The product knowledgeable expert in a company
Introduction
Companies make products that need to be sold. Clients and products are of very diverse nature. Some companies have specialised in selling products for research performing, clinical diagnosis, or other technological and research related fields. Some of these products are of extreme complexity; other products are simple, but they can provide services to resolve complex problems. In any case, companies need specialists who can understand these products and complex problems, but most important, they can engage in conversation to researchers or specialised staff. These professionals are the Field Application Specialist (FAS); the experts of companies that can communicate with researchers and specialised staff, understand what they are doing, and explain them what their product can do for them.
Classically, FAS are in the so-called department of sales and have a strong role in the selling phase of a product. During the pre-selling of the product, they work very close to Key Account Managers, the professionals who visit institutions, hospitals, or other companies, to inform about their products, and identified interested potential clients. Whenever a researcher, a medical doctor, or a member of technical staff needs more information about a product, the Key Account Manager estimates the window of opportunity for selling. If this window is open, the FAS gets involved in the selling process. FAS also work hands in hand with Product Managers; the internal figure of the company that liaise with different departments to provide training to the Department of Sales, and make sure that products are ready to sell. Product managers also take care of transport, customer services at borders, montage, and maintenance of the company products before selling. In some companies, FAS and Product Manager are fused in one professional figure. Depending on the company, FAS also play a role in the post-selling process. Once the product is installed, the new users need training. In other occasions, they have questions about how to fine tune their protocols and pipelines to get out the most of their new pursued product. FAS provide this service too. Reputation and good post-client services are assets for companies.
Another important role that FAS play is to be a liaison between the clients and the company; after all, in meetings listening and understanding the client needs, FAS can obtain useful input that can improve the product and its selling. For example, addressing new targets, or just simply communicating better the added value of the product can serve as valuable input for the company. It is the role of FAS to communicate this input to the company.
The list of products that rely on FAS performance during pre-and post-selling is long and diverse: from microscopes and image devices, automatized high-through put devices for analysis, high tech computers and software, medical components or machines for diagnosis and sequencing among a long list. However, FAS need to specialise in products of a discipline or subdiscipline; as much knowledgeable is the FAS in one area and the product, the communication with potential clients will get deeper and richer. The number of products that a FAS is responsible for is determined mainly by the complexity of the products.
Practice case
Ready to get a taste of what the work of a field application specialist could look like?
Try the REBECA Practice Case for field application specialist. Remember, this practice case does not prepare you to become a field application specialist, it only aids you to better decide if this is your type of profession.
After completing the case, please do the reflection exercises; it will help you to clarify what you have experienced and take decisions about your career.
Requisites to perform this practice case
Basic knowledge of molecular biology.
Who are you?
You are a field application specialist working for a company that is specialised in reagents for detection of small biological molecules.
As a FAS, you need to know perfectly your product. This needs a comprehensive understanding of your product.
ACTION: Please read carefully all the documentation of your product (See user manual for the RNAscope™ Multiplex Fluorescent Reagent Kit v2, Document Number: UM 323100)
NOTE: To simplify this task, we have highlighted the essential information to perform this practices case. In real life, you would have to read it all and carefully.
You also need to know products that can be your competitors or understand non-commercial methods that your product can improve.
ACTION: Search for any other products in the market (market analysis) or non-commercial methods that serves a similar purpose (if any). Then, compare these alternatives to your product and make a list of the advantages your product offers
You’ve got a lead!!! The Key Account Manager has pinpointed a potential client, Dr. Rachel Lippert group, which is keen on incorporating your product into their research pipeline. The Key Account Manager has written in the database of your company the following data:
Dr. Rachel Lippert Lab
Samples: Mouse Central Nervous system.
Website: https://www.dife.de/en/research/neurocircuit-development-and-function/ndf-team/rachel-lippert/
Notes: “Research Institute equipped with adequate detection systems for product”, “Funding available”, “explore join purchase with collaborators due to close participation in a consortium/network”.
Now, it's essential to grasp how your product can enhance or streamline their research efforts.
ACTION: Please, read carefully the lab's website and their most recent publications to answer the following questions:
• What RNA detection methods are they currently using?
• How many RNAs from different genes can they identify in a single batch?
• What types of samples do they typically work with?
The Key Account Manager has set up a meeting, and you're invited because the researcher is expected to have technical queries. While you will engage in technical discussions with the researcher, remember that you are an integral part of the sales process. Your goal is to gain a better understanding of the client's needs and to emphasize how your product can address those needs. Honesty is paramount; be sure to set clear expectations. If your product cannot meet the client's requirements, be forthright. The company's reputation is a valuable asset.
ACTION: Write a list of open-questions for the first meeting to understand the client’s planned product usage.
The researcher is excited about your product and has suggested that you provide a seminar for other consortium members who could benefit from it. They might even consider sharing the product's cost. In addition to explaining the product's mechanics and its advantages over other products or non-commercial methods, you should tailor your message to align with their research and interests.
These are the members of the consortium who can be potential clients too: Dr. Sandra Jurado (Institute for Neurosciences CSIC-UMH, Alicante) https://www.juradolab.com/
ACTION: write down the key message that would resonate with their experiments and field. To identify these key messages, check the department members’ group websites and add your previous research on potential Rachel´s use of its product. Additionally, find a relevant paper in their field that supports your message.
NOTE: do not worry, presentation slides are provided by the Marketing department, so your expertise lies in selecting the most appropriate slides and aligning the message with the client's needs. You usually do not need to create them from the scratch.
NOTE: the performance of this talk is crucial to convince them about your product, so your communication skills will be working at its best in this task.
Your potential clients are highly impressed with your product, but they want to ensure that it works with their samples and their equipment can process them within the product's detection range. To prepare for the demo, you must have as much remote control over the sample preparation as possible to avoid any hiccups during the presentation. They've sent you the information of the samples they want to measure, but remember, this is a demo, not a full experiment.
ACTION: Write an email draft to the potential client to send them the protocol with the following information:
• emphasizing the critical steps of the protocol.
• a list of required equipment for processing and imaging
• a polite suggestion to lower the number of samples, if you suspect that they are trying to use the demo as an experiment.
Congratulations on a successful demo! Everything ran smoothly. After the demo, it's advisable to provide a brief report to the client, maintaining their engagement in the sales process. This document also will help them to internally justify the purchase of your product.
ACTION: Write a short report of the demo. This report should highlight the specific samples measured and underscore how the product benefits their needs and surpasses their current methods.
Before the Key Account Manager closes the sale, he would like you to initiate a conversation with the client by offering technical feedback. You can add on to this conversation, answering a question to a researcher you couldn't answer at the demo time. The researcher asked about the number of rounds of multiplex achieved using the product. Now, you can confidently respond to their query by referencing the paper provided. With the technical discussion successfully initiated, the Key Account Manager can proceed to close the sale.
OPTIONAL ACTION: Chek this publication to be able to answer this question and get the reference to back up your answer.
The Key Account Manager closed the selling. Good job!!
While reviewing your notes, you noticed that the client made a question about if there would be any problem with the protocol or signal detection if the steps to develop the fluorescent signal of probes-C2 and probe-C3 were performed in the wrong order (i.e. steps for probe-C3 before probe-C2)
The answer is no, and it is something this is not stated in the protocol and could safe worries and prompt disposal of assays. Your feedback can contribute to improving the product and overall customer satisfaction.
ACTION: To address this, draft an email to the product manager, reporting the client's concern and proposing a potential solution to enhance the clarity and effectiveness of the protocol.
Acknowledgments
This practice case has been created thanks to the input of three field application specialists:
- Enrique Fernández Sánchez. Izasa Scientific. Spain
- Tomás de Garay, Product Manager. Refeyn. UK
- Sergio García Fauro. Clinical Sales Specialist. Bayer Hispania SL. Spain
Guided reflection
After this experience, we suggest you reflect on the following questions:
- Did you find the practice case easy or difficult to accomplish?
- What was the most engaging task for you? Was it difficult or easy?
- What was the most challenging task for you? Did you enjoy performing it? Would you see yourself getting better at it?
- Have you found something new about this profession? What was it? Did it surprise you? Did you like it or dislike it?
- Do you feel like contacting a scientific journalist in your network and research a little bit about the profession? Where would you find it?
Further information
Disclaimer for resources and links: The authors are not responsible or liable for the content under these references and links. These have merely been used as inspirations while developing this use case.