How to Measure the Effectiveness of Your Route: A Practical Guide for Smarter Pharma Sales Routing

Most pharma reps spend time planning their weekly route — but fewer take the time to measure whether that route is actually working.

And in today’s environment, where access changes quickly and time with providers is more limited than ever, analyzing your route is no longer optional. It’s part of becoming a high-performing, strategic rep.

The most successful reps know this:

Pharma sales routing isn’t just about where you go — it’s about what those miles produce.

Here’s how to evaluate your route’s effectiveness and refine it to maximize impact, efficiency, and territory growth.

🎯 Step 1: Define What “Effective Routing” Actually Means in Pharma Sales Routing

Before measuring your route, you need a clear definition of success.

In pharma sales routing, an effective route achieves three core goals:

1. Strong Coverage

You consistently see the right accounts — Tier A, B, and C — at the right cadence.

2. High Efficiency

Drive time stays low, while call time stays high.

3. Real Impact

Your visits lead to meaningful discussions, appropriate follow-ups, and business movement.

If a route doesn’t support all three, it’s not optimized.

📅 Step 2: Review Your Account Coverage

Coverage is the fastest way to identify weak spots in your routing plan.

Ask yourself:

• Have I seen my Tier A accounts within the expected timeframe?

• Which offices haven’t I visited in the last 4–6 weeks?

• Am I unintentionally over-servicing convenient or “easy access” accounts?

• Are my visits aligned with my territory goals?

Coverage patterns reveal whether your pharma sales routing is strategic or reactive.

Pro Tip:

Create a monthly coverage snapshot (even a simple list). You’ll immediately spot imbalance.

🚗 Step 3: Analyze Drive Time vs. Call Time

One of the clearest signs of ineffective routing?

More time behind the wheel than inside offices.

Track:

• Average daily drive time

• Time between scheduled calls

• How often sequencing issues cause rushed or missed visits

• Whether you’re backtracking across your territory

When your drive-time ratio is too high, your routing structure — clusters, sequencing, planning — needs refinement.

💬 Step 4: Evaluate Call Quality (Not Just Quantity)

Activity volume is essential, but quality is what drives business.

Review your recent calls:

• Were you prepared and on time?

• Did the conversation move the business forward?

• Were you following up with purpose?

• Did your route help you be present — or push you into rushing?

High-quality calls are a major indicator that your pharma sales routing is working.

📈 Step 5: Compare Results to Your Activity

At the end of the day, your route should support measurable progress.

Analyze:

• Prescription or product movement

• Improved reach and frequency

• Increased engagement from key providers

• Better access or more consistent visits

• New opportunities uncovered

When route effectiveness aligns with business outcomes, you know your routing strategy is on the right track.

🔄 Step 6: Make Adjustments Every Few Weeks

Effective pharma sales routing is never “set it and forget it.”

Every 2–4 weeks:

• Review coverage gaps

• Re-prioritize target accounts

• Tighten clusters

• Update access changes

• Reassess sequencing

• Add new follow-ups

Small adjustments can create major gains in efficiency and performance.

💡 Example: How Measuring Route Effectiveness Improved Results

One rep recently analyzed his six-week routing data and noticed something surprising:

• 60% of his calls came from the same two medical groups

• Several Tier A opportunities hadn’t been visited in over a month

• His drive time was high, and call sequencing was inconsistent

After rebalancing his route and tightening clusters, he saw:

• +18% more Tier A interactions

• Less drive time

• 2 additional calls/day

• Better traction heading into the next quarter

This improvement came not from working harder — but from measuring and refining his pharma sales routing.

🧭 Final Thought

If you want to elevate your performance in the field, start by analyzing the path you take every day.

When you measure your route consistently, you:

✅ Identify inefficiencies

✅ Improve territory coverage

✅ Strengthen provider relationships

✅ Reduce wasted miles

✅ Increase meaningful call volume

✅ Align activity with business outcomes

Because in pharma sales routing, effectiveness isn’t about how far you drive — it’s about how strategically you move.