Any input?

Why do dental product manufacturers market their products through dealers ?

What does a 'dental dealer' do aside collect money (common today on the internet) to earn 40+ % margins from manufacturers ?

What 'value' does a Patterson territory rep add to say a box of impression material or a carton of gutta percha ?

What Patterson territory rep knows what the acronym MRT means ?

As a dentist, why wouldn't I buy all my sundries from the lowest-price vendor ? I do not need or want your input on the sale ? I attend frequent CE courses. What value do you bring me (PS: I get all the b low jobs I can stand from my staff) ?

Who needs a dental dealer ? For WHAT ?

 

So you believe Payterson exploits its sales people? Have you ever had any other job in the corporate arena? Apparently not. Patterson is concerned only about the bottom line? Are there companies that aren't.? Pretty ignorant posting.

 

Companies are in business to increase shareholder equity. Unless you're running a charity making money, or the bottom line, is what any business is about.

 

Point taken. But if I am going to work for someone with the expectation that I will be exploited (because everyone does it) and that is the premise....why go in debt 15-20k each year to pay for the job expenses? If the job is limited now by the companies business practices why work 60-70 hours a week at my own expense? We can not compare what was working 5-10 years ago and extoll that those same successes can be achieved today. The suppliers manufacture nothing and the margins grow smaller everyday. This is a point that should always be remembered.

 

LOL. Most successful companies know that the reason they are successful is because of the employees that work for the company. Without them, a company can't be successful long term. To do that, they see their employees as ASSETS of the company and do everything they can to retain them long term. Patterson, among many other companies, don't see their employees as assets, but as a COST of doing business.

Who's really the ignorant one????

 

"But if I am going to work for someone with the expectation that I will be exploited (because everyone does it) and that is the premise....why go in debt 15-20k each year to pay for the job expenses? "

Why indeed.


Let me ask you for your response to this set of facts:

Experienced dental rep - mid career/been around, now a 1099 'independent' rep with two mediocre lines of me-too regen products. Once a high-flyer, now just part of the scenery.

Rep recieves, no salary, no expenses, no health care, no car/tel/office reimbursement, NO NOTHING other than straight comm (and is primed up for being cheated, partly because of being a moron and art just becuase they can). Rep drives a beat-down funky ready-to-die
pos car, shops at Ross for dress clothes, eats lunch in the car, etc.

Rep is 'ordered' by sales mgr. of one of the funky lines to attend a weekend meeting out-of-his-territory at the other end of a laaarge state where he will generate no income for himself, no leads, no nothing, just be a porch monkey for the company. Travel and lodging/meals - everything and any other expenses Will Not be reimbursed. Nothing. In other words, a total loss of time and money to the rep.

What would you do ? How would you respond ?

 

Hey Doc - I think it is pretty telling that you have time to be posting in a chat room for Patterson reps at 10:11am on a Monday.... The client I was visiting this morning at 10:11 only had a second to chat - he was between doing a crown on his Cerec and doing a hygiene check at that time. But I tell ya what he didn't complain about was my supply prices. In fact he asked me how long it would take for me to finish out his last operatory (not how much it would COST mind you, how long would it TAKE - he knows every moment that room sits open he's missing production). He's bought into the value statement that Patterson (and our friends at Schein for that matter) talk about. I enjoy what I do and I enjoy who I do it for - my clients and my company alike. No, I didn't go to dental school and don't know what MRT is. I could probably Google it and figure it out, but frankly I have better things to do. I also don't bother to sit on chat rooms for dentists and tell them what I think of them. I recognize the fact that they would not value my opinion, just as I don't value yours. Thanks for taking your time to chime in.

 

What you are referring to above does not sound like an experienced and successful Patterson Rep. Maybe an independent manufacturer rep who has a couple different product lines? TOTALLY different gig.

Patterson reps have good benefits and an amazing ESOP. What everyone on here complaining about us covering our own job expenses never mentions is that we CHOOSE what we do, where we go, what we spend and who we spend it on, and when we do it... I consider all of my expenses before opening the wallet and I certainly won't go into debt trying to make a sale.

Client doesn't buy from you? Then don't drive there! Client is making you price match to the internet?? Don't spend your time un-clogging that a/w syringe button for him - make him get a service call. Client is a pain to deal with??? Pass him off to the rookie rep in your branch who will be happy to deal with the headaches - and who has expenses to take the guy golfing!! Client has run out of cement because it hasn't arrived from the cheap internet company yet and calls you because he has a crown-seat this afternoon, wants you to see bring him some from your branch/personal stock or borrow some from another Client for him????? So don't do it or return the call later!!!!! Client buys his supplies from you and takes care of you???? Take care of him and his staff and look out for their best interests!

 

"So don't do it or return the call later!!!!! Client buys his supplies from you and takes care of you???? Take care of him and his staff and look out for their best interests!"

FINALLY, Someone with b a lls / t i ts !

I have been in wholesale for years and these are the only professional retail reps I work with and support. They have no problem throwing a jerk under-the-bus and dropping them, they will also look a pain in the a DDS right in the eye and tell them they do not have time in their day to add them. It's a beautiful thing when done with finesse and class.

Before some a sss h ole here gets on their high-horse to blah blah blah, why not just F off?

I let the rookies work with rookies and I take care of MY valued friends and their dentist clients. I'll drive hours to support them b/c they support me !

Period. Paragraph.

Argue all you want, I'd rather have fun and make money (in that order).

 

One of the definitions of "Independent Contractor" under IRS guidelines: "The general rule is that an individual is an independent contractor if the payer has the right to control or direct only the result of the work and not what will be done and how it will be done."

A payer asks a 1099 rep to go out of state to conference, 1099 rep doesn't go if he doesn't feel the ROI looks promising. A payer can't tell you where to go or what to do,in regard to their work.

I've been a 1099 rep, your not employee. Employer, or payer doesn't direct or tell you what or how to do anything.

 

The Patterson territory rep position is not for everyone. It's a very independent self motivated, structure less position that requires discipline and patience. Yes after three years or so you don't get expenses, but you get $10,000-18,000 a year in stock grants as we are an employee owned company. When you own your company you manage your revenue and expenses on your own. Patterson grants you a franchise essentially, it's akin to running your own business. That doesn't work for many people, so for those people Patterson is not a good fit.