What is the state of this company?

[Anonymous]

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.

I could not agree more. Very well written