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First week in the field after Hurricane Maria
Hope this finds you well!
On behalf of the Puerto Rico Team, I want to express our deepest thanks for your support during this difficult time. I cannot thank you enough, nor express in words our gratitude. Each member of the team has been touched by your care and generosity (from the Animal Health Crisis Management Initiative, to the flight arrangements for the team). Tears of appreciation have been the common denominator amongst the team.
Steaphan BORT (Head of Animal Health of the Caribbean) is the third from right to left.
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We are not giving BI one percent of effort each day, but our best (>500%)! It is a big, complicated project to re-build a business with all possible obstacles and barriers you can imagine (i.e. challenging communications; limited to inexistent internet service; no systems to report the sales data, limited telephone communication, no electricity, long lines for everything, huge traffic jams, amongst others). It is indeed a hard job, but we have something at our side that is the most important thing of all; we are alive, healthy and we work for the best company of all. There are so many things we can’t control (e.g. lack of electricity, poor or no communication systems, etc.), but we’ll focus on the things that we can control (our attitude, our commitment, our efforts, our AAI behaviors, our passion, our sense of urgency, our strength, our knowledge, delivering an assertive message, adding value to our customers, looking for opportunities, etc.).
The first day of the second week after Hurricane Maria devastated our Island, we went out to the field to assess our territories. It was a decision that involved risk taking because of the situation we were living at the time (no means of communication to contact our customers’ offices, but in-person visits with limited amount of gas for our cars; blocked streets, etc.). We were uncertain on what we were going to encounter, but we had a purpose and we were determined to do our job. Your leadership and support inspired us to do what it needed to be done. Soon after we decided to assess our territories, important endocrinologists started communicating with us asking for help. It was on a Saturday when we received our first request for help from a Diabetes Clinic that was built by 5 of our top endocrinologists, and we were happy to be able to help. Manuel and Tere went there and supplied them with samples. That first interaction was a sign; we had made the right decision. Below you will find two pictures; the first picture was taken that first Saturday at the Diabetes Clinic at the Municipal Hospital (look at those smiles in a time of crisis). The second picture was taken that first Monday on the field (by Miguel Tarazona) with the famous lunch boxes (third image) that added so much value to those interactions.
There is so, so much need! We have to show our customers that we are there in the good and in the bad times for the wellbeing of their patients. We have the best products, and in a time of no electricity (many insulins were decommissioned since they need refrigeration), our products may be indeed a great option. This message (highlighting the fact that our medication does not require refrigeration in addition to all the benefits that make them unique) has been so well received, that a medical Director from Castellana (our top account- MMM) sent a text to all the Medical Directors of the group recommending them to ask their physicians to prescribe Glyxambi for patients that have no insulin left . He even showed the text to our representative Ivette Perez. We just had a win of Glyxambi that was added to MMM formulary on September 1st.
During that first week in the field we were able to impact 94 MDs. It was not much, but the added value and impact of those interactions will last forever. Many Drs applauded when they saw our representatives. One of my representatives drove 2.5 hrs, and when he got to the pulmonologists’ office, the Dr said that the Glaxo representative lives next to that office and did not show up. He added how impressed he was about the fact that ours, was the first representative to visit them despite the fact that he lives so far away. They were very thankful for his visit. Doctors that were not too receptive to pharma before, were now all smiles when they saw our representatives. It is a different dynamic and a great opportunity to develop and fortify our relationship with our doctors. We just need to be brave, strong and smart enough to embrace this beautiful opportunity. Based on all these fulfilling experiences during the most challenging week of our entire career, we validated that our decision on returning to the field so early, after such a catastrophic event, was indeed a Smart Risk. We decided not to give up, but to be part of the solution. We can’t just wait or wish for things to go back to normal. We need to work towards a greater, bigger goal: “a better than normal future” (if it makes sense :) ). We need to be strong, “stronger than any hurricane!
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We were the first pharmaceutical company supporting our customers on the field. I asked the reps to be prepared to deliver breakfast, lunches and water to support our customers that were and still are working under extreme, harsh conditions. We were lucky enough to find catering companies that were in business and accepted Master Cards to provide well-coordinated and impactful interactions. Edgardo Grajales was simultaneously visiting our key accounts (MCS, MMM, SSS, Abarca (First Medical), etc.) with the same approach. The result to this effort: satisfied customers expressing gratefulness and praising BI’s commitment with its clients. They also noticed that we were the first company to be there for them. Abarca (an important PBM that controls top medical plans as First Medical, SSS Medicare, among others), mentioned to Gary that they will be supporting a community of great necessity with a community service. Gary immediately offered his support and contacted one of our representatives (Maria Puras) that is part of a non-profit organization that is providing 4,000 hot meals daily for people in great need (at no cost). Gary was able to request 300 meals (at no cost) to support this initiative. They were there and Abarca’s feedback was that they’ve requested support from other pharmaceutical companies and we were the only one that responded; they will never forget our effort. This week our competitors are out there in the field but we were there FIRST, at the very beginning, not looking for recognition, but trying to help.
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In addition to visiting our customers, we thought about the Home of Battered Children that we supported back in June for the BI Day of Caring. They were in great need of water. The team started to look for ways to help, and we were able to get the help they needed. A truck full of essential goods (water, food, pampers, etc) arrived at their facility.
So many things have been accomplished only in a week, despite all the limitations. There is still no electricity, but we bring a different type of light that is needed in a time of crisis. We can’t control that sales data will not show up until electricity and internet is re-established, but we can control our commitment to improve patients’ health and our commitment to bring the greatest customer experience EVER! This is our business and we are here to defend it, to protect it and to keep it growing!
Puerto Rico is facing a reality check: vulnerability to government decisions and to acts of nature. But, PR is well prepared to face this additional test with the strength that characterizes our people. Our economy will get stronger because our private sector and our governmental leaders are fully committed. Our power infrastructure will be renovated to a modern competitive one, forced by this tragic event. Our future is brighter today than before the hurricane.
“Do not pretend that things will change if we always do the same. The crisis is the best blessing that can happen to people and countries, because the crisis brings progress. Creativity is born from the distress, as the day is born from the dark night. It is in crisis that invention, discovery and large strategies are born. Whoever overcomes crisis, outdoes himself without being overcome.
Who attributes their failures to the crisis and neglects, violent his own talent and gives most respect to the problems rather than solutions. The real crisis is the crisis of incompetence. The drawback of people and countries is laziness to find solutions to their problems. Without crisis there are no challenges, without challenges life is a routine, a slow agony. Without crisis there is no merit. It is in the crises where the best of each other rise up, without crises any wind is caress. Talking of crisis is to promote it, and silent in the crisis is to exalt conformity. Instead of that, work hard. Get it over with the only crises threatening, that is the tragedy of not wanting to fight for it. ”
-Albert Einstein.
Best Regards,
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| Meryam Plaza, RPh., Pharm D.
Hybrid Therapeutic Business Manager of Puerto Rico
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
P: 877-933-4310 ext 91718 :: C: 787-248-0424
email: Meryam Plaza |
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