Knowing what this factor is can either make or break your career in pharma company - any company:
I wrote an article some months back making my case on the crucial factor that could determine your income in a pharmaceutical company. There are 2 main factors that we've to look into. You can go back to the article to discover what they are.
Read more: how much do you make in pharmaceutical sales.
I share my personal experience regarding this issue and how my career was affected even though I was working for a Multinational Company (MNC) and the number one pharma company at the time.
But in this article, I am going to bring up a different factor which, in my opinion, cancels the supervisory factor that I argue previously.
So what could this determine an essential factor that influences your income with the current pharmaceutical company or any future company for that matter, as a sales rep?
Answer: Your Sales Target
If you look closely, how you're treated by the company is also determined by it.
Take for example a rep whose target is in the xx, xxx. Oo range and another with a million dollars sales target: who do you think will be treated with special care?
Not a difficult choice to make. Right?
And pharmaceutical company gladly extend its hands to the customer with the highest recorded business.
Argue?
Want to read my personal experience?
You see, right now, I am stationed outside the HQ. I had no office, and I am always out on the field. I'm still on the move.
And I am like, number four, in terms of budget value for the company.
I can see that the company likes to support me to run activities in my territory. For example, the other day when we were organizing a talk by an esteemed outside (oversea) speaker, my area was given 10 seats for the area's delegates.
My colleague who based near HQ, and obviously with more significant sales target value than me, got 25 allocations! Huh!
But here's the thing: since I carry a lower budget than my colleague, I find it easier to fulfill my quota and earn incentives. On the other hand, my colleague finds it hard to meet his quota thus making it difficult to earn extra money.
Cruel ey?
You know what's crueler?
Sales reps rarely got involved in setting the target. I rarely said because there are companies that include reps, even though only at the initial part. But all in all, reps are only seen as a tool to deliver the number.
Reps are the silent majority
Companies buy tools to 'see' us (reps). From mobile phone with GPS, tracker in iPad, the timing of reporting, punch card, etc.; reps are supposed to be seen, like the small child, but not heard
Companies do ask for feedback, and it got stacked somewhere in the document room or collecting dust on the virtual shelf.
Companies 'trolls' went out to the field and work with reps, only to consider such time as a break from the tedious office routine.
And reps stay at the bottom of the pyramid!
Picture this: sales reps often make the majority of the company's stuff, they are not involved with setting sales target or rarely get committed but how they are treated and rewarded are based on that single factor - the destination.
Get the picture?
Now that you know what the single decisive factor that determines your income in pharma sales, what can you do about it?
I'll leave you with the wittiest answer I got, so far, from a fellow veteran sales rep: "I work my @ss every day just to create excuses for my boss, why I can't hit my sales target. I already know I cannot hit it."
What say you?
But not to leave you hanging or perhaps offer you with another perspective, the late Stephen Covey had written in his Seven Habits of Highly Effective People about things that fall inside our circle of concern or fall inside our sphere of influence.
If we can't influence things, but they are our concern, then he suggested that we just smile and move along.
And I like to add another: Look up to the sky, with open hands, ask for mercy and guidance from Allah the Almighty, the ever seeing and ever hearing.
Ask, and you shall receive :)
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