This happened somewhere in early 1991-92. At that time the Mobile and Pagers were yet to be launched and I remember it was still the age of Fax and PC was replacing Electronic typewriters.
Like every other agency, at HTA ( Now called JWT) financials were always under scrutiny. Still, the era of 15% commission paying clients. As a ritual every Monday would be the review. Estimate raised and approved Vs pending were as closely watched as the bills raised and pending. And on a account (ITC WELCOMGROUP) the number of unapproved estimates were rising with every week. My group leader was JAGDIP BAKSHI and he would in the review raise his eyebrow and say nothing- as we would have excuses and promises of early settlement ready.
Soon a MONDAY would come when Jagdip would take it upon himself to get the mess resolved. He asked me to get all the estimate ready in triplicate ( yes that’s how they were managed) and arrange for a meeting with senior marketing person at ITC Welcomgroup). I do not remember the name of the person. (it was not Nakul- who looked after Maurya Sheraton nor was it Sunil who was the Corporate marketing manager but someone else)
So, I set up this meeting at the annexe just behind main Maurya Sheraton where ITC Welcomgroup Corporate office used to be. At the appointed hour your truly landed with this hulk of a boss- Jagdip Bakshi.
For the large part of that scheduled 30 minute meeting, Jagdip just kept on chatting with this ITC Guy and there was no discussion on estimate. I was waiting. I knew that Jagdip had some trick up his sleeves- he had earlier done a similar thing- which I will share some other time.
So towards the last 5 minutes, Jagdip signaled to me and I planted some 60 plus estimate on the table. Jagdip said ‘Hey, by the way there are these estimates which have been pending- I thought I would get them approved’
ITC Guy smiled and said ‘But JB these are too high’
JB smiled and said nothing. But in his characteristic smiling way he started on another tangent.
‘Hey, know I was here last night at your coffee shop, at around 10 in night. I had a beer and it cost some Rupees 230. Worse you guys did not even think of taking off the price tag on the bottle that told me that it was only Rs 20 outside. What a rip off’
ITC Guy took the bait. ‘What did you expect at the finest 5 star, we give you beer at the temperature it should be. The ambiance, the structure, the waiter serving you, the AC; all are investment and you in your Rs 230 are paying for all that’
JB Smiled and went for the kill ‘yeah yeah, maybe we are not the best agency. Maybe we don’t need to give our employees such comfort. Maybe you think they sit under the banyan tree out in the open and they don’t get AC and… you know when you get the best to work for you… you also end up paying for that service and talent”
Slowly the ITC guy hand moved and pulled the pile of estimate and signing each and every copy without any more questions. The agency under Banyan Tree won the day.
Above statement are meant to reflect the core of the discussion. The actual words spoken were different. it’s tough to present the easy tone in which JB delivered his knockout punch.
Other in this advertising marketing series
● Thank You ● Rain Clause – I ● Lethal Combination ● APPETITE ● Puncture ● Adultery- the moment ● ASSET ● I am Sankar ● The Count ● Introduction ● Time Bomb ● Small Tile ● Shoot Report ● Sardar Khush Hoga ● Shoot At Mud Island ● Kaali Peeli Picture ● Upgrade ● Juhi Effect ● Power Of Punjab ● Out ● Two More ● Eleven Minutes ● The Cherry Win ● The Presentation ● Black Gold ● Buffered ● Continue With Client ● Not Fired ● One Less Decision ● The Ghost Of 35 Rani Jhansi Road Jhandewalaon ● The Problem ● Imported Art Card ●
