The day-to-day activities of modern Sales Reps are constantly changing and evolving, with one of the main influences being down to the development of new digital sales technology. The iPad and other electronic tablets have revolutionised other industries (think retail workers, front of house, receptionists etc.) and are now finding their way into the world of Medical Sales Reps.
Not only do these devices speed up the daily workings of Sales Reps but they are now replacing often bulky and cumbersome laptops which are often heavy to carry around all day. This has meant that many Reps switched to using their smart phones to access the internet etc. during meetings. But there is only so much that these devices are capable of doing and are often impractical for showing information to clients. To access information that only a laptop can process (Excel spreadsheets etc.) Reps have to take time out of their busy schedule to work from home, a coffee shop or their car.
The increased use of tablets not only allows Reps to expand on the current tasks they are using their smart phones for but also the opening and downloading of important documents such as sales numbers, backorder information, and PowerPoint spreadsheets. This information can now be accessed at any point during the day thanks to advancements in sales technology, rather than just in-between meetings or at the end of the day.
Top Pharma companies have purchased tens of thousands of iPads since the device launched in 2010 with apps now springing up designed specifically for Reps to use on their tablets throughout the day. Handshake is one such example of this - a mobile sales management and B2B eCommerce Solutions app which has already successfully eliminated paper order writing, reduced order processing costs and sped up the shipment of orders.
Electronic tablets are also super easy to use – instead of switching between a laptop, phone and a briefcase full of paper, Reps simply now have to swipe across their device and click to open an app to bring up all the information they require. The problem now is keeping these devices charged throughout the day – but with longer battery lives on the horizon and the capability to charge in-car (the place there Reps spend most of their time anyways) this shouldn’t become too much of an issue.
So what’s next for Sales Reps? Could they soon find themselves using Google Glasses to sell their products to health practitioners, or the iWatch to schedule appointments and track orders?