DIABETES AS ONE

Dear Management

Please stop saying these words to your sales reps. I understand that it benefits your performance by having both Orals and Injectables exceed goals. However, you created a model that has produced confusion and animosity between these teams. Each looking out for their own best interest, counter detailing so the product promoted is being used second, and little collaboration between the groups. Reflect on last year and the results that exceeded expectations as we were "ONE".

 

Wait, isn't forced rank and cutthroat competition amongst one another was a good thing?

 

Couldn't have been said better. This goes to show that the newbies in upper management want to pretend like they are doing something innovative and new to justify themselves. AZ had a banner year in diabetes, but things need to be changed. How does that make sense. They, once again, are putting new faces with new customers and destroying relationships that are hard to build. Great job SLT. Looking forward to you falling flat on your face because of stupid decisions. They need to go back to Q4 2014 alignments!!

 

But market research shows this is a more effective model (sarcasm) Unfortunately, there is a disconnect with management and the sales force. We are told as sales reps to know our business, however this does not apply to our leadership team. We are dependent on third party companies to make those decisions for them when implementing change and inefficient models. The result is a sales force that does not work together to maximize sales results.

 

AMEN! This "re-org" was another terrible idea. The 2014 model was far superior.

 

Give it a few months and magically something will appear...an invitation to a mandatory teleconference to discuss upcoming changes in diabetes...we will come together as "one" again, all selling the portfolio-- again, and it will be understood not to question leadership, or the changes coming full circle. No one will admit fault or making a mistake, then we'll all be back to "normal". Mark it down.

 

Plus whoever is in charge of manage care should be fired on the spot. We are giving this fucking drug away with the cards so undercut all the other SGLT2 on the market to get better coverage. Now these cards that we have worked so hard to get docs to use don't fucking work or need a PA first. Their bright idea is let's put FAR infront of the numbers and it will magically tell a 16 year old tech at the pharmacy what happens next. This company is a joke!!

 

I believe your speaking of a different topic. Forced ranking against each other based on market share growth has not changed, which does not reflect true profitability in one's territory. They wouldn't dare change that antiquated model. The change has been dividing oral and injectable reps. Here is an idea, let's listen to our docs and find solutions to help their patients with our total portfolio. Instead, we revert to the "me" sell and force conversation for our best interest.

 

Well said!!! Absolutely true. Our industry needs to improve our relationship with customers. We all know this to be true. However senior "leaders" only care about short term profits.

 

The poster has a point. Each team is competing against each other for market share forcing physicians to see/choose the benefit of competing treatments. The rep cannot choose one treatment over another, since they represent only one. The physician sees the treatment as separate depending on which rep they are talking to. It is as you say a "me" sell to force the conversation in your best interest, which is precisely what AZ wants.

If the physician chooses one over the other AZ still wins. The rep who sells what drug, or makes how much bonus, or how happy he or she is; is immaterial, but from reps up to management it will be competitive, which to upper management will fuel growth in a two pronged approach.

From a marketing standpoint AZ is drowning out competition because it has more "feet on the street" for two separate products in the same class. AZ noise level is elevated. I've heard AZ draw this conclusion before.

The more you beat your brains out, the more they love it.

 

The injectable team may as well have a competing SGLT2 or DPP4 because AZ turned them into the oral teams direct competition. AZ loses because I could care less if a physician chooses Victoza over Bydureon, it's the same lost opportunity for my sales, assuming the patient that was prescribed the GLP1 was an oral candidate. The 2 teams have no vested interest in each others success, and that hurts AZ because collectively, yet independently, we are selling the portfolio.

Two halves do not equal one whole in this alignment.

 

This is a great breakdown of what they created.

At first I thought, yes I want my option to be chosen first, but if not, please use the other option, I actually did sell it at one time, I just don't get paid on it any more.

What I now realize is the managers will have a really hard time winning with both orals and injectables. Sure, its possible. But if one starts doing really well vs the other, what's gonna happen, the manager will put pressure on the team that is falling behind, creating more animosity and reason to sell 'against' your old teammate.
TOPHER - You blew it!!!!! The longer you wait to fix this the less likely you will last.

 

I hear what your saying, however there is information or lack there of that management should have considered.
1. Share of voice, yes I said it. Novo, Lilly/BI, and J&J have more representation than AZ. (We lose collaboration and share of voice on both sides)
2. If I'm in a call and physician uses SGLT and then GLP-1 (maybe not ours) do you think a rep will make a two prong call or convince them to use both our products or just product they promote. Do they share this info with "competing" side?
3. If this model is so efficient why not do the same with ESS. If internal competition is that important, bring it to specialty and management. Love to see a little infighting between managers.
4. 2014 was a banner year for diabetes, will see what model was more effective. You can't blame this one on the reps based on 14 results.

 

I agree with this. When you had both products, you could differentiate or even sell the products as a possible benefit being used together. There is no real need to do that now. I work on the west coast for the injectable team and we are getting killed by share of voice. I'm not sure if they are giving up on bydureon, but they might want to reconsider if they're looking for this drug to be a success.

 

I hate to say, but you are absolutely correct. How do you say that we need to change things when AZ diabetes had their best year ever last year? Everyone from the SLT, ASD's, RSD's, DM's, and even reps were shocked at the success we had with Farxiga and Bydureon pen. Bydureon, Farxiga/Xigduo, and Onglyza/Kombiglyze XR all have their place and can be sold collectively. They should go back to original territories and do a 40% Bydureon, 40% Farxiga/Xigduo, and 20% Onglyza/KXR. This would allow us to match share of voice and tailor our messages to what the customer is interested in. Get a clue Topher and listen to the reps in the field.

 

Mmm maybe... greed?

 

We misinform and mislead the injectable reps that are new to our city. Keep them out of our key offices for just a while longer while we bash the needle. Way to go AZ, great idea making our old parthers our new competitors.

 

I wish leadership would read this message. As a manager, I'm struggling to keep my district together to collaborate as one. I can't speak for other managers, but we are being hit hard from share of voice, in particular the injectable side. I am surprised we did not stay promoting the total portfolio. I think it is a big mistake. Unfortunately, we are committed to this model, but we have seen in recent years that things change quickly around AZ.

 

Is T. Snook forced ranked?

 

If we cannot professionally discuss different and appropriate patient types for each and every one of our products, how can we expect doctors utilize them that way? Just because we now have divided, more specialized, sales forces, each promoting their own product(s), this company cannot possibly be so stupid as to believe this will grow market share BOTH ways, with compounding competition from other companies? This sales force split just lessened the share of voice we have, while other companies are launching more and more products, thus more share of voice for them. For injectable reps, this quickly became a specialty job without the specialty pay. The easy way out is for doctors to write an oral, much less a free one, or two, or three, and then to go a "free" injectable if they have to. Then find a commercially insured patient who is not on insulin. That makes the Bydureon share pretty much shrinking to nothing. Thanks AZ. FU