Friday, October 3, 2008

WHAT was that?

Planning and putting together an event of the size of Vista is quite an exhilarating experience. The sheer amount of work to be done is a back breaker. And what keeps us all going is the abundance of folly and futility in our midst. The "WHAT was that?" series aims to capture all those moments of glory for posterity here.

Here's what Vishwa has to say about an experience of his:

Corporate publicity can be a very exacting thing. Especially when you are working with a contact list of the previous year in the blind hope that someone somewhere has not changed
a) companies, and
b) mobile numbers
in the last one year.

I started my day with bright plans of calling up everyone on that list dated xx-xx-2007. I did have my reservations about the validity of that plan, and I did raise them to Prahalad. But big boy said "so what?". When someone the size of a Hummer says that, you don't talk back. Unless you are..... Well no. You don't talk back whoever you are.

So I obeyed his orders in letter and spirit.

Call No. 1:
"Hello, am I talking to Ms. XYZ from ABC Company?"
"Errr.. I am XYZ.. But I am not with ABC anymore.."
"Oh. Doesn't matter, may I know whom you are with now?"
"None. I stay at home."
Drat. Was not so auspicious a start.

Call No. 2 was good in one sense. The number was at least with the same company, though the person was on leave.

Call No. 3 was a test of my itsy bitsy knowledge of Kannada. The moment I heard the word "maadi" and "illai" in the same sentence in a robotic intone, I cut maadi.

Call No. 4 is produced verbatim below.
"Hello, am I talking to Mr ABC from XYZ company?"
"........Yes"
"Good morning, Sir. I am so-and-so from IIMB. This is regarding our business festival Vista that's coming up next week. This year we are increasing our focus on corporate participation. There are quite a few events that are open for executives like you, Sir. We would like to talk to you about it for 15 minutes in person in the next week. Will that be fine, Sir?"
"..........Yes"
"Err.. I meant we need an appointment of yours, Sir"
"...........................Yes"
"Sir, I meant I need details of the date, time and venue of our meeting. Can you please tell me when you are free for this?"
".......................................... I.. am.. not.. learning.. English"
I was about to reply "Of course not Sir, you are talking to me right now", but realization struck me a wee second before I let slip anything like that.
"Oh!!! Ok, thank you Sir. Hmmmm, I mean sorry actually. Good day"

Phew.....

1 comment:

angelina said...

He he...hilarious !!!!