My new business card - hot off the press
There pretty much isn’t anything that can happen at my office that will surprise me anymore. I’ve been on the receiving end and observed enough to have grown a pretty thick skin. I don’t even take it personally anymore. Nowadays even the most absurd of things are received with a thoughtful smile and gentle chuckle. That doesn’t mean they aren’t notable. Take for instance the dog and pony show yesterday.
Officially, meaning having been told, my company has no international leads other then the ones I have dug up from my meanderings on the Internet. My boss and our salesmen attend numerous exhibitions working hard to find customers and at each of these exhibitions there is quite a turn out from businesses from all over South East Asia (mainly China, Singapore and Taiwan). I know this because I have been to a few exhibitions myself. To date, however, we have yet to catch the interest of one of these companies, or at least as far as I know.
“Michael! ” my bosses voice boomed from the conference room. ‘Yo!’ I answered without looking up from the project I was immersed in. My coworkers looked up from their monitors. ‘Yo,’ what kind of reply was that to the boss summon? “Come here please.”
I stood, walked the 15 feet to the conference room and opened the door. “How can I help you?” I asked already knowing the answer. “Michael, this is one of our customers. He is going to sell our products in China” my boss announced. “Really? That very interesting” The neurons in my brain controlling surprise barely flickered. I turned to the customer, “What kind of business are you in?”
“Stone. Our company deals with stone.” I waited. “Really…” another pause still waiting for something. “So you would like to sell our products in China. That is a difficult market.” He looked at me with impassive eyes, “Yes, very difficult.” Another pause as silence filled the room. Finally, “Michael, if they have any import problems they will contact you.” “Um, okay. Well, it was nice to meet you…” I started to leave the room. “Oh wait, give him one of your business cards!’ my boss suddenly exclaimed. I half turned and smiled, “Please wait while I get one.”
I returned a moment later and the customer and I performed the ritual dance of exchanging business cards. “Thank you, that will be all” my boss dismissed me turning back to his laptop opening another file for viewing. I wondered if he wanted me to juggle for a few minutes before I left because thanks to training I received in middle school I’m pretty darn good. I was very tempted to ask but refrained. With a shrug I returned to my desk.
Now, for those of you who don’t quite get the situation let me draw it out for you. I am the International Marketing Manager for this company (or so it says on my business card). Usually it is a good idea to keep the person who is trying to manage 9 products (2 product lines) worldwide up to date and in the loop so they can guide things along a correct path, or at least similar one. Keeping them in the dark then calling them into the middle of a meeting for a surprise introduction to a customer only to be dismissed after a quick exchange of business cards is well, odd.
I wish I could say that was the highlight of my day but in a meeting later that afternoon I heard my boss proudly bragging to customers “…and our products are really booming in America!“ Really? Not as far as I know, but then again what do I really know?
Oh, if your interested I am available on weekends and holidays for private shows.
Only in Japan.
