• Tue news: Where do Harris and Trump stand on health policy? Medtronic renal denervation coverage. Canada less likely to have drug shortages? Wall Street wants CVS execution plan. Nektar manufacturing facility sale. See more on our front page

Layoff email-here we go again........

Quote
Anonymous said:
Hi, China! We sure do want a BIG piece of your emerging market. We'll give you lots of jobs in the name of establishing a presence and you'll give us lots of patients to sell our drugs to.

Well, Merck, we want your jobs and your drugs but what we'll pay, we'll decide. We don't have the loyalty of your American staff to worry about.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-...e-may-curb-sales-growth-for-pfizer-merck.html
Click to expand...

wait. are you trying to say that china may NOT pay the premium price for merck drugs that americans have been paying for decades?
 




exactly so poster #60. the very fact that you have to explain yourself says it. it's not like you walk into a institution and there's a poster with p&t committee members names on the department directory. very very few merck reps knew how to work institutions,hospitals or federal accounts when I was there 3 years ago so I don't guess there's been improvement. I remember when we were told we would no longer get dollar sales credit for our accounts but keep working 'em "because it's the right thing to do." rightyo.
 












This is what I'm hearing from a reliable inside source: 30% reduction in field sales representatives and 40% reduction in sale manager. To occur either in December or January. Was also told they would be combining Port 1 and Port 2 bags.
 




So why is it at our 2s meetings they are saying sales will not be effected? They say we are safe and we have too many products now tompromote, so there is no way they will hit us! Is this a lie?
 












Anonymous said:
exactly so poster #60. the very fact that you have to explain yourself says it. it's not like you walk into a institution and there's a poster with p&t committee members names on the department directory. very very few merck reps knew how to work institutions,hospitals or federal accounts when I was there 3 years ago so I don't guess there's been improvement. I remember when we were told we would no longer get dollar sales credit for our accounts but keep working 'em "because it's the right thing to do." rightyo.
Click to expand...

I used to thank the institutional/hosp reps profusely. I know their work is missionary work. Their great relationship with the residents mean once they open their practices in town they are Merck friendly. A lot of snooping around. A lot of networking. A lot of breakfast meetings at 7 am or late-night gatherings at 8 pm with residents and faculty members. It is sad that most newer reps don't understand how crucial it is and how they know is to mimic their deranged managers and ask, "Does it bring sales home today?"
 




Thanx, previous poster. you get it so I assume your're not a newbie. I can remember I would alert the placement, of residents to merck territories. I also had federal accounts that were worth millions a quarter to merck. Most of my co-workers hated going into institutions,military IHS,VA's etc. because they were very,very time consuming,you actually had to really,really know your stuff (no ken and barbies here) and the sell cycle was long. The federal nae's I had at merck were truly outstanding people but covered institutions in several states so we were thier eyes and ears on the ground. The managers I had never seemed to understand, DOD, IHS, VA's, institutions or hospitals. Merck, I think would have preferred we not spend the time, could care less about pullthrough or visibility and I guess they thought that trading on the merck name was enough. But I was tablet so maybe it was different in other divisions. don't know how it is now, but those were actually the good days at merck, and I knew I was bringing value. all about "pseudo-sales" now I guess.
 




Anonymous said:
Thanx, previous poster. you get it so I assume your're not a newbie. I can remember I would alert the placement, of residents to merck territories. I also had federal accounts that were worth millions a quarter to merck. Most of my co-workers hated going into institutions,military IHS,VA's etc. because they were very,very time consuming,you actually had to really,really know your stuff (no ken and barbies here) and the sell cycle was long. The federal nae's I had at merck were truly outstanding people but covered institutions in several states so we were thier eyes and ears on the ground. The managers I had never seemed to understand, DOD, IHS, VA's, institutions or hospitals. Merck, I think would have preferred we not spend the time, could care less about pullthrough or visibility and I guess they thought that trading on the merck name was enough. But I was tablet so maybe it was different in other divisions. don't know how it is now, but those were actually the good days at merck, and I knew I was bringing value. all about "pseudo-sales" now I guess.
Click to expand...

It is not "pseudo sales" at all as I had the privilege to be a hospital rep for a few years before another re-alignment back to primary care. You really have to study hard to be able to converse with the residents. They are reading the current studies, not the older Merck-approved materials. The odd hours: tumor board at 7 am or pizza get together at 8 pm. In-services at the GI lab, anesthesiology, cath lab, surgical lunge, doctor's lounge, asthma clinic, etc. I am saddened by those new reps who don't know how important the institutional reps are to them.
 








Anonymous said:
It is not "pseudo sales" at all as I had the privilege to be a hospital rep for a few years before another re-alignment back to primary care. You really have to study hard to be able to converse with the residents. They are reading the current studies, not the older Merck-approved materials. The odd hours: tumor board at 7 am or pizza get together at 8 pm. In-services at the GI lab, anesthesiology, cath lab, surgical lunge, doctor's lounge, asthma clinic, etc. I am saddened by those new reps who don't know how important the institutional reps are to them.
Click to expand...

I had 10 yrs pharma prior to merck, and when I joined 15 years ago (and laid off in '08) I was awed with the expertise at the rep level (for the most part) at merck. then it seemed to begin to change in 2000 and the dumbing down accelerated, talent diluted. Post vioxx syndrome, over expansion, be more like pfizer attitude, change in managment,re-alingments, layoffs, adnauseum...I don't know. But one thing seems to be clear. The quality of the average merck rep is not were it once was and the standards for merck have significantly dropped the last 10 years. How ironic that a company that has always had first class products (and frankly priced them accordingly) and always did everything first class can no longer seem to afford first class talent in it's sales force. When you met executive and senior executive reps you knew right away why those people were in those positions. Maybe thats why merck did away with those titles.

Former merck executive rep.
 




Anonymous said:
I had 10 yrs pharma prior to merck, and when I joined 15 years ago (and laid off in '08) I was awed with the expertise at the rep level (for the most part) at merck. then it seemed to begin to change in 2000 and the dumbing down accelerated, talent diluted. Post vioxx syndrome, over expansion, be more like pfizer attitude, change in management,re-alignments, layoffs, ad nauseum...I don't know. But one thing seems to be clear. The quality of the average merck rep is not were it once was and the standards for merck have significantly dropped the last 10 years. How ironic that a company that has always had first class products (and frankly priced them accordingly) and always did everything first class can no longer seem to afford first class talent in it's sales force. When you met executive and senior executive reps you knew right away why those people were in those positions. Maybe that's why merck did away with those titles.

Former merck executive rep.
Click to expand...

Your observation is absolutely correct. For whatever reason we made the transition from a first-class company to the current Merck. The dumbing down is also true. All of sudden, knowledge and relationship don't matter anymore. It is appearance, "style", pizzazz (as my manager said), and whatever as essential ingredients to sell. Ability to dissect a clinical study is irrelevant. It is how you jump from spot to spot of your choosing and hit the doc before he realizes what you are talking about that's count.
 




No... idiot upper management caused this when ignoring what we all knew was unsutainable numbers kept hiring multiple reps to promote a drug and keep an arms war with other big pharma companies...we all knew it was wrong and unsustainable now....we all pay the price ....just know that this is just a job and profits first and then.....oh well...just know what this is and who you are. Nobody is special and nobody is protected...and if you think you are...well then good luck!
 








Anonymous said:
This is what I'm hearing from a reliable inside source: 30% reduction in field sales representatives and 40% reduction in sale manager. To occur either in December or January. Was also told they would be combining Port 1 and Port 2 bags.
Click to expand...

December or January....BIG difference in terms of severance (i.e., especially for legacy SP!) If effective December, layoff notification must be sent by 10/31/11. Notification after that date, and layoff is effective in January (due to 60 day WARN).

Does your "reliable source" have any clue which way Merck is leaning? December or January?
 




Anonymous said:
I had 10 yrs pharma prior to merck, and when I joined 15 years ago (and laid off in '08) I was awed with the expertise at the rep level (for the most part) at merck. then it seemed to begin to change in 2000 and the dumbing down accelerated, talent diluted. Post vioxx syndrome, over expansion, be more like pfizer attitude, change in managment,re-alingments, layoffs, adnauseum...I don't know. But one thing seems to be clear. The quality of the average merck rep is not were it once was and the standards for merck have significantly dropped the last 10 years. How ironic that a company that has always had first class products (and frankly priced them accordingly) and always did everything first class can no longer seem to afford first class talent in it's sales force. When you met executive and senior executive reps you knew right away why those people were in those positions. Maybe thats why merck did away with those titles.

Former merck executive rep.
Click to expand...

Standards will be soon be taking a major drop if layoffs hit again sales....

If non Merck reps are put on the low pay contacts you will see Kens and Barbies replacing the many highly experienced .......Sad and sorry situation for many who my be cast aside for corporate profits....
 




Anonymous said:
It is not "pseudo sales" at all as I had the privilege to be a hospital rep for a few years before another re-alignment back to primary care. You really have to study hard to be able to converse with the residents. They are reading the current studies, not the older Merck-approved materials. The odd hours: tumor board at 7 am or pizza get together at 8 pm. In-services at the GI lab, anesthesiology, cath lab, surgical lunge, doctor's lounge, asthma clinic, etc. I am saddened by those new reps who don't know how important the institutional reps are to them.
Click to expand...



Currently little or no access in these institutions, so it's a different game today. (no food or promotional programs allowed!) Very tough job for hospital reps.
 








Top Bottom
Back
Quote