Thought you couldn't support a sales team on two drugs?

That was the excuse they gave the Summit team when they let them go.

 

Two LOSER drugs like Alvesco and Xopenex HFA!

 

That's one of the things I've been wondering about myself -- they just laid off a whole sales team because they said that team was not bringing in enough revenue (promoting Alvesco and Xopenex HFA) to sustain their continued employment. Okay. So they gave those two drugs to another team that already had Omnaris. Now, we are being told this sales team can't promote Omnaris for the next 3 or 6 months, which means the only drugs this particular sales force will be promoting are those two revenue-deficient drugs that got the other sales team let go. Huh??!?!!!!

Is Sunovion executive management prepared to "carry" this sales team for the next 3-6 months when they didn't even have the simple decency and human compassion to delay the letting go of the Summit team for two weeks so they didn't have to lay off those people 9 DAYS before Christmas??????

Don't get me wrong, I'm not wishing anything bad for my Omnaris/Alvesco/Xopenex colleagues, but fair is fair. Treat everyone equally.

I have never seen such uninnovative, ruthless and piss-poor management at any company in any industry like I see going on at Sunovion since Adrian A. opened the floodgates to all of those failed, Novartis rejects. I'm actually surporised the Japanese bought this company with such an incompetent, baggage-laden executive management team. Didn't the Japanese do sufficient 'due diligence' before buying Sepracor???

These guys all had awful reputations at Novartis... don't even talk about TR with sexual discrimination lawsuits hanging over his head. As soon as Mark I. came in, he brought Jay S. onboard who, in turn brought his buddyies Ted R., Scott M. and all these other Novartis idiots over to create a bloated and unneccessary upper management network that have done nothing to improve this company, only to take from it and help ruin it. The cronyism that took place here with Adrian A and Mark I's blessings and enablement is ridiculous.

What's going on in this place???!!!!!

 

Agree with your post. Using that same rationale our money grubbing, stone-hearted management team might now give Alvesco and Xopenex HFA to the Brovana team (they call on lots of the same people) and let them sell all 3. What the hell, give Lunesta to the Latuda reps to sell in the number two position, and do away with the rest of Pinnacle. Think of how much money they could save then!

 

Not only that, but just about 4 months ago, upper management reorganized the sales force so that each sales team would be responsible for promoting only ONE product. They said this would enable each rep to maximize his/her promotional impact through being allowed to focus on only ONE product; and that this, in turn, would maximize the revenue potential of each product.

Now, a mere FOUR months later, they have reversed this strategy by making one sales force be resposnsible for THREE drugs: Omnaris/HFA, Alvesco, and Xopenex HFA.

It seems these people at the top are confused and inconsistent. They seem to be just wildly lurching from one idea to the next while taking the company down in the process.

 

Look, I agree that there appears to be no stability in the company. However, when Summit was dissolved the plan was for the allergy sales team to sell 3 products while getting ready for a potential launch of Omnaris HFA. The only change that has occurred thus far is the manufacturing problem with Omnaris that is happening in Germany - not in Marlborough. As soon as Nycomed takes care of this problem, then Omnaris will be back on the shelf and back in the reps.' bag. Why are you trying to infer that Sunovion is now trying to set the allergy team up just to sell 2 products or no products at all? We just completed training on Alvesco and Xopenex MDI along with a refresh of Omnaris. We are prepared and capable to sell 3 products! Many of us have sold these products before (I say "sold" not serviced) and have built business relationships with thought leaders in our territories.

Give it a rest already. Summit was dissolved (whether right or wrong). Let us (the allergy team) move forward and stop posting "what ifs"!

Try focusing on "what if" Obama gets reelected or "what if" Romney gets the top spot or "what if" Newt Gingrich becomes president. Just please, enough with your presumptions about the Asthma & Allergy Sales Team!

 

It is precisely because there is no consistent leadership in this company that makes everyone nervous. Silence and the desire to be less than open and candid about events not going Sunovion's way are a hallmark of this management team. People are scared for their jobs, my friend, and when people are scared, they do the craziest stuff. So, okay, Allergy was training on HFA. Once they started to promote it, what was going to happen to Alvesco and HFA? Who was going to sell it? Would allergy carry 4 products, or would they be shifted to the Brovana team, who already calls on the pulmonologist? So they magically disappear? A whole division let go, when months earlier they hire more Brovana reps--why not save the jobs of some loyal hardworking reps to up the Brovana sales force and use contract people for temporary sales of Xopenex. How many times have we reversed direction--we need to sell two products to get in-licensing and co-promote deals, to reverse course and say we need single product accountability? Remember when Omnaris first came out, and the Xopenex sales force would sell it, and a contract sales force would take Xopenex? Remember the last minute decision to switch sales forces? Remember all the bullshit about 2010 being the Year of the Rep, and how if we worked our asses off and did well we would get coveted slots on the Latuda team, only to have 80% hired from outside the company? Do you remember all this or are you a newbie?

How many times can we be lied to with a straight face and accept it? They think we are fools, and they are right. We go to meetings and give these people who would discard you like used toilet paper a standing ovation. We kiss up to them. We as a salesforce do nothing about it, so they do it more. I know Allergy has a national meeting coming up. How about no applause and no standing O's for the speakers. Let's show the Japs how we really feel about our management team.

 

!!!!

 

Spoken like a scared rep who just wants to keep his/her head down, not openly question anything, not think critically, not care about equal treatment (re: treatment of recently laid-off Summit colleagues),... so long as (s)he can impress management with a "yes, we can" attitude to keep his/her job.

I genuinely understand how you feel. Fear is a powerful thing especially in this dismal economy and it's the tool management uses to keep us in line. But even though I understand your worries, I would ask you to please try to refrain from trying to dissuade others from free-thinking and free-expression especially when there is much validity to what they say and when there is justified resentment that they need to ventilate.

 

Well said!!!!

 

Guy's wake up!!! This is a legal way of thinning the herd again. If you dont produce with these two dogs and get a negative rating......well, This is happening at almost all major pharma. Smaller selling team, Larger territory. Let a few years go by and nothing but contract sales forces will promote products until death. This industry is no longer a career choice it is a gamble at best.

 

Excuse me, you mention "justified resentment". Do you really think that upper management gives a crap about the postings on this board? Give me a break. Upper management will do what the hell they please whether you or I or anyone else believes it is fair or the right thing to do. I have worked here many years and lost many friends on the Summit team. I feel badly for each rep./manager who lost their job. The truth of the matter is that Xopenex HFA, Alvesco, and Omnaris have been handed to the allergy & asthma team. Until further notice, we will sell these products. It appears that you are the person who has his or her head in the sand. We have had several major layoffs since 2008. Did corporate ask our permission or blessing to cut the number of reps? Look around at large pharma companies such as Novartis, Merck, and Astra Zeneca. They continue to reduce the number of field sales employees. The reality is that this industry will NEVER recover to the days of even 5 - 10 years ago. So, each person has to make his or her own decison. You either stay and perform your job to the best of your ability or you move on to either another pharma company or change careers altogether. So, my friend get your head up and don't be afraid to make your own decision regarding your future!!

 

Ted uday raad

 

They more than likely knew the Omnaris situation was happening. They couldn't support two sales teams with two drugs. With Omnaris HFA being launched soon, even with Omnaris out until March, they can support one sales team with Alvesco and Xopenex HFA, and launch Omnaris HFA. Made sense to cut the number of people they did, not sure if it made sense to just let a team go without force ranking members from both teams and just keeping the top 350. That might have been a logistical and HR nightmare. It would have also created ALOT of work, which evidently was decided was too much to do. Summit's gone. Let it go. I feel badly for everyone that lost their job, but coming here and whining about it with a 4th grade mentality won't bring them back.

 

I hope you take it this calmly when your turn comes!