Opinion

I can understand the frustration with lack of reliable CRM data but the solution is not to abandon analytics but to change the incentives for field force data capture.

I can understand the frustration with lack of reliable CRM data but the solution is not to abandon analytics but to change the incentives for field force data capture. With intense pressure to perform at a time when physician access is poor there is small wonder that salesmen are tempted to "cheat". We all know that sales output is ultimately what counts not call types, frequency and target inputs. Obviously you dont get sales ooutput without some inputs and the temptation for FLSMs to manage via input KPIs is overwhelming - what else can he/she influence? Actually, quite a lot! With robust analytics (and i dont mean time series regression from an excel spreadsheet) patterns of activity of sales reps can be discerned which are distinct from other patterns - so much so that they can be regarded as separate strategies within a salesforce. These separate strategies can be linked to degrees of sales success and templates of successful activity can be used to migrate the behaviour of poorer performing reps to that of better performing reps. This brings us full circle to reliability of the data input. But once a field force can see that their compensation can be accurately calculated from the combination of sales outputs and behavioural inputs they should respond positively to encouragement to capture inputs honestly. Robust analytics can even differentiate sales contributions between reps in mirror territories - an absolute godesend for managers looking to determine the impact of a contract or co-promotion force.