While it doesn't seem possible the thought crossed my mind on a conference call this morning that the new system for compensation is as bad or worse than Patient First for the reps. Less work for managers but a lot more work for the Gen Med field with the coaches and more work/stress is you have a micromanager for a boss (which seems to be the norm for GSK FLLs). Also, very subjective and your rating depends heavily on how your manager wants to rate you. I guess its less expensive to manage people out than to lay them off. Two steps forward, two steps back; nothing changed.
Can't you nice people see the writing on the wall, and what they are doing ? Sorry, I retired a few years ago and say a prayer for y'all .
Performance Coaches? Another words, the current FLLs are inept! If I were a Field Manager, I would be nervous. You are now the ones being "forced ranked". Cant you see it? TSMs will be downsized soon. I know that most of you have been sipping the GSK flavored koolaid for a long time. You need to put the glass down and sober up! Get your a$$ to the Betty Ford Clinic and dry out! For the second time in GSKs history they are about to do the right thing...they are about to cut 25% of field management. Think I'm kidding? How many reps do TSMs manage on average? 7? 8? maybe 10? Too many chiefs is never a good thing. Especially when the company is looking at profitability. Where are the CDLs? Gone! RBMs? Gone! Hospital Division? Gone! If I were a field manager, I would be nervous. There will be no rep positions offered to you. Maybe you should be drinking the GSK brew. Easier than dealing with reality.
I can only hope this is true. FLLs are another "obstacle" to productivity with the outdated frequency of ridealongs. They slow reps down and get too caught up in the minutia of critiquing customer interactions that doesn't help move the customer along the sales process. We are not selling copiers. I hope the powers of be realize this sooner rather than later and see the lack of ROI on having too many FLLs which have a negative impact on moral and productivity. Increase the span of control to 15-18 reps and ridealongs 4 times a year. The doctors tell me they don't like when the managers shadow reps, they are getting tired of playing along even if they like the rep, unfortunately, the manager in tow is not valued or welcome - they are more or less reluctantly tolerated by doctors that like the reps.
I was in sales for almost 40 years and 3 mergers.......ride-alongs were every two months which were fair years ago......in last 20-25 years with more frequent contacts, we all have been saying the above.....and you know like us old-timers......that will never happen.....they don't trust you and want to evaluate each call......so they can keep you, or easily get rid of you.
totally agree with #6. I have great relationships with my providers, but they are really tired of having managers in their offices! In fact, I am getting less time these days when my manager is present than I do when I am alone. Probably because these providers don't have the time or the energy to listen to these people who are in the offices almost as much as I am! We need ride-alongs 4 times a year not once a month! I am fortunate I have a great manager but enough is enough.
Reps complain about manager ride alongside because they know it forces them to work a full day instead of the typical 10:00 top 3:00 work day.
.......and it shows customers that we are not trusted..........it also breeds a theatrical atmosphere !
Trust managers hate ride alongs just as much as you do. We get to hear you pretend that you are working hard everyday but we know when we leave its back to a few hours a day of that. Remember we were all reps once and did the same exact thing.
What territory do you have where you can get away with working a few hours per day? You obviously work in a major U.S. city...NY, LA, CHC, etc. I have a large geography with difficult to see offices. I work from 8:30 to 5 every day. You managers may want to pick up a detail bag again and go out in the field. It aint 1995 anymore!