Why isn't Biotronik doing better?

[Anonymous]

nope, again you got it wrong. QOL is great. we don't have the millions of patients that need to be checked like the big guys. as for following suspect leaders........you gotta be kidding right? the STJ leader is a joke (see handling of riata/durata). the BSX leader is a joke (see stock price). MDT hires a bunch of pharma reps to keep the "tradition" going. to each their own. but, to admit that you are cool with making less ........just goes to my point. you aren't leaders. you are basically just looking for the easy way to make your living. nothing wrong with that except that ..........well nevermind

 

[Anonymous]

Your QOL of life comment is so wrong.

The QOL of at Bio is so much better than being at one of the Big 3. We do not have the ridiculous quotas that you guys do to make less than we do. We do not run around chasing patients all over the place 7 days a week. We are not micro-managed to death (Woody is trying to change that as we speak) with conference calls, webinars, 7AM meetings every Monday morning to justify a DSM's job and endless minutia that has been created by multiple levels of useless management. We also do not have to worry about RIFs every time we have an earnings report. Sure it is a numbers game and IF I or anyone else within Bio is doing their job then we will get busier but to say that the QOL of life at the Big 3 is so much better is simply false.

A more valid statement would be that there is a certain sacrifice that is made when you work for any company in the CRM industry. Even as the industry slows down, we are doing more with less people. The people that survive will make a good living but will work harder. When I say work 'harder' let's be real. We are not digging ditches or hanging drywall here and we still make more money than most folks out there.

 

[Anonymous]

Your QOL of life comment is so wrong.

The QOL of at Bio is so much better than being at one of the Big 3. We do not have the ridiculous quotas that you guys do to make less than we do. We do not run around chasing patients all over the place 7 days a week. We are not micro-managed to death (Woody is trying to change that as we speak) with conference calls, webinars, 7AM meetings every Monday morning to justify a DSM's job and endless minutia that has been created by multiple levels of useless management. We also do not have to worry about RIFs every time we have an earnings report. Sure it is a numbers game and IF I or anyone else within Bio is doing their job then we will get busier but to say that the QOL of life at the Big 3 is so much better is simply false.

A more valid statement would be that there is a certain sacrifice that is made when you work for any company in the CRM industry. Even as the industry slows down, we are doing more with less people. The people that survive will make a good living but will work harder. When I say work 'harder' let's be real. We are not digging ditches or hanging drywall here and we still make more money than most folks out there.

Whatever ding bat...paint the picture however it satisfies you...it all goes back to the original question of this thread.."Why isn't BIO doing better?" BIO doesn't attract heavy hitters...why? BIO business is not growing...why? Reps aren't flocking to BIO to work for them....Why? According to you, great $, great QOL, great leadership, everythings great....so why come on here and jeopardize your little piece of the rock by bragging and justifying why you work for BIO?.....sounds like you would want to keep this as your little secret.

 

[Anonymous]

Whatever ding bat...paint the picture however it satisfies you...it all goes back to the original question of this thread.."Why isn't BIO doing better?" BIO doesn't attract heavy hitters...why? BIO business is not growing...why? Reps aren't flocking to BIO to work for them....Why? According to you, great $, great QOL, great leadership, everythings great....so why come on here and jeopardize your little piece of the rock by bragging and justifying why you work for BIO?.....sounds like you would want to keep this as your little secret.

Big Hitter has two definitions:

1) a good/solid/great sales rep for a great "Brand" company. the problem is that he or she is replaceable. many doctors love the brand and as long as they get the good service will always use that brand. if this rep leaves the company they will throw a party and wish him well. but, he won't take any business with him

2) a good/solid/great sales rep for a smaller company is one that moves the needle. if he leaves then he or she takes a high percentage (if not all) of his business with him because his customers support the value he or she brings and realizes that in a commodity industry they aren't losing anything from company 1 thru 4.

Nobody on this board is bragging about being a Bio rep. However, you rarely hear of Bio reps taking the time to bad mouth other companies. We know that MDT, STJ, and BSX have good products, good reps, etc. We also know that those big 3 companies have product issues and have to answer to shareholders every quarter.

I can understand you loving where you are (at one of the big 3 i presume). all i will say is this: pharma reps are replaceable and there are many similarities the big 3 shares with those companies. Good luck with it all.

 

[Anonymous]

Your QOL of life comment is so wrong.

The QOL of at Bio is so much better than being at one of the Big 3. We do not have the ridiculous quotas that you guys do to make less than we do. We do not run around chasing patients all over the place 7 days a week. We are not micro-managed to death (Woody is trying to change that as we speak) with conference calls, webinars, 7AM meetings every Monday morning to justify a DSM's job and endless minutia that has been created by multiple levels of useless management. We also do not have to worry about RIFs every time we have an earnings report. Sure it is a numbers game and IF I or anyone else within Bio is doing their job then we will get busier but to say that the QOL of life at the Big 3 is so much better is simply false.

A more valid statement would be that there is a certain sacrifice that is made when you work for any company in the CRM industry. Even as the industry slows down, we are doing more with less people. The people that survive will make a good living but will work harder. When I say work 'harder' let's be real. We are not digging ditches or hanging drywall here and we still make more money than most folks out there.

QOL is completely subjective. As a BIO Rep, I get sh!t on by 80% of my territory....fortunately the commissions on the remainder pay my bills. Other folks would not be "happy" with this arrangement...internalizing the hate and discontent. You just can't make a blanket statement like the QOL at BIO is so much better than being at the Big 3....there are plenty of examples to the contrary.

 

[Anonymous]

QOL is completely subjective. As a BIO Rep, I get sh!t on by 80% of my territory....fortunately the commissions on the remainder pay my bills. Other folks would not be "happy" with this arrangement...internalizing the hate and discontent. You just can't make a blanket statement like the QOL at BIO is so much better than being at the Big 3....there are plenty of examples to the contrary.

Good point fellow BIO rep. There's no fun in getting shit on. But, the Big 3 get shit on just the same. Go to grad school or just pick up a book and learn some business principles baby. If you can make a good living on 20% of good.......be thankful. there are plenty of people who go to work everyday and all day they deal with 100% of negative shit and DON'T make a good living. they would love to be in your shoes. it's all relative.

 

[Anonymous]

Good point fellow BIO rep. There's no fun in getting shit on. But, the Big 3 get shit on just the same. Go to grad school or just pick up a book and learn some business principles baby. If you can make a good living on 20% of good.......be thankful. there are plenty of people who go to work everyday and all day they deal with 100% of negative shit and DON'T make a good living. they would love to be in your shoes. it's all relative.

20%??? That's laughable. I love the constant use of "My" and "I" by BIO reps and zero mention of company culture, dedication, pt advocacy, growing their business, being ok with just having a sliver of the pie, and the flat out lack of knowing their real marketshare...it's this lack of perspective that cripples you professionally. Lets face it....you hang your hat on 1 doc and when he's gone.....holy crap...you're left with the label that you were the BIO guy. For me, that's no way to go to bed each night. How I sleep is a direct link to the QOL referred to earlier. Nighty night....

 

[Anonymous]

20%??? That's laughable. I love the constant use of "My" and "I" by BIO reps and zero mention of company culture, dedication, pt advocacy, growing their business, being ok with just having a sliver of the pie, and the flat out lack of knowing their real marketshare...it's this lack of perspective that cripples you professionally. Lets face it....you hang your hat on 1 doc and when he's gone.....holy crap...you're left with the label that you were the BIO guy. For me, that's no way to go to bed each night. How I sleep is a direct link to the QOL referred to earlier. Nighty night....

dude, get over yourself. it's obvious you can't sell and depend on your brand. i'm sleeping very well. i know the marketshare in MY area. that's what I can trust. nationwide? you guys tweak numbers so constantly that nobody knows for sure. but, get this, if i've got 35% share in my area, boston has 20%, st Jude, 20%, and MDT 25% does that mean that I'm hanging my hat on 1 doc? luckily for me and many of my colleagues.......our docs are the young guys that could care less about who was 'first to market' 40 years ago. your old guys are retiring and moving on. my docs are my age or younger dude. i'm your worst nightmare because i'm actually selling and creating for my docs whereas you just sit on your ass and wait for the pager to beep.

my label of being the "BIO" guy is fine with me. your label of being the guy that got RIFF'd is what you should be more concerned about. didn't MDT just put forward something that will enable their patients in the hospitals to not require reps to check them? they are pushing hard for remote monitoring in hospitals and physician offices. that means the sales forces will be cut dramatically.

buckle up

 

[Anonymous]

Why isn't Biotronik doing better?

Easy; Shit reps, Shit Leadership.

 

[Anonymous]

dude, get over yourself. it's obvious you can't sell and depend on your brand. i'm sleeping very well. i know the marketshare in MY area. that's what I can trust. nationwide? you guys tweak numbers so constantly that nobody knows for sure. but, get this, if i've got 35% share in my area, boston has 20%, st Jude, 20%, and MDT 25% does that mean that I'm hanging my hat on 1 doc? luckily for me and many of my colleagues.......our docs are the young guys that could care less about who was 'first to market' 40 years ago. your old guys are retiring and moving on. my docs are my age or younger dude. i'm your worst nightmare because i'm actually selling and creating for my docs whereas you just sit on your ass and wait for the pager to beep.

my label of being the "BIO" guy is fine with me. your label of being the guy that got RIFF'd is what you should be more concerned about. didn't MDT just put forward something that will enable their patients in the hospitals to not require reps to check them? they are pushing hard for remote monitoring in hospitals and physician offices. that means the sales forces will be cut dramatically.

buckle up

Sell????? I have not sold in years nor used that old fashioned term for what I do. If you HAVE to sell it that means you HAVE to convince your customer you're offering something inferior to your competition. I would hate that job! Give me my pager and I'm good. My stuff has already been sold! My job is to deliver world class product with world class service...simple. You talk about "selling" like it's a badge of honor.

When your doc's become hospital employed and those hospitals strike bundling/bulking packages with the Big 3 tell me what you'll be selling then. Ask your young doc's that had they known Obamacare was going to impact their profession the way it has/will, would they have become a physician?

I'm afraid the BIO business model will need to alter in a huge way that I really don't think they are capable or willing of doing. OOOps...there goes my pager....... again!

 

[Anonymous]

Sell????? I have not sold in years nor used that old fashioned term for what I do. If you HAVE to sell it that means you HAVE to convince your customer you're offering something inferior to your competition. I would hate that job! Give me my pager and I'm good. My stuff has already been sold! My job is to deliver world class product with world class service...simple. You talk about "selling" like it's a badge of honor.

When your doc's become hospital employed and those hospitals strike bundling/bulking packages with the Big 3 tell me what you'll be selling then. Ask your young doc's that had they known Obamacare was going to impact their profession the way it has/will, would they have become a physician?

I'm afraid the BIO business model will need to alter in a huge way that I really don't think they are capable or willing of doing. OOOps...there goes my pager....... again!

you make a good point, maybe "sell" isn't the right word. but, if i told you what the correct word was then you'd be a smarter idiot.

as for obamacare, you're right (again). many docs wouldn't choose medicine if they had to do it all over again. luckily for me, i'm not a doctor. and luckily for me the socialized medicine heading our way is very similar to what europe already is. bottom line: lower asp's

yes, we are aware of your tactics but no hospital is stupid enough to give you 100% because your products suck and are always being recalled.

enjoy you pager while it lasts big guy. just don't mistakenly get downsized and try to keep it when you can't afford your own cell phone. they will take back ALL of their company issued toys (ie ipads, phones, pagers, etc).

now get back to your check.

 

[Anonymous]

you make a good point, maybe "sell" isn't the right word. but, if i told you what the correct word was then you'd be a smarter idiot.

as for obamacare, you're right (again). many docs wouldn't choose medicine if they had to do it all over again. luckily for me, i'm not a doctor. and luckily for me the socialized medicine heading our way is very similar to what europe already is. bottom line: lower asp's

yes, we are aware of your tactics but no hospital is stupid enough to give you 100% because your products suck and are always being recalled.

enjoy you pager while it lasts big guy. just don't mistakenly get downsized and try to keep it when you can't afford your own cell phone. they will take back ALL of their company issued toys (ie ipads, phones, pagers, etc).

now get back to your check.

If the word isn't "sell" let me just guess at the word........bribe?

 

[Anonymous]

you make a good point, maybe "sell" isn't the right word. but, if i told you what the correct word was then you'd be a smarter idiot.

as for obamacare, you're right (again). many docs wouldn't choose medicine if they had to do it all over again. luckily for me, i'm not a doctor. and luckily for me the socialized medicine heading our way is very similar to what europe already is. bottom line: lower asp's

yes, we are aware of your tactics but no hospital is stupid enough to give you 100% because your products suck and are always being recalled.

enjoy you pager while it lasts big guy. just don't mistakenly get downsized and try to keep it when you can't afford your own cell phone. they will take back ALL of their company issued toys (ie ipads, phones, pagers, etc).

now get back to your check.

My points were merely to get you thinking. You sound young (not a professional dig) but if your accounts and doc's are targets for the big 3 bundling strategy you need to rethink your sustainability of whatever % it takes to keep you whole. Your acct access will be reduced/restricted as a part of the deal at these acct's leaving the big 3 camped out to grab your changeouts and hinder new implants. The big 3 have the ability to change your landscape in terms of business as usual. Example: BIO invests a ton into Fellows programs but if those Fellows go to bundle restricted (Big 3) acct's you're screwed. BIO will need to be very strategic and consider alligning with other companies to develop a diverse portfolio that they can present as a bundle to compete with others.

At the end of the day, we're more alike than different. Competitive sparring is healthy and allows you to see both sides if you're open minded.

 

[Anonymous]

20%??? That's laughable. I love the constant use of "My" and "I" by BIO reps and zero mention of company culture, dedication, pt advocacy, growing their business, being ok with just having a sliver of the pie, and the flat out lack of knowing their real marketshare...it's this lack of perspective that cripples you professionally. Lets face it....you hang your hat on 1 doc and when he's gone.....holy crap...you're left with the label that you were the BIO guy. For me, that's no way to go to bed each night. How I sleep is a direct link to the QOL referred to earlier. Nighty night....

I have no doubt you think you are in the right place....let's hope the shareholders feel the same way when they are deciding who needs to go in the next round of RIFFs.

 

[Anonymous]

My points were merely to get you thinking. You sound young (not a professional dig) but if your accounts and doc's are targets for the big 3 bundling strategy you need to rethink your sustainability of whatever % it takes to keep you whole. Your acct access will be reduced/restricted as a part of the deal at these acct's leaving the big 3 camped out to grab your changeouts and hinder new implants. The big 3 have the ability to change your landscape in terms of business as usual. Example: BIO invests a ton into Fellows programs but if those Fellows go to bundle restricted (Big 3) acct's you're screwed. BIO will need to be very strategic and consider alligning with other companies to develop a diverse portfolio that they can present as a bundle to compete with others.

At the end of the day, we're more alike than different. Competitive sparring is healthy and allows you to see both sides if you're open minded.

it will be interesting to see what happens. your points are valid. as prices drop ........my points will be even more valid. i will enjoy my time in the top 1%. if you really follow obama then you will know what that means. the big 3 are working hard everyday (collusion) to knock me out. i see em. they see me. so far, they have attempted your strategy and are 1-2 with another pending. only problem is that the one success they have allows for open play of 35%. that's plenty. the big 1 got 65%. as long as there is 20% for "others" BIO reps are fine because we are still in growth mode. give us "only" 20% across the country and reps are jumping for joy. not too many hospitals will employ and illegal 100% contract. just won't happen. not with today's faulty products.

either way, good luck to yah.

 

[Anonymous]

funny how everyone looked down their noses at St jude when I was at Guidant/Boston in the 2005-7-7ish time frame. then, recalls, FDA problems, MD's lost confidence and st jude grabbed share despite having me too technology. They grabbed what, 12 share points in 3-4 years?

so, who is now having FDA issues, perception issues, MD's losing confidence? and who are people looking down their noses at as we speak?

Just food for thought. when Boston reps EA's expired they jumped ship, where do you think top reps MIGHT jump ship too given they know Boston is toast financially long term and big blue pays poorly overall. Hmmmmm

Wake up folks. Bio is a cash cow and dominates in large countries outside the US. If they want to get real serious about this business, they will.

 

[Anonymous]

funny how everyone looked down their noses at St jude when I was at Guidant/Boston in the 2005-7-7ish time frame. then, recalls, FDA problems, MD's lost confidence and st jude grabbed share despite having me too technology. They grabbed what, 12 share points in 3-4 years?

so, who is now having FDA issues, perception issues, MD's losing confidence? and who are people looking down their noses at as we speak?

Just food for thought. when Boston reps EA's expired they jumped ship, where do you think top reps MIGHT jump ship too given they know Boston is toast financially long term and big blue pays poorly overall. Hmmmmm

Wake up folks. Bio is a cash cow and dominates in large countries outside the US. If they want to get real serious about this business, they will.

I do not disagree but the the real question lies in your final sentence...... IF. Being last by several years with "me too" products does not convey an image of "getting real serious" about the CRM industry.

 

[Anonymous]

I do not disagree but the the real question lies in your final sentence...... IF. Being last by several years with "me too" products does not convey an image of "getting real serious" about the CRM industry.

If the cost of being "caught up" with the Big 3 means putting things like Fidelis and Durata on the market to be tested by patients, then I am just fine being behind.

 

[Anonymous]

exactly, i talked to a st jude rep yesterday and of course, "everything is fine".

dude must take a lot of meds yo be in that kind of denial.

 

[Anonymous]

exactly, i talked to a st jude rep yesterday and of course, "everything is fine".

dude must take a lot of meds yo be in that kind of denial.

Is he your best friend? What did you expect him to say? Spill his guts? You might need the meds if that's your expectations of a competitor to competitor conversation.