Million Dollar Computer-Controlled Drilling Machines


reading time 2 min

When I was in 8th grade I got a job working for a small company that was a reseller of electronic drilling and measuring equipment. I was just the office boy… mostly doing paperwork, shipping, and occasional data-entry.

It was high-tech stuff for the 1980s. The CEO was a big believer in the “never take no for an answer” philosophy. Sometimes he’d go to a client and refuse to leave the office until he got a “yes”. “You don’t need any new drill presses? What about calipers? What about high-resolution measuring machines? How do you know that drill press is working if you aren’t measuring the results?”

One day a junior salesperson came back from a ride-along and was shaking in his boots. “What’s wrong?” I asked. “It was so embarrassing! They nearly kicked us out of the office. The boss just wouldn’t leave! Finally they agreed to buy a package of paper for the printer that attaches to the computer that controls the drill press. It was humiliating. A damn box of paper!”

At that point the boss walked in and bragged about how he wouldn’t take no for an answer and … what a victory! I made the sale!

Everyone in the office was stunned.

It was that day that I decided that if I ever went into sales, my goal would be the opposite of that guy.




Tom Limoncelli

Tom Limoncelli

Recent Posts


  1. Removing Dead Code From DNSControl
  2. Juneteenth
  3. Harris 2024
  4. Postcards for Democracy
  5. Mrs. Creiger Was Calm

Archive


Categories


Tags


I agree that this website may store my data to personalize my journey in accordance with their Terms & conditions

Powered by Hugo | Theme - YesThatTheme © 2017 - 2024 Tom Limoncelli