Deep Throat, Flower Pots and Mighty Deeds of Valor
Dearest Friend & Subscriber,
Ol' Deep Throat finally came forward with his real identity.
Dang, I was hoping for... well, someone more mysterious and intriguing than a 91 year old grandpa. Perhaps a vast conspiracy from the Trilateral Commission or a deep dark plot from the mind of Jimmy Hoffa. You know, something worthy of a Watergate scandal.
But after reading about Deep Throat and his clandestine meetings with the young reporter Mr. Woodward, I did get some new ideas that we're going to implement right away here at B&B. This is gonna keep competitors from finding out about our new products.
Me and my engineers are going to start giving each other secret signals involving a flower pot and a red flag.
And if there's a message I need to get to Mario, email is strictly forbidden. From now on, I circle page 20 of his copy of the New York Times, delivered to his apartment, and draw the hands of a clock indicating the time we're to meet that night. The first meeting will be at 2am in barn outside Ottawa, Illinois.
Speaking of clandestine meetings and secret signals, let's talk about System Integrators for a minute.
Got a call on a Thursday afternoon from one in Montana. Needed some RS-485 <> USB isolated converters pronto, was wondering if we could drive some of these over to Milwaukee for a Substation job that had to be finished by Friday. Plus, this was just before Memorial Day weekend.
I said, "Take this job and shove it, pal."
OK, so I didn't say that. I actually called my competitors' local distributors (the ones we keep in the dark with those flower pots, flags and 2am product planning meetings in a barn).
Naturally the competitors' distributors had nothing in stock - not even anything similar.
Zip. Zero. Nada.
But the heroic person inside of me - the one that admires a #2 FBI guy for blowing the whistle on El Presidente - that heroic part of me rose up with a mighty shout. Man, if I had to carve those USB converters out of a bar of soap, so help me I was gonna help this guy. I marshaled my forces late that Thursday afternoon to produce the desperately needed, life-saving parts he needed. We shipped them overnight and the man's bacon and certainly his weekend) was saved.
The moral of the story is, while our competitors' distributors are out having barbeques and bar mitzvahs, we toil through the long dark night of a System Integrator's soul, ceaselessly delivering the goods so that You, our Customer, can be the hero. 'Cuz I know that your raise, your promotion and your children's future therapy bills can hinge on
our performance. Yessiree Bob, at B&B we look out for our customers, and especially our System Integrators.
So how does one become a member of our elite System Integrator's Club?
First you fill out this application:
http://www.bb-elec.com/partners/welcome.asp?s=e060805
Then, before you can be accepted you are put through a hazing process not terribly different from your fraternity back in college days --- we put you on a Merry-Go-Round after you've downed a pint of Vodka, then make you sprint across the B&B campus in your birthday suit. And after you chew concrete and nails, if you're really Good Enough, and Smart Enough, and People Like You...
Well, then it gets good. Really good.
Wine... Cheese... Hors d'Oeuvres... the red carpet club all the way around. We'll castrate crocodiles for you, if that's what it takes to deliver the goods so you can finish your job and be a hero.
See, all those big companies (can't name 'em, they might sue me) they're so high and mighty that you're basically forced to be in their system integrator club, just so you can get the same lousy discount as the other nine guys in town.
Well other than Mario, I don't have that kind of leverage. At B&B we operate on our merits, not our muscle or big brand. We actually have to come through when there's a crisis.
So that's what we do. Performing mighty deeds of courage and valor at a moments notice. Be it a simple act like stocking the parts you need for early morning delivery, or something a bit more valiant. Like engineering the data communications for your system so you can spend your time on things that you're great at.
Got a crisis? Need that stuff yesterday? Go to our website
http:/www.bb-elec.com/welcome.asp?s=e060805,
find what you want - Then pick up the phone and call us right now.
Number is (815)433-5100.
Tell 'em Mike sent you. We'll get it out the door ASAP.
But don't tell them about my meeting in the barn with Mario. That's top secret.
Happy Clandestine Connections,
Mike Fahrion
support@bb-elec.com
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