I started working with Reckitt Benckiser (RB) when I was selected for the summer internship while I was studying at IIM (K). After my graduation I had no doubts that, if given a chance, I’d definitely join RB as a full-time employee. And as fate would have it, I did get my Pre-Placement Offer (PPO) from RB and I readily agreed to go back there and continue with the awesome work that I had done during my internship.

My first project with RB was ‘Clearasil’. I had never been a sales guy and I was quite new to it all. During one of my field visits when I was in sales, it was just amazing to see the salesmen feeling so passionate about their products. They actually believe in RB which results in a better performance. Their loyalty towards the brand was a lesson in itself for me.

It has been around 30 months now that I have been working with RB and I have not experienced a single boring day here. ‘Challenging’ is the word that describes this place perfectly. The whole environment is so charged that it always keeps you on your toes and you feel alive. This place is not for the kinds who are satisfied with just mediocrity; anyone working with RB knows that one can never take things for granted and  needs to keep up with its fast pace. This keeps the whole environment interesting and it never gets monotonous here.

At RB you feel like working NOT because someone asked you to do so but you actually feel like doing it. And that’s a great thing and keeps the level of job satisfaction at its peak. And well, from personal experience I would say that this place is just brilliant for anyone who is new in the industry. If they get this sort of an experience in their initial years, they’ll surely go places in the future.

Another thing I really love about RB is the work culture here, which is pretty chilled out. Regular parties keep happening; it is a kind of a reward for employees for all their efforts. And another big event which everyone just loves is the Annual Conference. This year it will be my third time there and I am really looking forward to meeting everyone.

Working with RB does not make you feel like you’re just doing a ‘job’. You actually feel like a part of the RB family. There are no strict dress-codes, everyone from different levels are treated equally. At the end of the day all these factors really do matter as it makes it easy for everyone to communicate with each other without any inhibitions. And communication is a really important part of the success of any organisation, and many, in fact, struggle to keep that streamlined.

In the end I’d say that working with RB has been great and I look forward to many more amazing years.

“Get comfortable being uncomfortable”.  A quote I was given while interning during my junior year of college.  Although I did not fully understand the true meaning of this quote, I quickly learned what it meant shortly after becoming a sales analyst at RB. 

Just when you think you’ve got a hold on a given system, report, database, etc. POOF! it changes!  A perfect example is our current integration to a new system from the traditional database we have used for consumer consumption and market share data.  During the six months I have held my analyst position, I have finally mastered the ins/outs of the current system, and aqcuired tips and tricks to help automate my multiple reports and tracking tools.  Needless to say I was feeling pretty good about my skill set and competencies, until the announcement came that we are switching to a new system (an alternative to the recent Scanning Data). 

Obvious feelings of uncomfortablility quickly arose, but were shortly put to rest once I learned that I will be receiving in depth training on the system.  By the end of January I will aqcuire the skills that are necessary to utilize the new systems and run the same reports I was accustomed to. 

In short, at RB, and most major CPG companies, once you are comfortable in the day to day responsibilities of your position, it is very likely that you’ll be challenged to go outside of your comfort zone to learn a new skill that will help you in optimizing your daily tasks, value to the company, and ultimately your career progression.  This is true with my experiences at RB thus far.  Once I grasped the core responsibilities and skills needed to succeed as a pharamaceutical sales representative, I transitioned to a retail sales representative.  As I became comfortable performing the tasks in that position and built solid relationships with my customers, I became a sales analyst, working in our NA headquarters. 

At RB you are constantly challenged to go outside of your comfort zone which ultimately improves your skill set, knowledge of the industry and overall competencies.  If you think you’ve got what it takes to be challenged on a daily basis, make decisions that impact millions of dollars in sales, and have a voice that is heard, then I invite you to join the RB team so you too can “get comfortable being uncomfortable”

Deborah  Wilkes is Editor & Publisher of OTC bulletin, the business newsletter for the consumer healthcare industry. Co-founder of OTC Publications Limited, which launched OTC bulletin in 1993.  Deborah is Chair of the Judging Panels for OTC Bulletin and OTC Marketing Awards, and is actively involved with industry bodies and is regular speaker at industry events.

Q: As an industry insider what keeps you fascinated by the OTC health sector?

From an international perspective, the steady flow of shifts in business strategy and the rapid pace of mergers and acquisitions in the consumer healthcare industry.

Q: What do you think are the biggest challenges facing the OTC sector today for eg:  the high street chemist/branded suppliers/overall?

One of the biggest challenges is forecasting how the difficult economic environment will affect the different product categories within the consumer healthcare sector.

Q: How do you think OTC retail is changing/may change in the next 5 years

Over the past few years, more OTC medicines have become available from supermarkets and other non-pharmacy retail outlets. This trend seems likely to continue over the next five years. Meanwhile, pharmacies may take a more proactive approach to their OTC business, as their prescription dispensing business comes under pressure.

Q: What do you see as the impact of online retailing on the sector?

Online retailing is becoming more important for OTC products, but the uptake varies considerably from one category to another.

Q: With the growth in online and multiples in the sector what do you see as the future for independent pharmacies?  What is their usp and what support do you believe manufacturers must offer them?

The future looks tough for independent pharmacies, but many are located close to doctors surgeries and have a steady flow of customers picking up prescriptions. A lot more could be done to encourage customers to buy more healthcare-related products while they are in independent pharmacies.

Q: How do you think branded suppliers can maintain their position against own label value developments? What advantages do brands have?

Building brand loyalty is very important. Some manufacturers have done a very good job of building loyalty to their OTC brands, but others could do more.

Q: What do you think are the main challenges in marketing OTC products?

Working within the regulatory constraints that apply to marketing campaigns for OTC medicines, and dealing with the increasing regulatory caution as regulators become more risk averse

Q: What advice would you give to someone planning a career in OTC marketing?

The marketing budgets may not be as big as for other consumer brands, but consumer healthcare – with its regulatory constraints – is a fascinating and challenging area of marketing.

Q: How important is innovation for brands and retailers in the sector?

One of the most important forms of innovation in the OTC market – switching – can create completely new OTC product categories by taking prescription medicines and making them available OTC from pharmacies. More generally, innovation keeps brands one step ahead of the competition and retailers own-label products. Many innovations in the consumer healthcare sector in recent years have focused on making OTC products easier for consumers to take or more portable for them to use anywhere.

Q:  How important are manufacturers in training and development of pharmacists and pharmacy assistants?

Manufacturers can play an extremely important role in training and development, particularly for independent pharmacies. When new OTC product categories are created by prescription medicines becoming available OTC from pharmacies, then it is absolutely critical for manufacturers to make sure pharmacy staff are fully prepared to handle consultations with customers.

Q: In your opinion, what makes a great marketer or account manager?

An inquisitive nature combined with an open mind.

Q: What is your view of RB UK as a player in your industry?

Good at building brand loyalty.

Q:  What is your favourite RB product, and why?

It is too hard to choose a favourite, but from RBs long-established portfolio, Lemsip comes to my rescue most winters.

Q:  What should be RBs next great product innovation?

A toilet cleaner that only has to be used once a year. RB would have lower sales volume, but the product could definitely command a premium price!

I never thought I would get to write that as a headline – but that’s exactly what happened in Chennai this month! Working in the scientific services group, one of our roles is to support claims, demonstrations and approve marketing communications for the brands we support. Demonstrations are a really powerful tool in communicating with our consumer. It’s easy to be sceptical about claims made in TV advertising, it’s a lot harder to disregard when you see it with your own eyes!

This month marketing organised a “Great stain-off” which included use of a 20foot cloth, lots of messy stains and numerous packs of Vanish! We invited residents to throw wine, iodine, ketchup, juices, tea and coffee at 4 targets on our 20ft cloth. 3 stains successfully within the target won residents a prize – I’m sure you can guess what that was !

After a messy hour, the yellow cloth was looking a bit worse for wear and it was definitely time to bring out the Vanish. Taking half the cloth for washing, residents looked on as Vanish got to work. Everyone was intrigued by the oxygen action you could see and had lots of burning questions. The Grande finale was revealed when washing was complete and the cloth was hung next to its messy counterpart.

I think the results speak for themselves!

Hi all!
I was thinking about what to write but thought… maybe it’ll be more interesting if I spin this around. Can I ask for thoughts from you readers out there for an upcoming project?



As I mentionned on my last post, I’m a sales executive for a Key Account in Brazil (which essentially means that I sell products to retailers and through that to consumers. One of our key customers is Carrefour). Although it seams like I’m an ordinary sales person who takes orders and negotiates volumes, my role in this channel is a little more complex as I’m also responsible for bringing new sale ideas to the table.

As the year 2012 approaches, there is a constant drive to innovate the way cleaning products are negotiated with the customer and in order to bring the weekly meetings to another level I must analyze the biggest opportunities for the year to come.

I’ve started a business plan for 2012, analyzing mostly what happened this year and the trend for next year. But the key objective is to impress the customer and show them what real opportunities they are lacking of which we could invest on come 2012.

Although many may believe the world will end in 2012, I’m forced to believe it won’t! Or that it will end…at least the way it will today just like any other day.

Anyways, that is way, on my business plan presentation, I’m creating an “Opportunity of a Lifetime” section, dedicated to projects we can/will develop next year that will guarantee both customer and RB success.

What I ask of from you readers out there are to give me some inspirations… what was made some of the most memorable brands that made a big hit in your country that I can apply in Brazil?

All ideas are welcome!!

Thank you!!!!