On the road again,Deals to close, clients to meet,Thrill of the chase lives.
__________
It's another day on the road,
another week in the wild world of managed print services. I hit the gas on my beat-up Chevy and head towards Victorville, California, where a room full of copier salesmen are all vying for a piece of the action at an RFQ meeting. I can already feel the whiskey burning in my veins and the adrenaline pumping through my body.
The drive there is a trip, let me tell you. Past the Rose Bowl, the site of many a Michigan defeat, and onto the Pacific Coast Highway. The ocean is a sight to behold, especially after a cold Michigan winter. Up to the client's office, where the C-level execs are waiting for me to inventory their fleet...
As I walk into the meeting, I can feel the tension in the air. These copier guys are all sharks, circling around a big piece of meat. They're all trying to outdo each other with their fancy talk and their slick suits, but I know the truth. They're all full of shit. I take a seat in the back, biting my tongue so hard I can barely speak. These guys just don't get it, and neither does the client, but it's all good. I ain't in it for the money, baby. I'm in it for the thrill of the chase.
After the meeting, I hit the road again, this time heading toward Santa Barbara. The drive there is a trip, let me tell you. Past the Rose Bowl, the site of many a Michigan defeat, and onto the Pacific Coast Highway. The ocean is a sight to behold, especially after a cold Michigan winter. Up to the client's office, where the C-level execs are waiting for me to inventory their fleet.
Easy money.
But the real fun starts when I get to Diamond Bar.
I'm there to check out an Edgeline install for a client who's stuck in a lease with a Konica that's been nothing but trouble. But they're taking the Edgeline and using the Konica as a reminder to never do business with a copier dealer again. I can dig it. It's a reminder to always watch your back and never trust anyone in this game.
Next up: Imperial/El Centro, four miles from the Mexican border.
The drive is a trip through the desert, past the windmills you've seen in movies, and onto the 86. The Salton Sea is a weird sight, a man-made lake that's hasn't seen a swimmer or a boat for decades. I'm there to do a mini-assessment of 30 machines, and it looks like we can save some serious coin for the client. But the real fun starts when I get to the 210-bed hospital.
I walk into the hospital, my eyes scanning the room for the IT director. I can smell the antiseptic in the air and hear the beeping of the machines. It's a different kind of thrill, one that makes my heart race and my palms sweat. I meet with the IT director and we survey a couple of departments. But as we go from department to department, I can feel the energy building. The nurses have some serious complaints. The current fleet is overspec'd and underutilized, and the machines are just too damn big.
I head to Hollywood
to meet a colleague and one of my clients at the Beverly Hills Hotel, the Hotel California, from the song. Yeah, it is a real place. The Polo Lounge is world-famous and I rub elbows with the celebrities, sipping on gin and tonics and plotting my next move in this crazy game. But as the night wears on, I can feel the whiskey catching up with me. I know that tomorrow is another day, another adventure, and I can't wait to see what it holds.
All in all, it's been one hell of a week in the managed print services game.
But as I hit the road again, I know there's always more action to be had. The next client could be the big break we've been waiting for or the deal that'll break us. It's a gamble, but that's what makes it all worth it. The rush of closing a deal, the thrill of the chase, it's all worth it. I'll sleep when I'm dead, and until then, I'll keep on rolling with the punches and taking what the road throws at me.
As I drive through the night, I can't help but think about all the deals I've closed and all the deals I've lost. It's a game of highs and lows, but it's a game I wouldn't trade for anything. Because in the end, it's not about the money or the fame, it's about the rush. It's about the thrill of the chase and the feeling of finally catching your prey.
I'll keep on driving, keep on chasing, and keep on closing deals.
Because that's what it's all about in the wild world of managed print services. It's about the thrill of the chase and the rush of the Dream.
And I wouldn't have it any other way.
__________
A poem inspired by the journey.
Fleets and Fortunes
A week on the road, a blur of cities and clients,
Fleets of copiers, contracts, and invoices.
Through deserts and oceans, the journey unfolds,
A game of risk and reward, stories untold.
Victorville, Santa Barbara, Imperial too,
A room full of sharks, deals to pursue.
A Konica lease that's nothing but trouble,
But the Edgeline's the saving grace, on that we'll double.
A 210-bed hospital, machines beep and hum,
Overspec'd and underutilized, the work has just begun.
Nurses with complaints, and IT with a plan,
To save money, improve efficiency, and make the client a fan.
Hollywood and Beverly Hills, a colleague to meet,
A gin and tonic at the Polo Lounge, so chic and elite.
But it's back on the road, the journey never ends,
A gamble and a thrill, the tales of a salesman.
Through deserts and oceans, clients and deals,
A week on the road, the story never reveals.
But one thing's for sure, it's a game worth playing,
For the rush of the chase, and the thrill of closing the deal in the end.
Inspired by the article, in the style of Kim Addonizio.
__________
Content is rewritten in the style of Hunter S. Thompson. Original content, June 2008
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