Alcon pay structure is a joke!

I learned a great lesson by Alcon's recent realignment, they pay us crap compared to the rest of the industry! I have been the company almost 7 yrs and have Senior Sales rep status. Yet every company I have interviewed with has base pay's starting in the 100's with excellent benefits and stock options!

I drank the koolaid that Alcon was a performanced based company until the recent realignment opened my eyes to what else was out there. Our goals have been sky high since Novartis came on resulting in many of us not getting great bonuses. When base salaries are 20-50k less then the rest of the industry this adds up to a under paid workforce!

I made presidents club and hardly made over 100k! Is this really performance based? Do yourself a favor and explore other options. Most options will include 100k+ base salaries, bonus, and other incentives like stock options. Don't be fooled by the great 401k match, all other companies offer 401k matching of 5-8%. When you make an extra 50k a year and get stock it easily makes up for the 4% extra Alcon gives in thier 401k

Pay for performance or underpaid, Alcon is underpaying you.

 

Sorry man- I didn't make club and brought home over 130,000 year w overachiever.
Out of here thanks to the elimination of my position. Bigger and better things to come!

 

I agree that we are underpaid. I also agree that the "pay for performance" mumbo jumbo is a joke. You can't measure performance with Alcon or any other pharma company that pays based on data acquired by a third party. You want pay for performance? Go sell a tangible product and get pen to paper contracts signed! I have been looking for a better job for over a year, but there isn't much out there in my area. To the poster that says "most" other companies are offering 100+ base salaries, I call BS. Any great salesman will tell you that a lower base with higher commissions ( commission only for some) is a sure sign that you will make good money. I have never made more than 70k since coming to Alcon and I feel pathetic for sticking around saying " maybe next year". I have no self respect doing this job and with the recent realignment, I see just how disposable I really am.

Signed employee # 12345. Bc we are all just a number.

 

damn you must suck if you havent made over 70,000 with alcon..at quintiles i made more and since coming on with alcon my base is a little less than 70

 

Yeah pal, I suck. Keep thinking that, but I know what I'm worth. You must not understand how the system works and how your goals / shares are manipulated. Sleep good former contract rep. You must be awesome!

 

Never more then 70k, ouch that is really bad. I have made over 100k consistently but I had to hit on atleast 3 products to do it. Looking at PClub rankings most reps don't do that

I agree that our base pay sucks now and with goals so high if you hit balance performance you are looking at making around 125k. In reality, many other companies are offering a base pay in that range of 100-125k.

The last 2 years at Alcon goals were so high 95% of employees weren't even eligible for P-Club. In fact, Alcon had to allow ineligable employees to make the trip!! That speaks volumes about the organization that goals are unrealistic.

To the above poster it is pharma and base pays are pretty high in the industry. In order to make big money and have a low base pay you are speaking of different industries.

 

Dude $70k...seriously? That's like getting a 700 on your SAT....what a loser. The people boxing up systane samples make more than you holy crap you're pretty shitty at this if you can't make more than that...you sound more like an admin or security guard with those kind of W2s. Look in the mirror man...even shitty territories pull down bigger $$. Did you at least win a contest? Maybe a raffle at the NSM? I gotta tell you dude, the quintiles rep has you beat...maybe you should try that job for a while, like going back to AAA in baseball. Bottom line is that if you're a real salesperson it shows up in your paycheck. If you're counting on a salary to determine your worth you need to find a cubicle and shut the hell up. Either way you are a loser!!

 

Joke is on you. I forgot to mention that the 70k is just a steady check with full benefits and 401k for me. I haven't worked more than 15 hours a week in over a year because I'm busy running my own company. Lol. Idiots. I make plenty. Oh yeah, I did win the only contest we had this shitty year. As soon as my company breaks 250k this year, they can keep their benefits.

 

I agree 100% that Alcon pay is low. Base salaries suck compare to the competition! I have been here almost 10 years and my pay is actually pretty decent. However, if I was just trying to get into the industry I would go anywhere else. Goals have become so high over the last few years making a lot of commission can't be counted on

When you can start here at 55-65k vs 85-125 elsewhere I wouldn't start here

 

That's nice knocking on the less fortunate. At least those people actually have worked a day in their lives.

Hate to break it to you, but if you "sell pharmaceuticals" you're not a real salesperson either buddy and aren't all that successful compared to today's business standards. In fact, you're essentially a modern day admin person. As the competitive landscape continues to change, jobs like this become more and more of a commodity. You really have no valuable skill. So my point is that you should also not forget to take a peak at the mirror as well.

 

I have posted 4 times about this subject with nothing inflammatory/against rules and it hasn't shown up for two days. What is going on?

 

Testify!

 

Original post still accurate 1 year later.

 

Will this impact field sales?

 

Pharma reps has got to be the most worthless non-value added position in business

Its being phased out and all you talentless overpaid hacks have your days numbered. Hahaha

 

^ So true!

 

New pharma opening posted in the midwest-- glaucoma. From the looks of this board I'm guessing its a BS position and should be skipped over??? Is alcon still "re-aligning" as in... will this position even be around that long?

 

Heard the West Region in EC is losing good people? I'm sure more people have to be looking I would expect it is only the beginning. Sad to say but true.

 

Why is that sad? They are smart, took the hints. You should follow their lead. And quick.

 

I guarantee they are not sad