Business getting done

 Business getting done

by Ricki T Thues

The tradeshow exhibit office is alive with sound. The wide-format printer whirrs as the paper feed rustles and rolls. Salesmen pitch the newest booth design on their telephones in a persistent monologue, persuasive and impatient at once. Designers squeak markers on drawing boards. My assistant taps his pen on an estimate form. Blended with the rhythm of the business is the ring of telephones, the shuffle of feet and the booming interruption of a PA page. Behind it all is the low hum of woodworking equipment penetrating through the wall that separates us from the shop.

The one-room front office is part of the warehouse. High ceilings and concrete walls bounce conversations off and around the partitions that separate the departments and employees.

Malcolm and lead designer Charity are looking for common ground as they design the Microsoft exhibit for an upcoming CES show.

“Look Charity. The booth is in the shape of an “M” and an “S” when you look down on the model.”

“That’s silly. No one except the lighting riggers at the show will ever see that.”

“The client will see it when Barney pitches the model. MS stands for Microsoft!”

“Duh… I know what MS stands for. I think it’s stupid.”

“Fine. Have it your way. Maybe something seen from ground level will work.”

Malcolm drops his drawing pad to the table with a slap and walks over to the coffee nook. I walk casually over to fill my cup.

Malcolm is grumbling. “She is always right. Not her idea and it's silly… stupid.”

“What’s wrong M?”

“She never thinks out of the box. I wish she’d budge every so often. Charity oughta have some charity. My idea’s a winner.”

“I overheard your idea. Don’t think we’ve ever built a booth in the shape of a logo. You might be right about pitching a model in that shape. Draw up an alternative. Maybe she’ll change her mind about the overhead view.”

Shaking his head, Malcolm returns to his drawing board.

“Thomas to the foreman’s office,” blasts the PA.

I hurry over to Ben’s office hoping to answer his questions.

“What brand of laminate did you estimate for the Allergan front walls?”

“That pattern is Formica.”

“Charity said she wants an Abet Laminati pattern. It’s four times as expensive.”

“That’s not how it was bid. We have to give the client what they bought. Put on the Formica.”

“It’s your call Tom.”

Charity stomps into my office.

“What the hell!”

“What’s the problem Charity?

“You told Ben not to use the laminate I specified.”

“It’s not your original spec or what we sold.”

“I don’t care. The Abet will look so much better.”

“Sorry. You might want to let this one go. It is very expensive.”

“I’m going to Freddy’s office and see what he says.”

“OK. Let’s go.”

Charity almost runs out of my office space toward the owners’ offices. I follow with a measured step. When I knock on the door and enter, Charity is already bending Freddy’s ear.

“What a day this has been. First Malcolm tried to force a design down my throat, then Tom switched my laminate spec for a cheaper finish. Something has to be done!”

Freddy looks up at me, a pained expression on his face.

“Why did you change the finish?

“The Formica was what Charity originally spec’d and what Barney sold. The new pattern on 10 walls will cost an extra $2000.”

“That’s money out of our profit Charity. Why is this change necessary?”

“The Abet will complement the style of the booth and make it so much more inviting to Allergan’s clients.”

“Think about that before we sell an exhibit next time. This time we won’t be spending the money.”

Charity turns on her heel without a word and pushes through the door. The hinge springs slam the door behind her.

Freddy shakes his head.

“I don’t know what to do about her.”

“She’s an excellent designer and has a real artistic sense. She could be more tolerant of other ideas though.”

“She said that Malcolm forced a design idea on her. Do you know anything about that?”

“I spoke to Malcolm in the coffee room. He was very upset. He has this unconventional idea to make the Microsoft booth in the shape of an MS as seen from above. He thought it would wow the client when they looked down on the model. We’ve never done that before.”

“That is clever. I would have asked Charity why she wouldn’t let Malcolm run with it if she hadn’t stormed out of here.”

“Malcolm said because the MS can’t be seen from the show floor, she said it was a stupid idea.”

“There are no stupid ideas. Only ones that have not been tried. I must have a serious talk with her.”

I got serious then. “Freddy, I will be OK with Charity over the laminate spat. She will forget about it and I already have. I suggested that Malcolm draw up an alternative to the MS design and let Charity decide which she likes. I think there is still a chance they will work it out.”

“OK Tom. I want to be at that meeting. Maybe I can encourage her to open her mind a little.”

“Great idea Freddy. Charity is worth keeping and so is Malcolm.”

It is the next day and Malcolm has finished the new design. I overhear him asking Charity for a meeting. I pick up my phone and let Freddy know when the meeting will be.

At the design area conference table Malcolm has spread out the new drawings.

“Here is my other idea for the Microsoft booth.”

Charity is leafing through the stack of drawings. Freddy enters the area.

“How’s it going with my favorite artists?”

Malcolm says, “Good.”

Charity makes a small huffing sound.

“What is this? asks Freddy.

Malcolm smiles, picks up the ground view rendering and says, “This is my Microsoft design. It has an open, inviting entrance that funnels clients into the sales offices.”

“These are nice,” says Charity. She is uncharacteristically quiet.

Freddy posits, “Didn’t I see you working on another design the other day? Something that looked like the Microsoft logo?”

Malcolm’s eyes light up. He rushes to his drawing station and grabs a stack of illustrations.

“This one is the Microsoft logo, MS, when seen from above.”

“No one will see that at the Convention Center,” muses Freddy.

“I know, but think of the model we will build. Barney is going to love pitching their logo to them.”

Freddy reaches over to the conference phone and pages Barney to the meeting.

Everyone likes Barney. He is the quintessential, charming salesman.

“What a beautiful day. How are my design peeps?”

Charity smiles. Malcolm gives him an enthusiastic “Great!”

Freddy reaches in and pushes the two stacks of renderings into neat piles.

“Take a look at these two Microsoft designs and tell us what you think, Barney.”

“Okey Doke,” he says as he begins thumbing through the stacks.

Barney begins with the conventional design. He is savvy and likes the welcoming entrance. He turns his attention to the logo design.

“This is really cool. I’ve never seen this idea.”

“You can’t see the logo from the show floor,” says Charity.

“Yes, but can you imagine the looks on the buyer’s face when they see the shape of their logo on the model? This is a winner. I can’t wait to pitch this.”

“We thought you might like it, but wanted to give you a choice,” says Charity.

Freddy gives Malcolm a knowing look which he returns with a sly smile.

“Keep up the great work,” says Barney as he turns and leaves the design space.

The sound of the room reasserts itself. Its melodic hum is punctuated with the sounds of business getting done.