Culture?

[anonymous]

I am in the interview process for a rep position in GI. I have more than ten year experience and I have been successful. Salix pays a little bit more but I'm concerned about what I may be walking into. The manager has been hesitant to share why the other rep left. And some of the posts on here have me questioning if this is a good move. What is the culture really like? Thank you for your insight.

 

[anonymous]

I'll be brief but hit the nail on the head for you:

The bad:
~~Upper management (VP of sales, most RDs, and nearly all 'upper' home office folk) are incompetent. They do not understand how to launch a drug or understand our markets.
~~Be prepared for significant micromanagement, ridiculous business plans, and tons of 'trackers'.
~~Goals are made by throwing darts, they make little to no sense.
~~We have a lot of debt, come about two years from now there will be legitimate questions about solvency.
~~Morale is at an all time low... things like capping one products bonus payout based on another products attainment were implemented.

The good:
~~If you have an AWESOME manager it can be tolerable. Some managers shield their reps from the BS rolling down from upper management, although most are just 'yes men'.
~~You do stand to make a decent amount of money if you hit your numbers.
~~If you're in the GI towers that sell Xifaxan, it's a GREAT drug.

If you've been in the industry for 10 years then you understand moving companies tend to be heading from one circus to another. As with anything in pharma it'll come down to your manager and your territory. Try to find out how the territory has performed with each of its products over the past few quarters. Be sure to do your due diligence, weigh your options, and ask lots of questions.

 

[anonymous]

Bingo on above. Also numbers are “projections” not actual scripts. U never really get full credit on what your customers do

 

[anonymous]

I'll be brief but hit the nail on the head for you:

The bad:
~~Upper management (VP of sales, most RDs, and nearly all 'upper' home office folk) are incompetent. They do not understand how to launch a drug or understand our markets.
~~Be prepared for significant micromanagement, ridiculous business plans, and tons of 'trackers'.
~~Goals are made by throwing darts, they make little to no sense.
~~We have a lot of debt, come about two years from now there will be legitimate questions about solvency.
~~Morale is at an all time low... things like capping one products bonus payout based on another products attainment were implemented.

The good:
~~If you have an AWESOME manager it can be tolerable. Some managers shield their reps from the BS rolling down from upper management, although most are just 'yes men'.
~~You do stand to make a decent amount of money if you hit your numbers.
~~If you're in the GI towers that sell Xifaxan, it's a GREAT drug.

If you've been in the industry for 10 years then you understand moving companies tend to be heading from one circus to another. As with anything in pharma it'll come down to your manager and your territory. Try to find out how the territory has performed with each of its products over the past few quarters. Be sure to do your due diligence, weigh your options, and ask lots of questions.

Excellent synopsis. Agreed 100%. Especially the part about territory history and asking lots of questions. If you can, find out why the previous rep left. Some territories always win and others are a revolving door as reps get coached out year in and year out.

Your manager will make the difference. If they are strong and rep centric, they will separate a lot of the bullshit so you can do your job. If they are weak and scared, you will be doing five reports a week because your ranking is down and the RD wants you gone.

The money pre-Coyle was better. It’s been getting chipped away at since he took over the VP spot. Still, you will make more money at Salix even if you are average.

 

[anonymous]

Salix is a good ole boy culture. Your ranking is all that matters unless you have a decent set of tits or you are a bro who played a sport in college. Otherwise, keep your head down and your mouth shut. Salix base pay is above average for primary care but the bonus is good. You can make good money overall but the culture is for shit.

 

[anonymous]

Salix is a good ole boy culture. Your ranking is all that matters unless you have a decent set of tits or you are a bro who played a sport in college. Otherwise, keep your head down and your mouth shut. Salix base pay is above average for primary care but the bonus is good. You can make good money overall but the culture is for shit.

this culture is shit. Run away

 

[anonymous]

Excellent synopsis. Agreed 100%. Especially the part about territory history and asking lots of questions. If you can, find out why the previous rep left. Some territories always win and others are a revolving door as reps get coached out year in and year out.

Your manager will make the difference. If they are strong and rep centric, they will separate a lot of the bullshit so you can do your job. If they are weak and scared, you will be doing five reports a week because your ranking is down and the RD wants you gone.

The money pre-Coyle was better. It’s been getting chipped away at since he took over the VP spot. Still, you will make more money at Salix even if you are average.

The word is out on Salix and their cheap ass culture. Managers cannot attract good talent and they beg you to join up just to fill the position. Be prepared. Everyone is super nice at first. Then about three months after you start you will hear;

"this isn't the performance you promised in the interview"
"what specific action will you take with these 20 IGO doctors before the end of this quarter"
"if your numbers/ranking don't improve by the end of the quarter, we will start a coaching plan"

The warnings and threats start pretty quickly followed up by coaching plans and then a PIP. Most of us finished last year below plan for Xifaxan which is the lead product. And very few hit plan for Plenvu or Trulance which are the second position products in the bag depending on what sales force you fall into. This is not a happy or productive place to work.

 

[anonymous]

This is true. Do a good job? U get 2% raise. Mayb. Josh decides raises across the board. Your year end review is worthless. And number reporting is crap shot. It’s a projection, not actual sales. Company reports record sales, but teams can’t come close to goal?

 

[anonymous]

This is true. Do a good job? U get 2% raise. Mayb. Josh decides raises across the board. Your year end review is worthless. And number reporting is crap shot. It’s a projection, not actual sales. Company reports record sales, but teams can’t come close to goal?

Which explains the "golf clap" McKenna got when he announced that for the first time ever Xifaxan Salix broke $500mm in a quarter. Meanwhile, we in the field were getting screwed on bonus. Then he resigned form the main stage. That was fun.

 

[anonymous]

This is true. Do a good job? U get 2% raise. Mayb. Josh decides raises across the board. Your year end review is worthless. And number reporting is crap shot. It’s a projection, not actual sales. Company reports record sales, but teams can’t come close to goal?

Actually your district has a pot of money for raises. Josh doesn’t decide. Your performance and your DM decide. Thanks.

 

[anonymous]

Actually your district has a pot of money for raises. Josh doesn’t decide. Your performance and your DM decide. Thanks.

Absolutely not true. I am a manager. We have ZERO input on raises. We get a spreadsheet with rankings and final ratings and we put those into the review. We never know what the approved raise is until the review comes back from HR. And Josh has final say on every single pay increase. He also decides which reps go on a PIP even if the manager disagrees. So you have no idea what you are talking about.

 

[anonymous]

The company has a horrible culture. Also, don’t come here if you want a steady job.

The management couldn’t care less about the patients and they really are why people have such a bad impression of this industry.

If you are unemployed then it’s a great filler job but don’t stop looking until you find something else (after Salix). Just a bad place to be all the way around and very low base pay for GI.

 

[anonymous]

Actually your district has a pot of money for raises. Josh doesn’t decide. Your performance and your DM decide. Thanks.

Lol. So wrong. I’m a DM. My Rd is told by Josh what the raises are

 

[anonymous]

Absolutely not true. I am a manager. We have ZERO input on raises. We get a spreadsheet with rankings and final ratings and we put those into the review. We never know what the approved raise is until the review comes back from HR. And Josh has final say on every single pay increase. He also decides which reps go on a PIP even if the manager disagrees. So you have no idea what you are talking about.

This is 100% accurate

 

[anonymous]

Absolutely not true. I am a manager. We have ZERO input on raises. We get a spreadsheet with rankings and final ratings and we put those into the review. We never know what the approved raise is until the review comes back from HR. And Josh has final say on every single pay increase. He also decides which reps go on a PIP even if the manager disagrees. So you have no idea what you are talking about.

I am also a DM. We don't decide the final ratings. PClub rankings are plugged into the system and the rating is assigned and dictated to us. PClub ranking is the only measure. Nothing else. So I have no idea why we bother spending hours on self reviews and final draft APRs. Josh has final say on everything and from what our RD tells us (unless he is lying) they cannot change anything either. As a manager, we have no power. Decisions are made at the VP level and rolled down to us. It's the strangest place I've ever worked.

 

[anonymous]

I am also a DM. We don't decide the final ratings. PClub rankings are plugged into the system and the rating is assigned and dictated to us. PClub ranking is the only measure. Nothing else. So I have no idea why we bother spending hours on self reviews and final draft APRs. Josh has final say on everything and from what our RD tells us (unless he is lying) they cannot change anything either. As a manager, we have no power. Decisions are made at the VP level and rolled down to us. It's the strangest place I've ever worked.

That’s because Jabba knows best....

 

[anonymous]

I am in the interview process for a rep position in GI. I have more than ten year experience and I have been successful. Salix pays a little bit more but I'm concerned about what I may be walking into. The manager has been hesitant to share why the other rep left. And some of the posts on here have me questioning if this is a good move. What is the culture really like? Thank you for your insight.

 

[anonymous]

I am also a DM. We don't decide the final ratings. PClub rankings are plugged into the system and the rating is assigned and dictated to us. PClub ranking is the only measure. Nothing else. So I have no idea why we bother spending hours on self reviews and final draft APRs. Josh has final say on everything and from what our RD tells us (unless he is lying) they cannot change anything either. As a manager, we have no power. Decisions are made at the VP level and rolled down to us. It's the strangest place I've ever worked.

Sadly, we as managers have no control over how our teams are run, rated or developed. Everything comes form the dumpster in Bridgewater. Recycled, regurgitated bullshit all designed to keep everyone scared and Josh in the driver seat. They don't even need us.

 

[anonymous]

I am in the interview process for a rep position in GI. I have more than ten year experience and I have been successful. Salix pays a little bit more but I'm concerned about what I may be walking into. The manager has been hesitant to share why the other rep left. And some of the posts on here have me questioning if this is a good move. What is the culture really like? Thank you for your insight.

One quarter you beat your forecast and you are a hero. Your reward is they jack your goals up the following quarter. And I'm not talking 5%. I'm talking 20-25% for your lead product and 50% plus for your second. If you fall behind the first three weeks, you will be harassed the entire rest of the quarter with multiple reports and threats. All because your manager got bent over by the RD who said that Josh has you on his radar. Nevermind that your goals went sky high. That doesn't matter. It's all about your ranking right now. Fix it or there is a coaching plan in your future. Sounds like fun right? Climb aboard! We need fresh meat for senior leadership to feast on.

 

[anonymous]

I don’t work for Salix but I was in your spot recently and I bowed out and took another job at another company and haven’t looked back. I pop on here from time to time to check up on how the culture is here (I have a few friends at Salix) but I couldn’t be happier bowing out. Churn and burn is NOT the way to profits.