Running Out of Bandwidth

As I talk to many biopharma/medical device training directors, a common theme emerges over and over again.

Everyone’s out of bandwidth.

Headcount reductions in the training department have been a regular feature for the past few years in most companies. But somehow, the number of regular tasks and new initiatives doesn’t seem to go down. Only up.

I hear a lot of stressed voices.

Since I work a lot with vendor recommendations, outsourcing comes up frequently – but how do you outsource major training functions? We’re used to outsourcing the development (and/or delivery) of some specific training programs – but will we need to go further because of the chronic need for more bandwidth?

What do you think?

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Why Every Training Department Needs a Vendor Map

A few months ago, I introduced the first-ever comprehensive Vendor Map for biopharma training departments (see this blog post – if you don’t have a copy yet, let me know and I’ll forward the file to you).

I’ve talked to many of my pharmaceutical clients about their vendor landscape, and here are the major reasons why we’ve concluded that it’s really, really important to create a company-specific Vendor Map:

1. Regular turnover in the training dept. – which means that a lot of knowledge about particular vendors (and their performance) is never captured for future reference.
2. Lack of communication across the dept. – leading to a lack of understanding of which vendors are good (or not so good) for which projects.
3. Unclear understanding of vendor sweet spots – good vendors (for one type of project) are often given work for something that isn’t in their strike zone, because vendors have not been properly categorized by their strengths.
4. Rushed decisions on projects – so often an ad-hoc list of potential vendors is drawn up in light of an impending project, instead of having a well-thought-out grid prepared in advance.
5. Confusing vendor claims about being able to do it all – ummm, no. A pro-active approach to drawing up a vendor map helps bring discernment to the process of vendor selection.

In light of this need, Impactiviti now offers a low-cost annual subscription service that includes creating (and maintaining) your Vendor Map; intelligently categorizing your suppliers; recommending new potential partners; and customizing a standardized process (including templates) for your vendor needs. Contact us (stevew at impactiviti dot com) to discuss how we can work together to improve and streamline your outsource vendor selection process.

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Friday Notes 3_8_13

– I attended a mid-NJ ASTD session this week on Compliance (kindly hosted by the folks at J&J) – interestingly enough, a discussion I’ve had recently with several involves the role of communications/writing training and compliance. How important is it for people to be trained in what to write/say/present (even just internally)? Well, I heard about a massive, multi-million $$ fine that mainly hinged on a very poorly worded e-mail about some study results. We’ve all read the embarrassing revelations of written stuff (all discoverable in a lawsuit) that really puts a company in a bad light. Lesson: you can pay a little now to train – or pay a lot later to implement a consent decree.

– Making a vendor map – this idea was sparked by a couple of my clients, who have more systematically assembled a list of current vendors, and asked for recommendations of new vendors. This made it immensely easy for me to know precisely which new suppliers would be optimal, AND it was a great way for the department to map out an overview of their current suppliers for discussion and evaluation. So I adapted the idea into a new form which is available by free download: Training Vendor Map Impactiviti. Feel free to adapt and use it, and if you’d like to have a visit (live or by phone) to discuss your upcoming needs, just contact me and we’ll set it up (stevew at impactiviti dot com)

– A couple new job postings, in PA (Manager, Sales Training) and NJ (Associate Sales Training Manager).

– What’s the great un-equalizer when it comes to creating success? Initiative.

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Lining up for the Kickoff

In order to have the most effective roadmap for successful vendor and project management, I advocate for a structured kickoff meeting with all stakeholders in place (that is, those with financial, business, or procedural skin in the game).

There’s nothing worse than getting partway through a project, then having it derailed by some stakeholder who suddenly decides that a bunch of previously-unspecified changes are in order (see my recent “Dear Client…” blog post).

The question below came to me via private message, and it’s a good one. It mirrors a concern I’ve heard voiced during my Vendor/Project Success workshop:

“I love the concept of having all the important stakeholders involved early on in the development process. Sometimes though it’s like herding cats. What are your thoughts on implementing this strategy?”

I certainly don’t have all the answers to this. But I’m sure that some of you have learned a few tricks and best practices for lining up the players and getting a good kickoff. How would you answer this question? Please share in the comments – lots of folks would love to learn from you!

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Impactiviti is the Pharmaceutical Connection Agency. As the eHarmony of sales/training/marketing, we help our pharma/biotech clients find optimal outsource vendors through our unique trusted referral network. Need something? Ask Steve.

Learn more about us here.

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