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Three day field rides

SPOT ON!!!!

And don't expect honesty from District Sales Managers when it comes to the usefulness of Field Rides - they will of course defend the outdated ritual. They know they are unhelpful but they also know the scope of their job is dramatically reduced without them, thereby allowing a pharma company to get by with far fewer DSM's. Expecting DSM's to be honest about field rides is like asking them to admit they themselves are obsolete.
 




And don't expect honesty from District Sales Managers when it comes to the usefulness of Field Rides - they will of course defend the outdated ritual. They know they are unhelpful but they also know the scope of their job is dramatically reduced without them, thereby allowing a pharma company to get by with far fewer DSM's. Expecting DSM's to be honest about field rides is like asking them to admit they themselves are obsolete.
So lazy… we need to see what you really do each day!!
 




And don't expect honesty from District Sales Managers when it comes to the usefulness of Field Rides - they will of course defend the outdated ritual. They know they are unhelpful but they also know the scope of their job is dramatically reduced without them, thereby allowing a pharma company to get by with far fewer DSM's. Expecting DSM's to be honest about field rides is like asking them to admit they themselves are obsolete.

But aren’t reps basically obsolete too? What HCP wants to waste their time talking to one ? How many offices even allow access?
 
























The psychiatry manager in southern AZ isn't any better. We reps from out of state have noticed how horrible the morale is from the southwest teams under the micromanage-y fools in that territory.


That’s the exact person I was referring to, a completely insecure narcissistic asshole( Bryan T). I can’t wait to start my new job and never see his idiotic face again.
 




They’re that type all over the south. Cry baby insecure new managers. Just get rid of any with less than 2 yrs experience and let the others have more reps to oversee.
 












In the interview process right now. My current company is requiring managers to be in the field four days a week. So we have two day field rides at least once a month. We have said the exact same thing about doctors not wanting a second person in the office but it falls on deaf ears. I thought it may be different elsewhere but it doesn’t look that way
 




In the interview process right now. My current company is requiring managers to be in the field four days a week. So we have two day field rides at least once a month. We have said the exact same thing about doctors not wanting a second person in the office but it falls on deaf ears. I thought it may be different elsewhere but it doesn’t look that way
We need to see impact in the field... get your acting skills up to snuff
 




I have no issues with field rides. It’s important dealing with various reps to understand how each person conducts business and catch onto what works/areas where they can improve and try to strengthen the total team. Most importantly, keeps everyone on their toes and ACCOUNTABLE for the job they already get paid VERY WELL to do! Most importantly, this is a collaboration, not just an observation. I can’t help if other colleagues stand silent and mute to observe. It’s our bottom line too so we just need to work together.
 




I have no issues with field rides. It’s important dealing with various reps to understand how each person conducts business and catch onto what works/areas where they can improve and try to strengthen the total team. Most importantly, keeps everyone on their toes and ACCOUNTABLE for the job they already get paid VERY WELL to do! Most importantly, this is a collaboration, not just an observation. I can’t help if other colleagues stand silent and mute to observe. It’s our bottom line too so we just need to work together.

The issue is that a doctors office is NO PLACE to conduct sales training! How is that lost on you?

Find some other way to assess a reps effectiveness, eg. role-playing, product knowledge tests, etc... Plus, as a Mgr you have all of your territory level sales data. If a rep isn't performing, then replace them or close the territory. Managers have a right to expect performance.

Sure, from a DSM's perspective filed-rides can be informative in terms of how a rep operates, but from a Doctors perspective it's an inexcusable intrusion. Fewer and fewer are putting up with reps coming into the office, fewer still are ok w/ mgrs coming in. Yet, Pharma management refuses to change its behavior despite collapsing access happening everywhere. So dumb. Pretty soon no offices will allow reps in - with or without a manager in tow.
 




The issue is that a doctors office is NO PLACE to conduct sales training! How is that lost on you?

Find some other way to assess a reps effectiveness, eg. role-playing, product knowledge tests, etc... Plus, as a Mgr you have all of your territory level sales data. If a rep isn't performing, then replace them or close the territory. Managers have a right to expect performance.

Sure, from a DSM's perspective filed-rides can be informative in terms of how a rep operates, but from a Doctors perspective it's an inexcusable intrusion. Fewer and fewer are putting up with reps coming into the office, fewer still are ok w/ mgrs coming in. Yet, Pharma management refuses to change its behavior despite collapsing access happening everywhere. So dumb. Pretty soon no offices will allow reps in - with or without a manager in tow.

As access tightens, and health care reform eats into profits, roles like DSM won’t exist. Same goes for sales reps honestly.

There will be a lot of politics within commercial organizations with management trying to save jobs for “their people” but CEOs will recognize more and more that the ROI isn’t there. This isn’t 1995.

A company like AbbVie, which is going to need a massive reorg, would make sense if a new management team is demanded by the board.
 




As access tightens, and health care reform eats into profits, roles like DSM won’t exist. Same goes for sales reps honestly.

Well, this will certainly be true unless Pharma management finally acquires a healthy bit of self-awareness and realizes that sending a mgr into an office with a rep does NOTHING for the office but is certain to put a strain on the long-fading tolerance for rep/doc interactions.

Like one of my docs said, "We're treating patients here! ..Tell your manager to conduct her sales-training somewhere else!!"
 




Good luck with a 3 day fiel ride in Seattle. The num bar of offices you can get in (And I mean just getting into the door, not talking to the provider) you can count on less than half a hand....
 




Well, this will certainly be true unless Pharma management finally acquires a healthy bit of self-awareness and realizes that sending a mgr into an office with a rep does NOTHING for the office but is certain to put a strain on the long-fading tolerance for rep/doc interactions.

Like one of my docs said, "We're treating patients here! ..Tell your manager to conduct her sales-training somewhere else!!"

It’s hard to imagine why these “field rides” ever existed. I get that reps need managers cracking the whip, but that can be done from sales metrics alone and in office training.

Frankly I don’t know why a doctor would even listen to a rep. Drop the bagels and coffee and GTFO out of my office.