Are we glad or sad to see our high-end audio business go in a total different direction …? In the good direction? Or the wrong direction?
“Good morning! I wanted to come to visit you in 2 weeks.”
“But we have met 3 weeks ago. Why you want to visit?”
“Want to discuss your new order.”
“Which new order? I have everything in every color in stock.”
“According to my Excel files you are behind.”
“Behind what?”
“Behind what you should have ordered by now compared to last year.”
“But I have enough stock of everything. Every model. Every color.”
“Sorry. I checked your contract and the agreed forecast. I come in 2 weeks.”
“Hallo. How are you? Everything OK with you and your business? Let me also show you the new models we are going to add to the line .”
“New models? But the dealers and consumers already don’t understand the range anymore and we cannot stock more models and colors.”
“We need more sales, more turnover. Find new dealers. Add MediaMarket, Saturn, whatever. You can become rich.”
“I am rich enough. This will only make me lose credibility, money and clients”.
“Sorry. We need turnover. And you want to get our other brands, no? Or do you want to lose this brand? According to Excel I need order now of € 60,000.-.“
“Sorry, but I have a full warehouse. Everything sufficient in stock.”
“Sorry, I can only return if I have your confirmed order.”
“But …”
“Sorry.”
“OK, but what you want me to order? I have ….”
“Not important, as long as I can return with your signed order for € 60,000.-.”
“OK, get me 5 pairs of these, 5 pairs of those and 1 pair of that. Must be around € 60,000.-.”
“Thank you! Can you sign here for confirmation? Thanks!”
“But, but what I am going to do with this? My warehouse is full. You saw it yourself”.
“Sorry, not my problem. I did my job. I sold what I had to sell according to the Excel plan. Now it is your turn to sell it to your dealers. Your job. Use your passion, play your ambition, beat your competition. Nice to have seen you. See you soon again. Excel rules …”
So … It’s wrong to use Excel? No not at all. As long as you use it the right way. That’s how WE (want to) use it and that’s the good news of today!
Dé Durob Audio blog - Le Blog de Durob Audio 
Geweldig!
Yes Francis. Marvellous. Marvellous to read. Not to experience. But if you want I can come to visit you every month in Anwerpen and only leave after you have …. Well, fill in what is appropriate at that moment. And once you are tired of me and kick me out you can sing “I shot the sheriff but I did not shoot the deputy”! YET!
Hé Herman! Are you NOT using Excel? And the rest of the Office software?
Hi Silvio. Of course I use Excel. Every day :-). Word as well. But in a different way. I am certainly not a professional user of these programms, but I could not live without these programms(I think). What I have been writing about is not that I feel Excel is bad, or Excel is wrong. I think it is a fantastic programm. It makes you see real facts, which you otherwise would only guess. But … what do you do with what you see? The way it is used in the blog of today is certainly not the way I would use it. I would use it to ask questions, compare with other data, find answers, and solutions. Asking for another order while there is no need for new stock, or because of the results of last year is -as I feel it- a proof of limited “tunnelvision” and I am afraid the tunnel has only an entrance … no exit! Short term business. Too short to become Businessman of the Year …