A myth long believed at pharma companies --as well as at other companies -- is that by by hiring more salespeople you can proportionately increase sales without limit. Want to double sales? Hire twice as many sales people.

Unfortunately, it doesn't work. Everyone knows that pharma sales reps are less effective than they used to be (see "A Crisis in Professional Detailing"). The increase in the number of sales calls is not proportionate to the increase in number of sales reps. Although the pharmaceutical sales force has doubled between 1995 and 2000, the number of audited calls has only increased by 10%. Realistically, reps average only 2 quality details per day (quality details includes discussion of features, benefits, and data). The reps have less time per call, are only able to deliver incomplete messages, and aren’t able to really differentiate their product from the competition’s.

Pharma companies should have taken a lesson from the classic book "Mythical Man Month," which explained why throwing more people at a problem often makes the problem worse.

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