Democracy is a wonderful thing

by John Passmore

It would be great if Ed did really well. He’s one of my favourite stories – how a customer rang complaining his phone was out of order, how I got it fixed and then said: “Are you happy with the service I’ve been able to give you today?

“…well who do you know who would like that kind of service too?”

And two days later Ed and Carol signed up – and Carol became a distributor.

I remember Ed being really sceptical. He was the manager of one of the best restaurants in town. He really looked down on this little part time business of his wife’s.

At least he did until the restaurant closed and he lost his job. That was two months ago and he hasn’t found another one. Now he’s joined Carol as a distributor and I’ve never seen anyone more determined to make a go of it.

Which was why, when I suggested we do some Win-a-Mini down in the town, he came up with: “Why don’t we go to the polling station. There’ll be loads of people there.”

And sure enough he was right– and best of all, they all seemed to be his neighbours. In 90 minutes Ed made four appointments.

And I got three (one at 7.00 a.m.!) and, of course, I had no trouble talking to my six today.

More to the point are the phone calls I made while waiting outside the after-school maths class and then again at the Scout Hut.

First I flicked idly through the contacts in the Blackberry and came up with a guy I first spoke to in July last year and then in January this year. We had talked, he was interested but somehow it never progressed. However it is said in marketing lore that it takes seven “touches” before people buy.

And he’d only had two. I called him again. We talked again. This time he wants me to give him a lift to the Norwich COP…

Emboldened by this, I pulled out the phone again a couple of hours later while sitting on the quay by the river waiting for my beaver scout to be dismissed. I rang a woman I first spoke to in June 2007.

And guess what she said: “Yes, this time I really think I’ll make it.”

We’ll see, of course. But this business is rife with people who had to be asked half a dozen times.

Can't understand it myself - but we have to work with what we get.