Actelion

J&J thinks rare disease can be run just like primary care. As a result- we're having a talent drain & they don't care. Until of course- revenue goes down.

LAST ONE OUT- TURN OUT THE LIGHTS!!

 

It is obvious that J&J wants to run us out of here.
First, they give us a $6K pay cut/increase in what we pay for benefits.
Second, they reduce the quality of our benefits

Third, they reduce our vacation time.

Fourth, they jack the goals up so no one is making incentive comp anymore. This is the first time in since Actelion was FOUNDED that more than 1/2 the sales force has missed target payout AND... it is 3 quarters in a row that it has happened. So we went from NEVER HAPPENED to EVERY QUARTER.

Sadly, the worst part of it? They lie right to our faces & tell us we are "valued" & "important". The only thing J&J values or considers important is profit. I don't take that personally- just stop insulting my intelligence. Just wait to see what happens to profitability as we all continue to file outta here.

 

Just wait til next year when Arena launches their PAH line. They'll take 2/3 of our reps, all of our speakers & KOL's.

Arena will happily pay top dollar for us & shift all of our business into their book of business. They are better at math then J&J. 80% market share ($900 million in revenue) is worth $30K more pay & benefits per rep.

The best part?? J&J leadership will be "shocked" & "surprised" by the sudden death spiral of Uptravi market share. Sadly, it'll be a year too late to reverse mass migration of talent & relationships.

12 months to go & then I'll get the year end shut down back, benefits back & most importantly- I'll be seen as valuable again.

 

Yeah but we have Win The Week now!

 

You are clueless. Results on Arena 3-4 years away minimum

 

Having been through this with Synthes my advice is to get out as soon as possible.

 

It doesn't really matter- The first PAH company that needs a fully trained & high performing sales force will get all of us. They'll hire the managers first & the managers will take their reps with them.

The reps bring all the KOL's & office staff relationships.

Its a shake & bake operation.

 

The same recruiter that brought me to Actelion has already reached out to me about what is coming next. It will be a year out but he said he's going to poach 70-80% of Actelion's reps.

He said what J&J is doing is sad & it'll tough for him to continue to place quality reps with Actelion if J&J really follows through with all of these changes. He "has never heard of a specialty company offering just 2 weeks of vacation."

But- he's excited for how easily he'll be able to get Actelion reps to jump ship.

 

BS. There isn’t a recruiter out there who gives a rats ass what happens to reps after they are placed and they get their commission.

This is typical JNJ. They buy you, tell you they are going to leave you alone to do what they bought you for and ever so slowly your policies change to match theirs. Then a few new faces show up. Kendra from McNeil, Chandra from Jansen, Ramiro from Ethicon..... next thing you know you are the new playground for the idiots other divisions want to get rid of but are afraid to.

Enjoy!

 

This is so true. Feel like an idiot thinking it would be different for us.

 

Don't be so hard on yourself. Synthes Reps thought the same thing, didn't realize the wool had been pulled,over our eyes until the commission rate went from 12.5% to 11.0% a few years back.

 

So where did Bob Smith go ? Was it his choice ? Can’t wait to see what happens to RBD’s and DM’s ???

 

Bob doesn't have another job yet. He's taking a few months off & then he'll start looking. Most popular theory is that he just couldn't do the big pharma dance. He needs to be with an organization that respects input & truly listens from the bottom up. Not the J&J top down model.

What we know is that Bob is one of the best leaders in this industry. Wherever he ends up- I would go work for him again in a second. The whole sales force would follow him if we could.

 

Where did commissions go?

3rd quarter in a row with record low payouts. I understand that J&J over paid for Actelion. But stiffing us on commission is going to accelerate the mass exodus that is going on.

Does leadership understand that we lose $200K per year per patient that we lose?? Vacant territories lose 4 or 5 patients PER MONTH. That is a million dollars in revenue every month.

Serge- pull your head out & do some math. Saving $20K per territory in commission is a net loss of nearly $3 million per rep that leaves for greener pastures.

I know at least a dozen reps that are leaving in Q1 next year. That's gonna hurt.

 

Same approach as leadership employed with Synthes. It's not going to get better. Get out asap.

 

Probably a dozen or so more looking...Sadly, im sure Serge is fine with that.

 

Serge has destroyed the Actelion culture. For the decade that I've worked here- going to the home office was an awesome experience. You could feel this amazing, positive vibe. It was almost electric. There was a buzz everywhere. Everyone was smiling & excited to help.

Serge snuffed the life out of the place in just under a year.

Now, everyone walks with their heads down. Hardly anyone eats lunch at the cafeteria. They grab lunch & retreat to their desks. No one offers to help with anything. Its like walking through a funeral home.

FYI- if there is a company out there with amazing positive culture & you need a doctor of death/grimm reaper to kill it- hire Serge. He is just the talking ass bag that you are looking for. This guy could put a crack addict to sleep because he is so fucking boring. I've never known anyone who loves to hear himself talk more. There is no one in corporate America better than this clown at running off talented people. He is an attitude assassin. An executioner of enthusiasm. We're sneaking up on 50% turnover & he could care less.

Seriously, what a dick.

 

The Actelion we knew & loved is over. It was so good. The very best in the industry. It was incredibly special. We truly put the patient first. We truly valued every employee. At J&J, these things are punch lines for jokes.

Now- its no different than any other big pharma company. J&J only has one way of running a business. Slightly below industry standard in every way. Except profit.

They'll sell out every employee, every customer, every patient- if it means making even just one more dollar.

 

^this.

It has been going on for so long it is surprising how highly regarded JNJ is outside the company.

 

Because one of JNJs absolute strengths is fostering their public image.