Reflection-Mind Mapping

Challenge and Selection:

I work in pharmaceutical sales, actively engaging with our primary external customers who are health  care professionals (HCP’s-Doctors). The relationship between the HCP’s and drug companies have  undergone a sea change in the last decade. About a decade ago pharmaceutical company and it’s  representatives were considered an extremely important source of information regarding not just  existing but also new drugs. The companies were also looked upon for dissipating recent advance in  the field of medicine. But today practically everything is available on the web, there’s information  overload. This is the transformation the industry has gone through, which in some ways has lowered  the importance of a company since it’s not the only source of information. Amidst this background we  operate.

We have research products for different pathologies and have robust evidence back up. And that’s a  fact which is very often corroborated by the HCP’s. Because of intense and conscious engagement  with the HCP’s the popular perception is that we are an extremely important cog in the wheel. The  support team at the corporate level are highly skilled and have immense marketing and medical  acumen. Our field force is rated among the best in terms of professional conduct and scientific  knowledge. These advantages not withstanding our products are neither automatic choices nor  chosen often enough by HCP’s. Eg-In type 2 Diabetes where an anti-diabetic drug is indicated and  recommended, ours alas is not chosen often enough. The conundrum was to find out what could be  the missing link or to find a common thread that could be weaved from the organisation-people- product-HCP’s and vice a versa. I felt one way of working through the puzzle was to use the mind  mapping technique. Using tips from the mind mapping video.

Application:

In order to develop the whole aspect of mind mapping I spoke to a few of our internal  (Marketing/sales/medical) and external (HCP’s) stake holders to participate in this process. To  proceed further on this I had a virtual yard sale with internal stake holders like Marketing/Medical  affairs and sales team. They were asked to list out all the things that according to them are relevant  for our business. And then sift through them to glean out what was most important. External stake  holders were given a questionnaire to fill out. This questionnaire was both quantitative and qualitative  in nature. The questions ranged from relevance of pathology to rating the major stake holders. They  were primed not to keep in mind the company or products to avoid any bias. As far as the internal  stake holders were considered they listed a wide range of things from there perspective. The  Marketing team felt the HCP’s needed strong data and guidelines to support our claims. In addition  the patient’s needs were also listed as crucial. Furthermore the field force’s know how in promotional  calls was rated as integral. The field force listed in addition to data and guidelines, more localised  strategy. Interestingly the HCP’s while answering the varied questions, when it came to products  there requirements were quite vivid and varied. And while asking them to list the top stake holders,  the pharmaceutical companies came in 4th and in many cases lower in the order. And were often  clubbed with supply chain. In all the HCP’s expectations 2 aspects were pretty consistent. First ethical  promotion of the product, which in essence means while elucidating the pros (Efficacy/long term  benefits etc) of the drug they were equally keen to know what could go wrong with the drug. Second  and more important was value addition this was expressed in myriad of ways. The HCP’s also expect  the companies to partake in research to further cause of medicine in India. And there was hardly any  mention of companies being a major source of medical information.

Insight and Approach:

The whole exercise was a major revelation and in many ways removed the blinders while  unshackling my thought process. Because of the immense knowledge we have a tendency to  overwhelm the customers with data. And as the HCP survey showed we are not the only source of

medical information for the HCP’s. Furthermore the insight was also that the HCP’s are looking for  value addition to their practise. Which implies identifying each HCP has a specific need and we need  to make the experience bespoke for each individual. While we have extremely strong competencies in  terms of skill and knowledge, we need to align the thought process of all departments in line with the  most important thing. Which is the needs and expectations of the HCP’s. I feel with this exercise we  can found a common link between the major stake holders. And as a consequence offer the customer  an experience with our products which adds value to his practise. And in line with his needs. I have  attached a couple of chits from yard sale as an example.


Reflection - Mind Mapping Challenge and Selection : I work in pharmaceutical sales , actively engaging with our primary external customers who are health care professionals ( HCP’s - Doctors ) . The relationship between the HCP ’s and drug companies have undergone a sea change in the last decade . About a decade ago pharmaceutical company and it ’s representatives were considered an extremely important source of information regarding not just existing but also new drugs . The companies were also looked upon for dissipating recent advance in the field of medicine . But today practically everything is available on the web , there ’s information overload . This is the transformation the industry has gone through , which in some ways has lowered the importance of a company since it ’s not the only source of information . Amidst this background we operate . We have research products for different pathologies and have robust evidence back up . And that ’s a fact which is very often corroborated by the HCP ’s . Because of intense and conscious engagement with the HCP ’s the popular perception is that we are an extremely important cog in the wheel . The support team at the corporate level are highly skilled and have immense marketing and medical acumen . Our field force is rated among the best in terms of professional conduct and scientific knowledge . These advantages not withstanding our products are neither automatic choices nor chosen often enough by HCP ’s . Eg - In type 2 Diabetes where an anti - diabetic drug is indicated and recommended , ours alas is not chosen often enough . The conundrum was to find out what could be the missing link or to find a common thread that could be weaved from the organisation - people- product - HCP ’s and vice a versa . I felt one way of working through the puzzle was to use the mind mapping technique . Using tips from the mind mapping video . Application : In order to develop the whole aspect of mind mapping I spoke to a few of our internal ( Marketing / sales / medical ) and external ( HCP ’s ) stake holders to participate in this process . To proceed further on this I had a virtual yard sale with internal stake holders like Marketing / Medical affairs and sales team . They were asked to list out all the things that according to them are relevant for our business . And then sift through them to glean out what was most important . External stake holders were given a questionnaire to fill out . This questionnaire was both quantitative and qualitative in nature . The questions ranged from relevance of pathology to rating the major stake holders . They were primed not to keep in mind the company or products to avoid any bias . As far as the internal stake holders were considered they listed a wide range of things from there perspective . The Marketing team felt the HCP ’s needed strong data and guidelines to support our claims . In addition the patient ’s needs were also listed as crucial . Furthermore the field force ’s know how in promotional calls was rated as integral . The field force listed in addition to data and guidelines , more localised strategy . Interestingly the HCP ’s while answering the varied questions , when it came to products there requirements were quite vivid and varied . And while asking them to list the top stake holders , the pharmaceutical companies came in 4th and in many cases lower in the order . And were often clubbed with supply chain . In all the HCP ’s expectations 2 aspects were pretty consistent . First ethical promotion of the product , which in essence means while elucidating the pros ( Efficacy / long term benefits etc ) of the drug they were equally keen to know what could go wrong with the drug . Second and more important was value addition this was expressed in myriad of ways . The HCP ’s also expect the companies to partake in research to further cause of medicine in India . And there was hardly any mention of companies being a major source of medical information . Insight and Approach : The whole exercise was a major revelation and in many ways removed the blinders while unshackling my thought process . Because of the immense knowledge we have a tendency to overwhelm the customers with data . And as the HCP survey showed we are not the only source of medical information for the HCP ’s . Furthermore the insight was also that the HCP ’s are looking for value addition to their practise . Which implies identifying each HCP has a specific need and we need to make the experience bespoke for each individual . While we have extremely strong competencies in terms of skill and knowledge , we need to align the thought process of all departments in line with the most important thing . Which is the needs and expectations of the HCP ’s . I feel with this exercise we can found a common link between the major stake holders . And as a consequence offer the customer an experience with our products which adds value to his practise . And in line with his needs . I have attached a couple of chits from yard sale as an example .