So Long, Farewell and Best Wishes

I have mixed emotions on leaving Eisai. Joy, happiness, sorrow and frustration. I no longer have to be micromanaged by a pitiful excuse of a manager, a glorified paper pusher. I know longer dread checking my voicemail 3 times a day to hear someone listen to the sound of their own voice. (By all means if your going to talk to yourself, have something to say.) I will truly miss the many firends I have made at Eisai all over the country. Texas, Tennesse, California, Chicago, Boston and in Kansas and Oklahoma. I have great admiration for so many of you. However, I am extremely frustrated at the direction and management Eisai. I miss the days of Bill Sheldon and Matsui Soichi, where integrity meant something.

As I approach the 1st anniversary of Bryan Graham's (Albuquerque, NM, Dallas District, SW Region PC) untimely death, I am still hurt and in disbelief that Eisai didn't send a single company representative to his memorial service. Bryan was always willing and actively engaged in helping anyone who sought it. Bryan actually fixed some early software problems for all the reps without being asked to and was subsequently highlighted in Pharmaceutical Representative magazine for his efforts and accomplishments. Bryan and his family also were the ones who reached out to "OB" when he had his horrific bike accident in Albuquerque. Where was Mike O'Brien when Bryan's family needed him? Where was Ed Boylan?, or Rudy Williams his DM. Lonnel Coats new Bryan very well, yet he was to busy to attend the services of an Eisai "Family Member". Frustration, hurt, anger and extreme disappointment are only a few of the words I use to describe my feelings for Eisai. And if not for a few reps and the first couple of years(2001-2003) when I felt that I was blessed and privileged to work at Eisai, my memories would all but be overshadowed by the "Coats" Era and the Last couple of years. I will miss so many of you and will have warmest wishes for your personal success. I hope I have the chance to see some of you in the future.

Please remember, call averages, reach and frequency, along with your administrative paper pushing rule the day. It will not matter what your rank is, your tenure, or how well you have built relationships in your offices and how well you are able to drive sales, all that matters is the new matrix. And if you have an HR issue put it in writing, and follow up with HR directly. It is amazing how fast you can be shown the door if you present an HR issue without throwing a fit or involving the HR department directly.

Best wishes always,

David Shepard
Lubbock, Texas Territory
Dallas District
SW Region.

 

Dave
You were always a standup guy. This took guts. I have to agree w/ u on all counts. This direction eisai is heading is a bad one and when will "they" wake up?! There are some really screwed up things going on here. We are losing good people left and right. And it will continue, i assure you. If it weren't for the tough job mkt even more would be jumping ship. Take care,from your SW friends

 

I didn't have the pleasure of knowing you but I wish I would have. It's easy for mgmt to ignore these posts when they don't have a 'name' associated with them. You didn't have to post your name but you did...not that it will make any difference but hopefully at least one of the guilty parties out there will feel some shame if even for a few minutes........Good luck, Dave.

 

Best of luck Dave....your post says it all. I'm in the Midwest, different division and yet everything you say is accurate and resonates with probably 90% of the sales organization. Lonnell Coats thinks that his witty little smile after saying something is enough to justify his existence at Eisai. Ha-Ha....everyone laughs when he does that. My Dad used to say "They are laughing at him..not with him!"

Best of luck and Godspeed from the heartland.

 

I never met you, but I wish I had. I can't believe you put your name to that, but it definitely took a pretty strong person to do so. Good luck!

 

Dave, I think that what you did was extremely brave and I applaud your letter as it says a lot of what has been on my mind. what do you mean that you need to involve the HR dept directly or throw a fit? Did you do that and still didn't get satisfaction? Was it because your manager just ignored you? I am on the East Coast and I'm afraid to say anything to my manager that doesn't fall into line with what the "company line" is. If I do, he chooses to then ignore me for what seems weeks at a time. This is not the way it used to be when I had a different manager who knew what it meant to live the values and understood what integrity meant. I need answers what to do because I feel as if I'm between a rock and a hard place as I can not quit right now due to financial reasons.

good luck to you Dave

 

not dave

if you have an HR issue be sure its something you are willing to get fired for or lose your IC comp for a year over. A friend called and asked a question, next thing you know they where on LOE - for asking a question.

 

Dave, totally a stand up move. I wish more people were as brave as you. LC the HNIC has it all wrong. We are laughing at him, not with him. This company has turned into a joke. I remember the Bill days, and my were they good ones. I though, can not put my name at the end of this post, because at the end of the day, Eisai still pays me, and I have a mortage, two children and a wife to support. However, I am trying to leave, and when I do, I will give you Kudos for giving me the courage to do the same thing you have done. I will call out Ricky Paul, Sluby Dooby, along with my worthless DM, LC, DC and the rest of the Eisai management team that has lead to the destruction of this once great company. So until then, good luck, and I envy your position.

 

Dave has it all wrong.

I thank god that Eisai is all about call averages and administrative work. If it was about relationships and the numbers, many of us would be out of jobs.

Think about it. All they ask is that you make more than 8 calls a day and make sure your samples and expense reports are taken care of. How hard is that? Just make up a few calls and do a little paperwork. No one is checking to see if you worked more than a few days a week. They just look at a report about call averages.

Sorry to see Dave go. But any of you who have low call averages and don't get your administrative work taken care of... you're idiots. Eisai is paying us all good money for basically doing nothing. Name 1 other job in the world that is this good?

Later Dave. We roomed once together. You are a good guy.

 

Don't worry Dave, we'll all be laid off pretty soon. The gravy train is making its final stop ...

Props for being honest and not afraid to speak out ... I remember you from a POA many moons ago. Best of luck with your future endeavors.

 

Wow, those are some really nice posts. Let me answer the one question about involving HR directly. No, I did not involve them directly. No I did not throw a fit with my manager or any other employee. I did ask advice from some respected reps and I was going to confront the offender to verify any problem they may have with me when they were sober, but conditions didn't allow me to speak with him 1 on 1, (he was having breakfast with Doug Calandra and I wasn't going to cause a scene when it might have just been booze talking. Heaven's know that I will tip the bottle at the POA's as well.
I did mention it to my District Manager who apparently did not report the incident. I mentioned it to Christa Murphy in the HR department on the day of my departure to see the status of the incident. She appeared not to have any prior knowledge of any incident. Not surprising, I haven't heard back, and left a message for her again on the 22nd. I'm sure they powers that be will chalk it up to sour grapes and I guess it could be. Just be careful, DM's aren't suppose to have the option of reporting any HR violations or suspected violations. They all have to be reported! If you have a numbnutted DM, and if you truly want an answer to an HR issue, call directly, and send it in an e-mail.

The post that mentioned, someone might be an idiot if he/she didn't enter the calls and do the admin. could very well be correct. I sure feel like an idiot. Some of the people I believed in and trusted were not to be found, or should I say weren't listening. Enter the calls, (I preferred to make them) be Mr. or Ms. Anal Retentive when it comes to territory management and your administrative duties, put something down for a significant event, even if your definition of significant is different from your DM.

Take care of your families, post your resume.

Headhunters have told me the last couple of days that they talk with Eisai people every day.

Best of Luck to all of you. Have a cigar and a drink and toast the good times, I shall and I will think of you.

 

So many name drops in the post! Wow. You really don't care do you.

Peace

 

Update, Update. Christa Murphy in HR did callme back today(Friday),of course coudn't tell me anything. She seemed at ease with telling me that "An investigation will occour and appropriate action taken", sure it will. I get Promted to MSS and get a 10% raise in January of 2006, with the same or worse call average than I had in October and November of 2007, and released from Eisai Employment the first week of January. My DM Rudy Williams doesn't even come out for a field visit from November 06 to June 07, seven months. I wonder if he logged a field visit that never happened so he could keep his management goals and expectations at acceptable or above exceptable for his reviews?. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the time off from his visits, but shouldn't you inspect what you are going to say you expect. Shouldn't there be some resemblance of conformity to how Reps are treated and what their individual expectations really are. Of course I'm talking about the expectations that we seem to be hounded with and nothing is ever followed up with. i.e. HR issues, Reports due on a time line and never utilized. If something occurs for a long enough period of time and seems to be accepted, isn't that to be construed as an acceptable form a compliance.

Hostile work enviornments exist at Eisai. HR seems to want to cover them up and explain away behaviors of managers. I missed understood, that isn't what he meant to say, are you sure he said that, did anybody else her him., all questions you will get if you bring an HR issue. As a victim be prepared to be the perpetrater. You are just a rep, he is a manager and besides his wife use to work with Lonnel Coats at Janssen. And LC likes the DM beqause he practices Affirmative Action. Last 5 hires, 3 Black, 1 White male, 1 Hispanic Male (All quite capable). For the Dallas District, there are no Known demographics that such a disparity would be justified. It is clear Discrimination. But you can't do anything, makes one feel helpless, hopeless, abandoned. Especially if you volunteer all the time for duties at POA's and are never selected, or at the last minute he decides you don't have 30 minutes to present, You can do it in five minutes, we all need a bio break. sURE ENOUGH WE GET BACK AND NOW WERE BACK ON SCHEDULE AND FULL PRESENTATIONS ARE GIVEN by the other reps in the District. No that can't be construed as hostile, just coincidental I'm sure. Yea, every POA!!

How could a rep get Kudo's from every other DM he works with, get requests to role play with, have his introductions, transitions and closes written down and captured at almost every POA and not be allowed any duties to demonstrate leadership. Can't have a rep that you want to scold and get rid of; get any positive feedback in the group, makes it harder for th DM to make his case to make a change in who has what position, Who scores 'exceeds expectations' on parts of his review. Hostility in the work force, no I'm sure it is all a misunderstanding. Similar to when a rep has an inititive on flagging files in Physician offices, and another rep subsequently uses it as a best Practice and forwarded out, but then the initial rep is told to submit through the channels and let compliance and marketing look at it, may take several months, but don't you use it until we here back. I'm sure that is anothe misunderstanding. Not being able to take your DM into some of your offices because the Doctor has asked you not to. How rich is that, your driving business, your DM is conducting a FCR and you can't go into an office because he thinks the DM is a Douche Bag. Now tell your DM without him placing all the blame for the drs. feeling squarly on your shoulders. WHy? he asks? What did YOU tell him? How obtuse, the DM is a putz and the DR. realized it. Mr. Sales consultant you come on back but leave the Dipstick in the Car. (It Happened)

Now that I am away from the company, may have to get an attorney to get any answers or reponses. Be careful out there people, its hard to fight the system the way it is set up. it is specifically designed against fairness. I believe in the idea that One is presumed innocent until proven Guilty, but at Eisai it seems One (DM's) are presumed innocent until proven guilty, but what can we do to discredit the rep so nobody will believe his grievience and then guilt can not be established at the DM. We get to keep the kool aid drinker and eventually chunk out the rep. he will be so disheartened he will have a difficult time completing the inane tasks we assign. And if a disaster or death hits close to them we can tell evryone how sorry Eisai is and that we will do all we can, except attend funerals, allow reps to take collections for the families, or be real Corporate citizens to the communities who could use some help.

If you haven't heard the stories, you need to start listening. Not the one or two they do help, its the dozens they choose not to help, and hide behind policy.


Good Luck out there, I'll be wishing the best for you (reps).

 

Unbelievable! Your posts jit so close to home it's scary. I would love to have the opportunity to speak with you. I have nearly identical issues, different division. Any ideas on how we can connect, if you so desire?

 

Not necessarily .... its all politics sucking up to the right people at the end of the day. Remember what happened to George Simon? And he was an RSD!!! They took a disgruntled rep's grievance (whom the fired soon after) seriously at George's expense. DM's, RSD's, reps ... no one is safe from unfair practices.

 

It's real simple. Both can open yahoo email accounts with generic names to avoid being identified without divulging that info.

DShepard, I probably don't have to tell you that you should exercise extreme caution when doing this. This could be a fishing expedition being conducted by any one of the people you have mentioned in the thread. Maybe even someone you don't even know.

I would demand the above poster identify himself via those generic email accounts and then contact that person via Eisai voicemail system to be sure they're being forthright. Even then, the person may be in cahoots with Rudy, Lonnell, OB, another DM, HR, etc.

On second thought, this sounds like a really bad idea if you're really going retain an attorney. You could gain some valuable insight into someone else's similar experiences and that could benefit you, but you also risk divulging too much of your case to someone who you don't really know.

 

And to continue from the above posts:. I had no idea of Bryan Grahams' death. The first person I thought of was Michael O'Brien. Now, I don't know OB's personal situation here, so I won't place blame or get on the high horse. There are always two sides to a story and I haven't heard his....

However, somebody from Eisai should have been there. Bryan was the epitomy of class and was a stellar representative for the company. He gave his personal time and was committed to the people around him. It saddens me that he's passed away far too soon, but disgusts me if it's true that nobody at Eisai was there to support his family. Shame!

DShepard, I never met you while working at Eisai. I'm shocked that you have come out like this because you spent a long time at Eisai. Hopefully, you have somebody at Eisai close to you, because that is a long time to be with a company without good references. Best of luck to whatever you choose to do in the future.

 

I am no longer with the company. I am no mole. I will initiate contact to dicuss further. Most likely through some other source than the internet. This method is way too anonymous. I do however respect and understand all of your caution in this.

 

It is true