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I can think of worse places around the world to fly into for a couple of days.
I was asked today if I will fly to Cape Town on Tuesday next week for a few days to sort some problems out for the family business. I wasn't volunteering my services, but it may work out being quite convenient as it gives me time to sort out some of my business interests in Cape Town at the same time.
I have already planned in my head how long their issues will take to resolve give or take an hour which will free me up for Wednesday to do my own thing. I am just waiting on the go ahead and hopefully will know in the morning so I can set up some meetings of my own.
The work they want me to do is to build relationships for them finding a couple of key contact people in the various businesses they deal with. It seems funny that they have no contacts or have managed to lose them as that to me is part of business 101. Without a reliable go to person you are dead in the water.
I still have contacts and one I will see next week (maybe) have known them for over 16 years. They will come in handy helping me sort out the one telling me who the best point of contact is. If you don't have people skills you don't get very far in the business world and you never burn your bridges. Doesn't matter how terrible someone is they all have their uses and you don't mind literally using them then if they are not nice people.
I have always relied on friendly insiders as otherwise how else do you sort problems as they arise? Email and the phone can only get you so far as a face to face cannot be beaten regarding building relationships. I was on Zoom this morning and it is fine, but still so not me as it is not the same. I am not a big fan of it even though it served it's purpose during lock down and most likely companies will use it to save money going forward with less travel.
In the past by having contacts in key places it has saved the company hundreds of thousands by side stepping certain rules like delivery schedules. I looked after everyone by giving them presents on a regular basis delivered to their homes. At the time I had no choice as when you are delivering 20 trucks per day to one warehouse booking slots is not going to go down very well and turn into chaos. My trucks had a red sticker on the windscreen which allowed them free reign and the express route in which was a made up rule that everyone thought was standard after 6 months with no queues.
Anything is possible, but thankfully I am not out to break rules now but only win people over so they ,not me can sort things out. I know why I have been asked as I tend to get away with much more and possibly my loveable character. Never lie, never tell the absolute truth and you are golden in everyone's eyes.
