Ethics and Medical Representatives- part 5

RELATIONSHIP WITH COLLEGUES

Sexual harassment

It includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, jokes or graffiti, and physical conduct. Harassment is not confined to requests for sexual favors in exchange for job considerations such as a raise or promotion; simply creating a hostile work environment can be considered sexual harassment. Some actions that are considered sexual harassment are engaging in suggestive behavior, treating people differently because they are male or female, making lewd sexual comments and gestures, joking that has a sexual content, showing obscene photographs, staring at a co-worker in a suggestive manner, alleging that an employee got rewards by engaging in sexual acts, and spreading rumors about a person’s sexual conduct.

Customers as well as co-workers can sexually harass salespeople. Salespeople are particularly vulnerable to harassment from important customers who may seek sexual favors in exchange for their business. Following are some suggestions for dealing with sexual harassment from customers:

 • Don’t become so dependent on one customer that you would consider compromising your principles to retain the customer’s business. Develop a large base of customers and prospects to minimize the importance of one customer.

• Tell the harasser in person or write a letter stating that the behavior is offensive, is unacceptable, and must be stopped. Clearly indicate that you are in control and will not be passive.

• Utilize the sexual harassment policies of your firm and your customer’s firm to resolve problems. These policies typically state the procedure for filing a complaint, the person responsible for investigating the complaint, the time frame for completing the investigation, and the means by which the parties will be informed about the resolution.

Taking advantage of other medical representatives

Salespeople can behave unethically when they are too aggressive in pursuing their own goals at the expense of their colleagues. For example, it is unethical to fail to relay a customer’s phone message to another salesperson or to make critical comments about a colleague to one’s boss. Colleagues usually discover such unethical behavior and return the lack of support.

RELATIONSHIP WITH COMPETITORS

 Making false claims about competitors’ products /drugs or sabotaging their efforts is clearly unethical and often illegal. For example, a medical representative who rearranges the display of a competitor’s products to make it less appealing is being unethical. This type of behavior can backfire. When customers/doctors detect these practices, the reputation of the salespeople and their companies may be permanently damaged.

Another questionable tactic is criticizing a competitor’s products or policies. Although you may be tempted to say negative things about a competitor, this approach usually does not work. Customers/doctors will assume you are biased toward your own company and its products and discount negative comments you make about the competition. Some customers may even be offended. If they have bought the competitor’s products in the past, they may regard these comments as a criticism of their judgment.
So, I think now you have understood the importance of role of ethical conduct with the customers, company,colleagues etc in the professional life of the medical representatives , the pharmaceutical sales people. All these things which I mentioned are applicable to general category of sales people as well. As medical representatives are also related to the pharmaceutical industry, this topic is relevant to a great extent..Please post your comments up on these blogs..