Who designs sales territories and sets targets for pharma reps in South Africa?
We design sales territories and set the targets reps carry for pharmaceutical companies in South Africa. Each target is built bottom-up from a territory's own transaction history, not last year plus a percentage. We have rebuilt 47 territories for a multinational pharmaceutical company, balancing rep workload against access to high-potential customers.
How are territories designed and targets set?
We design territories with Territory Optimisation and set targets with Target Setting and Incentive Design, two named services. Territory Optimisation analyses the current structure, maps customer potential, evaluates rep workload and redesigns the territories for balanced coverage. Target setting then fixes the number a rep carries on the territory. Each target is built bottom-up from what the territory’s accounts actually buy and prescribe and from the customer mix, calculated from real transaction history.
What does the work yield?
The work yields territories that balance rep workload against customer potential, and a view of which high-potential customers the current structure misses. Territory Optimisation runs from data receipt to an implementation roadmap.
For a multinational pharmaceutical company, we rebuilt 47 territories, balancing rep workload against access to high-potential customers. The detail is in the case study.
What do we need from you?
We need your customer list and your sales history. Territory design and target setting both calculate from them, and Territory Optimisation runs from data receipt. We also involve your reps in the transition where possible.
When is it not the right fit?
It is not the right fit while the customer list or sales history cannot be trusted. Analysis built on unreliable data cannot repair it, so the Commercial Data Management service, which builds and governs that foundation, is the place to start. It is also not the right first step if the cause of weak sales is not yet clear. Every Herbst Group partnership begins with DiaDoc™, a paid, fixed-scope examination, and it can conclude that no further engagement is warranted.
Frequently asked questions
How long does territory design take?
Territory Optimisation runs from data receipt to an implementation roadmap. We can move faster if urgency requires, but thorough analysis and change management take time.
How are sales targets set?
We build each territory's target bottom-up from what its accounts actually buy and prescribe and from the mix of customers in it, calculated from real transaction history, not last year plus a percentage.
Are territory design and target setting one service?
No. Territory Optimisation and Target Setting and Incentive Design are two separate, named services. Territory Optimisation makes the territory itself fair, and target setting sets the number a rep carries on it.
Will reps lose customers they have built relationships with?
Sometimes. Relationship preservation can conflict with optimal coverage, so we work through these trade-offs explicitly and involve reps in the transition where possible.
How often should territories be redesigned?
Major redesigns typically happen every 3 to 5 years or when significant market changes occur. We recommend annual reviews to catch drift and make minor adjustments.