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.

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!

Last week, I put the question to Reckitt Benckiser’s directors, managers and associates alike: “If you were to give one tip to candidates applying to RB, what would it be?” Three of the people below were assessors during my assessment day, so what they have to say to you all potential RBers out there will be really valuable!

If I look back to when I was going through the RB recruitment process, I think the best advice I would have given myself would have been to…

Be yourself! At the end of the day you don’t want to be working in an environment which doesn’t suit you. The culture at RB is very unique and our assessment process is about finding people who will excel in this environment. Think of it like a dating agency . It’s as much about finding what you want from a company as what a company wants from you.

Be an all-rounder. Yes you may have just studied science for 4 years, but RB is more than just that. We look for your business acumen, logic, negotiation skills, teamwork and so on. Be 3D!

Good Luck

Me (second left) with the RB crew!

Last Sunday I ran the City 2 Surf – a 14km run (for fun!) from the city of Sydney to the iconic Bondi Beach, which this year became the world’s largest run (85,000 people took part). I ran the whole way, reaching a personal best time of 77minutes. Why would I do such a thing you ask? Running gives me a sense of achievement. It is not just about how physically fit you are, but involves mental toughness as well. It is such a great feeling when you cross that finish line and know you have reached your goal.

The sport of long-distance running can be likened (metaphorically speaking) to a career at Reckitt Benckiser. Here is how our culture and values relates to the race.

1. Continuous fast-pace: Everyone talks about the speed at which things happen here at RB, and once you get into your new role you understand why. The talent, ambition & sheer hard work of the people here allow us to get across the line first, just like I did on Sunday (ok, maybe I didn’t quite come first, but I definitely crossed the line!)

2. Passion & Motivation: just as you need passion to push yourself up that hill, the same passion is required to push your ideas & projects even further

3. Strategy & Performance: it is all about timing your run perfectly – pace yourself in the beginning and finish strong. Others will start off fast, but you will catch them later as they run out of energy. At RB, our strategies focus on targeted growth & beating the competition

4. Uphill & Downhill: The most famous hill in the City 2 Surf is Heartbreak hill. The name says it all – 1km of heart-break & hill. This is by far the toughest part of the course, but you must keep on going because if you stop, you will lose time. Being a graduate at RB, I have at times felt just as overwhelmed as I did on that hill. The graduate program is designed on a steep learning curve, but the harder you push, the quicker you will learn and reach level ground once again

5. Mental (& physical) Toughness: there is no question that running is hard. The demands on your body and the continuous voice in your head telling you to stop, but you don’t, because you have trained hard & have faith that it can be done. At RB, we work in a fast and demanding environment – a lot is expected from you, however the results & rewards are well worth it! (For example, the brand I work on, Dettol, reached its highest ever share in Australia last week!)

6. Thinking outside the body (or square): during the race, you will feel pain. It is important to let your mind take over from your body & focus on the things around you – spectators, other runners, supporters, the scenery – all while staying on track to complete that goal. At RB, thinking outside the square is key to driving growth & achieving the results we do (think recent innovations like the Dettol No Touch Handwash System, which has contributed significantly to category growth since launch)

7. Achieving Goals: Running is all about achievement – that first kilometre, the top of that hill. Achievement also defines who we are at RB, so consider if you too want to aim high to achieve your goals.

8. Tangible Results: Our performance is measured by the tangible results we see – Net Revenue, market share, new products coming to life – all of which is just as rewarding as the time on that clock when I finished my run and the medal around my neck

I have knocked off 14km, but I am still not satisfied – 21km is my next goal, stay tuned to see how I go!

Welcome to Bondi Beach!

Last night we sent our summer interns off in true RB fashion.  As a “thank you” for all of their hard work, an event was planned at an amazing rooftop bar in the middle of New York City.  In hindsight, travelling into Manhattan during peak rush hour traffic may not have been the brightest idea, but it was worth the wait for the incredible panoramic view…and the shrimp tempura.  As the night progressed you could look in one direction and see the sun setting over the Hudson River and another to see the dim lighting reflect off of the NYC skyline.

This was a perfect example of the “work hard, play hard” culture that I’ve come to love here at RB.  It was nice to interact with a few VPs in a laid back setting, and meet some really cool interns from Marketing, Supply, and Finance.  About half way through the event, my new favorite game, “name tag swap” was created, and it was pretty entertaining to see who really remembered everyone’s names.   In all seriousness, I’d like to thank all of the interns for their hard work and I hope to see you all back at the office after graduation.

P.S. Checkout the link to Ink 48 Rooftop Bar