Only 10-20% of my calls are real calls

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I got called out for "not lying" last year, basically asked why my call average was so low and questioned if I was really working. I hate it. It is not me to lie or do drive byes at no sees and record it. If I see two cards a day, I'm doing great. So that would mean that to hit five (a joke!!), most of my calls would then be a lie. Nice. I know it happens. My partner sees someone in the elevator, stairwell or parking lot and counts it has a call even if it was just a wave hello.
 




Anonymous said:
I got called out for "not lying" last year, basically asked why my call average was so low and questioned if I was really working. I hate it. It is not me to lie or do drive byes at no sees and record it. If I see two cards a day, I'm doing great. So that would mean that to hit five (a joke!!), most of my calls would then be a lie. Nice. I know it happens. My partner sees someone in the elevator, stairwell or parking lot and counts it has a call even if it was just a wave hello.
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Most of us do the same if we are honest about it. If you don't you won't be here for long. As noted before it's the dirty secret no one wants to acknowledge. Everyone is playing along.
 




I'm lucky to have targets in group practices, just rotate the calls so I can hit 5 docs "sitting in the lobby" or a true elevator pitch. I believe that if we are within the same room that counts as a call, it's extra credit if they are looking at me, and if we speak "BAZINGA"
 




Anonymous said:
Just like the VA scandal, the faking of calls is systemic within Pharma. It starts with ZS making money off of the targeting and reach and frequency bullshit. Then senior sales leaders make an objective to marketing to deliver so many calls. Then every level of management takes great pride in exceeding their call metrics. And the PSSs understand how this game is being played and fake it every single day until honesty and integrity mean absolutely nothing.
So faking the wait times at the VA led to performance bonuses for those in VA leadership and they all knew it was going on and looked the other way. Same thing.
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Absolutely true. Sales leadership has to know this is going on and the call numbers are a huge lie. But they are getting rewarded for it too so keep on lying until it gets to be such a habit that it doesn't hurt any longer. Then it is just a short walk down the hallway of dishonesty to cheat on car mileage, expense reports, quitting at 2 P.M. and taking off Fridays and Mondays every now and then to add length to holidays and vacations. Pretty soon you are working 20 hour work weeks and stealing thousands of dollars.
 
















Anonymous said:
So how many years of faking calls and not really doing anything before you grow up and find a job more suited for your skills.
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The reps did not create this situation, they are subject to it. It has a lot to do with the expectation that you can make 8 calls a day despite having only 50 targets that will see you. Do the math. What doctor will see you every week so you can make your quota?

Years ago it was different when the territories were much different. Nevertheless, even in the 80's there were unrealistic expectations from management and reps "played the game".

There are plenty of real calls of course, and if you were lucky to work 10 to 20 years ago much bigger territories and more responsibility for contracting. It's nice to have a job that takes four to five hours a day, provided that you are in a compact territory. Then you can have secondary lines and other work to supplement your pay and develop new skills.
 












Anonymous said:
LOL...Retired DM here. One time I had a PSS who had the lowest call average by far in my district. He was the type of person that would NOT lie and put down a call he didn't make. At a business conference with my RSD his name was literally up in lights. My RSD beat me up why his call average was so low. I pointed out to my RSD that his call average may be low but his forecast achievement for ALL promoted products is first in my district. One product was First in the Region. My RSD said.."just imagine what his sales could be if he hit the district call average." I had a conference with this rep (to get the heat off of me) to get his call average up anyway he could (paper compliance would be fine wink wink). The rep refused said it was morally wrong. Within six months this rep was gone because of the reliance on metrics at good ole AZ. Can't say I blame him. I hate to say it...it's all a game play it the way they want and you survive fight the system and you're gone. Oh well to me it was a living.
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When I first started in the industry we used to mail in our sample signature/detail cards. The rep who was trained me said something that stuck with me my whole career-"the company will fire someone faster who is working hard and not sending in his cards than someone who sits home all day-fills out cards and mails them in daily". Lesson learned from an early stage!
 




Anonymous said:
So how many years of faking calls and not really doing anything before you grow up and find a job more suited for your skills.
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"Tell me again George about the rabbits and how we are going to live off the land. And I get to tend the rabbits, right George? I get to tend the rabbits." This could be my DSM trying to coach me during field rides. It has about as much meaning and substance to what it takes to be successful at my job.
 




Seldom come to CP, but this thread says it all. I don't like lying about calls, but access is just too damn bad these days. I guess I have become like the rest of you. Over half my calls are lies. I don't like it, but that's just the way it is. I know my DM realizes it too.

We have way too damn many reps that contribute to the problem. How many times have I heard, "well your partner was just here yesterday"! We can't route effectively because of office restrictions on reps. We do the best we can, then lie.
 




Company tells us to jump and we say how high! need 8 calls a day, Done! 12 calls, No problem! 5 'good' calls, you gotta it! 14 calls, 3 pharmacies and hospital, No Sweat! These numbers get a lot of folks all excited in HQ (their jobs rely on whatever number makes them look good, so keep it up for their sake)
 




Anonymous said:
Company tells us to jump and we say how high! need 8 calls a day, Done! 12 calls, No problem! 5 'good' calls, you gotta it! 14 calls, 3 pharmacies and hospital, No Sweat! These numbers get a lot of folks all excited in HQ (their jobs rely on whatever number makes them look good, so keep it up for their sake)
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Yes, for goodness sake, please don't stop lying!!!
 












Anonymous said:
LOL...Retired DM here. One time I had a PSS who had the lowest call average by far in my district. He was the type of person that would NOT lie and put down a call he didn't make. At a business conference with my RSD his name was literally up in lights. My RSD beat me up why his call average was so low. I pointed out to my RSD that his call average may be low but his forecast achievement for ALL promoted products is first in my district. One product was First in the Region. My RSD said.."just imagine what his sales could be if he hit the district call average." I had a conference with this rep (to get the heat off of me) to get his call average up anyway he could (paper compliance would be fine wink wink). The rep refused said it was morally wrong. Within six months this rep was gone because of the reliance on metrics at good ole AZ. Can't say I blame him. I hate to say it...it's all a game play it the way they want and you survive fight the system and you're gone. Oh well to me it was a living.
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This is the saddest and yet most accurate CP post I've read in some time. The stupidity of that RSD's comments highlight the silliness of the continued focus on increased Reach and Frequency as the #1 cause of sales increase. In certain parts of the country in the 1990s, yes! But now?

Stupidity of the highest order. Ignore the top salesman's sales numbers, look at his call average. And then harass him to "increase" (wink wink) those recorded calls to such a extent that he quits.

Smaaaaart. Real smart.
 




Whats really funny is that you guys think that the ELT doesn't know the game. The first people cut in ANY downsizing move are always sales. They are content to keep feeding at the trough and let others mop up the scraps as long as the trough is full.
 




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