This is the time I was with HTA. Motorola was a new client. And Rahul Verghese (www.runningandliving.com fame) a different kind of client. Dead serious professionally and hugely funny beyond work. Rahul had five simple rules to work when it came to meetings.
- On time. Rahul lived what he expected from others. I remember him being in HTA Jhaandewalan office at 9:15 for a 9:30 Am meeting, much before even the agency guys have trooped in.
- Meeting always had a start and an end time. They were not free floating meetings like many at the agency where only the start time was known.
- The agenda for the meeting must be agreed before hand.
- The minutes of the meeting must be shared within 24 hours.
- Meetings alternated between agency and client.
Motorola operated out of SURYA SOFETEL at New Friends Colony and HTA was at the famed 35 Rani Jhansi Road, Jhandewalan.
So, there was this meeting scheduled at 2:30- 3:00 PM at Motorola office.
READ 11-STEPS TO NOT BEING LATE http://www.wikihow.com/Stop-Running-Late
Experience suggested that it was tough to make to a post lunch meetings on time, more so, when the meeting was at clients office. Traffic and distance was not the real reason.
HTA at lunch break has the culture of Caroom games. A t 1 PM- the lunch hour started- carom boards would come out. The next 1 hour was dedicated to it. People normally would be too engrossed in defending their reputations or winning small token bets. All of them believed that they were superman. Hence, they could play for part of the break and yet make to the meetings on time.
That day was no different. The team that serviced Motorola was also the one that was really good at the game and they normally beat others to the tables and in the game. That eventful day too, the team played a few games and then left for NEW FRIENDS COLONY at around 1:45 PM. People conversant with Delhi would know what they were attempting was impossible. For rest of the readers it’s sufficient to say that- naturally the team never made it on time. They were late by 11 minutes.
RAHUL VEGHESE
Post signing security at the reception of Motorola, the team fast walked to Rahul’s room, he was waiting for them. Pleasantries over Rahul excused himself – he said he needed to tell some colleague something really urgently and would be back soon. The team waited.
Rahul came back at 2: 52 PM- 11 minutes after the team had entered his office. If that was not enough, he politely suggested that as he had waited for 11 minutes and now that the team had waited for 11 minutes- the score was even. He left the decision on the agency to try finishing the work in next 8 minutes or meet some other day.
It is not much to guess that the agency agreed for a meeting next day, And this time breaking another rule it was scheduled at Motorola office. did not discuss much that day.
Another time he showed his displeasure in no uncertain terms, was when at the annual review Motorola and agency team had to wait for quite a long time for Sunil Gupta the branch head. Sunil’s dog that he loved very much had taken ill and he was held back to take him to doctor. He expected that he would make for the major campaign presentation meeting at 3:00 PM on time- which he could not.
Rahul was fair in his reaction. As the agency asked him to wait for Sunil, not wanting to start the presentation without him. In process making some eager 13-14 people wait. Rahul said- the agency head must decide if his dog was more important than the client. And its possible for emergencies to happen- but then agency must have a chain of command to step up and start the proceedings on time- as he is interested in the work and not who is presenting it.
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I have taken few learning’s from it
- Try placing end and start time to a meeting. ( still find tough as the respondents are always hesitant to guess how long it would take)
- Keep a buffer of 30 minutes between meetings. Helps if meeting extends. Helps if you want to focus on the next assignment and the next meeting
- Always schedule yourself to come early for the meeting. In Mumbai it’s like planning for a traffic Jam every time you step out.
- Share the agenda first and list down the end points that one would want to arrive at the end of the meeting
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OTHER EPISODES IN ADVERTISING AND MARKETING
● THE CHERRY WIN ● THE PRESENTATION ● BLACK GOLD ● BUFFERRED ● CONTINUE WITH CLIENT ● NOT FIRED ● THE GHOST OF 35 RANI JHANSI ROAD JHANDEWALAON ● ONE LESS DECISION ● IMPORTED ART CARD ● BANYAN TREE AGENCY ● THE PROBLEM
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In case you have any such episode ( experiential Learning / Humor ) and would want to share- please connect with me through comment or connect at facebook : Sanjeev kotnala or tweet : s_kotnala
