Thursday, September 18, 2008

The Conference Call (A Real-life Tale in the Life of Riotimus)

East-coast Corporate Buyer #1 (ECCB1): Welcome to the California District Purchasing meeting. Let's take roll.

(People of various degrees of importance sound off)

East-coast Corporate Buyer #2 (ECCB2): Well . . . since our last call the market has taken a dump.

ECCB1: It is the same on my end. How are things in the Field?

West-coast Store Manager #1 (WCSM1): blah blah blah

West-coast Store Manager #2 (WCSM2): blah blah blah You guys suck. I think you are trying to put us out of business. blah blah blah

WCSM3, 4, & 5: blah blah blah

WCSM1: I think WCSM2 had a good point. What the hell are you guys doing in your high-backed chairs over there?

ECCB1: Do you want to take that ECCB2?

ECCB2: blah blah blah

WCSM4: Why can't you guys just do things right?

ECCB1: We do things right. blah blah blah Some day you will see why centralized purchasing is best for everybody.

WCSM1, 2, 3, 4, & 5: blah blah blah You guys suck! blah blah blah

Entire Staff of Rocky Mountain Purchasing Group (RMPG): zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

ECCB1: Why don't we turn the time over to ECCB3 for some important information.

ECCB3: If you guys would start doing your jobs this whole system would work like a well oiled machine. You can't sit on your thumbs in the California sun and expect for us to be able to do a good job in the Confederacy.

WCSM1, 2, 3, 4, & 5: blah blah blah with rancor

ECCB1: Uh, do you guys in the RMPG have anything today?

RMPG: zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz . . . No. No we don't. Thanks for having us on though.

ECCB1: Let's plan on doing this again next week then.

RMPG: (hits the mute button and collectively groans)

Call duration: 1 hour 27 minutes

3 comments:

Stephanie said...

Ahhhh...Corporate America. I've always believed that other people work for companies full of people as dunder-headed and incompetent as I do, but it is quite satisfying to have it proven.

If you're ever in the mood for a change, we could switch conference calls...Who knows, you may find a company sriving to be as evil as mortally possible a welcome change.

Ing said...

Ha! That's awesome. In a kind of not-awesome way...considering you had to actually suffer through it...but it was fun to read.

Jen said...

It was fun to read...and I laugh every time I think about it (I remember those kinds of conference calls). Thanks for putting up with it all.

Love,
E.