ARE ALL YOUR PROGRAMS WORTH IT

[Anonymous]

Are all these programs that they are making us do really moving any business? I am so tired of having to think about the next program it is wearing on me. I am in a territory where Drs don't go out much and it is really hard to plan a good program. PILS are just not cutting it. How is everyone else feeling about this whole situation?

[Anonymous]

Pils programs are not that bad....but to get quality people out is tough...just have to get r done!

Like all territories, we have a program every single week until the end of April...my family is bithcing b/c I work on crap at night, work a FULL day, then go to a program one night a week until 10pm, young kids are in bed when I get home....

Drop everything and sell!! Right???? Where's work / life balance?

[Anonymous]

My partner and I did 14 speaker programs last year. Every month that was packed with programs yielded a downturn in sales. In addition, we already covered the key physicians who will attend programs. This year we are simply not doing the programs, and our 4/4 data is much better. The idiots who run this company simply don't have a clue how to sell. We know the sales will be there so we have refused to spend money on worthless programs. Now we will see if my partner and I have jobs after the first quarter. Unfortunately the sales force is so inexperienced, most are terrified to buck the system.

[Anonymous]

It wouldn't be so difficult if we had some trained speakers. They want us to do all these programs but I only have two speakers. It would have helped if they had trained the Diovan writers rather than miscellaneous guys from that stupid survey that they gave us a week to complete. Idiots.

[Anonymous]

[ QUOTE ]
My partner and I did 14 speaker programs last year. Every month that was packed with programs yielded a downturn in sales. In addition, we already covered the key physicians who will attend programs. This year we are simply not doing the programs, and our 4/4 data is much better. The idiots who run this company simply don't have a clue how to sell. We know the sales will be there so we have refused to spend money on worthless programs. Now we will see if my partner and I have jobs after the first quarter. Unfortunately the sales force is so inexperienced, most are terrified to buck the system.

[/ QUOTE ]

How do you get away with no programs when you have to account for the hugh amount of money we have, My DM is already on my back about Mar and April plus I have no counterpart right now.

[Anonymous]

PILS was logical from a management standpoint. Remember, management thinks like engineers, logically not practically. Think about it, it guarantees you getting two Doctors out from your territory, that is if the main speaker is a local one. You are able to pay two Doctors, and you only need one other attendee to make the program legitimate. The bottom line is that this is a way for Novartis to PAY its prescribers in hopes that they will compensate Novartis with scripts. How this ever flew by DDMAC or the FDA without sending up any red flags is beyond me. Most reps I know are getting two Docs out to dinner, dummying a third attendee and not even having either do a presentation (that is, if you have the relationships with your Doc's that allow you to do this). PILS is just purely a smokescreen for buidling rapport and doing PR and paying customers. What's ironic to me is that Novartis is paying Doctors to talk about a diabetic patient profile in these programs when neither Diovan or Lotrel are indicated for that patient type. It's a very gray area in that Novartis calls the patient profile a 'Diabetic HYPERTENSIVE' patient - lets be honest though folks - if we're paying two Doctors to speak about a diabetic hypertensive patient after a speaker presentation on Diovan and Lotrel (if the presentation is even done in the first place) WHAT DO YOU THINK THE DOC'S TAKE AWAY FROM THAT BIT OF MARKETING? It's an off-label promotional smokescreen at its best! And we're the ones yelling at Forest Labs for how they promoted Benicar? Now isn't that the pot calling the kettle black or what?

(You want to get management to put an end to these programs? Try cross posting this explanation over to Forest, Merck, BMS, Sanofi, & AZ's blogs) You'll find that a little information can sometimes go a long way.

Also, here's a helpful hint for all of you trying to get better metrics on your tip reports - invite about 20 - 30 of your targets in the area of your speaker program and when you are submitting your program just hit 'ALL ATTEND' on the invite list in NEC. If you're ever questioned about it just say that you must have hit the 'All attend' button by mistake as you were entering in the program afterwards and it was almost midnight (a decent excuse). To back up your story, only put the actual attendees in your expense report. Isn't that called 'Plausible Deniability' or something like that? (Well maybe not) This will prevent you from worrying yourself over all of these programs and put you out of danger when it comes to the 'METRICS POLICE'. Good Luck! And good selling.

From,

A FAN

[Anonymous]

[ QUOTE ]
Are all these programs that they are making us do really moving any business? I am so tired of having to think about the next program it is wearing on me. I am in a territory where Drs don't go out much and it is really hard to plan a good program. PILS are just not cutting it. How is everyone else feeling about this whole situation?

[/ QUOTE ]

Quite simply. NO.

[Anonymous]

This last post is the reason we have people watching us.
Why not have everyone just do the job the best you can and report REAL numbers. If its really impossible what they are asking, it will show up nationally. If reps continue to "lie" then Novartis will continue to expect what they see because they will think its possible. Call average is another example.

Districts averaging 10./day------balony. But if you keep faking it, they will keep asking for it.

[Anonymous]

[ QUOTE ]
This last post is the reason we have people watching us.
Why not have everyone just do the job the best you can and report REAL numbers. If its really impossible what they are asking, it will show up nationally. If reps continue to "lie" then Novartis will continue to expect what they see because they will think its possible. Call average is another example.

Districts averaging 10./day------balony. But if you keep faking it, they will keep asking for it.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you have a manager with any balls you don't have to fake anything, the ones that fake it know that if they do not they will be put on a PIP and eventually lose what little job security they have at this shithole!

Unfortunately here is the formula:

LYING = BEING LEFT ALONE

[Anonymous]

QUOTE FROM PREVIOUS POST: "What's ironic to me is that Novartis is paying Doctors to talk about a diabetic patient profile in these programs when neither Diovan or Lotrel are indicated for that patient type. It's a very gray area in that Novartis calls the patient profile a 'Diabetic HYPERTENSIVE' patient - lets be honest though folks - if we're paying two Doctors to speak about a diabetic hypertensive patient after a speaker presentation on Diovan and Lotrel (if the presentation is even done in the first place) WHAT DO YOU THINK THE DOC'S TAKE AWAY FROM THAT BIT OF MARKETING? It's an off-label promotional smokescreen at its best! And we're the ones yelling at Forest Labs for how they promoted Benicar? Now isn't that the pot calling the kettle black or what?"

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA....you bunch of freaking Novartis losers.....what goes around comes around. You all go off every day on the way Forest conducts business, and YOU'RE the ones buying off the docs. Your #1 sales piece right now is the Benicar warning letter (which, by the way, isn't approved by DDMAC, so you're breaking FDA regulations by showing it). I can't wait until your no-talent-in-the-sales-force company gets nailed hard for these programs.

Just like Earl Hickey says......KARMA!!!

[Anonymous]

Don't get all upset-I saw that you pulled that previous quote and put it under the BMS post. But the truth is-I've worked for both companies and at least BMS speakers are usually specialists outside of the territory in which they are speaking however the Novartis speakers are just the primary care docs in their own territory that are asked to speak at a roundtable event -no big. Don't get excited-nothing dynamic about what speakers are doing; usually they are just reading the slides.

[Anonymous]

Folks...I don't care if you're a rookie or vet, have a great manager or a shitty one; PILS is not the way to go, but we are forced as a sales force to participate. Keep the focus on the Diabetic patient and we'll win in the long run. Remember, FOCUS on the DIABETIC HYPERTENSIVE PATIENT...shhhh

[Anonymous]

All I have to say is I dont work for Novartis nor Forest but both of your companies are the sneakiest and dirtiest companies in the business period. One of my partners used to work for Novartis, and he told me that this company is the worst in the business. Both of you and Forest should be ashamed of yourselves buying all the business!!!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

Programs are worthless these days. I undertand the need for them during the launch phase of a new drug, but not on products approaching 10 years on the market. What else can we possible tell Doctors to enlighten them at this point? Giving Doc's a check seems to be the only reason Novartis pushes so hard to get them done.