What is the state of this company?

Quote












Anonymous said:
Deja vu. Flashback to '05/'06. Random patients, and oh yes that one random OD from NJ. And of course nobody new in Rochester. Well very few at least.
Click to expand...

Pharma cafe is hardly a reliable source of information of product performance. It is the National enquirer of the internet world. Aliens have also invaded NY city and Nessie has been found in Loch Ness.
 






Contact lenses, I mean really, get a life...That's where careers go to die, that is the bottom of the pharma food-chain. I don't know if all of the BL people are like this but the ones I met in Florida think their sh*t doesen't stink, bad news it does. May have been the worst management and marketing know it alls I've ever seen. They acted like they were splitting the atom. I wanted to slap someone and say, if you were worth a damn you wouldn't be here. Before anyone comes back with, well you must suck too because youre still here, I left today to go work for Genentech. I always wondered why Alcon and Allergan were so far out in front of BL, it's easy, the people are just more intelligent, harder working, and have better management.
 






Anonymous said:
Contact lenses, I mean really, get a life...That's where careers go to die, that is the bottom of the pharma food-chain. I don't know if all of the BL people are like this but the ones I met in Florida think their sh*t doesen't stink, bad news it does. May have been the worst management and marketing know it alls I've ever seen. They acted like they were splitting the atom. I wanted to slap someone and say, if you were worth a damn you wouldn't be here. Before anyone comes back with, well you must suck too because youre still here, I left today to go work for Genentech. I always wondered why Alcon and Allergan were so far out in front of BL, it's easy, the people are just more intelligent, harder working, and have better management.
Click to expand...
I like selling contact lenses. I make good money have all the benies of pharma -did that for a few years- it was okay but nothing earth shattering. I am tired of silly people saying pharma is sssoooo much better than everything else -whatever & who cares. Do what you like and be great at it! Good luck at Genentech. I'm just fine here selling B&L lenses...
 






Anonymous said:
Contact lenses, I mean really, get a life...That's where careers go to die, that is the bottom of the pharma food-chain. I don't know if all of the BL people are like this but the ones I met in Florida think their sh*t doesen't stink, bad news it does. May have been the worst management and marketing know it alls I've ever seen. They acted like they were splitting the atom. I wanted to slap someone and say, if you were worth a damn you wouldn't be here. Before anyone comes back with, well you must suck too because youre still here, I left today to go work for Genentech. I always wondered why Alcon and Allergan were so far out in front of BL, it's easy, the people are just more intelligent, harder working, and have better management.
Click to expand...

Sad but understandable that a pharma rep would make a comment like this. If you had any understanding of what it takes to actually get a client to use thousands of dollars of their own money to purchase inventory of your product you would understand why many CL reps have an easier time moving to capital and surgical jobs then you ever will. Baseline is they have to truely close not go in and just market their product and hope that asking for the next 10 patients will happen. To be honest if you were to define sales in the medical profession, you are at the bottom. Despite the challenges of B+L, disrespecting the real sales role your CL counterparts play in what is the primary driver of your companies revenue is just plain ignorant.
 






Both contact lens and pharma are low level sales roles. Neither are true sales and none of you make great money. A decent job, ehhh maybe if you live in the mid west some where you can buy a 5000 Sqft house for 300K maybe. Any where else in the world and most of you barely making 100K and living month to month are still broke sales reps. it's called being broke at a different level.

Both jobs are very dependent on the product and marketing of the company. very few contact people turn into great med reps and even fewer pharma people.

I see pharma people everyday. Having the same story. trying to talk to doctors about core messages they care nothing about. Trying to have a relationship. They don't care about you. You bring NO VALUE TO THEM. You should just go shoot yourselves.

None of you will ever crack 200K. None of you will probably crack 150K depending on the ridiculous salaries KK and the clan gave out to their favorites.

The reality is that there is a very small percentage of sharp intelligent and capable people in this world and most of them are not working in the sales divisions at B&L or any other pharmaceutical company. Sorry. Just the way it is.

I know a lot of people that are at and have come from B&L. Just not an impressive group. A couple here and there that were very good and they are long gone from there. A few people that left at that time either on their own or because the new management was weeding out the old guard and the reps loyal to them. B&L got rid of top performers that knew more than them. What's left? You have managers that never sold the product, never won a post op account and have no clue how to talk about it. KK doesn't know anything. She got rid of everyone that knew how to get the business. Just another corporate drone.

what's left? Not much. Sorry B&L = Bunch o' losers. Massive attrition and rep turn over. You're not special if 5 other sales reps have had your territory for 10 years before you. Get it? You're not impressive. You didn't build that market share. You're not growing that share.

Stop fighting over which division sucks worse. They both suck. Neither are impressive jobs. Both will be liquidated eventually.

Look at reps at big pharma companies they have 10 to 15 products now counting their OTC lines. That's what's coming your way. A sample delivery person carrying 15 lines. The job is more of joke than it ever was and getting worse every day. save your dignity get another job.
 






Anonymous said:
Both contact lens and pharma are low level sales roles. Neither are true sales and none of you make great money. A decent job, ehhh maybe if you live in the mid west some where you can buy a 5000 Sqft house for 300K maybe. Any where else in the world and most of you barely making 100K and living month to month are still broke sales reps. it's called being broke at a different level.

Both jobs are very dependent on the product and marketing of the company. very few contact people turn into great med reps and even fewer pharma people.

I see pharma people everyday. Having the same story. trying to talk to doctors about core messages they care nothing about. Trying to have a relationship. They don't care about you. You bring NO VALUE TO THEM. You should just go shoot yourselves.

None of you will ever crack 200K. None of you will probably crack 150K depending on the ridiculous salaries KK and the clan gave out to their favorites.

The reality is that there is a very small percentage of sharp intelligent and capable people in this world and most of them are not working in the sales divisions at B&L or any other pharmaceutical company. Sorry. Just the way it is.

I know a lot of people that are at and have come from B&L. Just not an impressive group. A couple here and there that were very good and they are long gone from there. A few people that left at that time either on their own or because the new management was weeding out the old guard and the reps loyal to them. B&L got rid of top performers that knew more than them. What's left? You have managers that never sold the product, never won a post op account and have no clue how to talk about it. KK doesn't know anything. She got rid of everyone that knew how to get the business. Just another corporate drone.

what's left? Not much. Sorry B&L = Bunch o' losers. Massive attrition and rep turn over. You're not special if 5 other sales reps have had your territory for 10 years before you. Get it? You're not impressive. You didn't build that market share. You're not growing that share.

Stop fighting over which division sucks worse. They both suck. Neither are impressive jobs. Both will be liquidated eventually.

Look at reps at big pharma companies they have 10 to 15 products now counting their OTC lines. That's what's coming your way. A sample delivery person carrying 15 lines. The job is more of joke than it ever was and getting worse every day. save your dignity get another job.
Click to expand...

Woooo big words, whatcha gonna do next bust a CAPS LOCK on us?! If only we all were as blessed to have the amazing life you must have.
 


















Anonymous said:
Woooo big words, whatcha gonna do next bust a CAPS LOCK on us?! If only we all were as blessed to have the amazing life you must have.
Click to expand...

Agreed. This is the loser DM in the Midwest from Ista who is sitting on his ass and not getting paid because all executives, doctors and reps saw right through your pompous, egotistical , pos self that you are with no capabilities of developing real relationships because you are socially inept and dysfunctional. So take your unemployed ass, get off this board with your bitter attitude and get a back office accounting job away from the public eye where you belong, be done with yourself and please be done with all of us!
 






seems like same old stuff at B&L.

let's set the record going back a few years.
base salary of B&L reps used to be around 70 to 80k. average bonus was 20K per year.
majority of the reps never broke 100k. made 5 to 6k each trimester. maybe made 8 to 10 one trimester then 2 to 3, the next. always cyclical.

a couple were hired at 100k plus salaries from KK and PS, but those couple people already left company. Maybe a few more still running around at those salaries.

top rep I ever heard of made 50k bonus total 1 year on 80k base, they were top earner at 130k that year. that was a few years ago.

To make that little bit of bonus and have to be micromanaged to death by KK, no thanks.

If you are a real sales person you can make 150k at a decent med device job and potentially make 300K if you have a break out year.

Most of you are stuck at B&L and don't kid yourselves, If you are a pharma rep, you're not a real sales person. Virtually no med device company worth being at will look at you as a rep. Maybe some DMs can make it to a decent company and the outlier exceptional rep that can even get into an interview might get a shot but it is rare. as a former B&L person I can tell you the name hurts your resume big time. Most any ophthalmology company will not even look at B&L pharma reps. Best bet is to get out and take anything for a year. Every day you stay there hurts your resume.

Some one gave me a chance. I got lucky and was able to prove myself. If you really consider yourself a real sales person, try your best to get out. It could take you years of interviews but the result it worth it. Total autonomy, treated like an adult, and 100k more than your best year at B&L.
 






Anonymous said:
seems like same old stuff at B&L.

let's set the record going back a few years.
base salary of B&L reps used to be around 70 to 80k. average bonus was 20K per year.
majority of the reps never broke 100k. made 5 to 6k each trimester. maybe made 8 to 10 one trimester then 2 to 3, the next. always cyclical.

a couple were hired at 100k plus salaries from KK and PS, but those couple people already left company. Maybe a few more still running around at those salaries.

top rep I ever heard of made 50k bonus total 1 year on 80k base, they were top earner at 130k that year. that was a few years ago.

To make that little bit of bonus and have to be micromanaged to death by KK, no thanks.

If you are a real sales person you can make 150k at a decent med device job and potentially make 300K if you have a break out year.

Most of you are stuck at B&L and don't kid yourselves, If you are a pharma rep, you're not a real sales person. Virtually no med device company worth being at will look at you as a rep. Maybe some DMs can make it to a decent company and the outlier exceptional rep that can even get into an interview might get a shot but it is rare. as a former B&L person I can tell you the name hurts your resume big time. Most any ophthalmology company will not even look at B&L pharma reps. Best bet is to get out and take anything for a year. Every day you stay there hurts your resume.

Some one gave me a chance. I got lucky and was able to prove myself. If you really consider yourself a real sales person, try your best to get out. It could take you years of interviews but the result it worth it. Total autonomy, treated like an adult, and 100k more than your best year at B&L.
Click to expand...

If you "got lucky" because somebody gave you a chance, whats your point of trolling here? Sounds like you really didn't get lucky and are a bitter rep with no future.

Do us all a favor and let us luck out...buy a bullet and rent a gun would ya?
 






Anonymous said:
If you "got lucky" because somebody gave you a chance, whats your point of trolling here? Sounds like you really didn't get lucky and are a bitter rep with no future.

Do us all a favor and let us luck out...buy a bullet and rent a gun would ya?
Click to expand...

Sounds like you can't or won't accept the reality of working at B & L. The truth hurts sometimes, doesn't it? No reason to lash out at the person who is expressing his opinion.
 












funny how some people interpret some things. You sound like obama.

I got lucky = I got out of B&L.

I was in the top of the ranks, had a great brag book, gave a good interview = someone gave me a chance even though they hate pharma reps.
what? you think I hit the magic rep lotto or something... idiot.

I busted my butt to get out of B&L and pharma in general. I went on dozens and dozens of interviews. Sent out HUNDREDS and hundreds of resumes and in the end I proved that I belong in capital equipment.

most pharma reps suck. look around at a national meeting 95% of them are losers.

I come on here to tell you that some of you can do better, to bust KKs chops and motivate you to get out.

I also come on here to spank some of you that think you're gods like KK. selling stuff that I sold a decade ago and losing the share I built then arguing over who's the best rep Rx or contact lens. = give me a break. you're all a dollar late and a decade short. If you were worth anything you'd be launching something new somewhere. If you could do any better you would be. You are exactly at where you deserve to be at this point in time. If you do anything better to deserve more in the future you probably will.
see how that works.
 






Anonymous said:
seems like same old stuff at B&L.

let's set the record going back a few years.
base salary of B&L reps used to be around 70 to 80k. average bonus was 20K per year.
majority of the reps never broke 100k. made 5 to 6k each trimester. maybe made 8 to 10 one trimester then 2 to 3, the next. always cyclical.

a couple were hired at 100k plus salaries from KK and PS, but those couple people already left company. Maybe a few more still running around at those salaries.

top rep I ever heard of made 50k bonus total 1 year on 80k base, they were top earner at 130k that year. that was a few years ago.

To make that little bit of bonus and have to be micromanaged to death by KK, no thanks.

If you are a real sales person you can make 150k at a decent med device job and potentially make 300K if you have a break out year.

Most of you are stuck at B&L and don't kid yourselves, If you are a pharma rep, you're not a real sales person. Virtually no med device company worth being at will look at you as a rep. Maybe some DMs can make it to a decent company and the outlier exceptional rep that can even get into an interview might get a shot but it is rare. as a former B&L person I can tell you the name hurts your resume big time. Most any ophthalmology company will not even look at B&L pharma reps. Best bet is to get out and take anything for a year. Every day you stay there hurts your resume.

Some one gave me a chance. I got lucky and was able to prove myself. If you really consider yourself a real sales person, try your best to get out. It could take you years of interviews but the result it worth it. Total autonomy, treated like an adult, and 100k more than your best year at B&L.
Click to expand...

Agreed based on the past, but read the Obamacare Legislation, Medical Device Sales are dead in a year, taxation and price control are going to kill the industry. It's constitutional and not going away.
 






more taxes means the customer will pay more.
do you think obama care is good for Rxs.

medical industry isn't going to just turn into a puff of smoke and disappear. Multi billion dollar industry. some one some where will be making money. Even B&L
 






Anonymous said:
funny how some people interpret some things. You sound like obama.

I got lucky = I got out of B&L.

I was in the top of the ranks, had a great brag book, gave a good interview = someone gave me a chance even though they hate pharma reps.
what? you think I hit the magic rep lotto or something... idiot.

I busted my butt to get out of B&L and pharma in general. I went on dozens and dozens of interviews. Sent out HUNDREDS and hundreds of resumes and in the end I proved that I belong in capital equipment.

most pharma reps suck. look around at a national meeting 95% of them are losers.

I come on here to tell you that some of you can do better, to bust KKs chops and motivate you to get out.

I also come on here to spank some of you that think you're gods like KK. selling stuff that I sold a decade ago and losing the share I built then arguing over who's the best rep Rx or contact lens. = give me a break. you're all a dollar late and a decade short. If you were worth anything you'd be launching something new somewhere. If you could do any better you would be. You are exactly at where you deserve to be at this point in time. If you do anything better to deserve more in the future you probably will.
see how that works.
Click to expand...

Let me first say that my comments below are just an observation given I have been in both worlds, and in no way trying to discount the jobs we all do everyday.

It is a shame to see a post like this. There is a hell of a lot to say about the managment at B+L but ripping on the sales people who for the most part have a some of the most challenging jobs in their markets is just lame. Just like you I once worked for B+L and have moved on to a capital job that fit me much better then my role at B+L ever did. Though I was very happy to leave I don't discount my experience there then any other sales role I have had.

It does not seem matter where you come from in pharma or contact lens there are a very limited few that can make the leap to med device and do well and even fewer that can do it into capital, but this true for many people trying to break into med device or med capital. The challenge that I have seen that many face comming out of the pharma world face is making the adjustment from what is a very low stress soft close of the sales/service/marketing role to the high stress strong close the med device and especially capital sales jobs require. For many that change is too uncomfortable especially the longer they have been in pharma.

The unfortunate trueth of the post above is that there are a lot of reps out there that are lazy and do only as much as they have to do to get by, but that's the same in med device and capital (though those that do in capital get the boot really fast). I think if there is any positive take away from the post above and that is if you have the drive and desire and wish to make the change it is possible.

It's different strokes for different folks in sales if you enjoy and take pride in what you do no matter wether you are in pharma or capital that's what's most important.
 






Having done both jobs I have to chime in here.

Most pharma reps have pretty much become a complete joke in the offices they call on. Yes this includes you too. No matter how good you think you are. Some of the offices you call on make fun of you for being useless. It's not even that you're stupid, though most are, even the best Rx reps have become just sample droppers. Glorified UPS.

I'm in a position where I see and hear multiple pharma reps from multiple companies every day and they all sound so repetitive and redundant including their managers.

The problem with pharma reps ever since 2003 and Rx guidelines is that the industry now breeds apathy. Where success is getting 10 calls a day with x percent signed samples it is no wonder.

That's a joke. So the reps have increasingly become a joke. Worse now than ever before.
Just heard multiple pharma reps at a doctors meeting. Trying to be friendly with the docs, blah blah blah. no selling what so ever, then the big close, doc will you rx my product. doc's like sure. rep smiles all happy with their selling. then doc goes and says same thing to the other rep selling the same class. pathetic. It's all just such a waste of everyone's time.

Then one of the DMs tried his hardest to sell a doc but it was all core message, no real salesmanship, no real conversation. Doc had objection after objection. Me too drops and formulary issues to which there is no response except a canned response. no one was sold in that situation except maybe the DM that this doc is never going to Rx his more expensive med over a generic because of some nonsense someone in marketing says is a selling point.

There is the difference. In capital there is real problem solving, working with other departments to overcome issues like network integration, real conversations to understand the issues like a consultant. Those days are long gone from Rx and so are the reps that can operate at that level. Rx used to be a place to go to in order to get medical experience to migrate up the chain. Ever since 2005 med device companies won't even look at Rx reps. They all recruit B2B reps now. copiers and payroll. Because they are proven hunters, problem solvers and can close. Most Rx reps are bubble heads today. Taking up the doctors time and not saying anything. No wonder when they leave, the staff is all laughing and making fun of you, the doctors role their eyes and then we joke about how much they sucked.

Every day I'm in an office installing a new device and 10 reps role in. Most actually try and close and some even close the doc hard but regardless the doc goes back to work Rxing whatever he was going to anyway. Perfect example. A good rep came in and closed the doc. The doc saw the next patient and rxd another drop. I asked the doc, why did you Rx that drop when you told the rep you would rx his. doc said he's a great guy, but his drop is more expensive, isn't well covered, how can I justify using that drop when all of these generics are just as good.

Rx reps are becoming increasingly less effective that's why the industry is consolidating and hemorrhaging jobs.
when it paid to have reps in the street, pharma ramped up and put 100,000 reps in the late 90s. Those days are over. Expect more and more lay offs and consolidation because formulary coverage and the ever expanding list of generics are the future of Rx sales.

If you are absolutely intent on staying in pharma.
Look for a small biotech launching a new drug for a small specialty and you could have good future success in Rx if you want to stay there.
 






Top Bottom
Back
Quote