DM is heavy handed on the text messaging

Not sure. What is the policy for going to the store or picking up kids or dry cleaning during business hours? Thats what I thought. Ignore the texts hun its not a big deal.

 

Work communications of any kind during off hours leads to anxiety and is disruptive. Text messages is unique in that the end user doesn't have to ability to control the retrieval. A company mobility/texting policy is the way. Period-not-end-of-story.

 

Its just like getting an email after work hours. If you do not want to read it, DONT!

 

It's not anything at all like that. Janssen did not purchase mobile phones for its sales force, it only supplies a very small TC allowance that can be applied to cell phone airtime. Many subscribers do not have data packages and texts nickle and dime them to death and deplete an already meager TC allowance.

I suppose the company made this decision because it makes fiscal sense. There is no obligation for an employee to supply a phone to Janssen. An employee should not be expected to TURN OFF personal property to avoid misuse of a borrowed communication device. I would expect that reasonable managers could at least try to understand that?

But all that's beside the point. We have voicemail, email, and now iPads with instant access to corporate email. With all that in place there is no longer a valid business reason to text employees on their personal mobile devices. If there is the company should provide company issued cell phones (which could be turned off and left behind on vacation) and paying the entire bill. Otherwise it's just a bad idea on a number of levels and should be closely examined.

 

Correction, iPads don't have instant access to corporate email.

 

Thank you, I stand corrected. I assumed that since I can access company email from my cell phone that I could do the same on the iPad via wifi. Apparently that won't be the case until 3G is activated. Well until then, texting may in fact be necessary in some unique circumstances. For what it's worth I can't imagine that any rep would mind texting that is done sparingly and for important messages. It's texting for texting's sake that is disruptive and unwelcomed by any reasonable person. I think any good manager will easily get that and respect it, while a notable few others may not. But in those small number of cases texting would be the least of his or her reps' problems.

While we're on the subject of our growing number of communication platforms, is anybody else having some trouble juggling between the laptop and the iPad? I love the iPad but due to lack of program availability and too few ViewPoint functions available in MxRecord (you can't record calls with samples, you can't record profiling questions, you can't record account or pharmacy calls, territory time, or request ACE letters; there is no access to Vital Signs or Call Plan/sales messaging direction) I still have to do the majority of pre-call planning and recording from ViewPoint. Instead of taking one computer into the field I now take two on a daily basis. At lunch today I was entering a call with samples into the laptop and a doctor asked me, "Why does your company have you working from two computers?" I didn't have a good answer for him.

 

And on top of that, calls captured by iPad don't get recorded in Viewpoints history of calls made log... they show in the calendar but not the target's history.

 

Thanks -- I didn't know that. Another limitation of MxRecord, you can't record call notes. Perhaps that's by design or oversight, who knows? But it is another limitation of the system.

I have to wonder, what is the perceived benefit of MxRecord? Everybody's on board with MxEngage. It works way better for the customer and the rep. But MxRecord clearly isn't ready for prime time. From an efficiency and accuracy standpoint it is hurting, not helping, and doing so by a wide margin. Thanks for listening!

 

The good news is that some bugs are being fixed and the H.O. seems attentive to the issue. The bad news is that M.X. can only be fixed so far and some fixes will be made by workarounds in Viewpt. Essentially by entering calls twice, starting them in M.X.and finishing them on the laptop at night. Anything that doubles a users time and effort can't really be called a fix.

On ViewPt. everything can be done in one place on one computer in one step at one time. Overlaying a redudant and inferior program only complicates and lengthens what should be a simple process.

M.X. appears to be a pretty big step backwards for endusers. I appreciate the clear info from the H.O. though.

 

Viewpoint is on the way out.

 

They don't want you to enter call notes... legal stuff.

 

It's about time. Viewpoint/Siebel runs on IE5, and the current IE is 8!

The new tablet pc's are wild fast...until you turn on company software running on a 5 year old, no-longer-supported IE5 backbone. It's like the pc's processor looks at what you're asking it to do and says, "You've got to be shitting me..."

Undoubtedly the upper management has never touched any of this and the decisions coming down are tainted by Peter Principle across the board.

As to the original poster, at least Verizon allows you to block phone numbers. When you go on vaca, block the stupid DM's number. Just don't forget to unblock it after vaca.

I suspect all cell companies allow the same. Do it from your account logon on-line.

 

Great Idea and a very simple solution!

 

Yes however how to retrieve blocked text messages after your back? You're out of the loop if you block after hours. If you explain that you missed the conf call b/c you blocked the text ...opps

 

Oops? OOPS? You've got to be kidding. If I block texts while on vacation, if it was something that was mission critical it should have been e-mailed.

Texts are for "see this now, do this immediately." Phone conversations are for "mission critical, time sensitive." If I'm on vacation, NONE of it is immediate, none of it is critical (or if it is, then T.S., the ship sailed.)

None of us signed up to work 24/7. Just because the Peter Principle People among us think "taking one for the Company" is good for ladder-climbing doesn't mean the rest of us have any intention of working all day, all night, weekends, and vacations.

This is why J&J is getting a reputation as a soul-sucking, eat-your-children kind of employer. The management thinks throwing your life (family, etc.) under the bus is consistent with devotion to the job (until they lay you off, then you learn quick which end of the stick they leave you holding.)

 

This so true gave 15 very productive years and got layed off. Good thing I never worked a 40 hour work week or a five day work week and never missed a school meeting,sporting event,bake sale, church function. Work to live do not ever live to work. When you do work give it 100 percent and work smart and when you live give it 200 percent because no one is guaranteed tomorrow. Don't let them suck your blood. They will if you let them. bTW. Still successful in pharma. Best career for those who want to live.