Salient Surgical Technologies

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I just took a job selling hearing aids instead! Thanks for the advice cafe pharma!

Ok I'm kidding. I hope someone got a laugh out of that.

It is clear this company is not a good fit for either an experienced medical sales professional or an entry level yellow pages salesman.

Good luck to everyone applying who falls into neither category.


Thread closed.

Signed,
Judge Judy
 






Dude we're just trying to be honest and point you in the right direction. Device is a very tough industry. If you land in the wrong place or are in over your head you will be eaten alive. Good luck, cheers.
 






I wouldn't close this thread just yet......

They are on a big hiring plan and people should know just what this company is about. They make the old US Surgical look like Nirvana staffed with ethical, corporate genius.

Example: The RBD who was fired, writes a letter to the board about Dave Brown, gets him fired and then the weasel RBD is re-hired. Of course, that RBD has no management experience or training, has not a clue how to lead and obviously, no integrity. He does know how to smooch JA's behind though........

Example: The Clinical Affairs Director who has NO clinical experience. Laughable. The guy is a statistics guy. Usually this position is a MD or a PharmD. Not here.......

Example: The well performing Account Manager who dared to question a new selling strategy at a meeting and was threatened with firing on the spot if he didn't "get in line".

Example: The 2008 compensation plans changed 3 times during the year including a salary cut. What stable company does that?

Example: As mentioned in a prior post they fired their VP of HR and now have an outside contractor acting as director.

Example: No formal management training or development program. Most managers are simply reps that were promoted. Very poor. Very political. Where's the leadership? They just want little clones that take direction, don't think and certainly won't question anything.

Example: Extremely arrogant towards customers. Don't understand that we need them more than they need us. That's why we can't can't really penetrate any strategic accounts.

Example:They refuse to acknowledge competition and develop strategies to compete. JH actually stood recently at a meeting and stated we had no competitors. We do! Of note, the AM who spoke up and brought that to his attention is GONE!

Example: See above.....You certainly are not free to speak up....lol

Unless you are desperate for a job, I would look else where. Other posters have addressed the product constraints, I wanted to briefly address the horrible culture. it is negative, the people are not to be trusted and it breeds resentment and certainly stifles creativity and productivity.
 






Anonymous said:
I wouldn't close this thread just yet......

They are on a big hiring plan and people should know just what this company is about. They make the old US Surgical look like Nirvana staffed with ethical, corporate genius...
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thanks for your post. To the person who initially asked the question: we really are trying to help. Device is more friendly than it may seem and we help eachother our. Best of luck to you. Keep investigating, make good choices, and it will come. Wish you the best.
 






Anonymous said:
thanks for your post. To the person who initially asked the question: we really are trying to help. Device is more friendly than it may seem and we help eachother our. Best of luck to you. Keep investigating, make good choices, and it will come. Wish you the best.
Click to expand...

thanks man, really appreciate all the info from everyone. I've got a solid background and will def break into medical, just need to make sure its the right path. thanks again!
 






Does it sound like they are trying to get bought out to anyone else? Developing managers isn't what it's about and neither is retaining good staff. Quality of staff is secondary to market penetration if your pumping a start up company up for a sale.
 
























Anonymous said:
Does it sound like they are trying to get bought out to anyone else? Developing managers isn't what it's about and neither is retaining good staff. Quality of staff is secondary to market penetration if your pumping a start up company up for a sale.
Click to expand...

Well, they've been at it for 10 years.... Maybe Joe Army is going for the record of oldest "startup"....I think if they had something worth purchasing, they would have had a buyer by now. Even their attempt at an IPO was a failure. The only things that have kept them going are the huge margins on their products and their financing. I think they are now on round G or H.
 






There is a reason these blood management devices orthopat and aquamantys have not gained any marketshare in the Ortho surgery in the last 10 years. Haemonetics had Zimmer sell it for them for a few years before they decided to have a direct sales force sell it. 5 years later they have not gained any more procedures or become a staple in joint replacement surgey. Salient is in the same boat. The only reason these companies still exist in this arena is because they make a ton per procedure. The margins these products hold are off the charts! They costs pennies to make and the companies reap huge rewards even if they dont sell more disposables today than they did last year.

The big thing now is to sell to the C-level and show that these technologies save blood usage and can save the hospitals big bucks. They gather data and create this huge value story that sounds awesome. On paper it is a great story, in reality not so much.

If I was a new rep seeking employment selling this type of device the first thing I would do is get in touch with every ortho surgeon, ortho implant rep and OR staff member I could. (I realize this is not easy to do and neither is getting a job in med device, but trust me doing your homework is imperative before taking a job like this) Find out what they think about this technology and if they use any of them. What you uncover is not going to make you happy.

After 10+ years in the marketplace there is a reason blood management devices like these have not become a staple in every ortho surgery. There is a reason these companies have not grown and become monsters in the market place and it is not because the reps selling them all this time sucked. (the corporate people will find that hard to believe). The reason is they can use 100 year old bovie systems of the world and the $100 unwashed drainage systems of the world and get the same results.
 






So true! 70% margins? The product champions they have all seem to also be "consultants". No peer reviewed, published studies. The EVS product for spine has one white paper with but a few patients supporting it's efficacy and it only works in limited procedures in a very specific manner for $700?

There is a reason that the truly savvy hospitals have not adopted the technology. You may be able to sell it in cow country but, the big academic institutions and the HSS's of the world are not about to spend another $500 per procedure when there is no large, multi-center trial that demonstrates any clinical or economic benefit.
 






Is this company insane?

I spoke to someone about an Account Manager position in the Northeast. They want a significant amount of device experience and they are willing to pay a whopping 40k base? In addition, no car allowance, mileage! Now, they did say the comp plan pays from dollar one this year but, not a great deal and they seem to be looking for unrealistic growth given the market and this device history etc. Also, there seems to be something fishy about the existing base of business. I heard they gave a significant chunk to the existing junior rep to keep him happy which means even less $$$$. Not to mention what I've read on here about the company culture.........

I'm thinking I'll stay put..........
 






It's intersting to note that they say they are hiring people back. Believe me, no one would go back that has left that place since Joe is never going to change and his hard line tactics are a thing of the past. They spent $15 mil on a new building that is half empty so it's hard to believe that the board will keep shelling out money for a losing venture. There are no new products in the pipeline no matter what they tell you.
 






First, before you say anything about the timestamp I am posting this while eating lunch......

To the previous poster, I did not know they were hiring anyone back. They seem to keep firing everyone. The only one I know who got hired back is that boot licking RBD in the Midwest/Northeast and why they brought him back is beyond me. He must have something on someone and they already know his love of writing letters to the board.....Of course, his is male and Army does love the Old Boy's Club! Not one Woman RBD or AVP, interesting.

As for the products, you are dead on! Nothing new despite the claims to the contrary. Someone else posted their refusal to see the competitive landscape, how true. I don't know what the future holds for them but, I don't think it looks good. The only thing that has kept a good deal of people here is the economy. Certainly not the pay, culture or future.....
 












JD out of Michigan.

As for the OP, at least you get a lunch! If you were in house in CS until last Friday you were chained to your desk! With a new manager we'll see.... SS is almost as bad, you better have your trackberry with you at all times.......
 












He does! Solidly does not support his reps, solidly does not return calls, this guy has the most creative excuses for why he is never available.....He actually sent a message from his blackberry once stating he had fatally broken his blackberry so he would be unavailable for awhile. Does he not know about the message "sent from my blackberry" at the end of the message? Solidly never goes into the field unless he's forced by an AVP or you're his friend and going for "recreation", solidly lacking in any management knowledge or business acumen, solidly dishonest, solidly has no real medical knowledge. He knows this device and that's it! so..... Solidly embarrassing if he ever tries to have a real conversation with a doc. Solidly misses deadlines or waits until the last minute and then comes up with an excuse as to why "misinterpreted" the deadline. Solidly does not follow through. Solidly will through you or anyone else under the bus to save himself, solidly does not understand the concept of responsibility, Solidly does have a great golf game. What does that tell you?

I could go on but, I think you get the message. He has a "solid" reputation alright! Run, don't walk, to anywhere but here!
 






Of interest too is that initially the company was run by a woman, VP of marketing was a woman, VP of Clinical was a woman, Director of Training was a woman...........and they all were forced out. And the company has been on a fast track to nowhere ever since. It is a good old boys network and that's the way Joe likes it. When the economy picks up, people will be leaving in droves. One of my buddies wanted to interview and sent him to this site. What an eye opener for him that it seems a lot of the posters are employees.
 






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