New I&I Leadership wants 50% reduction

New Pres & VP using 2020 as an employee evaluation year for early 2021 downsizing.
Word is 50-60% as "right size" would be 125 reps & 12 DMs (currently 260 reps & 26 DMs)
With all the employees bailing & interviewing, in 9 months might already have 50% with people leaving.
**Really only 80 reps is all Xeljanz needs, like they had before crazy marketing & consulting companies talked into expanding like crazy making territories like primary care but no access so stuck w 3-4 calls a day and that is going into calls together w counterparts.

 

Then they should put a hiring freeze on.

 

Most are NOT backfilling positions unless it is a large volume terr. "Critical need terr" HQ calls it.
Heard DMs are already scheduled for panel interviews at HQ in April.

 

Well this needs to be done!
Should never gotten bigger than 100 reps, let alone 265 now is crazy for Xeljanz 1 product w 4yr LOE. They must have passed cannabis laws in PA when HQ made those 2 expansion decisions!

 

True but not until Jan 2021.
Need to squeeze 1 last positive year of sales before 14 RA products & formulary start sales decline last 3yrs of LOE like all product life cycles. Normal sales curve of life cycle & 2020 is last year of possible growth to squeeze so no changes the next 9 months.

 

Then they won’t need 3 RM’s

 

Only need 1 RD for 10 DMs and 100 reps.
Actemra Orencia Simponi all downsizing now and they LOE 1yr before Xeljanz

 

This is true but doesnt mean Pfizer follows the same pre LOE downsizing model.
However it could actually might be more severe than those 3 companies because they never expanded with indications and kept 70 reps.

I&I head of marketing and leadership predicted 2 billion a year from UC and now it is last line use before organ removal thus the 150 reps added 2yrs ago was for that extra 2billion prediction. Probably will never hit 100mil with UC thus Xeljanz has 150 too many reps. And way way too many DMs.
Hindsight always perfect & marketing listened to a consulting group they paid 1 million over the reps who said do not need to expand.
(Marketing is always more reps more share of voice)
Now 2yrs later and black box last line usage, "right sizing" as HQ calls it has to be made.

Lets face it, us reps have not worked full days since we expanded. Maybe 4 calls a day, 5 with a lunch and we go to appointments , lunches and breakfasts with our counterparts which is a waste of 125k salary and 35k bonus.
But we have to do this in mirror territories since expansion the last 2 yrs.
Pre expansion with 85 reps, it was perfect. Geography was larger but at least we had something to do after lunch and didnt have to be Pfizer twins in offices with counterparts

 

50%?????
They expanded in 2018 by 60% so min 60% is warranted. Maybe 65%.
264 reps now
Launched with 78 which is still optimal but no more than 90 is needed.
Go back to 1 rep solo territories.
This is the way it was for years and highly successful , unlike now.

 

Well the 2B from UC sort of justifies why, but it never made sense when the C1 SHRs didn’t become a part of the expanded promotion. The I&I expansion is another example of empire building within Pfizer, not the first time and likely not the last. Pfizer is lousy at managing human capital

 

2020 is going to be just fine.
No layoffs anywhere but major evaluations for 2021 reorganization.
This year dont worry about anything as it will be peak sales years.
Now next year when sales go down from loosing formulary status from major plans, then will be the time to think about these concerns.

 

Evaluations & Analysis this year only- no layoffs.
Reorg in 2021 based on 2020 analysis.
- agree way too many reps and they do on on joint calls together to hit their call average expectations.
In the end it will all be great and we will be right sized while probably having some co-promote drugs like Cologuard or Pain Killer Toza getting approved in IM.

 

new I&I leadership is the best ever, just ask them

 

GI’s don’t like cologuard

 

G I wonder why$

 

I don’t buy it.

bad leaders and good leaders wouldn’t project a 50% cut a year in advance.

How does crushing morale for 12 months serve the greediest, cruelest of taskmasters?

It can’t be true unless major stupidity is in effect.

 

The cuts will happen before q4 this year. The managers will be selected and ZS will do their map magic before July.

 

Believe it or sit around and wait until you’re forced to believe it. Any leader, good or bad, knows what their organization will look like in 6/12/18/24 months, unless they’re inept. New leaders are coming in and trying to make a mark on I&I to impress the ELT. It’s all about their egos. Don’t be so naive - or do, but don’t cry crocodile tears when you’re chances are 1 in 2 of getting cut. Just sayin.

 

HQ , VP , Pres all plan 5 years out. Yearly planning is done by RDs and DMs.
HQ leadership 3-5yrs out.
They know mirrored reps go in on joint calls just to get reach freq call activity to not to be put on a plan. They know GI being black boxed last line before surgery that the expansion of 150 reps is not needed but now are stuck w 150 too many reps with not enough to do, getting paid 150k for 3-4hrs a day.

Its common sense.
Get ready for typical comments of , we are good for 5 more yrs, line extensions, looking for new indications, revisting older trials, looking for combo usuage, looking to acquire products, co promote, licences agreement etc.
2020 you will start to hear these comments that were given to PC with Lipitor before 50% cut, Neuro, Ophthalmology, Anti Invectives, Pysch, --- all squeezing out every last drop of sales w promises until LOE then collapsing.
Promise you that this kind of verbiage will start soon.
Remember talk is cheap & all HQ Pes VP.care is there millions in stock options which reps do not get.

 

I think Pfizer global Pres just proved this with recent VP hire who has extensive experience in leading downsizings and restructuring in other Divisions. (Per his introduction bio today)