Will relief ever come?

Most people will post nasty things on here out of anger and that's not my intention with this post. My intention is to post the reality of what sales reps go through here.

This is a very difficult environment to work in and the turnover rate in 2010 was greater than 50%. I have been in sales for many years and I have never seen a sales force stressed out and unhappy like they are here. I hear many, many reps say that the company doesn't care about their people, all they care about is going public. We work on a monthly sales cycle with at least 32% growth built in. If you don't make at least 100% goal attainment you are considered a failure and like all of your hard work was for nothing. This is such a shame because the products are great and the actual job itself is great as well. If the working environment would improve the sales force retention rate would increase; if goals weren't so crazy people wouldn't feel chronic stress and would be happier staying in the job longer. If I would have known the reality of the quality of life here I wouldn't have joined this sales force. That's not to say that some people do like working here because I'm sure some do. When you talk to some of the most successful reps they talk about how they miss out on the rest of their life, their childrens lives, because all they do is work because that's what is required to make it here. Sales results are valued more than your family, your personal time outside of normal business hours and your quality of life is never considered. I think most reps here would agree with what I'm saying here. I also think they would agree that they would love their job here if the goals would decrease to a normal level and work life balance could be restored. At the last meeting a presidents club winner was thanking her manager for all of her support and she referenced the 2am phone calls they have to get prepared for appointments. This is a primary example of the culture here and the lack of work life balance.

I hope so much that Joe Willis can make some changes here so employees will be happier and will stick around longer. We need change or people will continue to come and go.

 

This is actually a really good post, it's fair and acurate. Most of us would agree (I would bet to say all) that the goals are way too high and that is what makes it so stressful. Even Allergan has about 17% growth for their quotas... we are almost double that.

 

No one on their deathbed regrets not spending enough time at work. Would you really think about money you never earned, or projects you never completed, or companies you never started?

Would those be your regrets?

Would those be the types of choices you would want back?

 

Wow, that sounds unrealistic!!!!!

 

So what has Joe done to indicate that anything is going to change?

 

First of all - all sales jobs and successful companies increase their goals! Secondly - I know Joe W. and if you have expectations he is going to lower goals that would be unfair to him. He is a good person - strong leader and you should be happy you have him on your team! Not everyone will like him because his goal is not to be popular but to provide effective leadership and I believe he will. I am not with your company - I worked with him in the past. I wish him and your company nothing but success!

 

Understanding the sales process and how to build customer relationships is incredibly important.

 

It IS incredibly important. Unfortunately SM has a poor training program and can't keep reps on board to give it time to build the valuable customer relationship.

 

Stop dancing around the truth and just give it to us straight, no chaser. We're big boys and girls. We can handle it.

 

Boring

 

Defined by your jobs? Too scared to lead? No vision? No identity? What a waste of life. Just tells you how self-interested and cut-throat the upper echelon is above the people you criticize. People can't state the painful awful truth because we don't have leaders, we have people into their power and love what they think is their star quality. In truth they are very sad ruins of people and just heap pain on people and garner no respect. They are very selfish human beings. Pride comes before the downfall. The only question is how long will it take?

 

you now manage people whose jobs you know nothing about--i think the sky is the limit for you--clueless now and forever

 

I do not know what is wrong with the people making comments and the reps in the company. To all the Skinmedica reps, you know you are unhappy! Unless you have been with the company less than six months I can bet you are stressed out, hating the corporate environment, and more frustrated with all the corporate decisions. The turnover is constant, most of the RSAM positions not all, can't hold a rep longer than a year, and I know even the top performing reps are unhappy. Some managers have no clue how to handle reps like Kelly in and Calf and I have heard horrible things about the North East Manager John on how clueless he is and the horrible things he says to his reps.

Everyone needs to know what is going on with Skinmedica. Skinmedica is holding a meeting on company moral. How bad is it when they take reps out of the field to address the horrible work environment with no work/private life balance? As a rep for Skinmedica, I can say this is a horrible company and I hope it will get better or I am leaving.

I love the product, love my customers, but hate the managers and company. To the person that said to leave, easier said than done when you have a family to provide for. Skinmedica is ruining my family and relationship.

 

Imagine how hard we all would work if we felt valued? Imagine how much better our product would be for our clients.

 

If her responsibilities are over a sales team and she's never been on a sales call, that's a bad sign! She doesn't have to make the sale, of course, just accompany the salesperson!!!

 

What do you think needs to happen so things are better?

 

What are the sales force structures and strategies that have caused all this turnover???

 

Here's a good start. Never forget the human element to the sales rep role and strive to avoid looking at your customers as "sales goals" instead of living beings!!!

 

Thanks, Joe!

 

"LIKE" So true