Financial chronicle: Pharma firms bring in app to track representatives
London
Medical representatives beware! Your pharma company can now keep track of its field staff constantly. A mobile application in the market will not only help locate the field staff, but provide the sales force access to the company database on the move.
IMImobile, a cloud-based mobile technology provider has developed a platform that helps pharma companies in their field force management.
“Pharma companies have a field force that is wide spread across different regions and it can vary from 500 to over 5000 according to the size of the company. With such a wide spread sales force, it becomes difficult to keep track of each and every individual manually. Tracking the field force and providing real time updates are key to increase productivity,” said Vishwanath Alluri, founder and executive chairman of IMImobile.
The new Android-linked application can track the geographical position of the sender using SMS. In case of phones without Android operating system, the sender can be located through the network of the operator.
“The field staff can place a sales order right from the premises of the physician over SMS and this will enable the company to locate the staff,” he said.
The field staff too can have real time access to the company’s database on doctors and products.
“The details and updates about the various products too can be accessed by the sales representative through mobile. Pharma companies usually have regular briefings and conferences for this purpose and we foresee at least part of it being replaced by mobile applications in the future,” Alluri said.
IMImobile also has developed similar applications for banks, government departments and schools.
IMImobile’s application for schools helps track schoolbuses through a SIM card installed in the mobile phone of the bus driver. This installed SIM card will reveal the exact location of the bus to ensure safety of the children.