Is there anyone left who does not know that it is over?

The pharmaceutical sales representative job as is exists today is done.

Way back in the day, Merck started the mirrored rep concept. An industry full of horrible business executives followed the model and continually one upped each other. Most of you were not in the industry when these same inept executives went through the co-promotion phase to aggravate the customer at an even higher level.

Merck and Pfizer are laying off about 30% of their reps this month and this will not be the last layoff for them. Novartis upper management is filled with followers, which in this case is a good thing.

There are too many reps chasing too few open offices filled with physicians who are not allowed to prescribe what they want to prescribe. Under this reality, the correct level of staffing is one rep per 400 offices. This will allow the rep to see 5 offices per day once per month. I know it sounds like a lot of targets, but remember, the physician has limited ability to write your drug, and all you are really doing is reminding them which patients they are allowed to write for.

Do the math. The company needs about 800 reps max. How long until they get to that number? My guess is 2011. Not a great time to be a rep.

Wrong!! When you have solid relationships(friendship) with physicians, they will write your product. You obviously don't have any, what have you been doing the last few years. If you have been around for awhile, you should have those relationships!! At least a handful that you can count on.

Originally Posted by Anonymous

Wrong!! When you have solid relationships(friendship) with physicians, they will write your product. You obviously don't have any, what have you been doing the last few years. If you have been around for awhile, you should have those relationships!! At least a handful that you can count on.

OP is absolutely right and sounds someone who has seen the evolvement of the big pharma into what it is today, unethical pharma. PODs, multiple sales forces chasing same target docs selling the same drug whenever they manage to see them. How many of you push Diovan to the same targets? When I left we had 6 GP reps pushing it to 200 docs in each and every territory. Smart? Insane is the best word to describe it. It could not last and will not last for too long. Merck, Pfizer are already turning back to sanity and will have only what they need in reps. Novartis will follow as will the others.
Rep will have his/her territory and will be responsible for a line of drugs, period. Where you are right, it will take good relations with docs to Rx your drug if it is good enough. Very few docs will Rx a drug that is not good enough regardless what Co or who represents it.
Jist like the whole economy that was riding on lies and fraud, big pharma will change to the better and in that process many of you will be gone as will all those crooks who brought you here. Remeber it is not your fault or doing. It is the likes of Vasella, Ebeling, Gorsky and all those greedy and moronic crooks that took once noble and great business to where it is today. That can and will change and those who survive will be better for it as the rest of us. Pharma will do what it is supposed to do, serve the needs of sick at reasonable cost, not strip mine health care systems all over the world for the benefits of few crooks.

Originally Posted by Anonymous

Wrong!! When you have solid relationships(friendship) with physicians, they will write your product. You obviously don't have any, what have you been doing the last few years. If you have been around for awhile, you should have those relationships!! At least a handful that you can count on.

Please enjoy your low control territory while it exists. Your level of ignorance is clearly evident in your statement above. It might amaze you that yes after a long career in Rx sales I do have a "few" solid relationships as you call them. The company has made it difficult to maintain my "few" solid relationships because they keep changing my territory and call list, but I have been able to maintain a "few".

The point is not whether or not I have a handful of physician buddies that I can count on. The point is my physicians do not have the ability to write what they want to write. Now in your world, my physicians would tell their staff to do a PA every time they want to be a guy I can count on and then tell the patient "Don't worry about that $50+ dollar co pay, this drug is worth it." Up here, my physicians have so much time on their hands they don't mind spending time on the phone with managed care companies, pharmacists and irate patients.

I have been in the position where my drug was the only one they could write. Boy I could really count of them then. My relationships must have been much more solid during those times. I guess I was more of a super star like you at that point in my career.

As I said above, enjoy your low control territory while it exists. It is clear to me that I am not in sales anymore. I am now lectured by mental midgets like you who think that their solid relationships with physicians they can count on will overcome goal setting that ignores reality and the inability of those physicians to write my drug. Oh well, I guess I will schedule another meeting with my glorious pod and try to appear busy until I either get laid off or hit the lottery. I can't get another sales job because I have no sales experience.

Originally Posted by Anonymous

Please enjoy your low control territory while it exists. Your level of ignorance is clearly evident in your statement above. It might amaze you that yes after a long career in Rx sales I do have a "few" solid relationships as you call them. The company has made it difficult to maintain my "few" solid relationships because they keep changing my territory and call list, but I have been able to maintain a "few".

The point is not whether or not I have a handful of physician buddies that I can count on. The point is my physicians do not have the ability to write what they want to write. Now in your world, my physicians would tell their staff to do a PA every time they want to be a guy I can count on and then tell the patient "Don't worry about that $50+ dollar co pay, this drug is worth it." Up here, my physicians have so much time on their hands they don't mind spending time on the phone with managed care companies, pharmacists and irate patients.

I have been in the position where my drug was the only one they could write. Boy I could really count of them then. My relationships must have been much more solid during those times. I guess I was more of a super star like you at that point in my career.

As I said above, enjoy your low control territory while it exists. It is clear to me that I am not in sales anymore. I am now lectured by mental midgets like you who think that their solid relationships with physicians they can count on will overcome goal setting that ignores reality and the inability of those physicians to write my drug. Oh well, I guess I will schedule another meeting with my glorious pod and try to appear busy until I either get laid off or hit the lottery. I can't get another sales job because I have no sales experience.

I could not have said it any better. You are right in your assessment.

Originally Posted by Anonymous

Wrong!! When you have solid relationships(friendship) with physicians, they will write your product. You obviously don't have any, what have you been doing the last few years. If you have been around for awhile, you should have those relationships!! At least a handful that you can count on.

I couldn't agree more with the OP. To add fuel to the fire, you're "solid friendships" don't generate the scripts. Your ego-centric view is hidding the fact that the only thing that generates scripts are great products and great reps who delve into well thought out, proven, scientific discourse. Your "buddy" sales tactics are ridding on the skirts of proven reps. Want evidence based data?...then change companies for one with crap products and no useful counterparts. Let's see if your "solid relationships" pull you through before you get fired for non-performance. Let me guess, your response will include..."you're just jealous..." POINT MADE!!!

What the pharmaceutical industry needs to realize is that doctors do not practice medicine anymore - high school graduates sitting in a small cubicle at an insurance company are making medical decisions. Don't think for a second that these insurance companies don't spend thousands of dollars trying to villainify the pharmaceutical industry. Insurance companies are a business, and as such, are constantly trying to increase their bottom line. What better way to do that than to promote the use of inexpensive drugs.

The comment about too many reps. is absolutely right on. Why do you think there are more and more "closed" offices? And what is the justification for a pharmaceutical representative nowadays anyway? "They need to be kept up to date with the latest information and data". Hogwash. The internet is a faster and more efficient means for research.

If you are an old timer and counting the days to retirement, I don't blame you for not leaving. Congratulations! I'm glad you were able to make it. For everyone else, you better have a solid backup plan in place because this ship is sinking. It's great to be optimistic about the future and all, but optimism alone will never pay your mortgage or put food in your kid's mouth.

And that's the nice way to put things. For everyone else, TIME TO GET THE FUCK OUT!

My response woud be that I am glad your not my counterpart because all you do is compain, complain & complain. You do not need to be in sales! Why does the company hire complainers and people who can not sale and expect sales. Maybe the managers need to take a class on hiring people with talent and not just their friends.

Originally Posted by Anonymous

My response woud be that I am glad your not my counterpart because all you do is compain, complain & complain. You do not need to be in sales! Why does the company hire complainers and people who can not sale and expect sales. Maybe the managers need to take a class on hiring people with talent and not just their friends.

Maybe the managers need to take a class on hiring people who can spell also, as that would have eliminated the likes of you. Also, if you think this job is sales you are mistaken.

So what will the number of reps at Novartis in 2-3 years?