple divisions. In this scenario, in-clinic interaction
has lost its appeal.
Background:
Doctors have become sales-savvy because they are dealing with
the best and worst sales presentations day in and day out: from
MNCs and branded generics to PCD companies. On the other hand,
Medical Reps are limited to the line of communication provided by
product managers who focus on drawing the doctor’s attention to
PRICE as the differentiator in most cases. Secondly, POSITIONING the
brand with indication, latest articles and trial updates is stale and
ineffective in today’s context of one molecule, fifty brands and two
hundred scientific reports! Marketing managers have to conceive
a concept that attracts the doctor’s attention; prepare a lucid and
memorable message, which can be delivered without any distortion
by the Medical Rep.
Dinesh Pardesi
Pharma selling is an art that requires the combination of
scientific value-add and presentation skills to make an
impact in the mind of the Doctors.
E
OVERCOMINGATTENTION
DEFICITDISORDERIN
EVERYDAYDETAILING
Dineish Pardesi is a pharma professional.

The Problem:
Indian Pharma is blindly following the West and is focusing on
SFE, ACE and what not! Highly technical talent and resources
are employed in building sales force effectiveness to monitor
and classify doctor calls. ACE is employed to analyse commer-
cial viability of a doctor call. This has turned marketing from
field based reality into virtual reality of spreadsheets and var-
ious data outputs. Where does marketing get its inputs from
anyway? It gets it from field sales people. The person who cre-
ates and owns SFE and ACE has never worked in the field and
the field sales people who provide the inputs are alien to its
outcome. The irony of the situation is that power and control
has shifted from field to the head office and responsibility and
accountability has shifted from head office to the field.
The Solution:
Despite the dawn of digital era, Medical Reps are the only vital
link between the company and doctors and this makes them
a special people. Competent senior Medical Reps are aware
when time is scarce and use words economically. Being com-
mitted to results, they do a lot of homework before making a
call, like pre-approach and gauging the environment, mood of
the doctor, his likes and dislikes, inclination to the topic and so
on.
There is no way where you can predict the sales outcome by
putting in values in the spreadsheets or by following ORG-IMS
and C MARC data. Market information is going to be dynamic
and will remain a manual skill of Medial Reps and front-line
managers. Systematic RCPA is needed to understand the mar-
ket potential. RCPA will give the number of prescriptions and
key prescribers as well as knowledge of competitive brands
in the territory. This requires patience and special talent to
ask relevant and random questions from important persons
working at various pharmacies. Now that you have the list of
key prescribers, rope in right customers and provide the right
impetus. By this I mean, you must know what will shift his
attention from the brand he is currently using to your brand.
This can happen by generating genuine interest. How? Now
this cannot be taught in any school of pharmaceutical man-
agement. It comes from being on the field, awareness, keen
interest, analysing and synchronising the data of doctor’s
prescribing habit. As doctors begin to respond to your efforts,
engage them in an ethical way and ensure that you fulfill his
need of patient-centric CME of practical use.
Finally, do not take the doctor for granted; you have to renew
the relationship as if it is new love and always keep the passion
alive. Remember, selling is an art and Visual Aid is an artist’s
brush to paint an attractive picture of your products in the
doctor’s mind. -DP
Dineish Pardsesi | Overcoming Attention Deficit Disorder in Everyday Detailing
“
”
Despite the dawn of digital era,
Medical Reps are the only vital
link between the company and
doctors and this makes them
a special people. Competent
senior Medical Reps are aware
when time is scarce and use
words economically. Being
committed to results, they
do a lot of homework before
making a call, like pre-approach
and gauging the environment,
mood of the doctor, his likes
and dislikes, inclination to the
topic and so on.

A Medical Rep carrying a big bag outside the doctor’s
chamber is an unseemly sight. More than focusing on his
job he is taking care of the bag. Sometimes the samples
falls or the Visual Aid gets damaged while handling. It is too
disorganized. The total impact is lost in this exercise. Can the
concept be reinvented? What if you come across a Medical
Rep who is carrying a small box that appears to be a‘gift’but
is actually a complete detailing aid? This concept is called
Visual Card.
A‘concept’visual card is of the size of a visiting card or
slightly larger. It can be designed in a way that on one side it
mentions the brand name and its key promotional aspects
(indications and benefits). On the same side can be an
image of the product being detailed and the theme associ-
ated with it. The same side can state the dosage forms. One
important aspect that will make this card a success is to put
some graphic image that grabs the attention of the doctor
straight away. This should be in direct sync with the product
name or the concept for which the product is introduced.
The box itself can be designed aesthetically with color-cod-
ing to look like a modern gizmo.
The other side of the card can carry a short description of
its mechanism of action and side effects; next to it can be
an embedded microchip. When the doctor asks for de-
Mayank Bedi
E
VISUALCARD:AN
ALTERNATIVETO
VISUALAID?A digital card with product information can
add a new dimension to in-clinic interaction.
Mayank Bedi studies at the Narsee Monjee
Institute for Management Studies and is an
intern at Allergan.
A ‘concept’ visual
card is of the size
of a visiting card or
slightly larger. When
the doctor asks for
detailed studies,
the microchip can
be registered with
doctor’s fingerprint.
Whenever the doctor
needs any details
about the product, all
he needs to do is to
swipe a finger across
the microchip. The
microchip will flash
the related details on
the visual card itself.
“
”

tailed studies, the microchip can be registered with doctor’s
fingerprint. Whenever the doctor needs any details about
the product, all he needs to do is to swipe a finger across the
microchip. The microchip will flash the related details on the
visual card itself (or can be connected to nearest PC/Laptop/
Tablet). One product per visual card.
For detailing more than one product, the Medical Rep has to
carry a deck. The deck after detailing can be given to the doc-
tor so that he can use it for future reference. So, a visual card
can be handy for the Medical Rep to carry and detail, also the
doctor does not need extra space to store and access it.
In the same box, samples can be kept for ease of carrying,
ease of access and portability for both the Medical Rep and
the doctor.
Last but the most important factor is that it will improve the
image of the Medical Rep from a typical MR to an informed,
tech-savvy healthcare professional. Most importantly, it can
boost self-confidence and increase the enthusiasm towards
work.
A possible win-win situation? -MB
“
”
Last but the most
important factor is that
the Visual Card will
improve the image of
the Medical Rep from
a typical MR to an
informed, tech-savvy
healthcare professional.
Mayank Bedi | Visual Card: An Alternative to Visual Aid?

W
ith fewer new products being introduced in the Indi-
an Pharmaceutical Market (IPM), and shorter brand
life cycles, pharma field force managers face pressure
to improve the return on the current sales force investment. To
cap it all, IPM is beleaguered with problems arising from price
controls, the aggressive and volatile unions of pharma traders
(PWA, RDCA, BCDA and their likes) and trade unions like FMRAI.
High attrition rate, inability to attract and retain talent further
compounds the problem.
Senior pharma sales managers now face two difficult tasks. They
have to make the right decisions and implement it effectively.
Both have to be done quickly.
The largest spend in pharma sales and marketing is usually on
the sales force; in IPM usually 25-30% of the sales. Developing
an effective sales force can enhance returns.
Sales force effectiveness typically meant three things to an
Indian pharmaceutical company:
1. Increasing the number of doctors in the list / changing the
list.
2. Increasing the frequency of calls.
3. Enhancing the effectiveness of the messages delivered
within the calls.
Almost no Indian pharma company was looking at sales force
effectiveness from the perspective of how the roles of people -
Vivek Hattangadi
E
DRIVERSOFSALES
FORCEEFFECTIVENESSA refresher on what Sales Force Effectiveness is and is not.
Prof. Vivek Hattangadi is a Consultant
in Pharma Brand Management and Sales
Training at The Enablers. He is also visiting
faculty at CIPM Calcutta (Vidyasagar
University) for their MBA course in
Pharmaceutical Management.
vivekhattangadi@theenablers.org

those who influence prescriptions - were changing, and how
their individual needs were changing. Today that position has
reversed.
Sales Force Effectiveness means developing an outstanding
sales force which can leverage the marketing tools to opti-
mize productivity - through prescription generation. Some
tools include the effective joint field work by managers, sales
promotional material, cycle meetings and training programs
and many more.
A high quality sales force alone can assure high performance
in today’s complex and highly competitive environment, and
that too at lower costs. The power of the sales force continues
to be and will remain a significant factor. An inefficient sales
force can have a massive negative effect on its brands and
incompetent sales teams can wreak havoc on market share.
Sales force effectiveness and training are sometimes thought
to be synonyms, but it is not so.
Sales force effectiveness means to increase productivity, to
cut expenditure and boost the morale of the field force. SFE
is to ensure that every single minute a medical representative
spends with the doctor is optimized. On the other hand, train-
ing focuses on developing hard and soft skills, line manager
coaching process and development. Training can be only one
of the important elements of sales force effectiveness. Sales
force effectiveness cannot be considered as training function
alone.
The most important driver of sales force effectiveness is the
quality of leadership provided by the first-line managers.
Others include customer knowledge, knowledge of competi-
tion, skills and capabilities to succeed along with appropriate
field activities, strategy execution management and commu-
nication. Let us examine each of these drivers of SFE.
Leadership skills: The strength of the first-line managers
is the strength of the organization. Poor quality first-line
managers stifle the success if an organization. First-line man-
agers can provide strong leadership when they have vision
and the conviction to make their vision a reality. A first-line
manager can have his own vision statement which is aligned
with that of his organization. Good leadership for sales force
effectiveness requires excellent human qualities, which go far
beyond conservative concepts of authority. Good leaders are
an enabling force. Perhaps the concept of‘Servant Leadership’
advocated by Chanakya and modernized by Robert Greenleaf
should be considered.
Customer knowledge: It means understanding your pre-
scribers inside out, so that you can manage and nurture them
and get the best output. Many first-line managers do have
knowledge of their prescribers/potential prescribers, fre-
quently this is in a fragmented form and difficult to share or
“
”
Sales Force Effectiveness
means developing an
outstanding sales force
which can leverage
the marketing tools to
optimize productivity
- through prescription
generation.
Vivek Hattangadi | Drivers of Sales Force Excellence

analyze. Often it is incomplete. Customer knowledge includes
collection of information and viewpoints that a first-line man-
ager has about his doctors. The role of customer knowledge
management is to capture and organize this data to allow it
to be shared and discussed with the team. Customer knowl-
edge also means the compilation of information to get the
insight you need to build long-lasting relationships with the
customers.
Knowledge of competition: When interacting with my
clients, I am surprised about how little they know about com-
petition. They often lack understanding about their branding
strategies and marketing tactics. Knowing who your compet-
itors are, and what they are offering, can help you to make
your products, services and marketing stand out. It will en-
able you to do a SWOT Analysis of your competitors, and help
you to respond to competitors marketing campaigns with
your own initiatives. You can use this knowledge to create
marketing strategies that take advantage of your competitors’
weaknesses, and improve your own business performance.
You can also asses any threats posed by both new entrants
to your market and current competitors. This knowledge will
help you to be realistic about how successful you can be.
Strategy execution management: Strategy execution is the
buzz word in the management circles today. Strategy Execu-
tion Management is the set of tools and processes to translate
the organization’s strategy and business plan into reality. It is
not just accomplishing a task or a goal, but also achieving the
underlying business objectives. A good execution manage-
ment will focus on WHAT as well as HOW of an achievement. If
an organization has to deliver superior performance, without
doubt, the people accountable for strategy execution – the
first-line managers hold the key. A good first-line manager
knows the strategies of the organization by heart and then
ensures that his team has understood it well so that they
execute them effectively.
Communication: Getting your message across in a way that
is clear and coherent to everyone that is listening is a critical
skill for the first-line manager in developing sales force effec-
tiveness. Effective sales force communication helps to bring
about a high performing field sales force. However, the field
force spends a lot of time on unnecessary or redundant com-
munication. This wasted time affects sales force effectiveness
and undermines the company performance. Communication
is a skill area which a first-line manager needs to master to
enhance sales force effectiveness.
Conclusion: An effective sales force can make all the differ-
ence, turning an average performing company into a leader
in the IPM. Isn’t it time you put in your efforts to improve the
effectiveness of your team? -VH
“
”
Getting your message
across in a way that is
clear and coherent to
everyone that is listening
is a critical skill for the
first-line manager in
developing sales force
effectiveness.
Vivek Hattangadi | Drivers of Sales Force Excellence

Globally, the Indian pharmaceutical industry ranks 3rd in
terms of volume and 14th in terms of value. In 2011 Indian
OTC market was estimated at $ 1.7 billion with an annual
growth rate of 23%. Currently, India ranks 11th in terms of
the OTC market size globally which is forecasted to be close
to $ 6.5 billion by 2016.
Growth drivers of OTC Market in India:
1. RISING AWARENESS ABOUT PREVENTIVE CARE has
driven the growth of various categories like nutraceuticals,
vitamins and dietary supplements. People now feel and
know that prevention in long term not only saves the over-
all healthcare cost but also keeps them healthy on a day to
day basis.
2. SELF MEDICATION TENDENCY:
Due to:
• Higher education levels
• Lack of time for small ailments in today’s stressful life-
style.
• Cost saving on consulting fees which they have to pay
to doctors
3. LIFESTYLE FACTORS: With busy lifestyles, people are
looking for quick and easy solutions to their problems.
Some products which have made use of this need of con-
sumers are Amrutanjan , Digene Fast Melt, Vicks Vapocool
signifying quickness of their products. Changing lifestyle
habits boosted the growth of gastrointestinal OTC products
by 8% in 2013. (Nicholas hall)
4. PRODUCT INNOVATION
Introduction of smaller packs (a concept of FMCG industry)
has also driven the access of products in terms of:
• Being economical and affordable to masses
• Convenience in carrying. Ex; Amrutanjan balm comes in
a 5g pack which is convenient to carry for consumers.
Kumud Kandpal
E
OTCMARKETININDIA:
SOMEGROWTHDRIVERSSocio-economic changes that are driving the
growth of the OTC market in India.
Kumud Kandpal is a
Management Associate-
International Marketing at
Bioplus Life Sciences.

5. PROMOTION
Use of Mass Media:
• Heavy promotion and marketing campaigns through TV,
Print and digital promotion led to increase in the demand
for these products.
Endorsements by Celebrities:
• Mary Kom for Polycrol Gel, Sonali Bendre for Volini, Sal-
man Khan for Revital. Using Mary Kom strengthened the
position of Polycrol gel in East India to No.1 position
6. CHANNELS DEVELOPMENT
Availability of products in hypermarkets, grocery stores and
healthcare specialist retailers led to increase in sales as it in-
creases convenience for consumers to shop for such products
while making their day to day shopping.
7. RURAL PENETRATION :
Rural penetration initiative by many companies like Ranbaxy,
Mankind, Pfizer, Dabur India Ltd which has increased the
accessibility of their brands in Tier 2 Tier 3 cities. Ex. Ranbaxy
and Pfizer partnered with ITC to distribute their range of OTC
products Revital, Pepfiz, Volini Chericof
8. PRODUCT INNOVATIONS:
1. ENO launched tablets with different flavors and packaging,
whereas traditionally it has been only in powder formats. The
entire antacids category is close to (US$125mn) in 2013 where
ENO is around $ 40 million with 32% Market share. ENO also
launched Refreshing liquid (ENO GEL).
2. Polycrol Extra Strong is packaged in a portable transparent
bottle with an informative label that helps consumers under-
stand how it works in the stomach.
9. EVOLUTION OF DIGITAL MEDIA:
Ranbaxy has used extensively the use of digital media to pro-
mote Revital, Volini and Pepfiz.
The Pepfiz campaign was conducted via Facebook and asked
participants questions about food of choice to be declared
India’s Biggest Foodie.
Revital facebook page alone has a liking by more than 3.5 lakh
people, Amrutanjan roll on balm has more than 40,000 likes .
This provides an active platform for the brands to engage and
converge with the consumers. -KK
“
”
With busy lifestyles,
people are looking
for quick and easy
solutions to their
problems. Some
products which have
made use of this need
of consumers are
Amrutanjan , Digene
Fast Melt, Vicks
Vapocool signifying
quickness of their
products. Changing
lifestyle habits
boosted the growth of
gastrointestinal OTC
products by 8% in 2013.
Kumud Kandpal | OTC Market in India: Some Growth Drivers

L
esson 1 - Endorsements and word of
mouth are the most effective marketing
tools.
People endorse a product only when they have
trust and their expectations are fully met. (Many
KOLs like Ratan Tata and Ram Jethmalani named
Modi for PM)
Lesson 2 - Marketing must be a regular prac-
tice and promotions should never stop.
Thanks to the successful viral campaign, a hope
was created in the minds of the citizens that
NaMo is the only solution to all the problems of
India.
As soon as he was nominated as the PM candi-
date, he started a series of huge, well planned
rallies. Very few rallies were planned in the
regions where his party had a strong presence.
The focus was on the biggest states, places
where his hold was weak and places where the
competitors were losing faith of customers. The
best part of rallies were customized take home
messages for the audience - good governance;
minimum government, maximum governance;
nation first; and many more.
Lesson 3 - Prioritize and execute the high
impact plans more than others to maximize
returns.
Lesson 4 - Nothing is better than personally
meeting customers and demonstrating the
product.
Lesson 5 - Always end your call with a memo-
rable statement that summarizes the call.
Once he started using these statements, every-
one in his party used the same message.
Lesson 6 – Launching a campaign without
having insights about the customer is like open-
ing an umbrella and praying for rain.
Lesson 7 – Ab ki baar -- one big idea! If you
get that... you have cracked the campaign right!
Lesson 8 - There is no final marketing plan,
the plan has to dynamic and responsive to the
market changes
Lesson 9 - If you are not using the technology,
you are missing the bus.
Lesson 10 - Always keep your best for the last.
By turning the taunt into a slogan and playing
the underdog, (Chaiwallah) he created a lasting
emotional bond with voters. -KK
Kailash Khatod
E
10 lessons learnt by a Product Manager (PM)
from the Prime Minister (PM) of India.
Chai Pe Charcha
Read the complete article at the Author’s blog here.
Kailash Khatod is a young pharma professional, an
avid blogger and social media enthusiast.
Follow him on Twitter: @kailashkhatod

A new book by Renie McClay published by
ASTD Press is apt for the global executive
with a local vision. “The Art of Modern
SalesManagement”has12chapters,each
writtenbyaleaderinthefieldfromaround
theworld.
Renie McClay, MA, CPLP, has been a
dynamic performance improvement
professional for 20 years. She has been
successful in sales, management, and
learning and performance roles at
several Fortune 500 companies (Kraft,
Pactiv, and Novartis). Founder of
Inspired Learning LLC, she continues
to bring her passion and practical
approach to all project work. Inspired
Learning LLC does design and delivery
of energetic programs and projects
around the world.
Now available for readers in
India on Kindle and print on
Amazon. Download a free
chapter of the book here.
The Art of Modern Sales Management is a must read
for any global sales leader. It's practical, relevant,
and grounded in the experience of seasoned sales
professionals who make a significant difference in
the organizations that they serve. This book includes
many useful tips and actionable ideas that any sales
leader can use.
--Kimo Kippen, Chief Learning Officer, Hilton Worldwide
Renie has done a great job of selecting thought leaders
that speak to the challenges of selling in our new,
connected world. I absolutely love the framework of
the book and found myself skipping from one chapter
to another based on what I thought was most relevant
to the problems I am most interested in solving today.
This book is a must for anyone that understands that
front-sales management is tomorrow’s competitive
advantage.
--Pat Martin, VP of Sales, Estes Express
Renie is on top of her game again and brings the A
Team to the world of Modern Sales Management.
With the explosion of social media and the immediacy
of shared experience for buyers and sellers, The
Art of Modern Sales Management is a practical
guide to navigating these changing realities, and the
action plans offered provide tools to ensure the best
opportunity for success. If you have a leadership role
within the sales organization, you need this book as a
guide and resource.
--Gary Summy, Director of Business Development Global
Accounts Operations, Xerox Corporation

``
Varsha Phirke is studying M.Pharm (Pharmaceutics) and
is preparing for a career in the Pharma sector along with
practicing her skills as an artist.
~ Artwork by M.Pharm student Varsha Phirke ~
E

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