Well that was a yawner

Nothing of value taken back. The 22 year old chick on Brintellix as first line agent was laughable. My psychs take new patients on Christmas Day, don't yours?

 

Are you surprised? They are scared to death about the way things are going, sales wise. You could feel it. Yes, we actually held a national meeting to go over vis aids. Alpha did nothing. Management is still thinks that Alpha is "selling" Brintellix. People were asking why we were even there. All this could have and was discussed on a conference call. THE GPS will be used to usher people out of the door. Also, people regret doing the survey for fear of retribution. Everyone I talked to said they took back nothing to help them sell more. Nothing. We are entering very strange times at Lundbeck. Fear is now the name of the game. Keep your head down.

 

So sad. Once a good company, not anymore.

 

So sad. Once a good company, not anymore.

 

The only way Lundbeck is like big Pharma is that it has a VMM (vocal minority of morons) that post inane drivel on Café Pharma instead of working. 99% of us Account Managers appreciate our jobs and like the company. It's not perfect, but I've worked at several and Lundbeck is waaay better than most. Sorry they had a meeting and inconvenienced you -- it was probably the first time your company car has had to roll out of the driveway in a couple weeks. I can't wait to see what kind of childish, immature response the 4 or 5 of you whiners will have to this post.

 

99% is a spin tactic on your part and not very realistic. In your defense, the criers about the meetings are also unrealistic. Quarterly meetings are par for the course in any Pharma co. The reality is about 20% of reps in any given Pharma force are unhappy. Typically, they are the Bottom 20% in performance and will cry and complain about everything imaginable. The Top 20% are happy employees drinking the koolade. That middle 60% of reps are the true pulse of any Pharma force. If you want to gauge a Pharma force, that middle 60% is how you do it.

 

It is very apparent by your comments that you are not one of the original Alpha or Beta reps. Nope, you are a newbie gamma that couldn't comprehend what pharma is like without the pod setup.

 

Lose the entitlement sister. It's Pharma sales that we are talking about here for crying out loud. You don't save lives and nobody is going to die when you miss work to attend your kids events at school. Trust me working at Lundbeck, you are not even being paid compared to other speciality reps at other companies.

 

Hey - thanks for the insightful comment. Nice to see there are actually some thoughtful folks out there in CafePharmaland. I'm sure it sounds like spin, but it's really the way I feel. I have almost 20 years in Pharma -- a few now with Lundbeck -- and this is the best company I've worked for, by far. Like I said, it's not perfect. And, some of the changes haven't been ideal. But, to me, PA, JA and GJ seem like good guys, trying their best to maintain culture and also grow the company. My post this morning was my first ever on here, but I just got sick of reading the drivel.
All of that said, I totally agree with your numbers -- the middle 60% are the real gauge of a company. But, it seems to me that the majority of folks here are pretty happy. I have a lot of friends in the company and hung out with many of them in Dallas -- I heard a little bitching here and there, but it was 95% positive. Then this negativity spews with the anonymity of the internet. I don't get it. Why don't the whiners go get a different job? Maybe no one else will hire them?

 

I think I have posted on CP maybe 4 or 5 times in my entire career, this being my first for the Lundbeck CP thread. I think what you are seeing with the thousands of negative posts on here is the result of frustration. Those that have been at Lundbeck for awhile see what has happened to "change" Lundbeck over, basically the last year or so, and not for the good. Let me say that overall, I am pleased to work here, and thankful I have a job, but having said that, here is a list of things that are contributing to the frustration.

1. Otsuka and Takeda completely control what we do and how we do it.

2. A micromanagement type of philosophy has permeated the company, from constant field rides, (now with ASM's/RBD's from other areas). Also, many ASM's have a very small number of reps (7 to 8). We all know that this is negative for business.

3. A pipeline that is basically terrible.

4. A forced ranking type of bonus system that pits reps/district and regions against each other and, is counterproductive in terms of everyone wanting to help others succeed

5. A Primary Address system that encourages reps NOT to call on physician (high decile or not) just because the primary zip code is not in your territory, therefore you get no sales credit. Add on to the fact that Beta does not get credit for Rex Medicare sales. Note to management, kicking the age up to 64 for credit does nothing because the minimum Medicare age is 65! And LIS is still a small slice of the pie.

I am sure I have left out a few other things, but it doesn't matter. I would love to see Lundbeck return to the type of company it was when I first joined, but that won't happen. I will do the best job I can, every day, with what I have to work with. Let's hope things will change, just a little, for the better. It's still a good company overall.

 

Somebody that gets it.

 

The patient was a joke? Are you kidding me? Listen, it's fine for you to come on here and constantly complain about nothing in particular and rehash the same old bullshit on a daily basis. We get it, you hate your job. However, to come on here and criticize a young lady for getting in front of a group of nearly 500 and share her story is out of line and you should be ashamed. If you actually listened to what the young lady had to say you would have heard her reference the fact that the only reason she was able to talk to a psych was because of mothers contacts and that she realized how unusual that was and how fortunate she was to have that happen.

You come on here complaining about the lack of culture and everything that is wrong with the world. Well I have news for you. It's you. You are what's wrong. You and your whining bottom feeder friends that act the victim. The vast majority of us like it here. We recognize the things we don't like but also recognize the efforts to improve them. I actually like working with my ASM...sorry you dread working with yours (I'm sure it is there favorite couple of the days on the calendar).

Bottom line is you are a simply a negative soul that this company would be fortunate to be free from. The fact you come on here and call a patient "laughable" simply shows you have no class to boot.

 

Ok you just described all of Pharma. And please save the BS how you thought Lundbeck was different. That's naive and very gullible on your part if you bought that lip service when you were hired. Look who runs not only Lundbeck but any of these Pharma companies especially these so called start ups. Start up is code for reencarnation of careers for many Pharma drones. They are all recycled Pharma drone mgmt who have worked at the likes of Abbott, Merck, Pfizer, Sanofi, GSK, BMS etc..... They are like cancer looking to land at these so called start ups to poison the waters. It's the reality of Pharma. You can run but you can't hide. So please stop the crap of " I thought Lundbeck was different." You are one of the thousands of reps who have fallen for this trap. Pharma is Pharma weather it's Pfizer or a start up. It's all the same drones running everything. If you are in 40s or 50s try to get through as many more years as possible as the money is still a good living. If you are in your 30s get out and find another industry.

 

The patient was laughable. I know her, the reason for the script was anxiety not depression. In case you didn't know, that is off label. Nobody uses Brintellix first for a drug naive patient. Nor should they. Believe it or not, drugs like Lexapro and Zoloft actually work and don't cause side effects for all that are on them. She works for Takeda,she talks to pyschs every day as she is in sales. Getting up in front of people isn't the big deal you think it is for sales people. She was up there because of her Mom and only because of her Mom. If you think it is normal to contact psychs on Christmas Day then you need to see one. Why don't you try calling one this Memorial Day weekend?
I actually love my job. It's knuckleheads like you that drink Koolaid for 3 meals a day. It's morons like you that think it is wrong to mention how great Lundbeck was prior to mid 2015 but has changed terribly. I will say it. Lundbeck in 2013, 2014 and half of 2015 was the greatest company I have ever known, let alone be associated with. We took a major turn for the worse and you apologists either weren't here for the good times or are too stupid to notice the difference. Go back to your pod and 20 other counterparts. Realize that you can't sell anything by yourself. Enjoy big Pharma.

 

Well played. Take it for what pharma is. Lots of flaws in the industry but we get paid well for doing what we do.

 

I agree the young lady got depressed because her boyfriend broke up with her and probably didn't get the new BMW Mommy Dearest promised her. A Takeda Rep at 24 with her mother as RBD at Lundbeck. I wonder how she got her job? You think a string of two was pulled? I didn't see a Trintellix patient I saw a young lady with a mild mood issue and a little anxiety. Give her a Xanax and a beer and a new boyfriend and promote her to DM at Takeda and she will be just fine. I'm sure she has some problems but don't we all but it was a way for her to get noticed by Takeda and Lundbeck. If I had to guess she will be promoted and not taking any meds before the end of summer.

 

Wow good to see a dose of reality posted on here for a change. Pharma is not perfect but it beats the heck out of most other jobs. And best of all it gives you ample time to do other things in life that you enjoy. Some people are clueless about what they think they are complaining about. So they have to go to a 3 day meeting a few times per year.... What about all the days they knock off at noon to take the kids to the doctor or soccer practice? Keep things in perspective about your lifestyle as a drug rep.

 

No one disagrees that Pharma jobs give one flexibility. However careers should be fulfilling, rewarding and serve a purpose beyond a paycheck. Very few can look in the mirror at the end of the day and feel like anything was accomplished. The turnover rate in this industry for new reps is less than three years and it's good bye Pharma. The rest of us who have been here twenty or thirty years are dick of the BS, pod selling, juvenile young managers and marketing personnel telling us what to think, what to say and how to sell. The old saying "Those that can't teach" is more true in Pharma than any industry. Worthless managers, poor direction and five reps peddling to Doc's makes this a throwback to the worst of the 1990's drug industry. If Hillary goes in just like in 1993 when she almost started Hillary Care, the industry will purge 30-50 thousand reps or more and possibly wipe out sales and marketing as we know it. Whe needs sales and marketing with a socialized one payer system? A few contracting reps a s couple dozen Pharm D s and that's it. Customer service reps to drop off literature and samples, kids right out of college of chimpanzees in suits either will do, no skill no brains almost like now a mindless boring task that is drone like in nature. On Memorisl Day we should remember the death of Pharma along with the fallen war heroes!

 

You sound about as bright as one of those chimpanzees in jumpsuits