Bridging the Gap

How the Internet is impacting the role of the Boston Scientific sales representative.

Ellie Martinez

December 15, 2005

Background

Boston Scientific is a worldwide developer,manufacturer, and marketer of medical devices.

Boston Scientific has a direct sales force

BostonScientific.com is the corporate web site

SalesSource is an internal sales-only resource site

Situation

BostonScientific.com is promoted directly to physicians

SalesSource is promoted to the sales representatives

The Gap

In 2004, Boston Scientific customer feedback indicated that sales representatives did not promote the corporate web site

Research Question

Is Boston Scientific’s corporate website a sales tool for its salesrepresentatives?

Method

Email survey sent to 822 US-based Boston Scientific sales representatives

Survey consisted of 25 questions Incentive offered: drawing for portable DVD players

Response

43% response rate

Total Responses 349

Sales Representatives

208

Sales Management

142

Online Use

Approximately how many hours do you spend on theInternet per week?

1-4 hours 30%

5-9 hours 39%

10-14 hours 22%

15 plus hours 9%

70% spend more than half their time online for work

Web Sites VisitedFor what purposes do you spend your time on the Internet?

0 100 200 300 400

General Health Sites

Other

Hospital Sites

Med Assoc Sites

Competitor Sites

BostonScientific.com

SalesSource90%

73%

50%

45%

33%

28%

15%

Use of Corporate Site

Have you referenced BostonScientific.com (or itsspecific content) to your customers?

77% have referenced BostonScientific.com to customers

57% have referenced it themselves prior to a sales call

Valuable Sites

050

100150

200250

300350

Bos

ton

Sci

entif

ic.c

om

Sal

esS

ourc

e

Med

ical

Ass

ocia

tion

Web

Site

s

Com

petit

itve

Web

Site

s

Pat

ient

/Gen

eral

Hea

lth W

ebS

ites

90% 95%

78% 78%

51%

On a 1-7 scale, respondent values >4

Significant Findings

Sales Representatives are spending more than half their time on the Internet for work related purposes

BostonScientific.com is the second most visited site for work purposes

BostonScientific.com is referenced by sales representatives prior to and during sales calls

BostonScientific.com is the second most valuable site for sales representatives

Conclusion

Is Boston Scientific’s corporate website a sales tool for its salesrepresentatives?

Yes

Recommendations

To increase use of BostonScientific.com: Promote BostonScientific.com to the

sales representatives Communicate the value proposition of

using BostonScientific.com

Future Research

Measure use and satisfaction of BostonScientific.com after recommendations have been completed

Further identify the effectiveness of BostonScientific.com to the sales process

Participate in any study of direct sales channels interacting with online sales channels

Thank You

Questions?