Impact of Unrest on Pharma Field Work – Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1034

Impact of Unrest on Pharma Field Work – Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1034

Dear Colleagues! This is Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1034 for Pharma Veterans. Pharma Veterans Blogs are published by Asrar Qureshi on its dedicated site https://pharmaveterans.com. Please email to aq.pharmaveterans@gmail.com for publishing our contributions here.

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Credit: Amine M'siouri

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Preamble

Political turmoil, such as protests and government crackdowns, significantly disrupts life for everyone. We have been seeing it for several weeks now that business activities are hampered significantly on any given day in any part of the country on any pretext. We are not just facing political unrest but also social unrest, religious unrest, security unrest, and overall law and order breakdown. 

While unrest, roads closure, and business closure affect all related people, the people working in the field are particularly hit. From the daily wage workers to field salespeople, everyday field work generates earning and business which again leads to earning. Each day of lost work is loss of hundreds of thousands of rupees worth business. As the unrest prolongs, which it has been now, the loss is causing severe anxiety in related people. The effects are multifaceted, impacting sales operations, customer engagement, logistics, and overall business continuity.

In this blog post, I shall take up this case.

 Key Effects on Pharmaceutical Business and Fieldwork

Restricted Mobility for Field Sales Teams

Suspended intercity transport and blocked intracity roads prevent medical representatives (MRs) from traveling to their assigned territories. This hampers their ability to meet healthcare professionals (HCPs), a crucial part of generating prescriptions and maintaining relationships.

Extended, reduced field presence leads to decreased visibility of products, limited influence on prescribing behaviors, and potentially lower sales volumes. 

As we know that pharmaceutical business is extremely competitive, any laxity in work from any party gives opportunity to grab their share. It is also true that business thus lost is not easily or always recoverable. Extended days loss is impossible to make up. In the longer run, the overall business shrinks for all stakeholders.

Supply Chain Disruptions

The suspension of transport affects the movement of medicines from manufacturing units to distributors and onward to pharmacies and hospitals. Delays in deliveries can lead to stockouts and supply shortages. Interruptions in medicine availability can damage the company’s reputation and erode customer trust, particularly in cases of essential or life-saving drugs.

True that the market has a cushion of several days of stock at various levels, most notably at the distributor level who are obliged to hold 30 - 45 days stock at all times. However, observation tells that this does not happen. Another issue is that the faster selling products are depleted early despite stocking. The stock cushion at retail level is not much. In view of frequent supplies, retailers tend to keep stock only for a few days lasting until next supply. Disruption in logistics leads to early shortage at retail which is where the patient buys from. 

Communication Breakdown with Stakeholders

Protests and crackdowns often lead to disruptions in communication networks and hesitation among stakeholders to engage in routine activities. HCPs may also cancel or postpone appointments with sales representatives due to safety concerns. The inability to maintain regular contact with doctors, pharmacists, and distributors may lead to missed opportunities to introduce new products or reinforce brand value.

Increased Operational Costs

Companies may incur higher costs as they attempt to bypass roadblocks by using alternate, longer routes or more expensive modes of transport. Additionally, heightened insecurity may necessitate increased expenditure on safety measures for field staff. These added costs can erode profit margins, especially if sales are simultaneously declining.

Demoralization of Sales Teams

Uncertainty and physical dangers during protests can demoralize and stress field staff, reducing productivity and engagement. Employees may be hesitant to work in unsafe conditions, leading to absenteeism. A demotivated salesforce can further weaken customer relationships and sales effectiveness.

It is not uncommon that the management would put extra pressure on salespeople to meet their business targets somehow or face the consequences. This factor may add to insecurity and demoralization.

Shift in Consumer Behavior

Patients facing transport and access difficulties may delay visiting clinics or pharmacies, leading to reduced demand for medicines. In extreme cases, people may switch to substitutes that are more accessible. Changes in consumer behavior can impact sales volumes and impact market share for specific brands.

Potential Strategies to Mitigate the Impact

Enhanced Digital Engagement

Utilize digital tools such as video calls, emails, and messaging apps to stay connected with HCPs and stakeholders during periods of restricted movement. Consider conduct virtual product detailing sessions, webinars, or e-detailing to maintain engagement and product awareness. We are not very prepared to do it yet, but should learn fast. 

Focus on Localized Operations

Shift focus to territories that are less affected by turmoil or have better access. Empower sales teams to work within smaller, localized zones to minimize disruption due to road closures. Work closely with the distributors to ensure that alternative logistics solutions are in place to minimize supply chain disruptions. May consider offering some flexibility in payment terms to distributors during periods of longer unrest and slower sales.

Prioritize Critical Medicines

Focus on ensuring the availability of essential and life-saving medicines to maintain trust and goodwill among HCPs and patients. Use emergency distribution methods, such as personal couriers or localized hubs, for high-demand products. The entire supply chain should focus on more critical products.

Leverage Retail Networks for Better Market Coverage

Increase coordination with retail pharmacies to ensure that they stock sufficient quantities of medicines, even if direct HCP engagement is limited. Utilize pharmacies as key advantage in communication with customers.

Safety and Support for Field Staff

Provide clear guidelines and real-time updates on safe routes and areas. Offer more professional support and additional safety measures for sales teams operating in volatile regions. Rather than putting pressure only, managers should do situation analyses with respective team members and jointly find solutions.

Monitor and Adapt

Establish crisis monitoring cell to track political developments and respond quickly to changing circumstances. Develop contingency plans for extended periods of instability, including shifting resources to unaffected markets.

Sum Up

Repeated political turmoil can have lasting effects on the pharmaceutical industry. There is an urgent need to consider longer term measures for mitigating and offsetting the potential effects of such situations. A shift toward more resilient, tech-enabled field operations, reevaluation of supply chain strategies to minimize reliance on transport routes susceptible to disruptions, increased focus on digital marketing and e-commerce platforms for over-the-counter (OTC) products, and greater collaboration with healthcare institutions to ensure business continuity during crises are some measures which may be considered.

By adopting proactive strategies, pharmaceutical businesses can better negotiate the challenges of political instability, protect their salesforce, and maintain their market presence.

Concluded.

Disclaimers: Pictures in these blogs are taken from free resources at Pexels, Pixabay, Unsplash, and Google. Credit is given where available. If a copyright claim is lodged, we shall remove the picture with appropriate regrets.

For most blogs, I research from several sources which are open to public. Their links are mentioned under references. There is no intent to infringe upon anyone’s copyrights. If, however, it happens unintentionally, I offer my sincere regrets.