Question

Designing Effective Sales Training at Harrison Pharmaceuticals Harrison Pharmaceuticals released a revolutionary new cancer drug with the potential to change the entire health landscape. With the need to promote the drug in new and existing territories, it had to increase its sales staff and train on all aspects of the drug's efficacy. Because of industry regulations, the company designed a blended learning program with all the information sales reps would need to explain the drug to all customers, from prescribing clinicians to pharmacists. It featured more than 100 hours of videos including doctor interviews, 2,000 pages of text about in-depth trial results, and an intensive three-day classroom training component. The training program included everything sales reps needed to know. Unfortunately, three months after completing the training program, many sales reps were not competent in their territories and could not answer doctors' questions adequately. One problem with the program was that the sales reps had to learn too much highly technical information. But to be competent, they had to learn all of the information. What are your recommendations for how the program could be redesigned to help the sales reps recall what they had learned? Provide your recommendations and explain why you believe they will help the sales reps improve their effectiveness.

Answer 1

Improving Harrison Pharmaceuticals' sales training program could involve microlearning strategies, interactive learning experiences, and regular refresher courses, all designed to enhance engagement, retention, and application of information.

Step-by-step explanation:

Redesigning Sales Training Programs for Improved Recall and Competence

For Harrison Pharmaceuticals to improve the effectiveness of its sales training program, particularly in ensuring sales reps retain and effectively use the information learned, several key changes could be implemented. First, rather than overwhelming sales reps with 100 hours of video and 2000 pages of text, the material could be broken down into more digestible modules, with a focus on the most critical information for discussions with healthcare professionals. Microlearning strategies, which involve short, focused learning sessions, could help reps learn and retain information better.

Next, incorporating interactive learning experiences, such as role-playing exercises and simulations, can increase engagement and help reps practice real-world application of the knowledge. These interactive sessions should be spaced over time to take advantage of the spacing effect, which shows that learning is more durable when sessions are spread out.

Finally, regular refresher courses could be introduced to reinforce learning. Frequent assessments and feedback sessions can help identify knowledge gaps and correct misunderstandings promptly. This continuous learning approach can lead to higher competence in the actual work environment.