Her Special PayBack: #12

Holly looked at me and I nodded encouragement. She said, "Two might be used, but the other ten are junk."

Joe was sipping his drink and started coughing.

I quickly joked, "Holly, tell us what you really think. Don't hold back because the big guns are here."

She blushed, but Richard said, "Phil, I want to know what Holly thinks. It's kind of refreshing in a perverse way to hear someone tell me that three months of development work has been wasted."

"Look," Holly said. "I'm not guessing. I went to eight of our best customers and showed them the twelve changes and asked them. They are the ones who told me they were junk and that they would never use them. That is, except for the two changes, and then only three customers said they might help them a little.

"The company is doing things backward. They are guessing what the customer wants and then they go to the customer and tell them this is what they want. If you went into the field with me for three days we could visit twenty or more customers and they would tell you what they really want.

"That's what Phil and I do."

Richard quit talking and the table was silent as we sipped our drinks. Holly gave me a quick, worried look that told me she felt she might have said too much.

Richard looked at Holly and asked, "I want to offer you a job in the company in sales. You would do exactly what Phil does, and you would be on both salary and commission. Atlanta is a huge market so there is plenty of room for both of you." Joe was visibly surprised, but then smiled in agreement. Holy beamed at the offer and looked at me. The smile left her face and she said, "I really appreciate the offer, but I can't take it."

Richard was nonplussed. "Why not?"

Holly collected her thoughts for a few moments and then said, "There are a couple of reasons. First, I owe Phil everything. I don't know what he told you but I was down and he picked me up emotionally and financially. I haven't paid him back yet and until I do, I work only for him.

"Holly," I said...

important reason," Holly interrupted. "But it would be dumb to make me a salesperson. Even if I was as good as Phil, and I'm not, and even if I liked selling as

he doesn't waste his time on installation and support. That's my job. If I left him, he would have to significantly reduce his sales calls to take care of his current customers. And the same for me; I would

about it, a two person sales team is really the

suggested that we order dinner. The heavy part of the business dinner was over and Joe and I started telling our funny war stories about the goofy

the check at the end of the meal and we were waiting for his credit card to

me and then Holly. "I've been thinking during dinner.

start

months

development employees make about twenty dollars and hour or more, which is about forty thousand

looked at me and I

enjoyment. The next chapter is just a click away, exclusively available on

I'd like that... no, I'd love that," said

date is going

me. "I can't cover Holly's clothes, but I want you to expense her car, cell phone, and any other legitimate business expenses you paid for since she started to work with you. Send

little too

the year even if you don't sell another customer. In mid-January the top five salesmen in the company and top management are going to an all-expense paid week meeting to go over our plans for the future. This year it's in Maui. I expect to see you there, and I want Holly to come too. I want you to prepare a presentation on the concept of the two-person sales team and present it to the group. I want Holly to talk as much as you.

I stammered, "No."

what your customers want. In addition, I think every now and then we'll send some people here, so they can visit and hear for themselves

Joe stood up and Richard said, "I've enjoyed talking with both of you. Holly, welcome to the

we looked at each other still somewhat in shock. I whispered,

at the classy French restaurant. Mary was our waitress again-I had asked for her specifically. She brought over a bottle of Champaign when we

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