Latest Field Force Disrespect

Practice, Practice, Practice! A Two minute detail upon check in at the national meeting. Is there a reason that the un-original Jardiance marketing team is beating down the field force? Humiliating a force that is responsible for blockbuster sales status? The disconnect and disdain for the field force by BI HQ has hit a new low.

 

Where is Allen Iverson when you need him?

 

Well at least they didn’t give you action figure dolls and actually tell you to incorporate them in to your sales calls. Lol. Now think about that for a minute. Can you smell the desperation?

 

god, your company blows.

 

In 20 years I have not worked for a company that respected the sales force. You just have to find a way to respect yourself and roll with it. They will always be stupid. It is up to us to figure how to work around their insanity and do good business anyway. See you in Vegas.

 

very well put and true.
they just don't get it, and never will. the only way to keep your sanity is to cut corners.

If you go all out, everday, for these pukes, you will lose your mind and burn out. Just check the boxes, and cut corners (be careful because they have nothing to do at home office or at corporate, and they are watching you) whenever you can.

 

I like your perspective and the way you are dealing with this, but I disagree a little. I worked for a company that put the sales force first for years. We were constantly told that it was our efforts that everyone else in the company had a job. We all felt a part of the company and felt responsible. If you needed something you asked and there was a good chance you would get it. Gifts and spa treatments at meetings. It was a thank you. Meetings were rah rah, clinical, and team discussions on business and problem solving...no tedious certifications. This slowly started to change and it was eventually gone! Total change of culture in 18 years. I have realized the industry has dramatically changed. Always fear of losing job whether it is real or not that is our reality now. You have to make the decision do I want to stay and if the answer is yes then get your mind right. If not make the change.
I recently moved to a small company and it seems like it is old like pharma but way too early to tell!

Companies want professionals but treat
us like children. No trust. Empower us.

 

True. It just seems that the B I marketing leaders are increasingly clueless and self indulgent about their own career agenda.

 

H

 

There is such a lack of trust from leaders. What a great year for diabetes and instead of working on new skills for our development they want to assess that we aren’t idiots. Don’t we already demonstrate this in field rides. My manger told us we are having hunger games theme at the meeting. You say you want to evolve culture and I guess this is your thought of how to do that. Can’t believe that is the approved theme. What are themes of hunger games- fear oppression and revolution and killing anybody to get to the top. Not to mention exploitation, violence driven by a narcissist. I loved the movie for entertainment but am just shocked this is planned for a national meeting. Why such lack of trust it never felt that way before. Manager may have been joking but didn’t sound like it and said we better be ready to be assessed all meeting long.

 

Listen, it’s survival of the fittest and everyone must continually prove their worth. I can tell you the average BI rep is weak; I know it’s my 4th gig over the last 20 plus years and I’m no superstar but I’m well above average with this company. I understand why the company needs to raise the bar, it’s pretty low

 

And we are at the site of a mass shooting!! What are they really trying to tell us.

 

Eh....enjoy the ride. It will be over before you know it.

 

I understand. It's about performance. If you are in sales, it should be. Though we have all seen goals that are mania influenced. My perspective: beyond 25 years in pharma, lots of actual sales experience previously. Fortunate to have experienced two pharma companies. I've seen lots of show up and throw up reps disappear. Where I am my counterparts know how to sell. These reps are solid experienced reps, that you can trust to back you up. In our area, the weak riff raff has been weeded out ten years ago. Yes we can always improve, grow, adapt, though my counterparts can hold their own with anyone- these are high performers who demonstrate performance through action and results.

 

It's not just Pharma but entrepreneurial spirit, success, drive, RESULTS are being thwarted across our fruited plain. We are slowly being dummied down and socialized to fit an agenda, one drip at a time. Tiny freedoms mysteriously disappearing, younger professionals can't even relate to all this because it was never a part of their world? OP I can relate to everything you mentioned above and it's going to get worse everywhere.

 

What is the cost of adopting an ineffective and unused digital sales format? To send all the reps, managers, and suits to a rah rah meeting? Opportunity costs for the time and software for the training? This is a tremendous momentum killer, especially with the forced compliance of using a hated system.

 

I agree its a waste of time and money to send everyone to the meeting to practice using the new IVA. This could have been done in a local or regional setting to get this practice and content in. It's not about showing you can role play, it's about getting comfortable with the new device and being able to efficiently use the digital tools since paper is going away. I get that. However, right in the beginning of the year while we are capitalizing on all of the insurance wins and the competition is out there launching new products and indications and considering we are outvoiced by AZ, the timing is terrible. Contrary to popular belief, we do not have adequate share of voice. Lilly is pushing Trulicity, isn't carrying Tradjenta, and is generally not a good partnership. We need CV to step up, get it going in cardiology and not get paid on IM dirt. My CV counterpart colored up this year and has not had ANY new writers. I drove the business because I need to make my goal and have access to cardiology. There is no personal accountability in CV and it is starting to P.O. the PC reps even more than before about this.

 

It’s good that CV will also have this exciting IVA! Now they will get more time with the Cardiologists, since we know that the IVA gets us longer engagement! Cardiologists are going to love it!!! And the exciting IVA will help us increase our value to the offices, and access will go way UP!!

 

You signed up for this nonsense. Don't like it? Develop some better skills and move on.