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Sales Force Deployment
Optimal sales force sizing and deployment ensures that promotional strategies translate into increased profitability. The field organization often represents the largest single promotional item for a brand or franchise. Furthermore, sales professionals are highly trained and are the single most important "face" to prescribing physicians. Because of this, a deployment cannot be just about "call math" and carving up zip codes. Sizing and deployment are important management tools that allow field sales professionals to do their jobs efficiently.
We apply the same types of quantitative approaches to sizing and deployment that we bring to other analyses. However, we realize that a deployment "by the numbers" alone is insufficient. Field input is critical to the success of any alignment. Sales representatives and managers know the specifics of any geography best. Aligning territories with an eye toward pre-existing relationships and other market-specific geographic factors is highly important in creating the best deployment and in ensuring field buy-in.
Trinity has additional expertise in the sizing and deployment issues unique to specialty field organizations. Often, product specialists calling on non-primary care physicians have a sales call that is fundamentally different. Contacts with physicians can be more consultative in nature and require more of a "system sell." Depending on the therapeutic area, field responsibilities often transcend a simple brand message and include reimbursement management, formulary P&T discussions, etc. Trinity has done extensive work in therapeutic areas such as oncology, immunology, anti-infectives, CNS, and rheumatology. This background provides us with a unique perspective in optimizing specialty sales forces.
CASE EXAMPLE
Situation
Our client wished to explore the possibility of a sales force expansion for a biologic with indications in several therapeutic areas. A primary concern was that sales growth in their largest indication had expanded prescribing beyond their current call universe. A secondary concern was that headcount was not distributed properly across indications.
Approach
An intensive data review identified an expanded target universe of high-potential physicians that were not receiving adequate call coverage. A return on investment analysis was conducted on each indication; strategic factors such as sales forecasts, new competitive entrants, and impact of territory vacancies on sales were taken into account. Recommendations of revised sales force sizes were followed by territory alignment exercises.
Result
One year after the revised field deployment was implemented, product sales growth accelerated to 60% annually. Sales growth increased predominantly in the indication which received expanded headcount, with no meaningful decrease in sales trends in other indications.
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