Sales Force Ideas - What Can Be Done to Change Course?

Enough of waiting for the inept leadership team for ideas; we know home office trolls the CP Board, so lets give them some ideas.

First, I recognize the need to minimize expenses. I don't want to be cut, but in the short term we need to eliminate territories that done generate the minimum ROI to justify the job.

Second, what about getting paid for the entire zip code? With an uncapped bonus, we would be motivated to seek out and pivot when necessary, striking while the iron is hot in different offices.

What other ideas do you people have?

 

Well hello there Arthur. I'm surprised that you want or even care for our opinion, we are just an underperforming sales force that do not deserve sales contests or awards trips that were rightfully earned. You have very quickly lost the respect of pretty much everyone in the organization. This is an interesting approach of disrespecting and unmotivating the entire company before asking those that are left to execute your changes as you attempt to 'turn the company around'. Some of us were hopeful when you came on board that things would positively change but your negativity and disrespect are very clear. This was a sinking ship before but you are ensuring that we are on the same path as the Titanic.

 

How about some damn copay cards to place in offices we are trying to start writing Nucynta!! What the f**k !!!!!!!!!

 

We're too late to the game with most primary care doctors, as the CDC and state laws have made this market impossible to grow.

It should be all about surgeons surgeons surgeons!! And pain specialists and neurologists. There's where we're going to find our growth.

 

Don't restructure the sales force every 6 months

 

What do you mean award trips that were rightfully earned? Did the company rescind invitations to the award trip?

 

Don't remove and change primary care targets every quarter. It takes time to get on lunch schedules in pcp offices, then the target is removed, different ones added, etc.

 

well I guess they've come up with their own strategy. First on the agenda-- they've displaced the entire oncology team.

Heavy heart to you all.

 

Sorry to hear that. It seems like this is the first step to either streamline our business or package us for sale.
Lazanda was struggling overall, and its a great example for all of us- if you can't sell enough product to pay for your position( which is probsbly close to $150k when u add it all up), then your days are numbered. We were either at parity or close to losing $$ with Lazanda. Next up- Cambia.

Good luck to all, but be proactive and get your resume updated.

 

Great post. Its too bad your ideas have to be posted here, and there is not a better forum. I believe things are about to turn a corner for the better though. We have had a tough year with threats of BOD and CEO replacement which have been swirling since last April. Personally, I dont know what was said behind closed doors there with Jim, but he struck me more as a wheeler and dealer, which resulted in a number of drug acquisitions, but he had no idea how to run a sales organization. Havent seen enough from Higgins yet, but his resume and experience would appear to be a great asset to our tiny company.

The acquisition talk in the past year is another big disruption. Seen this at companies I have worked at in the past. Starboard waved a flag 1 year ago in its letters indicating an agenda to see the company get sold, but then they let Jim continue to run things anyway. Probably the worst thing they could have done to disrupt the company. Nobody has known for the last year if they are going to have a job tomorrow. Potential sales rep candidates arent going to apply for a job that may only last weeks or just a few months. Anyways, this is what happens, it leaves the stock and company in disarray. Some of the better news that could happen at this point is if Starboard were to exit the company probably. I briefly reviewed some of the BOD appointments they made and 2 of them have ZERO experience in the pharma industry. They are just a distraction and disruption.

We will survive though. Despite everything working against us, regulatory, hedge funds, management changes, we are managing to keep scripts flattish. I still believe Nucynta is partially a solution to the opioid epidemic and not part of the problem. I have never heard of people abusing Nucynta, and have always gotten positive feedback in that regard. Let them do what they want with the stock price, send it to $2 for all I care. Not my problem. Im not an exec collecting millions in free stock options on top of a million dollar salary or some wall street Gordon Gecko that is hurt by that.

 

$3k Nucynta is not the answer to the opioid epidemic. It's not even part of the answer. Sorry.

 

No its not the answer, the opioid problem is far bigger than this tiny company, but it does help people. There are real patients here. If you cant see that you are probably just a troll behind a screen who has no idea.

 

Maybe reducing the company size by 20% is the answer, oh and keeping all of the VPs and management who have failed to steer this ship in any right direction firmly in place at the helm. They will steer this into the rocks, absolutely clueless management who swagger around from meeting to meeting clutching their surface pros and ordering lunch. Wake up people. The only change needed is the current leadership, new CEO excluded as he's really just listening to the executive team that got the last CEO fired. Good news is the CEO works for Starboard so this will all be over soon. Sorry for those that lost their jobs today..it might just be a blessing.

 

Lololol true that.

 

I'm new Pain rep with March-April class but a few thoughts on turning ship around.
1. I agree with some posts above. STOP tinkering with territories, especially PCP, or orthopods. These specialties see dozens of reps weekly and it takes 3-6 months+ to get traction.
2. Some offices I've called on (even Pain Mgt) have "forgotten" our products or that Depomed was still around. A plan is needed to sell product and build customer confidence in the company.
3. Designate a "traffic" cop to put home office/mgt and the field on the same page. Initiatives, are great, but what are the priorities? It's confusing/exhausting to change messaging or strategy week to week.
4. Pick a plan - leave it alone for 6 months. MINOR tweaks or updates for MAJOR news only..
5. Oh, did I say pick a plan and leave it alone for while......

 

What is going on with the SIP?

 

Two things to change course, and one was mentioned earlier:
1. Thin out some of the slackoffs at the home office, in particular JV. Maybe he's back on his meds for the time being, but that man is trouble in so many ways. Next, JS should go away, unless she develops a personality or some minimal response to those that reach out to her. Hey JS, at what point do we get some details on our May/June contest? Its mid-May already!!
2. Stop with the 400+ data reports already. I can see reps suffering paralysis by analysis, and some DMs aren't helping matters by demanding busy work! Having the AMP sheets moved to their current location makes sense on one level, but the ability to access/print them is so wonky, it will be forgotten and not used very quickly!! The last portal was simple and easy to use/access. Stop fucking around with stuff that already works!

 

What happened to the SC DM spot? Any ideas if it will be filled or not?

 

Yes. They are interviewing for it now. They hired from the outside and the person left after like 6 weeks or so. So now they are interviewing again.

 

Step one- get rid of IDIOT managers! Some of you got promoted just because of the way you look. Some of you got promoted because you are ass kissers. Some of you got promoted because you sucked dick. None of you got promoted because you deserved it. Let's be honest! Dallas manager, New england manager, the new manager of training? Wipe your chins bitches because your stupidity shows us all how you got promoted.

Step two- STOP realigning territories and shifting products. Holy fuck! Doctors are so fucking confused they dont know what the fuck is going on.

Step 3- stop with all the lists and reach and frequency and who didn't log into the AMP portal. This is specialty, not primary care. You hired ADULTS. Treat them as such. Reach and frequency works in "some" territories. Not in others. Allow people to really be tye CEO of the territory like the shit you promised on our interviews. Leave people the fuck alone and let us sell. All the other minutia is distracting. I shouldnt be coming home at 2pm on a good selling say so i can log into the portal and make sure i print an AMP sheet and download a stat report so my name doesnt show up on some phycho list. And the shaming emails? Calling people out in front of their peers? Absolutely the worst management style ever!