I’m 50 years old

Been doing this for 25 years. 7 President Club awards. Do I really need a manager riding with me? I think I know what I’m doing out there. It’s the worst part of the job, and there are many.

 

No… Of course you don’t need them. They are ridiculous for many reasons. Not the least of which is that doctors offices should not be used as a training venue for drug reps. . If a manager wants to assess a reps skills, do it through role-playing at the corporate office, or a nearby Starbucks, etc. Furthermore, having a manager walk into an office with you is far more likely to hurt your chances of seeing a prescriber, than it is to help.

The problem is many Pharma jobs above yours would disappear if field rides were eliminated, and the people in those positions have the ear of leadership whereas you do not. And you can rest assured they are telling leadership that reps cannot be trusted without field rides.

 

A good manger would meet you for coffee and lunch and let you on your way. The sad thing is that most managers have a limited imagination and are not interested in contributing to business only puffing their unnecessarily large egos.

 

This would be Tyson at Pfizer. Worst manager in Pharma!

 

Of course, the field ride is completely ridiculous in today's environment...It has not been a
bona fide training tool since about the early '90s, and even then lost the companies more
business than it ever gained...

But the real reason for field visits is unfortunately, quite a bit more sinister...

It gives these evil and unethical companies an avenue for skirting employment laws and
harassing reps (mostly the older ones) out of the their jobs without ramifications to the
company.

One of the ugly truths of pharma sales...

 

For the vast majority of offices nothing hurts A reps chances of getting back to talk to a doctor more than having a second person standing next to them - be it a manager or a field trainer. The smart managers, who truly care about what is best for our business, understand this. They will attend a breakfast or lunch then let us be to do our thing.

 

That idiot is still there! Back un the day he and his ex-wife would start drinking by 3pm and be totally smashed by 5pm. They left those kids to fend for themselves. So disgusting!

 

I have a similar background (age, 8x award winner, etc). Have a great manager. He will bounce after lunch….give me a few useful coaching points to level up….and cheer me on. He also gets to observe what I do well and then uses me to mentor others…..which adds ammunition when he presents me during calibration…..which means mo’ money for my annual merit.