Wednesday 26 September 2012

Sao Paulo, 120mile traffic jams (+kidnapping)…



Next time you are stuck on the M25 on the way to Cheshunt, spare a thought for your colleague KAMs in Brazil, where traffic jams of 120 -180 miles in Buenos Aires are routine, wjth the added threat of being kidnapped for those KAMs working for major suppliers..
Several years ago while running a workshop at local headquarters of a multinational client I was informed that my personal bodyguard was essential in order to avoid the inconvenience and cost ($50k) of having to pay my ransom in order to conduct the workshop without interruption.
However, the $50k was a mere trifle compared with what they would have had to pay to release their global chairman, who paid a surprise visit from Europe, transferred from the airport by helicopter, landed on the roof, and participated in the workshop for 30 minutes before flying back to Europe again, all before the local mafia discovered he was in the country!.

The secrecy left me only moments to add a couple of spontaneous pleas for more local-KAM empowerment, before attempting to continue the session as planned.
Nice to be appreciated, if only via the price of a ransom…

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