Merck CTL may be the best compensated corporate job in the country

[Anonymous]

When you factor in that CTLs at Merck can basically sit home most of the time, forward a few voice mails and emails, and attend the occasional "manager's" meeting, all the while pulling down abou 175K per year with car and benefits, it must be the best job in all of corporate America...

My cousin is an experience marketing manager with an MBA from Harvard, and barely come in at 6 figures...Keep in mind, this is with a long daily commute, numerous business trips battling the airport, tons of pressure and accountability, and long work hours...

The Merck CTLs lie, cheat, fabricate and kiss ass...And they manage to go on year after year, pulling down ridiculous money for doing absolutely nothing...

Frazier really needs to start being more aggresive at looking at what is going on in this company where he supposedly is Chief Executive Officer...Stockholders should be outraged that about 50% of the sales and marketing org gets paid for doing nothing.

 

[Anonymous]

If and when reps are contracted making 30 or 40K, will CTL's then become contracted and make 50-60K?

 

[Anonymous]

Other pharma companies are now piloting a structure where there are no district managers, only an admin manager for every 40-50 reps for expense reports, etc. Productivity is thru the roof. No phony field rides, no make-work BS reports to do, no long voice mails to waste time stating the obvious. Company saves millions of dollars and actually gets revenue increases to boot!

The healthcare system is changing rapidly before our very eyes. Time for us to change with it.

 

[Anonymous]

Other pharma companies are now piloting a structure where there are no district managers, only an admin manager for every 40-50 reps for expense reports, etc. Productivity is thru the roof. No phony field rides, no make-work BS reports to do, no long voice mails to waste time stating the obvious. Company saves millions of dollars and actually gets revenue increases to boot!

The healthcare system is changing rapidly before our very eyes. Time for us to change with it.

This is the only management system that makes sense. Additionally send out a regional sales trainer that monitors messaging, resource utilization and access. Does it make sense, for example, to have reps in an area with little to no access and a manager? There will always be a place for good reps, you just don't need as many, and you certainly don't need all the verbatium spewing, deli tray swingers as are seen today but, for the smart companies, the days of the district manager are really numbered. It's a new world and there is no map for we're we are going but the intelligent innovative companies are making the changes now.

 

[Anonymous]

I am not qualified to be a CTL because I am over 5'9" and my BMI is 24. I don't have a chance at ever being overcompensated!

 

[Anonymous]

Other pharma companies are now piloting a structure where there are no district managers, only an admin manager for every 40-50 reps for expense reports, etc. Productivity is thru the roof. No phony field rides, no make-work BS reports to do, no long voice mails to waste time stating the obvious. Company saves millions of dollars and actually gets revenue increases to boot!

The healthcare system is changing rapidly before our very eyes. Time for us to change with it.

40 to 50 is a big stretch....most I've ever heard of is 15-25. This would be possibly spanning several states especialy if a specialty.

In other types of sales its one one manager per 1/4 or 1/3 or 1/2 of the country....

 

[Anonymous]

Other pharma companies are now piloting a structure where there are no district managers, only an admin manager for every 40-50 reps for expense reports, etc. Productivity is thru the roof. No phony field rides, no make-work BS reports to do, no long voice mails to waste time stating the obvious. Company saves millions of dollars and actually gets revenue increases to boot!

The healthcare system is changing rapidly before our very eyes. Time for us to change with it.

Well you can bet that if it is a system that saves money and makes good business sense, Merck will stear clear of it, for many years anyway...

Don't forget that at Merck, the management has a highly vested interest in keeping the status quo...They know they are on an unbelievable gravy train, that amounts to a will oiled Ponzi Scheme...

The CTLs are very tied into the whole scheme, and will not be let go...trust me on that one...

 

[Anonymous]

There are no companies with 50 reps without management.
I agree it would all be more productive etc, but it is only in your dreams. Anyone notice no company names mentioned?

If so, give us the names so we can apply tomorrow. Nice dream though! I will sleep better imagining such a world... zzzzzzzz

 

[Anonymous]

CTL here!! I can't believe you think we make $175k.....such an insult

It's more like $195 -210K!! Laughing all the way to retirement!!

you reps don't have so bad either, trust me!

 

[Anonymous]

CTL here!! I can't believe you think we make $175k.....such an insult

It's more like $195 -210K!! Laughing all the way to retirement!!

you reps don't have so bad either, trust me!

Well I must be getting screwed, I make 165- maybe 195 in total comp as a 5 year ctl.

 

[Anonymous]

There are no companies with 50 reps without management.
I agree it would all be more productive etc, but it is only in your dreams. Anyone notice no company names mentioned?

If so, give us the names so we can apply tomorrow. Nice dream though! I will sleep better imagining such a world... zzzzzzzz

I understand your scepticism, I'm the same way. Abbott is piloting this now. Lifescan laid off all DBMs last Thursday. Next? Won't be Merck. Makes way too much sense. Unless Pfizer does it.

 

[Anonymous]

I understand your scepticism, I'm the same way. Abbott is piloting this now. Lifescan laid off all DBMs last Thursday. Next? Won't be Merck. Makes way too much sense. Unless Pfizer does it.

Yeah, we'll this is why merck is no longer a player in any market they compete in.

 

[Anonymous]

CTL here!! I can't believe you think we make $175k.....such an insult

It's more like $195 -210K!! Laughing all the way to retirement!!

you reps don't have so bad either, trust me!

Will be funny when you are laid off/moved to Inventive. Will be funny to see your dopey spouse have to quit the country club and early happy hours. What about the McMansion and private school for kids? End coming soon!

 

[Anonymous]

Well you can bet that if it is a system that saves money and makes good business sense, Merck will stear clear of it, for many years anyway...

Don't forget that at Merck, the management has a highly vested interest in keeping the status quo...They know they are on an unbelievable gravy train, that amounts to a will oiled Ponzi Scheme...

The CTLs are very tied into the whole scheme, and will not be let go...trust me on that one...

You say..."management has a highly vested interest in keeping the status quo..."

Explain....Does this company have a vested interest in having financial troubles too? No company today has the luxury of keeping status quo if they want to be profitable...or possibly survive as a viable institution. Unless they are willing to challenge the status quo they may be in for trouble...

Your take sounds like our out of touch government, not a successful company!

 

[Anonymous]

You say..."management has a highly vested interest in keeping the status quo..."

Explain....Does this company have a vested interest in having financial troubles too? No company today has the luxury of keeping status quo if they want to be profitable...or possibly survive as a viable institution. Unless they are willing to challenge the status quo they may be in for trouble...

Your take sounds like our out of touch government, not a successful company!

Yes, exactly...Merck operates today as a defacto "out of touch government."

this company is "successful" only because they are able to have huge margins on their mostly fake snake oils...

 

[Anonymous]

Whats bullshit is that i m getting bitched at daily cause victoza is increasing MS and i m selling the pill vs injection but they are showing better efficacey and A1c reductions what can i say.... we are cheaper..... not really... so frustrated

 

[Anonymous]

There are no companies with 50 reps without management.
I agree it would all be more productive etc, but it is only in your dreams. Anyone notice no company names mentioned?

If so, give us the names so we can apply tomorrow. Nice dream though! I will sleep better imagining such a world... zzzzzzzz

Ongoing test in a region with major pharma right now, 42 reps in region, one RD, one trainer, one field manager, and two managed care specialists! That's it for a whole state, very effective and above poster is right, all of the sudden 75% of the bullshit is gone, all zip sales, and bonuses paid for real performance, not bullshit change agents, ass scratchers, tit showers or tray delivers! Region topped 26 others in the country in sales so far this year, only the home office hand picked region was above! Every RD & DM in the country is looking for bullshit reasons for success other than focusing on the business and forgetting some stupid whim of a DM that never could sell anyway, just remember most managers are that way because they could not sell so they took the easy way out!

 

[Anonymous]

CTL here!! I can't believe you think we make $175k.....such an insult

It's more like $195 -210K!! Laughing all the way to retirement!!

you reps don't have so bad either, trust me!

I have not made LESS than 250000 in the last five years. And yes,these lazy fools willnever reach our level.

 

[Anonymous]

I have not made LESS than 250000 in the last five years. And yes,these lazy fools willnever reach our level.

Smack from a caterer manager!

 

[Anonymous]

Ongoing test in a region with major pharma right now, 42 reps in region, one RD, one trainer, one field manager, and two managed care specialists! That's it for a whole state, very effective and above poster is right, all of the sudden 75% of the bullshit is gone, all zip sales, and bonuses paid for real performance, not bullshit change agents, ass scratchers, tit showers or tray delivers! Region topped 26 others in the country in sales so far this year, only the home office hand picked region was above! Every RD & DM in the country is looking for bullshit reasons for success other than focusing on the business and forgetting some stupid whim of a DM that never could sell anyway, just remember most managers are that way because they could not sell so they took the easy way out!

Of the response the last sentence the most interesting.

Some managers are still wannabe reps. They had their own way to sell and interact. It might have worked for them, but they very well might not be effective people managers....Seems to me that being a rep, even a good one, does not mean someone can or should become a CTL and manage people...it a very different set of skills...

For a manager to really be effective in handling others they must be secure enough not to complete with the reps....they also need to accept everyone and be able to have a level of fairness that is strong, constant and unyielding to their own ego and inner quirks...