Welcome to the Biovail Board

Good idea! It is about time Biovail had a board! I will go down as the first person in history to post on the Biovail board! So, let me start my post by asking: What does everyone think of Biovail?

 

My manager makes all the difference. Many Biovail employees compliment the DM's in our company. On the other hand the opportunity for bonus dollars in the near future is nil. The goals are pie in the sky, but good managers are hard to come by. What do you do? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

I feel that we have had a rough year with impossible sales goals and some recent bad press. I think the new top brass (Keefer and crowd) are going to clean us up and make this a much better place to be. I know a lot of reps. are out interviewing but I am holding on because I think Cardizem LA is a winner and medium sized companies are a good place to be. I do agree that the DMs here are some of the best out there - I hope that they can stick it out through these lean times too. I wish someone would make the call that at less than 1.0% ARB market share Teveten is a dog. It was a dog when UCB had it, a dog when Solvay had it and all it does now is dilute our selling time on Cardizem LA and Zovirax cream, two drugs that can make money. Well that is my 2 cents worth (about what my Q3 bonus will be - ha,ha) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

Hi all fellow Biovail reps! My DM is also great which makes it a pleasant place to work, but I also do not expect any bonus check this quarter. I am really disappointed in their bonus system since this is not what I was told going into the job. The CLA seems to be a great drug, but I agree that by the time the Tev detail follows the Drs. think you are a complete idiot and forget about CLA. Well I have to go! Let's fill up this board!

 

I am so glad they started the board. It is great to know I am not alone in feeling these Q3 goals are impossible. I have had a really tough time getting motivated because I am unsure how I could possibly bring CLA or TEV to the heights that are being expected in one quarter. I once had a manager that told me "Relax, You are running a marathon not a sprint." I feel my Q3 goals suddenly pushed me into the 100 m dash. I know goals are meant to be optimistic, but unrealistic goals simply demotivate enthusiastic salespeople.
About interviewing I would too love to stay with Biovail (pipeline, manager, territory, CLA, etc), but has anyone seen goals get realistic after such high goals have been set? i.e. Could Q4 or Q1 goals actually be lower than Q3 or are we without bonus $$ til our territory catches up?

 

I know the manager that made the "marathon/sprint" comment! Anyway, the goals are very unrealistic. Going in, I also thought there would be a much better potential for bonus $$!

 

OK, next question:What does everyone think of Reliant?

 

I wish I knew more about what this Reliant "co-promotion" is really about. I have been involved in a number of co-promotes but this one seems much more involved. This is more than one product and now there are the rumors that we will have some responsibility for Lescol. UGHHHH I know that Biovail refinanced some of their debts and that there are other financial agreements too. I guess it's like living with someone but not getting married? I have two counterparts - one (the CLA one) is a great help but the TEV one is all but worthless. Do you think we will buy them out or merge or stay as is?

 

Me too! My CLA rep is decent, but my Tev. reps are completely USELESS! I don't think that they work more than 3 hours a day. Wish someone would figure that out.

 

I think it's important we realize that our Reliant counterparts have little training on our products. They do not get many of our detail pieces and far less communication from us. In addition to that, we don't know what their bonus potential is. I can say from recent experience bonus potential has definately affected my enthusiasm. I know some counterparts may be worthless, but as long as they are not affecting my access or making false claims about our products any help is greatly appreciated on my part.

 

I agree. Let's not forget our "co-promotion" of Wellbutrin SR. I doubt that the financial incentive for Reliant is that great especially with Tev. In fact I better tell my CLA partner how much I appreciate his help. Now here is a question to ponder....is Biovail going to keep replacing all of its home office with ex-Pharmacia people and why?

 

Yeah, really. Why are they getting rid of everyone? Whats the deal?

 

No bonus potential=No Growth=no employees /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

I am an employee of Reliant and I'm discouraged when I hear Biovail or Reliant reps speak negatively about one another. I believe both sales forces have no idea of what is going on with upper management which causes the majority of us to bicker with one another. For instance, Teveten is only 10% of my bonus so why should I be criticized by Biovail reps for not promoting it more. If you were in my situation, I am sure you would give Teveten the same attention I do. Since you have not been told by your company it means very little to my bonus it gives you reason to complain. It's not fair to you and it's certainly not fair to us. This is just one example. I could go on...

The point is this... Reliant encourages its sales reps to communicate with their Biovail counterparts to increase business. In my opinion, this will never happen until both groups fully know what is going on. This starts at the top and as a rep it seems a little shaky to me. Rumors are floating around every where. Some one needs to step up and tell us what is going on, if anything! Any thoughts?

 

Hey Reliant Rep-Im sure you are not my counterpart, but thanks from your Biovail rep because any help you can offer with Teveten is exactly that "help." Maybe it's just my territory, but Teveten is far from soaring with or without Reliant's help. I have been able to combine my budget with my Reliant counterpart and get more access to lunch only offices. This has really helped a lot with frequency. Let's face it--is anyone planning on making Q3 bonus anyway?

 

See this is exactly where all the confusion is with Reliant and Biovail. We were all told at our July POAs that Teveten was 30% of your bonus. I agree that at 10% it is barely a sample drop. I also agree that so much is set-up well above us but never told to us. I have been working very, very hard with my Reliant rep. and sometimes I feel bad because she really believes in the co-promotion but I know her bonus has been very light. Thanks for putting that out there. I think overall reps. can be very hard on one another moving samples, etc. and we need to look out for each other a lot more even if we are competitors. This job is tough enough without trashing each other.

 

I think you're right. There needs to be much more communication from the top. Problem is the "top" in both companies is changing and people are too busy getting rid of people and changing structure rather than giving us reps what we need to do our jobs more effectively. As for Tev being 10% you're absolutely right, Tev is 30% of our bonus and most reps don't give it near that much time for Biovail. Be interesting to see what would happen if CLA and Tev were 50/50, bet that would change things a bit.

 

Any guesses on how long until it trickles downhill to the reps? I mean it seems with the new bonus structure Biovail wants the reps to walk. Then there is the "DM improvement program" to handle that group. Evidently "the powers that be" (whomever they are now) would like a little time alone. As a recent Biovail hire I am feeling a little concerned about the decision to choose this company. I hate that I bought into that target bonus payout crap. Anyway, any veterens out there with experience on how these things go down? Do they just wait til Christmas Eve to tell people their jobs don't exist anymore?

 

I was told by sales advisory board member that RKeefer doesn't plan to merge or buy Reliant. He is not keen on the partnership. I also have the problem of my Reliant counterparts making THEIR goals outside of my territory, so why bother in mine? Anyone have this occuring?