Edetailing and Its Different Models
A number of major pharmaceutical companies are currently either piloting or considering e-detailing as a prospective way of maximizing their sales force time also for cutting costs and making the physicians to prescribe more of their manufactured drug. Properly speaking it is not a single entity and is actually an amalgamation of a number of different forms. Though a wide variety of apps have been tried out in a number of different countries in the world and only a few of them are found to increase prescribing when compared with the traditional detailing methods.
Edetailing models currently in practice do widely differ in their applicability to specific situations and therefore it has become more important for the pharma companies to consider the available models with special care to ultimately finalizing one that will be the best for the kind of products they are marketing along with the target physicians and the country they are operating in.
Different types
A variety of Edetailing apps are currently being piloted by the pharmaceutical companies here are some of them to make you familiar with
- Virtual live Model: In this model the physicians are provided with a personal computer that is pre-loaded with the necessary software along with a webcam and allows the sales representatives to maintain a constant touch with them. In this model, the duration, frequency and time of detailing sessions are actually controlled by the physicians and the interaction might take place in audio visual as well as real time. This model allows for longer periods of interaction and is also more cost effective than traditional face to face detailing sessions.
- Scripted Model: In the scripted model a series of interactive screens are used for the purpose of interacting with the physicians through the internet. The model is found to deliver precise, clear and well-structured messages that are much longer than face to face detailing sessions. This model is especially preferred by physicians since it allows them the convenience of being available 24×7 and compared to many other models scripted e-detailing is found to be more effective in improving sales for the pharma companies.
- Detailing through a portal: These portals are designed to offer the doctors access to a number of pre-defined communities and are often considered as excellent for product specific detailing sessions. These physician portals also have the potential of reaching the specialist physicians who are often found difficult to reach. Though the number of active physicians in these portals is always much less than the number of actual members it can provide a lot of valuable information about the online habit and interest of the physicians and design the message in a more effective and result oriented way.
At present the Edetailing solution primarily emphasize on direct and quick increase in the prescription rate rather than cutting the cost down or building up brand relations, but it can very well be predicted that in future their primary motive is going to be measuring brand loyalty for it certainly has the capability of reinforcing one.