Excerpt From Book III
The Bacon Lettuce & Tomato Receptionist
 

I was assisting the marketing and sales departments of a corporation on introducing a new product for potential customers. The corporation with whom I was under contract was a very good company; smart, experienced executives, an organization chart designed that exhibited detailed accountabilities and responsibilities, sound fiscal strength, a marketing and business plan and a high percentage of market share in two categories. I was hired to assist in the third category (new product).

Two sales personnel had been assigned to assist me in the development of an in-depth marketing analysis. We took our time, talked to a number of what we thought were potential clients. We asked and learned what was expected of the company and product; particularly price, quality, and if successful, what would be the particular demands on our company for JIT---just in time delivery. To be successful, what would the company do in strengthening distribution on peak days, weeks, or months? Would the company strengthen its sales force with more corporate sales personnel, or would sales be through manufacturers’ representatives or warehousing distributors?

This is not a chapter designed to fill you full of the work, information gathering, analysis, and planning necessary to make the third category successful. You will learn from a myriad of chapters throughout this book. Yes, after 18 months we were moving along nicely based on the management of our corporate analysis and planning but, suddenly, we ran into a stumbling block. A powerful secretary/receptionist at a company that we thought had great potential, let it be known that one of our most effective salesman had insulted her and she wanted nothing to do with him or the company. We had to, for the time being, respect her opinion but we also had to talk to the personnel under “her control.” They were important, influential department managers of Quality, Manufacturing, and Purchasing.

We had a meeting; I am sure the so-called insult was a misunderstanding. I suggested to my boss since I was not an employee maybe I could at least get her to meet with me personally in order to try to straighten the situation out. He agreed; he said, “OK! Mr. Suits, see what you can find out.”

I had absolutely no idea what I would say; I just picked up the phone and called. I did, however, determine that I would not mention anything about the past. I just said, “If I may, I would just like to talk to you about what I believe would subjects beneficial to both of our companies. I only know only one thing, Ms. Jones. I have never called on a company without first going through purchasing.”

Ms. Jones was a very nice lady. She said, “I’ll be happy to see you Mr. Simpson, but first you will have to give me a little time for lunch.”

I said, “Well then in about an hour or hour and a half?”

Ms. Jones said, “Oh no! I only have a sandwich and ice tea or “Coke”.

I said, “Sounds good to me. I can see a store from my phone booth that advertises ‘sandwiches.’ I’ll grab a sandwich and ice-cold milk. The tuna fish or the one piled high with roast beef looked good. By the way, what kind of sandwiches do you enjoy?”

“Oh! I like toasted cheese, or turkey and cheese, but my favorite is bacon, lettuce and tomato.”

“Sounds good to me,” I said. “See you inside an hour. And, Ms. Jones, I appreciate your time.”

When I walked into Ms. Jones office, I was carrying a bag and asked, “Where can I put the contents of this bag I am carrying?”

She said, “I—I—don’t know? What is it? Pah—pah—put in on the table near the Xerox. What is it?

“It’s your favorite!” And I started to pull out a loaf of white, a loaf of rye, a pound of bacon, a container of ripe tomatoes, a head of lettuce, a jar of mayonnaise, a jar of dill pickles, a pound of butter, small containers of salt and pepper, and a “Coke.” I said, “Now you won’t have to leave the office for your favorite sandwich. But you’ll have to cook the bacon at home.”

Dumfounded! Amazed! Shocked! Appall! You pick a word! You name it! Ms. Jones was speechless! The first thing she did, after gaining her composure, was call the secretary from another office and said, “Come see what a gentleman just brought me!” The first thing noted was there were six secretaries gathered around laughing their small rear ends off. The BLT caper spread like wildfire! They would have given me the company; nothing had ever approached what I had done.

I won’t go on, and I’ll skip the details but a few meetings later Ms. Jones said, “It is probably just as much my fault as Mr. Laughlin’s. Please tell him to call me and we’ll work things out. I had not said a word. Our third category (product) sold, in time, more profitable goods and services to that particular company as any in the corporation.   

The story I have told above is true!