We have them out here in California, too.
“What line of work are you in, Bob?”
Good episode. I didn’t get to watch it until last night because my wife never got into the show.
I think that when we see Michael excel, it is something that requires salesmanship. The man got to where he is because he was a great salesman. Didn’t he even once half confess that he was more comfortable on the road than managing people.
I was also surprised with the Dwight gift resolution. The Key was sweet and original. I was amazed he thought of it. I felt sure the gift was going to be a dud.
“Shut up, Pam. I got it…” HA!
It is a remarkable contradiction in business that sales people are often tapped for management positions, the rationale being that they will increase overall sales for the branch. But it has been my experience that they do quite the opposite. In forcing operations to act like sales, the company often loses track of the bottom line.
Case in point — years ago, our branch had a manager plucked straight out of sales. Within one year, our profit margin fell from a comfortable 31% (around the industry standard) to a dire 20% (which is not survivable without corporate subsidy). Once the company had saturated all branches with this kind of management, it wasn’t long before we were bought by a turn-around artist.
During his first meeting with the managers, our new CEO ordered them to raise profit levels immediately. Horrified, our manager protested, “But we’ll lose sales.” (He always said sales like it was a holy word.)
Our CEO answered, “Yes, I know you’ll lose sales, but you’ll increase profit. Profit is what I put in the bank.”
The manager, sensing the end of an era, lobbed a desparation appeal. “Which would you rather have,” he asked, “twenty percent of a dollar or thirty percent of nothing?”
The CEO turned visibly red, and in an almost violent fit of anger shot back. “Thirty percent of nothing, goddamit! If I wanted to make twenty percent, I’d expand my portfolio instead of fucking around all day with you idiots!”
:eek: