Improving Sales Rep Performance: Life Scientists' Perspectives

Report #07-015
Publication Date: April 2007
Page Count: 189
Print Copy: $4,400
Company-wide Electronic Copy (includes print copy): $6,600
plus Data Set: an additional $1,200

Brief Description

Executive Summary

Table of Contents

Respondent Insights

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For this report -- a BioInformatics exclusive -- we polled nearly 1,000 life scientists so that you can equip your sale force with insider knowledge to give them an edge in the increasingly dynamic and competitive life science research market.

With the increasing availability of information on the internet, scientists are no longer satisfied with generic sales presentations, instead favoring suppliers whose sales reps can present value propositions tailored specifically to their research needs.

At the same time, the competitive landscape is altered, both by mergers and acquisitions and by emerging companies with advanced technologies, affecting both sales reps and their customers. Within this dynamic environment, the life science sales rep can provide much needed advice and product information.

In addition to changes in how suppliers market to their customers and transformations in the supplier marketplace, the pervasiveness of online product offerings has encroached upon the traditional role of life science sales reps vis-a-vis their customers.

Addressing issues associated with online ordering presents life science sales reps with new opportunities to interact with customers and new challenges for customers. In view of current day market demands and the likely continuation of these trends, the role of the sales rep is evolving. Success in this dynamic environment will necessitate redefining skills and potentially restructuring the life science sales force.

Study Objectives:

This report is designed to offer insights on how sales executives can best align their sales force recruitment, training, organization, and support to reflect the needs and expectations of their scientific customers.
The specific objectives of this report are as follows:
• Identify the personal qualities that characterize an effective sales rep
• Describe the professional training and skills that increase a sales rep’s credibility
• Clarify how a sales rep can best facilitate purchase decisions
• Understand the sales rep’s role in eCommerce **
• Determine what types of support customers expect from their sales reps
• Examine customer expectations regarding sales reps by receptivity level **
• Quantify the customer value of sales reps on a supplier-specific basis **
• Identify which suppliers have the best-trained, most effective sales reps

** New report feature for 2007