Effective Pharma KAM Teams: Challenges and solutions from the front line (2016)

The essentials for getting your KAM strategy right

There are many factors currently affecting KAM initiatives - lack of buy-in from internal stakeholders, poorly understood customer needs and an inability to creatively build long-term sustainable relationships with buyers and prescribers. With KAM being applied widely, what are the key research, staff, management and communication touch points that will really deliver customer value and give you a profitable voice in the market?


Effective Pharma KAM Teams: Challenges and Solutions from the front line shines a spotlight on the challenges facing KAM in 2016 and presents practical solutions for improvement. Learn from leading experts about how companies such as Leo, Genentech and Pfizer (see who they are) learnt what works and what pitfalls to avoid.

“We have to ensure that the planning actually has identified true customer needs, not something we've jury-rigged to say you need…”


Answering key questions:


The right people for the right job: Too often KAMs are rebadged sales reps. Good people with the wrong skills. What are the essential KAM skills and how can you get it right when recruiting?
Real collaboration: Understanding customer needs is critical for successful KAM. How can KAMs prepare with robust research to ensure successful engagement?


Internal buy-in: KAM will fail if there is not widespread buy in from internal stakeholders. What can KAM professionals do to ensure their colleagues are their side?
Cross-function or dysfunction? What can KAMs do to ensure the business initiatives are fully supported by cross functional teams?
Training for excellence: What role can training play in refining and improving KAM skills and how can outside providers help?
Incentives: How can you incentivise KAMs and what are the key motivators that drive success? Is it possible to create broader KAM buy-in through incentives for other functions?
Incentives: How can you incentivise KAMs and what are the key motivators that drive success? Is it possible to create broader KAM buy-in through incentives for other functions?


With this report you will be able to:


Understand the fundamental requirements for a successful KAM programme
Ensure you have the right people with the right skills in the right role
Understand how research and customer needs assessments can bring advantage even before the first call is made
Ensure buy-in to KAM from colleagues in marketing, sales, medical and market access
Know the drivers and incentives that will get the best out of your KAM team
Identify when and where KAM will be most effective and avoid wasting time and money in less productive areas

Key Topics explored

Good reps make bad KAMs. True or false? KAM is about creative business planning, strategic thinking, alliance building and clear stakeholder communication –skills that can be found inside and outside the pharma industry.
KAM is not a short term solution for sales downturn – it’s about building long-term and sustainable relationships based on customer need, value and benefit
Understanding customer needs is about listening and research and then creating a solution that works for the customer. Pre-packaged solutions created to meet assumed needs will not work.
If senior company leadership does not actively support KAM it will always be a marginalised effort struggling for support and resource
KAM has both internal and external stakeholders – and needs to communicate effectively with both
Money, training and prestige – what drives and motivates successful KAMs?



Expert Contributors

Heléna Bargiel, Head of Global Field Force Excellence, Global Patient

Solutions and Strategic Marketing, LEO Pharma
Ashok Bhaseen, President of Thyroid Federation International; former Vice President of Marketing and Sales at Pediapharm
David Hennessy, National Sales Director, Genentech
Robert Perry, Former Strategic Account Manager, Zoetis
Matt Pitzel, Managing Partner at Kamelon Partners; former head of Pfizer’s

Account Management Organisation
Matt Portch, Former North America Global Innovative Pharmaceuticals, Team

Lead, Commercial Effectiveness, Pfizer
Viv Rees, Performance Director at Ashfield Insights & Performance; former

Learning and Development Manager, Lundbeck U.K
Adam Wood, Manager Australia Operations STEM; former Head of Training and

Sales Excellence, Global Commercial Operations at Bayer Pharmaceuticals