Year End Meetings

REGION MEETINGS coming up in a few weeks. I'm a rep connected to some suits at the top. They called me and said get your things in order as cuts are imminent and you may not be employeed July 1st. Each wave of cuts lessens your survival chances and you need to get ahead of the game. Do what you choose but the connected are already in the external interview mix. Not all bad, some reps are being considered for big time positions outside of mother. Still too many reps and ctl's, survivors will have large areas and cover entire pc portfolio. Prior experience, coverage and skillset wins out, less to do with Rep ABC who got 103% in their geo for 2014. HQ knows the numbers are misguided with idiot reps or vacancies getting ranked higher. This is a game changer my friends.

 

This is a good thing unless you're 35-50 and need job security for 20+ years. Hard to justify driving around all day making "call attempted" and not seeing any worthwhile customers. Some referred to us as phone booths or travel agents and that is probably the truth. Old business model can't survive this idiocy much longer. Move along folks this patient is dead. Aren't you tired of being the caterer, UPS person or the idiot standing in some dark corner waiting to pounce on a physician who can't stand Pharma reps? We know the answer so drop the kool aid mentality and explore new options before you have to explore the unemployment lines. You've got time but keep looking!

 

Great advice. Time to reinvent. There are options however as pointed out in the John Oliver video…..Pharma Marketing has to change. We will not be part of the new equation. The good news is that there are many ex-pharma reps and managers doing great in other non-pharma jobs. Update your resume, update your LinkedIn and become your own best advocate. You will be fine!

 

Ha Ha. This is so spot on. I had a manager who I loved dearly. They are/is talented and effective. Worked under him/her for 6 years. Lived in Michigan and had to travel to Indiana to do field visits. Would arrive on the ole Northwest/Delta daily schedule at 10:30 AM. Pick up at the airport== go to Starbucks== review a few bullshit data and then off to our RFM lunch. MAYBE another call. Oopps== I have a 3:30 pm flight back to Michigan so better make one more call and get me back to the airport in time. At least the manager was out of state and did this. Made for an EASY field visit. Always got great field visit reports. Stupid cost accounting person in me hated that there were 4 Indiana based reps in the same city and they would fly in/out daily as needed to do these field visits and not spend the night. That manager SHOULD have been held accountable to maximize expenses, spend 2 to 3 nights in a hotel and work with all the reps in that area. BUT NOOOOO--- They would really fly in/out back to back days and cost the company a butt load of money. These daily flights averaged $800 a pop. I know-- I saw the invoices. This type of stupid waste of expense dollars went on the whole 20 years I was with the company. Ironic=== come September/October of every year we as reps were told our spending RFM/Program money ran out. Shame on you Merck for letting this go on. Shame on you stockholders for not digging in and knowing what shameful wast of spending is happening. My first manager would fly from Indiana to Michigan back to back days/ 5 days in a row during the week because he liked to get the flight miles to take his family on vacations. He had 6 reps in the Detroit area alone and would fly in daily to work field visits. WTF=== where are your brains you Merck accountants? I always was flabbergasted this was allowed.

 

so is the point of all this that at our region meetings our directors are going to announce cuts? at the awards meetings! before or after the awards?

 

Right after the awards HR will be introduced and the outside downsizing firm will discuss the process. You will know if you go or stay at the meeting.

 

The Bobs will be there to tell you your fate. But not until after you turn in your last TPS report. With coversheet.

 

Good. End the madness and dying business model.... Closed doors, managed care issues and catering... How can you sell when no one wants to see your happy ass?!

 

Thirty percent of us will remain all others gone. Get those thin resumes out quickly.

 

I call BS on all your comments. Nothing is going to happen and for sure not at a regional meeting when they are trying to motivate reps to keep selling Januvia and Belsomra with a crappy incentive plan. I hope no one believes this or give me evidence. One should always update resume but no worries for now unless you have a boss with a target on you.

 

Its time to buddy-up with the manager!

Erase that invisible target you're wearing and no resumes needed...

Signed,
The BS watcher!

 

You can't buddy up to me. I don't care to have you around let alone speak with me. I need to move seven out of ten from the unit by July.

 

Oh, my. Who will the managers manage? If most reps go to contract will the managers go to contract along with them?

 

Yes -- if you look at the trend of the pharma rep the last 10 yrs its been about cutting expenses (RFM budgets, marketing budgets, speaker programs, automobile choices, cell phone reimbursement, medical costs etc. etc.) and no new blockbusters are being launched. This means that Wall Street will be managed by tightening up the bottom line (i.e. cutting expenses.) If you think Wall Street is going to tolerate a bunch of parma reps (with soft hands) running around making 6 figure comp. packages for delivering lunch and dropping off samples you got another think coming.

Someone else said it best - reinvent yourself and hook up with people that can get you out of medical sales altogether.

 

One poster said, 7 out of 10 reps get cut. Bye, bye pink slip by July. That's in 90 days!!!
Is that true?

 

And the VP award goes to? Clap clap rah rah... then off to the lobby bar to drown your sorrows knowing selections are a farce. It all depends on the territory you are given and managed care in that territory. Have little commercial coverage and a crappy area then you are out of luck. Ctls send out ranking reports which are a joke and not accurate of a reps smarts or talents. So clap clap and rah rah....barkeep "4 more vodka shots pleeeeeze". Enjoy your awards ceremonies and don't forget to congratulate the stinky reps that won the territory lottery, remember that the awards are a charade just like bonuses and reviews.

 

Whhoooo...breathe easy!!
Its March 1st!!

Add another month...its 4 full months until July 1!

 

This is always the way..a reason why good MC = plump number$ all around.
I'd take that $weet cream on the celebration cake...

But for some time now I've only been served stale leftovers...guess that means I get an escort to the door.