My version of 15 by 15

[Anonymous]

OK I admit it. I don't get it. I haven't spent much time anxiously following this thread like most of you. I've been busy with a little thing called life. So what is this guy's (15'er) beef with merck. He doesn't like getting paid? Company car not big enough? Cut back on the free lunch budget? Meeting's are not in a nice enough place? Doesn't like the layoffs,threat of layoffs and more challenging buisness enviornment? Well get used to it.
He's trying to turn the fact that he doesn't work into some kinda protest? I'll bet he's got a Guy Fawkes mask somewere. Well trying to get away with working part time for full time pay and trying to justify is is nothing new in this buisness. That's what make's it so hard to identify, about half the salesforce and management are doing the same thing so it's not really unique is it? Those that cheer him on from the sidelines remind me of a crowd gathered on a street corner for a man on a ledge yelling "jump!jump!" You think they'll be there when it comes time for those payments on "food clothing and shelter" payments?
Don't work if you don't want to. Brag about getting away with it if you like. But don't come on here and try to pass your inactivity as some protest against the work enviornment at merck. spare me. your like one of those "faux" occupy protesters. Protesting war or minority or women's rights? No just don't like that life is unfair. Good luck with that but spare me.

On the contrary, the !5 Guy is AWESOME! I love to see others sticking to this piece of sh!t company. I've been doing it for year and have not a single bit of guilt. My second job is also going really well, thank to my creativity with these Merck Asshole$. I can't wait for the severance! And it's coming, people. It's coming.

 

[Anonymous]

It is embarassing to read what you larcenous asses write. No conscious is a discriptor of a crook and a devious personality - good for absolutely nothing.

Oh yawn....you really are becoming such a bore with your hating on the 15 x 15 guy and your ever present name calling. The 15 x 15 guy is an award winning rep, a realist, and a rebel champion against nonsense. He never said he doesn't work. He does indeed work, he works smartly and efficiently, and he gets the rep job done very well. You however, are upset that he doesn't get the job done under your terms, (8-5,M-F), and you want all reps to have a microchip implanted in their backside so that you can track their every move. This is unacceptable for any rep, or human being for that matter, and it is simply a desperate attempt by management to force today's current selling model into one that existed back in the late 1980's. It simply isn't logical, nor practical and as the 15 x 15 guy has demonstrated, it is not necessary to accomplish the mundane tasks of this job in today's real world. You won't listen to reality, and you refuse to adapt to an ever changing selling environment, therefore, I am afraid that you as a manager are rapidly doomed for extinction. Nowadays, offices are completely banning pharmaceutical managers from joining sales representative calls, they don't see the value in your tagging along, nor do they have the time or desire to speak to you. So I am afraid that you will be left standing out in the hallway, holding your limp you know what in your hand.

 

[Anonymous]

"a rebel champion against nonesense." That's when I stopped reading. He shows up late goes home early and gets away with it. Well atta boy 15. Who cares? Half the sales force does the same thing. Merck will be around long after most of you are gone. Isn't life about doing the most with the opportunities that are presented to us? If you see it as your chance to do little and get paid alot then lets see how long it lasts. He's been posting for well over a year but I think merck will be around alot longer than him. Who cares what happens to him? Go away by Mon. 15 guy. You won't be missed. By anyone. Spare me the Guy Fawkes rebel nonsense.

 

[Anonymous]

"a rebel champion against nonesense." That's when I stopped reading. He shows up late goes home early and gets away with it. Well atta boy 15. Who cares? Half the sales force does the same thing. Merck will be around long after most of you are gone. Isn't life about doing the most with the opportunities that are presented to us? If you see it as your chance to do little and get paid alot then lets see how long it lasts. He's been posting for well over a year but I think merck will be around alot longer than him. Who cares what happens to him? Go away by Mon. 15 guy. You won't be missed. By anyone. Spare me the Guy Fawkes rebel nonsense.

The ass is a futile attempt at showing some relevance - which he can't. Just a loser no more no less.

 

[Anonymous]

Bump

 

[Anonymous]

Don't forget when awarding the 15 x 15 awards-the equality of clustermates! One person in the cluster cannot be singled out for an award without the remaining members of the group grousing about their equal contribution to the success of the winner!

It is even more fun at the award ceremony "dinner" (which used to be a full on meal, but no more) where the back stabbing and sour grapes become even more entertaining due to the open bar concept.

This has always been one of the highlights of the year. Although, I liked it more when a full meal was part of the deal. Especially if it wasn't your year to be on stage.

 

[Anonymous]

well that guy who went up on stage for an award got it by ratting you out. that's how it goes down 15x15 guy. your clustermates are on to your game and are scrambling up the ladder over your body. so while you're crying at the open bar and ranting how "merck ain't fair" they're busy with a whisper campaign at your expense, while at cluster meetings they cheer you on. And you thought they were your friends. How many will call when you're "displaced?" Try none.That's how the real game is played, player. you're just an amatetur,soon forgotton. that pain in your back at dinner was a fork. and a knife.

 

[Anonymous]

well that guy who went up on stage for an award got it by ratting you out. that's how it goes down 15x15 guy. your clustermates are on to your game and are scrambling up the ladder over your body. so while you're crying at the open bar and ranting how "merck ain't fair" they're busy with a whisper campaign at your expense, while at cluster meetings they cheer you on. And you thought they were your friends. How many will call when you're "displaced?" Try none.That's how the real game is played, player. you're just an amatetur,soon forgotton. that pain in your back at dinner was a fork. and a knife.

Some interesting fiction there. My cluster mates no nothing of what I do. I actually "work" closely with my S3 and MGAM on a project or two as well. My manager doesn't have a clue either. The fact is that I am a "pro" at my 15x15 game in every sense. As a matter of fact my manager has commented to me on several occasions that he/she likes to ride with me because I'm so positive and it give them a break from the "complainers" in the district.

You will never hear me ranting at the open bar or ever saying anything negative to anybody I work with. EVER. After seeing many old friends be pushed out, I know it isn't smart talking about this to anyone. Believe me I have seen the backstabbing here and people get thrown under the bus for too long to let that happen to me.

As far as nobody calling you after you are gone, that portion of your comment is fact. I know that. I do keep in contact with my old buddies that left but I am one of the only colleagues that they ever hear from.

If I was in jeopardy of losing my job and my manager was closing in on me, I guess they wouldn't have included me in on the team for the recent "project" that our director has rolled out recently. Sorry to burst your bubble about my demise, but it seems I won't be going anywhere for a while. Except maybe to hit some golf balls at the indoor range here later today!

Regards,


The 15x15 Guy
Merck's First & Finest S15 Rep

 

[Anonymous]

Some interesting fiction there. My cluster mates no nothing of what I do. I actually "work" closely with my S3 and MGAM on a project or two as well. My manager doesn't have a clue either. The fact is that I am a "pro" at my 15x15 game in every sense. As a matter of fact my manager has commented to me on several occasions that he/she likes to ride with me because I'm so positive and it give them a break from the "complainers" in the district.

You will never hear me ranting at the open bar or ever saying anything negative to anybody I work with. EVER. After seeing many old friends be pushed out, I know it isn't smart talking about this to anyone. Believe me I have seen the backstabbing here and people get thrown under the bus for too long to let that happen to me.

As far as nobody calling you after you are gone, that portion of your comment is fact. I know that. I do keep in contact with my old buddies that left but I am one of the only colleagues that they ever hear from.

If I was in jeopardy of losing my job and my manager was closing in on me, I guess they wouldn't have included me in on the team for the recent "project" that our director has rolled out recently. Sorry to burst your bubble about my demise, but it seems I won't be going anywhere for a while. Except maybe to hit some golf balls at the indoor range here later today!

Regards,


The 15x15 Guy
Merck's First & Finest S15 Rep

Ah, the ultimate denial-"they no (know?) nothing of what I do." Really? The ultimate snow job is being perpetuated on you pal. A "project"? Hmmm. Sounds more like you're being targeted. It always,always, comes out in the end. Sounds like the end is near for you. "Pride goeth before the fall."

 

[Anonymous]

Some interesting fiction there. My cluster mates no nothing of what I do. I actually "work" closely with my S3 and MGAM on a project or two as well. My manager doesn't have a clue either. The fact is that I am a "pro" at my 15x15 game in every sense. As a matter of fact my manager has commented to me on several occasions that he/she likes to ride with me because I'm so positive and it give them a break from the "complainers" in the district.

You will never hear me ranting at the open bar or ever saying anything negative to anybody I work with. EVER. After seeing many old friends be pushed out, I know it isn't smart talking about this to anyone. Believe me I have seen the backstabbing here and people get thrown under the bus for too long to let that happen to me.

As far as nobody calling you after you are gone, that portion of your comment is fact. I know that. I do keep in contact with my old buddies that left but I am one of the only colleagues that they ever hear from.

If I was in jeopardy of losing my job and my manager was closing in on me, I guess they wouldn't have included me in on the team for the recent "project" that our director has rolled out recently. Sorry to burst your bubble about my demise, but it seems I won't be going anywhere for a while. Except maybe to hit some golf balls at the indoor range here later today!

Regards,


The 15x15 Guy
Merck's First & Finest S15 Rep

And how do your old friends feel about you now? You're the one that took their job,chose to be AWOL on it while they struggle to find employment. You really are a very small minded person aren't you? The only thing you have betrayed is yourself. Choke on your golf balls.

 

[Anonymous]

And how do your old friends feel about you now? You're the one that took their job,chose to be AWOL on it while they struggle to find employment. You really are a very small minded person aren't you? The only thing you have betrayed is yourself. Choke on your golf balls.

This ass is the is what he is - a complete immoral clown and parasite - nothing more or nothing less.

 

[Anonymous]

This ass is the is what he is - a complete immoral clown and parasite - nothing more or nothing less.

How can you call this guy immoral? He does what he does because the IMMORAL sales model allows it. He's least of all immoral. He is integrated with the system/model and contributes and is able to do it on a 15 x 15 model. To do it any other way would be a total waste of time and he wouldn't be any more productive to Merck. Sorry to say, but that's a fact. He knows it, too. I'd suggest it would be immoral to waste one minute more of your life than is necessary to effectively play the rep game. Those of you putting in hours and hours in your rep position just to assuage your guilty consciences over the little real work that the job entails along with the requisite fabrications does not make you superior to the 15 guy. You have only yourselves to blame.

 

[Anonymous]

This ass is the is what he is - a complete immoral clown and parasite - nothing more or nothing less.

You sound like a jealous hater - nothing more or nothing less.

Regards,


The 15x15 Guy
Merck's First & Finest S15 Rep

 

[Anonymous]

How can you call this guy immoral? He does what he does because the IMMORAL sales model allows it. He's least of all immoral. He is integrated with the system/model and contributes and is able to do it on a 15 x 15 model. To do it any other way would be a total waste of time and he wouldn't be any more productive to Merck. Sorry to say, but that's a fact. He knows it, too. I'd suggest it would be immoral to waste one minute more of your life than is necessary to effectively play the rep game. Those of you putting in hours and hours in your rep position just to assuage your guilty consciences over the little real work that the job entails along with the requisite fabrications does not make you superior to the 15 guy. You have only yourselves to blame.

So the gist of this thread is that you people are all in total agreement that the sales representative position at merck has no value, you are all way over compensated ,are a total waste of time and company resources and you are un-willing and unable to continue and it would be best if the company elminated the position immediately and hopefully with a minimum of severence or any continued benefits? Does that about cover it? I have never, ever seen so many employees in total unanimous agreement that their positions are useless, only minimally productive and all seem to be begging to be put out of thier collective misery. Rather than try and hide it, you should make your concerns kown as soon as possible to management so seperations can be executed immediately. I hope/pray for your sake and the companies' that mass sales force firings are already in the works so you can resume your lives outside the workforce. I look forward to the day,soon, when merck expedites the dismantling of the sales organization and jettisoning the mass of the expendables and comes back with a more effective way to promote products. The sooner the better. Personally, I would have kept my mouth shut, done the best I could, worked all I could and cashed the checks. But obviously the sales force no longer is engaged at that level. Merck management: time honor the consensus of the field and pull the trigger.

 

[Anonymous]

So the gist of this thread is that you people are all in total agreement that the sales representative position at merck has no value, you are all way over compensated ,are a total waste of time and company resources and you are un-willing and unable to continue and it would be best if the company elminated the position immediately and hopefully with a minimum of severence or any continued benefits? Does that about cover it? I have never, ever seen so many employees in total unanimous agreement that their positions are useless, only minimally productive and all seem to be begging to be put out of thier collective misery. Rather than try and hide it, you should make your concerns kown as soon as possible to management so seperations can be executed immediately. I hope/pray for your sake and the companies' that mass sales force firings are already in the works so you can resume your lives outside the workforce. I look forward to the day,soon, when merck expedites the dismantling of the sales organization and jettisoning the mass of the expendables and comes back with a more effective way to promote products. The sooner the better. Personally, I would have kept my mouth shut, done the best I could, worked all I could and cashed the checks. But obviously the sales force no longer is engaged at that level. Merck management: time honor the consensus of the field and pull the trigger.

You are correct in your message. The trouble with the message how ever is that these useless pieces of humanity can't recognize the message content. They have zero work ethic lack moral character and feed on the efforts of their WORKING peers. Management recognizes the issue and that is exactly why all of these turds will be out of work very very soon. They all need to spends countless months in the welfare line eating rancid beans.They want it and they are going to get it.

 

[Anonymous]

Yup. It's very simple, really. Offer severances to anyone who wants it then stand back so the stampede doesnt get you.
Do it. Do it now.

 

[Anonymous]

Better yet fire 'em all and start over. A contract sales force has gotta be better than this one. Couldn't be any worse.

 

[Anonymous]

How can you call this guy immoral? He does what he does because the IMMORAL sales model allows it. He's least of all immoral. He is integrated with the system/model and contributes and is able to do it on a 15 x 15 model. To do it any other way would be a total waste of time and he wouldn't be any more productive to Merck. Sorry to say, but that's a fact. He knows it, too. I'd suggest it would be immoral to waste one minute more of your life than is necessary to effectively play the rep game. Those of you putting in hours and hours in your rep position just to assuage your guilty consciences over the little real work that the job entails along with the requisite fabrications does not make you superior to the 15 guy. You have only yourselves to blame.

"there is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which shouldn't be done at all." - Peter Drucker

The prevailing opnion from repondents on CP is that the sales model is broken-hence the "15's"-those that have given up. If you were to lace the koolaide drinkers cups with truth serum you would find the same thing. By any objective measure sending armies of well dressed,undereducated sales people to blanket medical offices with propaganda no longer works. At all. The expense is high-in compensations,benefits,hardware-cars,computers. The ROI is very low. For all the talk about "moving share" the margins between having a sales force and not having one is very thin. The liabilties are extreamly high. Reps wreck their cars, lose thier computers, break hippa and fda rules, become whistleblowers, mow down patients in medical center paring lots racing to pick up thier catered lunches. Access is very poor. Providers very seldom take any kind of direction on therapies given by a rep. Overall the whole thing is ineffective and can actually detrimental to a company. So why continue? Well the whole structure of a company whould have to be changed. Many companies staff structures rest heavily on the compliment of marketing they have, from management to support (IT, HR, advertisment, etc.) So the whole thing is a jenga game. Pull the rep piece and the whole thing comes down. But the whole pharma rep game is rapidly reaching the point of no return on the law of diminishing return. The whole question come down to who will have the courage to revamp the entire approach. My money would not be on merck and ken frazier. So the merck system,model,what have you will just soon collapse under it's own weight and it will fall to the board and the stockholders to try and pick up the pieces.

 

[Anonymous]

"there is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which shouldn't be done at all." - Peter Drucker

The prevailing opnion from repondents on CP is that the sales model is broken-hence the "15's"-those that have given up. If you were to lace the koolaide drinkers cups with truth serum you would find the same thing. By any objective measure sending armies of well dressed,undereducated sales people to blanket medical offices with propaganda no longer works. At all. The expense is high-in compensations,benefits,hardware-cars,computers. The ROI is very low. For all the talk about "moving share" the margins between having a sales force and not having one is very thin. The liabilties are extreamly high. Reps wreck their cars, lose thier computers, break hippa and fda rules, become whistleblowers, mow down patients in medical center paring lots racing to pick up thier catered lunches. Access is very poor. Providers very seldom take any kind of direction on therapies given by a rep. Overall the whole thing is ineffective and can actually detrimental to a company. So why continue? Well the whole structure of a company whould have to be changed. Many companies staff structures rest heavily on the compliment of marketing they have, from management to support (IT, HR, advertisment, etc.) So the whole thing is a jenga game. Pull the rep piece and the whole thing comes down. But the whole pharma rep game is rapidly reaching the point of no return on the law of diminishing return. The whole question come down to who will have the courage to revamp the entire approach. My money would not be on merck and ken frazier. So the merck system,model,what have you will just soon collapse under it's own weight and it will fall to the board and the stockholders to try and pick up the pieces.

excellent posting and you are spot on....you raise tons of good points...

my only area of disagreement is the statement about Merck collapsing...It won't happen...Merck has more money than G_D, and has crazy high margins on their spurious products still...Big pharma is starting to cut deals with generic companies to delay patent expirations...Merck management, (hapless, incompetent, corrupt) will wait till things get really fugly again, and buy another Schering Plough type of company, to keep the charade going for years and years...

Btw, FU MERCK!

 

[Anonymous]

I didn't mean to imply that merck would collapse-you are right,tons of cash,on the DOW,to big to fail. I meant the entire marketing program-reps,marketing,sales management. It is failing already, and has been for some time, but now there is no way to hide it. Still too many mouths to feed. Besides with the ever shrinking pipeline why do you need such a huge sales staff? Again, they are only liability. Now it will be about reducing the companies risk. The generic point is a good one but the courts are looking at the "deals" to put off patent expiry now. Any bets on how the courts/gov. will come down on protecting drug patents (mfg. or genrics)? Merck is using it's cash to prop up the stock price (not unlike QE) not keep jobs. The projections for growth targets for '13 will remain the same as '12. A guidence that the analysts were not happy with. No organic growth coupled with no in-organic growth-no acquisitions are planned-the schering buy was way overpriced with mixed results. The lipid franchise has run it's course and there are some questions as to the safety of Januvia, andit's revenues will never replace singulair, maybe not even cozaar. So...merck is at best in a holding pattern, just trying to stop revenue erosion. How to do that if your only goal is to meet last years revenue targets? Gotta cut more staff, especially when they are not needed due to a declining portfolio. Merck seems ripe for a major sales force overhaul-long overdue.
PS- I find it curious that you sign off with "FU merck." Why would you have that reaction to what is a normal business cycle for a company? Ford couldn't continue to make model "T's" forever. Markets change. Companies change. It's the only constant in life. I too am ex-merck,a lay off casualty, but you soon get over it. As a stockholder I have a vested interest in seeing merck continue to pay good dividends and keep being a valued stock. That is now my only interest in merck. as an investment. If they can't provide revenue to demonstrate value to the stock price then they have to look at some other way. Like reducing headcount. Why is that hard to understand?