The pharmaceutical industry is a highly regulated market, with a field force engaging with Health Care Professionals (HCPs) on a day-to-day basis. Medical Representatives (MRs) carefully construct call plans designed to maximize impact.
A call plan is a strategic activity designed to optimize efforts, reach specific targets, and achieve the company's objectives. It serves as a strategic blueprint that outlines which HCPs are targeted on specific days and time slots, with defined objectives.
Each MR is assigned a specific territory, and the call plan includes coverage of key HCPs within that territory. It also involves targeting specific products to be discussed during visits. Call plans also incorporate regulatory guidelines for interactions with HCPs.
Call Plan Deviations
A call plan deviation occurs when there is a difference between the planned sales activities and the actual execution of those activities by medical representatives. The key lies in frequency, reason, and monitoring of call deviations.
Unplanned Call Deviations
Unplanned call deviations may arise due to unforeseen circumstances, such as:
● HCP unavailability
● Sudden changes in priority
● Other urgent issues
Excessive or unmonitored deviations can signal inefficiencies, compliance issues, or strategic
misalignment with company goals.
Planned Call Deviations
These involve temporary changes to the call plan for specific reasons and limited time periods. They are often considered modifications rather than true deviations.
A call plan deviation is a red flag. Such deviations can significantly impact sales, resource allocation, and business strategy.
Impact on Sales Performance
Deviations from scheduled plans can:
● Neglect high-potential clients
● Miss sales opportunities
● Ultimately affect revenue
Focusing on low-priority accounts leads to inefficient use of valuable sales resources. Frequent deviations also make it difficult to retrieve data for sales forecasting and hinder the ability to predict future sales.
Impact on Strategy
Call plans are designed based on market analysis, customer segmentation, and strategic
goals. Deviations can:
● Lead to misalignment with the sales strategy
● Damage customer relationships over time
● Result in customer dissatisfaction and reduced sales
Importance of Tracking Call Plan Deviations
Understanding and tracking call plan deviations is essential not just for operational visibility, but also for ensuring that reps remain focused on the right targets, optimizing territory coverage, and maintaining regulatory accountability.
Monitoring Call Deviations
While it is not possible to completely eliminate call deviations, they can be monitored and minimized.
Analysis and Feedback Loop
Managers can:
● Analyze the reasons for call deviations
● Offer solutions to avoid or minimize them in the future
● Use feedback loops to refine future calls and address specific issues
Keacyte's Call Planning Module: Empowering Pharma Businesses
Plan, Perform, and Progress
Keacyte helps your sales team schedule and manage doctor visits effortlessly. Its calendar- based interface allows advance planning by month, year, and market area. Admins have control over deadlines with automatic locking to ensure accountability. The module offers flexibility to make changes until submission and can be used seamlessly, whether working solo or collaborating with a manager. Joint plans promote ownership and foster real-time mentorship in the field.
It automates approvals, tracks joint visits, and ensures seamless collaboration through Keacyte’s workflow engine. Customized reminders, escalations, and auto-approvals keep plans on track even when approvers are unavailable. There are no workflow bottlenecks, as the system handles approver leave, vacancies, or delays.
DCR entries are blocked until the plan is approved. In the absence of a workflow, the system approves plans instantly without delay. It provides a one-click plan report that helps managers and medical reps monitor performance and visit adherence.
GPS Tracking and Increased Accuracy
Keacyte automatically confirms the MR's location at the HCP’s site during the recorded visit time. This significantly enhances compliance and prevents false reporting. It also eliminates human error and intentional misreporting, allowing sales reps to focus on sales activities.
Smarter, Data-Driven Field Decisions
Keacyte helps derive powerful reports using:
● Call plan data
● Actual visit data
● Sales figures
● HCP profiles
Data-driven insights enable better allocation of MR time and marketing materials. Keacyte supports a highly transparent, efficient, and strategically aligned field force through automated data collection and advanced analytics.
Recognizing and Responding to Call Deviations
In the pharmaceutical industry, call plan deviations are not just about a change in schedule—they are critical indicators of inefficiency, strategic misalignment, and risks to company objectives and regulatory compliance.
Sometimes, call deviations are unplanned due to real-world dynamics such as doctor unavailability, emergencies, or shifting priorities. However, excessive or unmonitored deviations can misalign the sales strategy and compromise compliance. Effective monitoring and management of these deviations are paramount for a successful pharmaceutical sales operation.
Early recognition and response to call deviations help optimize sales rep performance and ensure adherence to regulatory compliance.
Managing a call plan is a strategic activity, and with AI solutions like Keacyte, the sales force is empowered with smart call planning—boosting sales efficiency, driving better business outcomes, and mitigating risks.