Is there a worse medical device company to work for?

Not in my opinion.

As previously stated in other threads, Applied is an option of last resort if you: A) are a young kid with no medical background and no sales experience who needs an entry point into medical sales (my suggestion - get in for a year or so to get medical sales on your resume then bail), or B) have experience but no viable career options due to age or incompetence that resulted in getting fired ("laid off") somewhere else. If you aren't in either of these two categories you have to have a hole in your head to even consider Applied.

What do I base this conclusion on?
First, Applied management has ZERO respect for the basic sales rep position, as demonstrated repeatedly in actions and attitudes referenced throughout every thread on cafepharma. Reps are treated as if, "We know you're fucking off, and by god we'll catch you, you bastard!". Hence, micromanagement. No sense of trust that you are working conscientiously without them applying the cattle prod.
Second, Applied has ZERO respect for their customers. There is immense pressure to sell old technologies that the marketplace is familiar with and clearly feels no need for. Poor sales of Fios and Fixation is not due to failure of sales reps, it's due to management's miscalculation of the market need and their seeming insistance that any surgeon who doesn't view the value of these products is an idiot who we clearly need to enlighten (what arrogance!). There is a pervasive "Emperor's New Clothes" mentality in Applied management and no one dares state something that's staring everyone in the face if it's not in the corporate hymn book.
Third, Applied management cannot be trusted. There are SO many examples on these boards of reps getting screwed out of commission/bonus money. And the dangling carrot of an IPO that they've been hanging in front of us for years was clearly exposed in 2011 when the venture capitalists filed a suit against Applied to force an IPO so they could recoup their investments, and Said very publicly said "no effin' way". Have any of you looked at what the actual amount the "company match" contribution is in your 401(k) account? If you're assuming it's what the written policy statement of what they will contribute is, guess again. Ever wonder why they don't send a notification when they contribute to your account? They don't want anyone to notice that they contribute a fraction of what the policy says they will.

And by the way, contrary to what the managers attempting damage control on these boards want you to think, the negative postings are not from a small handful of disgruntled, incompetent, lazy employees (I think this is only the second posting I've written). These are persistant, pervasive issues that go across the board in this organization.

 

Applied has simply been trying to bash a square peg through a tiny round hole forever oblivious to all else. It could be worse I should know. Try a start-up. You could work for Blue Belt Technologies and the only thing you would learn is the inside of the US legal system as a result of the lawsuits piling up (Stryker, Mako, etc) against them. Zero chance of an IPO there as well IMO. Healthpoint will jettison at some point and screw every one but themselves. Good luck to you.

 

Nobody is holding a gun to your head to stay asshole. If it sucks so much, get the fuck out. Some people do like it and are making good money (me). But you have to actually sell. Is that all you do is bitch and complain? Go find another company then if Applied sucks so much.

And yhea, it is the same few people posting their gripes on this board. They're all written the same way. Get over it jack.

 

Thank you for your highly mature and civil response. It speaks volumes as to the level of professionalism in Applied's management team. I think you forgot to call me Mr. Poopie-head though.

 

I don't understand why a manager would be on this page anyways, maybe they just don't have anything else to do. I do think the whining on the page is excessive and agree with the notion that if you don't like something leave. Most reps are using applied for a springboard to something else, just work hard hit your numbers for a while and if you don't like it or don't feel you are adequately compensated look elsewhere.

 

JD, you sir need to stop trolling these boards every other day with your pal DG and TS. The 3 of you may all sleep in the same bed together but perhaps if any of you had the cahones to stand up to our CEO who has the worst case of Napoleon Complex ever, maybe none of the reps would be so angry/discouraged/unhappy.