Essential Elements of Successful Tele-detailing Programs

Lou Shapiro

In this post, I share four of the most important components in a tele-detailing program.

In a previous blog post I shared that tele-detailing programs can be effective for pharmaceutical products in a number of situations. When implemented effectively, tele-detailing programs can build relationships with healthcare providers and their office staff and support promotional activities. Below are my top four essential elements for a successful tele-detailing program…

• Clearly define the goals for the tele-detailing program. Setting and communicating clear goals ensures the tele-detailing program is designed to achieve these results

• Integrate tele-detailing with all other sales and promotional initiatives. This includes using consistent messages and sharing data on contact activities and follow up items such as sample requests

• Design promotional and product materials to support the tele-detailing efforts. Consider posting them on the product website as well as having PDF versions that can be easily e-mailed as a follow up to the tele-detail

• Choose the right partner to deliver the tele-detailing services. The success of your tele-detailing program is dependent on the company you hire. Look for a company with an established track-record providing call-center support and tele-detailing programs to the healthcare industry. Next, understand their staffing model and ensure they have the educational background your product needs. And last, evaluate the processes and quality assurance program of the service provider. Successful service providers will have clearly defined processes and contingency plans, as well as training programs and processes to monitor the quality of the service their operators provide.

What other elements would you include for a successful tele-detailing program? In your experience did you find particular disease states or healthcare provider specialties that were receptive (or not) to tele-detailing?

Tele-detailing is an effective, flexible and efficient promotional tool. Tips and suggestions for selecting the right partner to provide tele-detailing services was the subject of a previous blog posting.

Please download a complimentary copy of our latest whitepaper, “Selecting the Right Call Center Partner: Tips for Success.” (http://bit.ly/pscallcenter)

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