Company culture at BI

[Anonymous]

OK, next question, have you ever had any sales training before? BI's trainers are nice people, but their are trainers, not salespeople.

Their are? What does that mean exactly?

 

[Anonymous]

OK, next question, have you ever had any sales training before? BI's trainers are nice people, but their are trainers, not salespeople.

Actually yes. I have worked at 3 other companies for over 15 years total between all 3. None of them actually compared to be honest. We were just a number, it was non personal, and quite frankly it was your boring, typical training. Yes, BI trainers are nice people, but to say they are not sales people is a bit much. I am sure they so badly want to train on what you all and what I want to be trained on, but their hands are tied. We can't competitively sell, and that is not a trainers fault, it is BI culture's fault. But again, I ask, what do you "do" and how great of a salesperson are you? Do tell.....

 

[Anonymous]

Actually yes. I have worked at 3 other companies for over 15 years total between all 3. None of them actually compared to be honest. We were just a number, it was non personal, and quite frankly it was your boring, typical training. Yes, BI trainers are nice people, but to say they are not sales people is a bit much. I am sure they so badly want to train on what you all and what I want to be trained on, but their hands are tied. We can't competitively sell, and that is not a trainers fault, it is BI culture's fault. But again, I ask, what do you "do" and how great of a salesperson are you? Do tell.....

I'm awesome! Multiple P Club winner at different companies. Proven, repeat performer. I want to address my previous comment regarding trainers. In making a retaliatory comment to the jerk who asked if my parents were proud of me selling in pharma, I ended up slandering all BI trainers. That was not my intent. In fact, my trainers here were some of the best I've encountered. My apologies for allowing my temper affect my response.

 

[Anonymous]

Their are? What does that mean exactly?

I am humbly corrected. They are trainers. Having seen trainers from other pharma, and other capital business product companies, BI's are the weakest. The further from Ridgefield, though, the seemingly better they get. Take Cal, for example. He has a passion for sales, and he's not just trying to progress to a different job in HQ.

 

[Anonymous]

Totally agree on Cal!

 

[Anonymous]

We have good trainers and mediocre ones. There are some quality ones in Southbury, but many there are also doing their 'check the box' time in corporate.

Field trainers are pretty good. We also have a few good Zone trainers. Chick from DC area is good.

 

[Anonymous]

What is BI like to work for? Serious answers only would be helpful and appreciated.

This board is often not the best place to get honest input or positive input. The sad fact is that BI is a culture where people are unhappy and not treated well.
If you are a minority (woman or of color) you should never ever work at BI. It is a German company that doesn't value diversity or diversity of ideas.

BI was a good 'family' culture 10 to 20 years ago, but it has been destroyed. A 'family' culture comes from the top down. A destructive culture also comes from the top down.

There will be many open chairs at BI in the next year or two as more and more find opportunities at other places.

The fact that marketing doesn't like sales and that sales has no respect is only a minor part of the entire destructive, unhappy culture that has been eating away at the good.

A Forbes article today shows the destruction by letting good employees leave or be moved. BI has no respect or appreciation for any good employee. Fact of life.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/amyanderson/2013/02/13/great-employees-are-not-replaceable/

If you are desperate for a job and an income then BI will be your solution. If you want a corporate culture that cares about diversity of thought and ideas, that embraces and respects it's employees, that has leadership that cares, then you need to investigate other choices and option.

Sorry, that is the perspective of so many of us on the inside right now. We have seen way too much and the pain hurts.

 

[Anonymous]

Reread the above post's 1st sentence.

The person who posted it is trying to sound genuine and sincere in their dislike of the company.

In reality, BI is no different from any other pharma company (aside from having a pretty good pipeline.) plenty of people here who dislike BI and there are many that like it. Pretty much a rule of 3rds.....1/3 dislike, 1/3 like, and remaining 1/3 just punch the clock and collect a check. I would venture a fess that the 1/3 that dislike are actually less. But, it is also the 'squeaky wheel' that is the loudest.

CP is a place for people to complain. VERY rare to hear someone with something positive to say.

 

[Anonymous]

More like 9/10ths check the box. BI Reps are like Zombies going through the motions to hit their reach and frequency. It is hilarious.

 

[Anonymous]

What is BI like to work for? Serious answers only would be helpful and appreciated.

Truth: BI is a company which is lame and where free thinking is frowned upon.

 

[Anonymous]

Truth: BI is a company which is lame and where free thinking is frowned upon.

This guy could not have said it better. That should be the corporate mission statement at BI.

 

[Anonymous]

BI is a place where management thinks it is better to promote the incompetent so the manager has someone to coach. BI does not care if they have a good sales force. In fact it is the opposite. They want people with low skills that they can try to fix. They set themselves up for failure at every level. They launched Pradaxa with a contract sales force because they knew the bleeds would be a problem. They have an antiquated sales model with way too many reps. In a time where other pharma companies are going to one rep with a big territory, BI still had PODS. If you have any brains you have to actually make mistakes on purpose so the DM can coach you and then get promoted.

 

[Anonymous]

What is BI like to work for? Serious answers only would be helpful and appreciated.

It's a really shitty company - 98% of the managers are crap, and the overall company culture is thinking they are the center of the universe, heads up their asses, no free thinking, bunch of useless zombies with no future in innovation whatsoever.

 

[Anonymous]

It blows.

 

[Anonymous]

If you had my manager you would say it sucks too. The worst mansger I have ever had.

 

[Anonymous]

It's a really shitty company - 98% of the managers are crap, and the overall company culture is thinking they are the center of the universe, heads up their asses, no free thinking, bunch of useless zombies with no future in innovation whatsoever.

Amen brother!!!

 

[Anonymous]

BI is a place where management thinks it is better to promote the incompetent so the manager has someone to coach. BI does not care if they have a good sales force. In fact it is the opposite. They want people with low skills that they can try to fix. They set themselves up for failure at every level. They launched Pradaxa with a contract sales force because they knew the bleeds would be a problem. They have an antiquated sales model with way too many reps. In a time where other pharma companies are going to one rep with a big territory, BI still had PODS. If you have any brains you have to actually make mistakes on purpose so the DM can coach you and then get promoted.

Pradaxa was launched by BI, not ventive. BI was speciality and 25% of primary care was ventive , 75% was BI. But who the eff cares since pradaxa is a spec drug anyway. My guess is you are a recent hire since you just speculate on the history here. Also, no one calls it PODS, further persuading me you are a "newbie" probably gruntled and wanting to come on here and "vent" because your wife is tired of listening to your constant rantings and bitching. I hope you move on so you can keep some sanity, it's really for the best of us.

 

[Anonymous]

It's a paycheck and nothing more. Sales reps are treated like bottom feeders and are disposable. Don't think you will have a job or career with this company. I've worked in the industry for over 20 years and BI was by far the worst company in the industry I worked for. Those who defend the disgraceful BI company culture have most likely never worked anywhere else so they think treating people like garbage is the norm. Take time to digest the benefits before you jump on board because they are terrible.

 

[Anonymous]

BI is like a blackhole. No matter how highly skilled or highly valued you are by the industry, once you're in there, they will keep you at the same salary for 10 years and your career is ruined.

 

[Anonymous]

BI is like a blackhole. No matter how highly skilled or highly valued you are by the industry, once you're in there, they will keep you at the same salary for 10 years and your career is ruined.

And working in a POD is an absolute career killer. I don't care what they call it now, it is still a pod. Other companies want to see what you have produced, not what your "team" has produced.