OBU is Toxic

After the hatchet job last Tuesday by Shire leadership on many first class sales reps with very "vague" reasoning, it is time to exit.
The exodus will hit the OBU soon as numerous reps will move over to Ocular Theraputics in August.
This along with reps finding other opportunities with companies that actually know how to market a product and treat there people with respect. Yes, I know, no company is perfect, but Shire is a text book case on how not to treat folks and a complete failure to communicate. When we first began in the OBU, our mission was to build a relationship with ECP's and that Shire was committed to Ophthalmics. We succeeded in our mission, but Shire has failed miserably and that relationship is broken into a million pieces.

 

First, sales people were fired due to their low Rxs! Second, sales reps are to move product not just making friends with the office receptionist! What happened to hiring reps with a fire in their belly to SELL!

 

Trust me sales was doing their job. Constant fire drills, extremely poor managed care, poor planning, and pull through with KK and now this.
Many managers you could tell have checked out (mine is completely MIA), I've spoken with a couple of the reps let go and the ball was set in motion months ago with false poor field visit reports, niinjas etc.
We aren't even a year in and have no med d coverage, one cannot expect miracles. This takes time, restasis has been out for 13 years, X not even one. I'm not making excuses as I still have my job but this was shady, cold, and has sent a ripple through the OBU. Yes people will be leaving in droves, there is no trust, no love, and morale is lower than ever. We haven't even heard from the new guy from Genentech...where is he!?! This division is a MESS and it isn't pretty

 

Above poster is absolutely correct.
If you are so naive to think that Shire has not lost even more credibility with ECP's, your a true snowflake.
Those who were let go had a minimum of a year and half within the OBU and God knows how long with another Ophthalmics company.
ECP's are human first. Like anyone of us, if one of our friends was let go, paired with all the bs Shire has been doing, it would leave a very bad taste in their mouth(no pun intended) just like Xiidra. Restasis or Xiidra, either one is fine. Allergan is here to stay, Shire, not.

 

Clearly you are not in the sales division. Pharma sales is not a true sales job, where you need a fire in your belly attitude. I've worked in device, which is a true sales job. In pharma, managed care will make or break any territory bottom line. It has nothing to do with a rep's ability to sell. As a rep, the only way to be successful is to help uneducated techs with PA's. Of course this is considered unethical, so you have to break the rules to be successful. You take a chance on getting caught, but at this company.....they want you to do unethical things.....but DON'T get caught! If we had what we really need, reimbursement specialists that could train techs on getting PA's approved......20 people wouldn't have been fired last week. So don't blame this crap on sales reps, who don't have the resources to sell against Restasis.....who lets face it......has much better managed care. These people did not deserve to get fired.......

 

Excellent post. Pharma is not sales, period.
What happened Tuesday has motivated me to get out sooner, rather than later.

 

Exactly! I have worked in a territory where I had a reimbursement specialist while I focused on the science. Made a world of difference!

 

Same here...looking feverishly now

 

Anything easy comes with a price.

I have been in the industry for sometime and yes, things can get hectic and pressure from management etc, but I challenge any pharma rep to look in the mirror and do say that there job is hard. It is not.
The hardest thing is truly not knowing when the ax may drop on you. As our industry changes, consolidates, etc there is absolutely no security whatsoever, period. Sure, no job is 100% secure, ever.
Living a life of fear is not living. It will kill you day by day.
I'll hang on as long as possible, but after Tuesday, I'm going to begin starting a business of my own and truly being an entrepreneurial sales rep, not a fucking glorified caterer and making sure I get signatures, enough. Early on reps were valued, now we're an annoyance.
Don't flatter yourselves, you are all replaceable, period.,

 

OBU sounds like next level toxicity. Is there one division in Shire that feels things are going well?

 

I'll take it even further and say Ophthalmics isn't even like rx sales in many offices, especially Optometry. I've only been in eyecare one year and have never had this many docs that I consider actual friends. Most are high decile ODs & give me free reign in their office, any time, any day. Shire really screwed their reputation even more last week; what a way to make a horrible first year impression. We have become the laughing stock of the industry.

 

Clearly you make the argument that Shire should FIRE their sales force. You state that your job is not SELLING! No wonder, the pharma rep business model is becoming extinct! Y'all are lazy oafs!

 

Lazy!? Lazy!? I've never worked so hard before and for nothing

 

Don't react to KK or little TP who troll this sight constantly...

They are the lazy oafs...

 

wah,wah,wah

 

When we roll out 100% eSamples, the whiny reps will be without a job. Maybe, y'all can utilize your other job skill by delivering for Jimmy Johns. Hahahahaha!

 

AMEN to that!! We hear about the prima donnas in Sales and it is SHAMEFUL! Pharma doesn't need sales reps! We need to do the right clinical trials and the data will be published and either support or dismiss our drugs. No doctor is going to trust a sales rep on his/her decision to Rx a drug! Maybe in third world countries but not in the USA! Take their salaries, car expenses, lunches, luxury trips, etc. and give the $s to better pay home office folks and investors. Shire will be stronger without reps! My doctor calls reps "cockaroaches"!

 

Go away troll. You have no idea what you're talking about.

 

Nice try