Problem Statement
Bob Marsh, a detailer at Cooper Pharmaceuticals Inc. was terminated from services, by the company. Bob Marsh was a respected detailer in his territory and had served for 12 years. Though his dismissal was initiated after much consideration from the management, it was not well received by the clients of CPI, who considered him efficient and effective. The President of CPI received letters and calls from displeased clients who wanted justification for Bob Marsh’s termination from service.
About CPI and the detailers
- CPI was a major manufacturer of prescription drugs for medical and dental drugs. Products were carried by drugs wholesalers and drug stores for resale to general public.
- CPI had a sales force of 500 detailers who called regularly on doctors, hospital professionals, and dentists, to promote drugs and make them prescribe. Each detailer was responsible for 200 physician and hospital accounts with an assigned geographical territory.
- Each detailer was a pharmacy graduate and had previous experience in retail drugstores.
- Every detailer received a formal performance appraisal from his district manager once a year. Informal evaluations happened through the year.
The reporting hierarchy was as follows:

Bob Marsh and CPI
- Bob Marsh was a pharmacy graduate, with experience in retail pharmacy. He was hired by John Meredith, the district manager at Toledo, in 1978. He was appointed at a new salary level of $35,000, below his earning potential.
- Meredith was initially impressed with Marsh’s qualities of aggressiveness, enthusiasm, learning ability, judgement, and character.
- However, after a few months, Meredith found him unorganised, unplanned and was sceptic of the company’s promotional programs.
- Despite these factors he was achieving his sales targets and the sales in his territory grew steadily.
- After weighing