Mémoire-projet

Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) remains a major public health challenge, and the Belgian market for intra articular therapies is both concentrated and highly competitive. Within this context, KiOmed Pharma, a Belgian SME commercialising KioMedinevsone, an innovative second-line intra articular solution, faces the twin constraints of limited field resources and stringent regulation. This thesis examines how data-driven Sales Force Effectiveness (SFE) can be designed and operationalised to improve commercial performance under such conditions. Adopting a qualitative, exploratory approach complemented by descriptive quantitative analysis, the study integrates internal CRM records (EASI SmartSales), consolidated distributor data (Cophana) and external market intelligence (notably GERS). It develops a pragmatic SFE framework and an operational dashboard, the “Master File” (Excel), iterated through five versions (V1–V5) between January and May 2025 and used by the Sales Manager for monthly one-to-one reviews. The KPI set is deliberately selective and action oriented: Coverage Rate, Average Visit Frequency, Channel Mix, Initial Adoption Rate, Repeat Prescriber Rate, Time-to-First-Order, and Pareto (80/20) Contribution. The initial diagnostic surfaced three systemic constraints: uneven customer-data quality and governance; incomplete, under-used segmentation of HCPs; and inconsistent logging of field activity. The pilot phase improved report clarity, reinforced alignment with managerial priorities (focus on high-value HCPs), and measurably increased CRM completion rates per portfolio, while also exposing trade-offs between usability and automation (Excel adoption vs. Power BI resistance). Limitations include a Belgian-only scope, heterogeneous data quality, manual update workload, and the absence of formal interviews. The thesis contributes a replicable, SME-sized SFE methodology that links field effort to decision-ready indicators, formalises a cadence of managerial reviews, and sets out short-, medium- and long-term recommendations (partial automation, data governance, upskilling, CRM–distributor interfacing, and international replication with local adaptation). More broadly, it shows that rigorous, data-driven steering is feasible, and valuable, for innovative pharmaceutical SMEs, even under resource constraints. Keywords: Sales Force Effectiveness; osteoarthritis; intra-articular injections; SME; CRM; dashboards; KPIs; omnichannel; Belgium; KioMedinevsone.