DEAR PAUL AND TOPHER, FROM DSS

1st Quarter of 2015 wasn't what you expected, after coming off a tremendous 2014. 2015 is suppose to be the year to "quadrapule" Farxiga sales, drive growth in the GLP-1 market and stabilize Onglyza business.

We changed our model to bring more focus on 2 markets, oral and injectables. To do this, leadership decided to form to teams, each focused on hitting these markers and driving increased productivity in Diabetes.

We also wanted to win the "share of voice" battle and become leaders in diabetes. In addition, we were asked to execute programs and lunches to produce accelerated growth in Q1.

Here are the results: Farxiga down -.3, Bydureon down -1.3, and Onglyza slowly declining in TRX. Budget money cut to $600 a month and all speaker programs put on hold.

Here is what happened in the field. First, we changed vendors that re-cut territories and provided us with outdated targeting list. This caused disruption and makes us all question the validity of targeting and numbers reported by new company. Second, you divided a teams ability to collaborate with each other to strategize on driving the total portfolio. This in turn drove Share of Voice lower and increased spending for our separate business units. Hence, the $18 million dollars over budget.

Finally, the DSS reprentatives are capable of promoting an entire portfolio. This would increase sales, like 2014, bring collaboration back to our teams thereby increasing share of voice, and reducing expenses on lunches with a dual presentation of the portfolio. I know it's hard to admit leaders make mistakes, however true leaders admit failure and course correct before this "experiment" gets out of hand.

Regards,
Your DSS Teams

 

Send this to them as an email. That way you will know they get it.

 

And make sure to put "Action Required" in the subject line.

 

Paul couldn't even fix the obvious corrupt culture within managed markets and Topher is an ass clown who can't find the restroom without assistance.

 

Total product portfolio selling, period. No pods, separate competing teams, etc.

 

Mistake is an understatement, this whole diabetes division has turned in to such a joke.
The sales numbers will continue to drop until these fools are replaced.
I am truly embarrassed to explain how things are done here.

 

Just continue with the plan. We know ultimately it will work particularly because we have such an impressive ESS team to drive endo sales. We know what we are doing now go do your job

 

Perfectly stated!

 

The beautiful thing about our portfolio was being able to tailor therapy to the patient. Now we are fighting with eachother to be the next add on therapy. I've had the opportunity to sell Bydureon for specific patients at least five times last week.

We went from being reps with credibility to reps with an agenda.

 

Right on - we are losing our credibility.
I feel like Topher has to go if we want to get it back.

 

I've only posted on cafepharma a few times, but I have to commend you on your post. What you wrote hits the nail on the head. I hope like hell that upper mgt goes back to 2014 territories and breaks up the responsibilities between the reps within the territories. They just need to divide the products on a 60/40 split between the reps and all will be good. I hope like hell that they read this and consider the view from the field because it's obvious they don't have a clue. I've always preached this to the kids I coached that "talent wins games, but teamwork wins championships." AZ has no teamwork at this point--not in the field and I'm guessing at the home office.

 

GSK will likely take the Pfizer offer and combine to crush what is left of AZ. Their stock price goes up while ours tanks. Today we reach a new low of stock price in the 60s again.
Our profits down 7% and nothing to show from our R&D to replace the loss of Crestor, Nexium, and Seroquel to generics. Congratulations to Frenchy and his merry band of idiots like Paul and Topher. Well done gentlemen.

 

So on our Ask Topher conference call coming up, how many of us will bother to speak up?? That call should be literally taken over with this discussion.

 

Nobody is going to say a damn thing! Sure we are bold and brave on CP, but just wait and you will see no one will have the balls to "Ask Topher".

 

Wow. What a great review of what is happening in the field. I know Paul will pop in and out of this site. I hope he reads this and takes it to heart. A lot of us are feeling the same frustrations. Thanks for taking the time to write what the majority of the field is thinking.

 

Yes, of course! The best way to communicate effectively with upper management is via anonymous posts on a gossip website. Now we can sit back and wait for the big announcement to come from Paul and Topher that they are changing everything back to the way it was. Great work everyone!

 

Whoever failed to give a spend rate and rough budget should be held accountable. This is basic business 101, operate within a budget. I would have prioritized and stretched my funds even more knowing that a finite number existed and how to best maximize it.

 

That is the culture that has been created. Don't challenge upper brass. What are your suggestions on articulating the shortfalls in this division? Do you agree with OP? Are you doing anything constructive to change the model?

 

this is exactly what happened to Novartis

 

Honestly, I do agree with OP and I also wrote the sarcastic comment about the effectiveness of posting it on here. I will also be honest about the fact that I am not willing to personally tell this stuff to management here. There are far too many things wrong here for me to try to fix and I think most reps here share that sentiment. My suggestion to those that have the inclination and courage, is to take the text presented here and put it into an email to anyone in management willing to listen. Alternatively, someone could talk about this on the upcoming ask Topher conference call.