Account managers play an important role in facilitating pharmaceutical firms' relationship with key accounts. It is critical that account managers continue to meet customer needs and expectations in an evolving and complex managed care environment. HIRC's Best in Class Account Manager Insights report addresses the following questions:

• Which very large, large and mid-size firms' account managers receive the most best in class nominations?
• Which firms lead in best account manager nominations across health plan pharmacy directors, health plan medical directors, and pharmacy benefit manager executives?
• Which account manager attributes operationally define the best in class?

Key Finding: Panelists report higher importance of (1) responsiveness and follow-up, (2) product/disease state knowledge, and (3) effective management of the contracting process across best-in-class account manager nominations in 2021.

Account Managers from Merck are Most Frequently Nominated as Best-in-Class. HIRC queried 86 key decision-makers to learn which pharmaceutical firms' account managers are the best in meeting customer needs. Commercial health plan pharmacy and medical directors, as well as pharmacy benefit manager executives were asked to nominate the best account managers from very large, large, and mid-size pharmaceutical companies. Merck leads with the most best-in-class account manager nominations, followed by AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Johnson and Johnson HCS.

The full report provides a complete listing of best in class account manager nominations as well as the rationale behind the nominations.

Six Factor Categories Operationally Define Best in Class Account Managers. Managed markets customers were asked to explain their rationale for best account manager nominations. Analyses reveal that their evaluations fall within six key descriptive factor categories: (1) Relationship Management, (2) Knowledge, (3) Role Expectation, (4) General Impressions, (5) Conceptual Skills, and (6) Interpersonal & Social Skills.

The best account managers are often described as (1) having excellent responsiveness/follow-up, (2) demonstrating product and disease state knowledge, and (3) providing effective management of the contracting process (e.g., providing opportunities and/or contracting solutions/options).

Research Methodology and Report Availability. In December 2020 and January 2021, HIRC surveyed 86 decision makers from commercial health plans and pharmacy benefit managers. Online surveys and follow-up telephone interviews were used to gather information. The complete report, Best in Class Account Manager Insights, is available now to HIRC’s Best Programs and Best People subscribers at www.hirc.com.