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Training: Day Three
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Day three of this charade of a training program was promised to be something of an unforgettable experience. At the very least it was supposed to be un-regrettable, which when thought of critically, isn’t necessarily the best thing to base a career decision on.
This day was slated to be anything but dull, though that was due less to planning than to a clashing of sensibilities.
I wasn’t in much of a mood for making statements this morning, and so I dressed casual (for me at least), and arrived on time with no special plans to be noticed or revered. I found my classmates milling about in the foyer, though it seemed we were now short a few by head count, and at the tip of a quick nod toward those whom I had become familiar with, I headed directly into the training room and took a seat, waiting for this day’s instruction to begin.
This day was slated to be anything but dull, though that was due less to planning than to a clashing of sensibilities.
I wasn’t in much of a mood for making statements this morning, and so I dressed casual (for me at least), and arrived on time with no special plans to be noticed or revered. I found my classmates milling about in the foyer, though it seemed we were now short a few by head count, and at the tip of a quick nod toward those whom I had become familiar with, I headed directly into the training room and took a seat, waiting for this day’s instruction to begin.
"I was stricken with a brief wave of panic as I realised that they had started taking in telephone leads before they even had a security sales team hired and trained to follow up on them."
Working For A Home Security "Sub Dealer": Career Opportunity, Or Pitfall?
A couple of the others took my lead and joined me inside. There was a calm about the office this morning, sort of like the polite silence that permeates funerals and court rooms. Everyone appeared to be ready for business, or maybe they were just ready to dispense with the theatrics.
Soon after, the rest of the crowd filtered into our makeshift classroom and by the time Mr. James made his appearance, everyone was seated and waiting for things to get rolling. Even the vibrant Jim James was somewhat low key on this morning; I wondered if it was the weather, or the drawn out nature of this training, or something else altogether.
Soon after, the rest of the crowd filtered into our makeshift classroom and by the time Mr. James made his appearance, everyone was seated and waiting for things to get rolling. Even the vibrant Jim James was somewhat low key on this morning; I wondered if it was the weather, or the drawn out nature of this training, or something else altogether.
"I sat in Mr. Santos’ office, admiring the furnishings and contemplating the possibilities of what was about to come my way."
Setting his briefcase down on the table, he motioned for me to join him in the foyer. He quickly ushered me into Mr. Santos’ office and shut the door. Perched on the corner of the desk, he asked me to wait there for Ronaldo, as he explained that Mr. Santos wanted to spend some time with me and to show me a few things.
So, this was it, my interview (of sorts) for the role of sales manager. I thought for a moment that this thing might actually work out ok. As Mr. James returned to the boardroom to get the day’s training underway, I sat in Mr. Santos’ office, admiring the furnishings and contemplating the possibilities of what was about to come my way.
So, this was it, my interview (of sorts) for the role of sales manager. I thought for a moment that this thing might actually work out ok. As Mr. James returned to the boardroom to get the day’s training underway, I sat in Mr. Santos’ office, admiring the furnishings and contemplating the possibilities of what was about to come my way.
I wasn’t entirely sure how they would outline the role, but I was fairly certain it would involve overseeing the sales staff, possibly scheduling and I would likely be quite close to Mr. Santos in managing operations, considering how new the company was. I was beginning to see the proverbial silver lining again.
I didn’t have to wait long, as Mr. Santos’, or Ronaldo as he asked me to call him strode into the office with that suave, made-guy swagger he usually had, but his demeanour was different than I expected.
Without even so much as a glance in my direction, he started into an impromptu speech about the nature of the company and the kind of people they needed to bring on board in order to get it off the ground.
I didn’t have to wait long, as Mr. Santos’, or Ronaldo as he asked me to call him strode into the office with that suave, made-guy swagger he usually had, but his demeanour was different than I expected.
Without even so much as a glance in my direction, he started into an impromptu speech about the nature of the company and the kind of people they needed to bring on board in order to get it off the ground.
I got the sense that this discussion was going to be terribly one-sided, so I thought it best to put on my best ‘I’m humouring you’ face and zip my mouth until I was asked a question. I find this approach works well, especially in situations that are questionably favoured.
Ronaldo went on in his monologue about loyalty to company, to brand and to customer, and listening to him I began to get a sense for his business acumen, or so I thought. By now he was seated in his high-back leather managers chair behind the expensive desk, he had yet to look directly at me, but it was clear he was working up to something poignant.
"So Jim tells me you’re interested in becoming my Sales Manager…?” He said, hanging the title in the air like ring of cigar smoke.
I held the silence, partly because I wasn’t sure that was a question, and partly because I find that you learn more my keeping quiet.
"Your resume looks good, but I need to know what kind of guy you are before we can talk business.”
Ronaldo went on in his monologue about loyalty to company, to brand and to customer, and listening to him I began to get a sense for his business acumen, or so I thought. By now he was seated in his high-back leather managers chair behind the expensive desk, he had yet to look directly at me, but it was clear he was working up to something poignant.
"So Jim tells me you’re interested in becoming my Sales Manager…?” He said, hanging the title in the air like ring of cigar smoke.
I held the silence, partly because I wasn’t sure that was a question, and partly because I find that you learn more my keeping quiet.
"Your resume looks good, but I need to know what kind of guy you are before we can talk business.”
I was really getting the Corleone persona now, and amusing as it was I figured I’d better speak up if I wanted the job.
"Yes, I am interested.” I said. “I think I would be a good choice.”
I was prepared as ever to go into a remake of my earlier interview with Mr. James, but the questions didn’t come. Instead, Ronaldo rose from his chair and motioned for me to follow him out into the foyer.
Walking in step behind him we moved past “Moneypenny”, who’s role I was now certain, was to sit at the reception desk and read cheap romance novels. Ronaldo opened the solid steel door behind the reception desk and walked through, seemingly indifferent to whether I was keeping pace or not.
This room was even larger than the board room and walking in was akin to the scene in every 1980’s cop drama, wherein some innocent bystander accidentally stumbles into an operational heroine lab. In this case though, instead of Asian women making narcotics, this room was filled with dull looking middle aged women, manning a bank of computerised telephone stations.
Up to this point, I was only aware of three actual employees in the company, “Moneypenny”, Ronaldo and the unnamed girl who handed out the folders on the first day. I felt like a whole new world had been opened up to me, like I was now inside the inner sanctum and I recognised the anonymous girl with the folders holding a pointed telephone conversation at the nearest station. Ronaldo walked into the centre of the room and turned to face me.
"You can see we’re ready to go, all we need is a team to reel in the leads we’ve already scheduled.”
"Yes, I am interested.” I said. “I think I would be a good choice.”
I was prepared as ever to go into a remake of my earlier interview with Mr. James, but the questions didn’t come. Instead, Ronaldo rose from his chair and motioned for me to follow him out into the foyer.
Walking in step behind him we moved past “Moneypenny”, who’s role I was now certain, was to sit at the reception desk and read cheap romance novels. Ronaldo opened the solid steel door behind the reception desk and walked through, seemingly indifferent to whether I was keeping pace or not.
This room was even larger than the board room and walking in was akin to the scene in every 1980’s cop drama, wherein some innocent bystander accidentally stumbles into an operational heroine lab. In this case though, instead of Asian women making narcotics, this room was filled with dull looking middle aged women, manning a bank of computerised telephone stations.
Up to this point, I was only aware of three actual employees in the company, “Moneypenny”, Ronaldo and the unnamed girl who handed out the folders on the first day. I felt like a whole new world had been opened up to me, like I was now inside the inner sanctum and I recognised the anonymous girl with the folders holding a pointed telephone conversation at the nearest station. Ronaldo walked into the centre of the room and turned to face me.
"You can see we’re ready to go, all we need is a team to reel in the leads we’ve already scheduled.”
On the far wall, above the station computer monitors was a large whiteboard with a grid of lines delineating lead numbers and operators and if I was reading the board right, they had nearly 300 soft leads scheduled. I was stricken with a brief wave of panic as I realised that they had started taking in telephone leads before they even had a security sales team hired and trained to follow up on them.
Ronaldo turned and touched one of the women on the shoulder and seemed to ask her something, though I couldn’t hear over the voices of the rest of the operators. He then walked past me to the door. I wasn’t sure if he wanted me to follow him or not, until he paused and looked directly into my eyes.
"Let’s go talk money.”
Ronaldo turned and touched one of the women on the shoulder and seemed to ask her something, though I couldn’t hear over the voices of the rest of the operators. He then walked past me to the door. I wasn’t sure if he wanted me to follow him or not, until he paused and looked directly into my eyes.
"Let’s go talk money.”