How accurately do CafePharma posts represent the sentiments of the sales force?

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Anonymous

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This question could be put to all reps with all companies, but let's keep it Novartis.

Personally I started reading and contributing to CafePharma regularly about 2.5 years ago before the late 2008 layoffs (which did not affect me other than to remove a manager who I thought was bad - we were down to 3 reps on our team, others abandoned ship). Now that I am a Novartis alumni courtesy of the December, 2010 layoff, I read CP less often and contribute even less. Anyway, while I was still with Novartis I would often "share" CP stories with my Novartis friends. I found that while many felt things were on a downhill trend, things were not as bad as you would believe from reading CafePharma.

My question then, basically is: How well does CafePharma represent the feelings of the sales force as a whole? Are things that bad, or are most CP regulars "Doom and Gloomers"?

Personally I feel that while CP does reflect overall sentiments of those that are regulars here fairly well, it is kicked up a few notches as compared to the rank and file of the sales force. CafePharma regulars may have the overall mood as a 1,2, or 3 on a 10 point scale where a poll of the whole sales force would probably put it as a 3,4 or 5. Agreed, things are worse now than 5 or 10 years ago and slowly getting worse, but not quite as bad as a reading of CafePharma would have you think. Incidentally several told me that they do not read the posts on CafePharma because they do not want to get depressed or caught up in the negativity.

Note, I made many friends at Novartis and some of those will last a lifetime, so if there is one thing I can thank Novartis for, it is that.

Just my observations.

"Away from Novartis and glad to be gone"
 






























not a valuable source of deciding the true state of "bidness" at novartis. just talk with your peers...absolute fear and angst...move on people!!!!!!! there is a better life beyond this company. you can sense the true atmosphere by how quickly the managers yank the threads! now that alone is entertaining!
 






My observations is that the mood is approx a 2 out of 10. I interact with reps from across the US, fear and distrust abound. Most reps are looking to see who will stab them, manager or fellow rep. It was never this bad until approx 3 years ago. I suspect it will only get worse.
 






It's bad- people talk among each other but no one can speak up. When you have bullies like bonnocorso people become more discontent. Speaking to people across the country the mood is the same. Not a lot of happy people. Granted many on here are crass but I assure you the majority are unhappy.
 






I think people hold back. This is a good thing. It shows that overall even the so called malcontents have self restraint. Read a CP post about yourself and it gives a whole new perspective.

I have found some very accurate information at times. Yes, there are some fool on r*****s also.
 












  • RTBKPL   Jun 09, 2011 at 09:12: AM
Anonymous said:
This question could be put to all reps with all companies, but let's keep it Novartis.

Personally I started reading and contributing to CafePharma regularly about 2.5 years ago before the late 2008 layoffs (which did not affect me other than to remove a manager who I thought was bad - we were down to 3 reps on our team, others abandoned ship). Now that I am a Novartis alumni courtesy of the December, 2010 layoff, I read CP less often and contribute even less. Anyway, while I was still with Novartis I would often "share" CP stories with my Novartis friends. I found that while many felt things were on a downhill trend, things were not as bad as you would believe from reading CafePharma.

My question then, basically is: How well does CafePharma represent the feelings of the sales force as a whole? Are things that bad, or are most CP regulars "Doom and Gloomers"?

Personally I feel that while CP does reflect overall sentiments of those that are regulars here fairly well, it is kicked up a few notches as compared to the rank and file of the sales force. CafePharma regulars may have the overall mood as a 1,2, or 3 on a 10 point scale where a poll of the whole sales force would probably put it as a 3,4 or 5. Agreed, things are worse now than 5 or 10 years ago and slowly getting worse, but not quite as bad as a reading of CafePharma would have you think. Incidentally several told me that they do not read the posts on CafePharma because they do not want to get depressed or caught up in the negativity.

Note, I made many friends at Novartis and some of those will last a lifetime, so if there is one thing I can thank Novartis for, it is that.

Just my observations.

"Away from Novartis and glad to be gone"
Click to expand...

I don't think one could gauge the overall attitude level of the field force form CafePharma. By my estimate, there are between 100 and 200 who regularly visit this site. I base this on observations of posts which received 0 responses over several days and then seeing the number of visits it received. I was a frequent contributor for a few years but my posts were identifiable. The comment about this being an environment in which people blow off steam that they would otherwise be too afraid to do in public is obviously true. There are always those who would complain if they were hung with a new rope.

Management only wants to hear what they want to hear. How possibly could one of managements ideas be less than stellar, it was managements idea. Managers too often are selected from those always successful environments and from those willing to toe and spew the company line regardless of the sensibleness of same. I observed two young bucks who came and went, quickly exiting the industry when they realized that they were in over their heads. They both ruined a couple of excellent representatives. Interestingly both now work for organizations out of Pharma and close friends of mine are above them in management. It's amazing where your friends from graduate school end up. It is just not in my make up to drop a dime......or is it?


What is more interesting is to visit the sites of our competitors and other Pharma companies. You will see that it's the same line, just under a different company.

I have learned a lot since I left Novartis, much of which has not pleased me. Had I opened my mouth (and I might still in at least on instance) a few managers would be up a creek. In business like in war one must always be checking one's six. Charlie, Yankee, Alpha if you will. To survive one must toe the line and remain silent. You will find yourself surrounded by back stabbers in both management and your pod, ergo check six.

Never let the bastards get you down.

RTBKPL
 






management is so fuckn cluless it's redickulous(sp)
they operate in a vacume / bubble .
Thousands of remaining reps have seen thousands of their friends
& colleagues unceremoniously terminated , pipped , displaced (laid off)
MANY of them undeserved for noobs retained that had contributed ZERO
and now these corporate stooges try to whitewash this horrific treatment
of people including discriminitory practices coupled with fraud , kick backs , off lable marketing etc...and they have the GALL to post these types of moronic threads

You need answers ? Close to 100% is accurate you spineless clueless dooshbags
 






Anonymous said:
management is so fuckn cluless it's redickulous(sp)
they operate in a vacume / bubble .
Thousands of remaining reps have seen thousands of their friends
& colleagues unceremoniously terminated , pipped , displaced (laid off)
MANY of them undeserved for noobs retained that had contributed ZERO
and now these corporate stooges try to whitewash this horrific treatment
of people including discriminitory practices coupled with fraud , kick backs , off lable marketing etc...and they have the GALL to post these types of moronic threads

You need answers ? Close to 100% is accurate you spineless clueless dooshbags
Click to expand...

It is hard to know what the corelation coefficient with reality is on CP. But one can definitely see trends developing. When layoffs are about to happen the traffic on a company's site go off the chart. Even if not all information is not completely accurate, it can be directional and fills the vacuum typically left by management's desire to withold information. Managers and the company don't tell you the truth either until it is to their advantage. If CP was such a joke why do pharma companies monitor it consistently and sometimes hire shadow posters to impact the flow of the posts.
 






Anonymous said:
It is hard to know what the corelation coefficient with reality is on CP. But one can definitely see trends developing. When layoffs are about to happen the traffic on a company's site go off the chart. Even if not all information is not completely accurate, it can be directional and fills the vacuum typically left by management's desire to withold information. Managers and the company don't tell you the truth either until it is to their advantage. If CP was such a joke why do pharma companies monitor it consistently and sometimes hire shadow posters to impact the flow of the posts.
Click to expand...

Wow.... you sound a bit paranoid. Do you wear the tin-foil hat and look for black helicopters circling your house? What proof do you have of anyone monitoring anything or of so-called shadow posters? You are a JOKE.
 






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