Your brand is visible in pharmacies. The products are listed, the shelves are stocked and the sales campaigns are approved. But one key question remains: how often is your product actually recommended over the counter by the pharmacy and its team?
The pharmacy: a circuit in its own right, with its own codes and expectations
A dispensary is not just another point of sale. At the crossroads of health, advice and commerce, it has its own logic:
- A high level of regulation (advertising, claims, medical devices, etc.)
- A pharmacy team made up of health professionals who are sensitive to ethics and evidence
- A close relationship with patients
In this context, the right product is not enough. What triggers the sale is trust. And trust is built over time, through knowledge, understanding of the benefits, and dialogue.
Pharmaceutical delegate: role, missions, impact
The pharmaceutical representative is responsible for representing a brand or a laboratory to pharmacies. But their role goes far beyond simply acting as a sales intermediary. At Service Innovation Group FranceWe consider these profiles to be genuine field ambassadors. They carry the brand's DNA while adapting to local realities. This dual role requires specialised skills: empathy, product expertise, commercial acumen and the ability to adapt. Their aim is to transform a simple visit into an opportunity to develop a partnership for all stakeholders.
we consider these profiles to be genuine field ambassadors.
Its main tasks?
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- Product presentation (new products, existing ranges)
- Training pharmacy teams in product benefits
- Organise and monitor displays (POS, shelf-headers, promotions, cross-merchandising)
- Field reporting: breakdowns, feedback, objections, insights
- Encouraging brand preference at the counter
This last point is central. Because this is where the difference between a passive presence and a brand comes into play. proactive advice customer service.
Why pharmacy recommendations are changing the game
A study conducted by Pharma Industries shows that in more than 70 % of cases, the pharmacist's recommendation is the factor that triggers the purchase for non-prescription products (OTC, parapharmacy, food supplements, medical devices, etc.).
Professional advice acts as a filter. It reassures, guides and reinforces the perception of quality. Conversely, a product that is not well known or understood will have little chance of being spontaneously promoted, even if it is technically high-performance.
The pharmaceutical sales representative is one of the few levers with the power to positively influence this recommendation without excessive commercial bias, because it is part of a training and exchange logic. It is seen as a support for pharmacy practice, not as a pressure salesman.
A presence on the ground tailored to each type of pharmacy
Pharmacies do not form a homogenous whole. There are major differences between :
- City-centre pharmacies (high footfall, limited shelf space, less time for advice)
- Rural pharmacies (longer relationships, need for proximity, need for outreach support)
- Groups or chains (standards to be respected, centralised decision-making power, volume opportunities)
The pharmaceutical representatives trained by SIG know how to adapt their approach to these contexts. They work methodically, respecting the time available in the pharmacy, and are intelligent in their relationships.
You don't have to give advice!
A pharmacist or dispensing chemist recommends a product if :
- Understand the real benefits
- Can differentiate it from a competitor
- Feels comfortable explaining it at the counter
- Has confidence in the brand and in the laboratory's support
This is where support on the ground comes in. A simple referencing visit is not enough. What counts is continuity training, updates, responses to objections, presence at key events (launches, seasonal events).
A good delegate doesn't recite a product sheet. They creates the conditions for by the pharmacy team.
Feedback from the field with high strategic value
Each visit by a delegate is also a source of inspiration.valuable insights for brands. SIG structures this feedback into actionable reporting:
- Objections or obstacles to the recommendation
- Supply problems, shortages, layout errors
- Feedback from end customers provided by pharmacy teams
- Suggestions for improvement or range opportunities
This information enriches your product strategy, adjusts your marketing message and directs trade investments towards the most effective levers.
How Service Innovation Group France supports your pharmacy campaigns
We mobilise specialist teams trained in visiting pharmacies, with a tailor-made approach based on :
- Your sector (OTC, dermocosmetics, micronutrition, medical devices, etc.)
- Your objective (launch, campaign relaunch, increase in DN, loyalty, brand enhancement, etc.)
- The product life cycle
Assignments can combine :
- Site visit with digital reporting
- Layout, point-of-sale advertising, dramatisation
- Short training course in pharmacy
- Animation or sampling
- Follow-up via our distance selling
Each operation is managed by a dedicated project manager, with appropriate performance indicators (number of visits, recommendation rate, qualitative feedback, etc.).
What's next? Towards an expanded role for pharmaceutical representatives
Faced with the increasing complexity of the pharmacy environment, the job of pharmacy representative is changing. It is becoming more hybrid, more technical and more strategic. Brands now expect :
- Expertise in regulatory issues
- Skills in teaching and training
- The ability to forge lasting partnerships with incumbents
- Genuine market feedback
This business is becoming increasingly valuable. Brands that rely on high-quality pharmaceutical delegation are widening the gap with their competitors, particularly in the face of the arrival of international players and the digitalisation of the healthcare sector.
Human contact remains the decisive asset in a world where trust and expertise count for more than anything else.
Conclusion: recommendations are built on trust
The pharmacy is a place for advice before it is a place for sales. And that's why brands that invest in a regular, expert, human presence are so important, create a decisive competitive advantage.
The pharmaceutical sales representative is the armed wing of this strategy. They transform presence into recommendation, trust into loyalty, exchange into performance.
Are you looking to deploy an agile, credible and results-oriented pharmacy sales force?
Let's discuss your issues together!
