Challenger Selling. Is it really working?

[Anonymous]

Ok I was let go in June with the CC layoffs. I picked up a job selling other pharma products. I am doing very well due to the RELATIONSHIPS I have. The docs who know me and like me are writing rx for me; the ones I CHALLENGED are indifferent to my situation. So case in point when you ( Metabolics) get canned in nov or dec, remember if you get another pharma job with big pharma expect more of the same, if you get a deal that requries you to actually sell something, your docs with good relationships with you will carry you over the hump. What a joke, reading these post and the poster that mentioned getting a "PA" made me laugh and appreciate the fact that I am gone from that bullshit forever....Good luck!

 

[Anonymous]

We are simply being put in this no win situation because we are considered to be nothing more then disposable waste by the mgmt. They know this is a disrespectful way to address doctors and that we will be shit on by offices for doing it. They also know that in this tough access situation that we are in today, that we may influence a few more in their favor at the cost of those not writing to further restrict our access anyway.
Bottom line, this is nothing more then using us as kamikazes who are soon to be greatly reduced in number.
Guess what? I'm not that foolish. I refuse to be treated as a mindless pawn who is thrown into an uncomfortable, inappropriate situation. Not worth it. I have too much self respect. Not to mention that I really believe many more of us are going to be laid off soon anyway.

Right on. Metabolics are the new cardio waste. Wheres our Double Down cashola? At least kiss us before you f**k us.

 

[Anonymous]

True that! We all know that all the insights in the world won't trump where your product is placed on formularies. Doctors prescribe what they can based on formulary. With Obama care starting next year...NO OFFICES will be doing any PA's or Step Edits..there will be so many patients to treat that they will prescribe what is easy and cheap with no extra time, effort, or issues. Cover my Meds will be useless. Obama Care is the start of a single payer nation...socialized medicine is right around the corner and if your product has a generic your definitely screwed and docs will NOT prescribe your drug...period. You better find a drug with no generic equivalent now and especially going forward. If we keep up this Challenger selling..which most reps/DMs execute incorrectly..we WILL be shut out of offices. Stop the madness now..be of value to your offices - try to make their job easier and the lives of patients better without patronizing the docs and their staff with this horrific Challenger crap.

Just do it when you have a ride along. The rest of the time do what you need to do to get the Rxs.

 

[Anonymous]

Well put! And if you don't execute the challenger correctly you look like an ass to your offices and you get a PA on your ride along. Some offices I've talked to say the behavior of some reps with their stupid insights are getting ridiculous and docs want to avoid the reps. Many offices shutting down and limiting lunches or bagging them all together.

It's true. Why would a doctor stick around while you create tension to make him or her feel uncomfortable? There are some principles of challenger that are worthwhile like not leading with product, but the rest is just another formula. We are basically guests in the doctor's office so it is bad manners to create tension. Why would they want us back? And I like the idea of the other post who said to only do challenger on ride alongs, but then the tension feels like the doc is getting ganged up on by manager and rep. Can't win.

 

[Anonymous]

Challenger sales works great if we actually had a product that exchanges hand in the marketplace, driven by the customers action. When you are on half of the formularies in your area and step edit on some plans, quantity limit on another, prior auth on this one and oh ya for the patient who is on BCBS its Tier 2 unless they have a high deductible Copay like Abbvies choices then its %20 of cash cost along with everyone else except for the employer carve outs. Some versions of insurance use the labs reference range for low which in most cases wouldn't be flagged unless they lost both testicles and were below 50NG/dl. Challenger my ass!
They have wasted alot of time and money with this bullshit. I need SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION based in facts to help my doctors screen and treat more. We used to provide Wang et al which was a 3 year safety study loaded with great information to help the doctor understand treatment. No all I have is a stupid pivotal study, Dhindsa and HIM. Doctors want outcomes and safety information. Where is it Abbvie? Our compliance department is a bunch of pussie asshats!

That's a good point. Putting the challenger money into research or formulary contracts would be a better use overall. And you are so right about the compliance department. At some point we are going to have to mime our details so that we are less of a liability. But the quotas just keep going up while the relevance of our resources keeps going down.