Introduction Could you bring us the check, please?\" Wendy Peterson signaled the

Question

Introduction Could you bring us the check, please?" Wendy Peterson signaled the waiter, breaking the awkward silence that ended the annual review of one of her direct reports, Fred Wu. On paper, Wu's performance was impressive. Within eight months of joining the Plano, Texas, office of AccountBack, an accounting software and services company, Wu had signed the region's largest client and promoted AccountBack's products and services among the Chinese business community in Plano Despite these achievements, Wu's review ended uncomfortably. Though they'd worked together for a year, Peterson struggled to bridge the distance between Wu and herself Over lunch, Peterson praised Wu's efforts to broaden his professional skill set by attending weekend sales seminars and networking with colleagues to better understand the business. These efforts, she noted, surely contributed to his success in retaining his large, but only, client. Peterson then reminded Wu of her concerns. "Fred, I'd like to remind you that your primary focus should be on new business. It seems as if you are spending too much time managing your one client, and that's not your job." Peterson continued, "As I've mentioned before, I'd like to be kept abreast of your development efforts, so I know when and if you need help from me, or someone else in the company I expect you to summarize your efforts every few days on our online sales tool, like everyone else on the team. If you spent more time in the office, I'd have a better sense of your business. Plus, I'm confident you'd glean some helpful selling techniques from your colleagues." Finally, Peterson questioned the value of the expensive add-on services Wu had sold to his client so early in the relationship Wu assured Peterson that all revenue booked-including additional services-originated at his client's request. He emphasized that the networking he'd done in the Chinese community was about to pay off: he expected to sign three major new clients in the coming quarter. Wu then stated that, because he was about to become the most successful sales executive in the Plano office, he needed his own sales assistant to answer his phone and perform administrative tasks. Peterson hoped her face didn't register her dismay at Wu's request. Only the most senior salespeople at AccountBack, some of whom juggled more than 30 accounts, had their own sales assistants. The rest of AccountBack's salespeople shared assistants. What was Wu thinking?

Explanation / Answer

Answer:

Wu was in demand of personal assistant and Peterson was advising to use the shared assistant as per office rule and office process. Wu was informing Peterson that she got an offer from competitor, so by this approach Wu wants to force Peterson for his decision of refusing personal assistant for Wu.

Benefit of retaining Wu would not outweighs the risk, as the risk will always be there in the sale business and we need to keep meeting the risks and continue the business. The business did not works on person, but the business works on process.

If Peterson, caved in Wu’s demand, then it will have negative impact in the office and the whole office culture will be disturbed. Other employees will not follow the process in the office. This will be a topic for discussion and will raise many voices among the other employees.

No, there are not only two options wither terminate of cave. There other option, that Peterson can provide the process of personal assistant and let Wu to achieve the targets as per process of personal assistant. The process can help Peterson properly and Peterson can manage the situation with the help of the process for personal assistant.

Future working relationship will continue based on the interest of Peterson and Wu. In future, if Wu would be comfortable for the offering from Peterson, then Wu can work in future as well with Peterson.

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