The High Performing Pharmaceutical District Sales Manager

Summary

The District Sales Manager is the acknowledged cornerstone of pharmaceutical sales force effectiveness and high performance. Although the traditional DM role is well understood, the position is being re-evaluated today in light of industry pressures that are causing dramatic sales force change. Many believe that the DM job will become more strategic and less tactical in the near future. Sales leaders are trying to determine what new activities DMs can be expected to take on and what skills and training they will need to succeed during and after the transition occurs. This research identifies the most important current and future roles of the DM in driving superior productivity and continued growth for their companies. The study also identifies key trends impacting the DM function, examines the extent of change in current sales force models, investigates DM readiness for change and provides best practices companies are using to help DMs retain their effectiveness in the new marketplace. Best Practices, LLC used both field surveys and interviews to complete this study. In all, 46 sales leaders at 23 different companies across the globe contributed data. In-depth interviews were conducted with field leaders from six of the participating companies.

Contents

• Executive Summary
• Introduction
• Research Approach
• Participating Companies
  • Report Structure and Organization
  • Key Findings
  • Sales Force Transformation: Current Trends & Future Direction
  • Sales Force Size Is Trending Downward . . . for Now
  • Customer Access Continues to Decline
  • Companies Have Begun Overhauling Their Sales Models
  • Sales Force Trends Are Likely to Impact Dm Role
  • Focus on Customer Relationships Is Increasing
  • Barriers to Rapid Change Anticipated
  • Evolution of The District Sales Manager Role
  • Current and Future Value of Traditional Activities
  • Strategic Dm Role Gaining Momentum
  • Blended Role Is Forecast for Future Dms
  • Empowerment of Dms May Be The next Frontier
  • Regional Managers Are A Source of Untapped Productivity
  • Key Dm Skills & Competencies
  • Current and Future Value of Dm Skill Sets
  • Managing Workforce Diversity Is An Emerging Skill Area
  • Critical Role of Learning, Training & Development
  • Implementation of Training
  • Voices from The Field: Training Requirements
  • Best Practices for Continued District Manager Effectiveness
• Participant Demographics