There are some huge hurtles that lay ahead for us and most of them are our own doing. Contracts that don't allow for price increases, outdated systems and analytics which are not universal or understood by most, employee pay and benefits which are not keeping up with the market, scandals created by other divisions and then you throw in the Covidien grenade which brings us even more problems such as back orders, poor quality and a management team who couldn't run the business before but is now drowning but they refuse to see it. So maybe its time for someone to realize that:
a. We shouldn't be afraid of losing non-profitable customers. Their pricing has increased with inflation and it is insane for us not to do the same. Trying to service a customer in 2019 with 2010 pricing is stupid and unprofitable. To make it worse, they complain about our poor service because we are only equipped to get employees who will take 2010 pay because of the stupid contracts. The flip side - don't take it out on the rep who has worked tirelessly to keep them happy but was handcuffed by poor systems and contracts.
b. Take a look at what we did have right - sales territories were manageable and the bell curve showed what was normal, market deviations. What was wrong? Managers not being able to adjust locally for losses at the Corp level. And our GPO people - they drive the ship more than anyone these days and yet, no one commented on our huge losses with HPG. Thank goodness she left or we would be completely out.
c. Enforce contract compliance. That's the one thing he was trying to do right but backed down. If your're going to hold my feet to the fire, back at you.
d. Systems shouldn't be this complicated. I mean everything - try finding a product manager, try finding a product, try getting any information, try using the Hub, Atlas, SFDC, PM and try and figure out how to get paid.
