Friday, August 04, 2006

Worst Sales Rep Ever.

So it's an uneventful day in the happy little pill room, and out of the corner of my eye I see what looks like an average numbnut customer fumbling around for an insurance card or something. Wandering over I see instead a lady cleaning up a mess of brochures she dropped on the counter and all over the floor. Turns out she was trying to set up a promotional display for a new sleep aid, Rozerem, and was having a little trouble. Never asked if she could set up the display or even bothered to say hello, just came in and started to put stuff on my counter.

Letting the breach of basic etiquette slide, I gathered up a few brochures and asked, "Rozerem, is that the new melatonin agonist I've heard about?"

"Yeah", came the unenthusiastic reply "I really don't see why you just can't take melatonin" Then back to reassembling the display.

It won't surprise anyone in the profession to hear that at that moment the phone rang. When I was done with the call, the super saleslady had moved on, leaving behind a display that was almost put together the way it was designed to be. I wonder where in sales school they teach you that:

1) First impressions aren't that big of a deal

2) The only words you should say are those that talk people out of using the product you are trying to sell.

3) Leaving behind something half-ass is the perfect way to make that shitty first impression have a lasting impact.

The brochure that was to convince people that Rozerem was the answer to their sleep related problems featured a groundhog and what appeared to be Abraham Lincoln on the cover. Seriously. I think when I have a groundhog and Abraham Lincoln coming into my life to explain the importance of a good nights sleep, that pretty much eliminates the need for me to ever try LSD.

Sometimes Big Pharma isn't intimidating at all.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

"I really don't see why you just can't take melatonin"

LMAO. Clearly the brainwashing didn't work on her. Back to Takeda re-education camp with you, missy!