Are Managers Really Needed?

Discussion in 'Novartis' started by Anonymous, Aug 17, 2014 at 5:28 PM.

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  1. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    **The word MANAGER is so 1990's**

    Regional Talent Leads (RTL's).

    Traveling/Roving RTL's should handle 40-50 reps per assignment.

    They will be responsible for selling on half of the sales calls on a given ride day, and demonstrate their selling/leadership ability by modeling real life calls and actually helping the reps sell instead of leaning on the wall.

    Focus majority of field ride activity on reps that are new (1-3 years)

    Let HR do expense reports - and kick back to RTL's/Reps if a problem is spotted.

    No creating/assigning any busy work....NONE!! - field help only.

    Move to 100% sales results based pay, stop the core competency reviews.

    Stop with all the non-selling BS "Rep Leadership Roles".

    End the field coaching logs. Let them give advice and demonstrate - that's it!!

    Use your IPAD technology, not "managers" to babysit reps. Send reps auto-generated email warnings if their call activity or call times drop below acceptable levels.

    This is the year 2014 people!!! Move to automation, cut the expensive old school DM position and replace it with a streamlined, low-cost, laser focused approach to driving NOTHING BUT SALES, FROM NOTHING BUT SALESPEOPLE (no managers - not needed), DOING NOTHING BUT SELLING (no footprint meetings, no reports, no silly overpaid analysis) WE KNOW WHAT TO DO - JUST GET OUT OF OUR WAY WITH ALL THE CRAP AND LET US DO IT!!!
     

  2. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    Do you really think that THIS company trusts reps enough for that?!?!?!? A brilliant post, however.
     
  3. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    They need a layer to approve all the bogus programs
     
  4. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    I have had 13 managers in 19 years here. Most where ok. I would guess maybe 2 were really bad.
     
  5. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    I have also had 13 managers. At no time did I feel that one of them offered anything to make my job more efficient, or more competent. I have had times when we have had ride-alongs every 3 weeks. I have many offices that will not allow a manager back for the call. The DM type roll is of no value, an added expense, and the OP is spot on. With technology generating results on a weekly basis it is easy to discover non worker reps, and HR can deal with them
     
  6. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    I gave up working and they never caught me. I hate the job so much that it doesn't matter if I get caught. 36 weeks vacation is goal. Previous years did 28 and 31 weeks. Proud of it?- yes because Novartis sucks
     
  7. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    OP message is brilliant. They aren't needed at all. I saw a past thread where a manager said HQ feels we need fewer reps because of access....couldn't be more wrong.....we need fewer managers because of access!!! I can get into everyone of my offices. However, my manager can't get in hardly any because the docs can't stand managers. So Christi, Greg, Richard....take note.....without us LCZ has a horrible launch. We have the relationships!!! You want to cut the fat and ask if we have the right people??? Take a look at your worthless managers.
     
  8. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    So are you going to rate yourself and give yourself a raise?- Fat Chance...Are you going to monitor your own performance because you do not need any feedback or instruction? Who will you complain to and bitch to?

    You want to mange yourself..... go into business for yourself. OMG that would require effort!

    But until then.. get your ass back in the car and make your sales call. Most managers are there to help and just like worthless reps, there are worthless and self serving managers, many who do not know a thing about leading people or helping to make the business grow.
    That is true of all professions and of all people.

    So if you want to manage yourself go elsewhere, because managers are not going anywhere skippy..
     
  9. Baldoni

    Baldoni Guest

    GSK is preparing to send over a truly talented bunch of managers to help your oncology division flourish.
     
  10. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    The original post does not state that managers are not needed, but rather not as many as we have now. The high priced babysitter days should be over, now that PODS are gone.
     
  11. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    True, with 40% fewer reps there should be many fewer managers. Besides, when there are too many managers around they get together with consultants and figure how much we really work and how we have no real affect on sales and they conspire to get rid of even more reps.
     
  12. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    Hem mgr in S. fla just won 2 area of the year awards and did nothing but hinder his reps. ES is the worst mgr ever!
     
  13. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    You're full of it. I reported to ES and he cares about his people, helps others grow and develop in role, and is smarter than just about every Novartian there is. Open your eyes and your mind and you'll see someone willing to do what it takes to help you be more successful. You don't think you need help to be more successful? Everybody everywhere benefits from someone willing to lend a supportive and encouraging hand. Ask the world's best if they did it alone and they will all tell you they were surrounded by those willing to help.
     
  14. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    I like original post! I'm in oncology and none of my mgrs. have ever had anything more to add other than a day not being able to have a chance of seeing a doc w/out a lunch cuz he is looming behind me!!!!
     
  15. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    Of course you will always have a manager. The problem is our model. Dm s just come around and point out all the things your doing wrong all the time. Plus their focus seems to be to just keep everyone off some list.

    some dm should write a book called "management by the List". I have yet to read a business book about this appoach. But at nvs its seems to be rule #1
     
  16. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    Why is it that at every downsizing managers the ones that do not flee inside are let go in greater proportion than reps ?
     
  17. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    Why is it that you are in the 60,000 that haven't Ben laid off yet?
     
  18. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    Who is Ben?
     
  19. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    40,000 reps jobs have left the industry in the last 4 years and the real affects of Obamacare and the Sinshine laws are just now kicking in. Acces rates are falling yet sales are climbing. They are finding out that they do not need reps to sell pharma drugs,
     
  20. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    It's more of a big pharma thing. I know reps at the smaller companies and biotech that may see a manager in a field ride once a year, usually to do year end eval, unless the rep calls for a unique situation.

    Experienced reps in almost every other outside sales industry have managers that are office based and fit much of the OP's comments. Novartis is overburdended with managers and beuracracy levels. Bottom line we all sell from the PI and diffeerentiate our products with value added services. (how is that much different than a chemical sales, auto part sales (Tommy Boy), cookies, moving services, software.....).

    It was a model created for the masses of warm bodies of inexperienced reps hired in the late 1990's and early 2000's to monitor their activites for the "share of voice".