I've mentioned on a couple of occasions that I am, um - slightly directionally challenged. It's rather ironic, don't you think.
Me - the Road Warrior. Me - the woman that will jump behind the wheel of a car and drive cross country...without a map. As soon as I need to know how to get some place, let's just say it's ugly.
I've been able to hide this little defect in myself for a while now. I actually do pretty well - if I'm by myself. As soon as I have someone with me I screw up. And...I always get lost the first time I go anywhere. It's a given. None of those mapping programs do a thing other than get me in the general area. I'm gonna get lost. Promise.
Now, in sales you NEVER EVER want to take your boss with you on your first call with a customer. #1 - you need a chance to build a relationship, to click as it were. #2 - you need the chance to do some recon, so you know a bit about who they are and what they do. But most importantly #3 - you need to flippin' know how to get there.
Let's take this morning for example. Traveling with the boss, meeting him at my first call. I mapquest everything the night before. Review with the atlas and it all seems golden. Until I get off of 88 West. Mapquest has me all over these back country roads. Roads that don't have street signs on them. I can't tell where to turn, where to go straight - I have no idea where I am. Did I mention I'm out in Bum F*ck Nowhere?!?!?!?
I call the Boss to tell him I'm close, just don't know when I'll get there. I'm lost. He asks me where I am. *does anyone else find that question odd in this circumstance?*
I finally just start laughing. I'm laughing so hard I pull the car over. Sitting in my car, laughing - tears pouring down my face, music blaring and no idea where the hell I am. I only know I'm close to Iowa (corn, corn, corn, corn). Finally I just text message T1G cause I just need to know someone else will laugh along with me. The message? "I'm soooooo lost"
To make a long story somewhat shorter, I stumpled upon a major highway and finally found a gas station that could tell me where I am and how to get where I need to be.
I told my boss I need a GPS system for the car. He agreed. Hmmm....Christmas is coming, and I've been sorta, kinda good.
Posted by Tammi at November 9, 2005 06:20 PMYOU,directionally challenged? Nooooo. You don't say. I just wish I'd really realized it. Does this sound familiar? Oh wait. YOU weren't in the car with us. We were following YOU!
Mo: Where in the hell are we? I don't think I see anyone ahead of Tammi.
Me: I don't know. Let me call Eric.
(minutes later)
Eric: T1G knows where he's going...
(10 minutes later)
Mo: There are NO cars ahead of her...
(2 minutes later, still wandering the back roads of Etowah, as we pull into a CAR DEALERSHIP...)
Mo: We're lost. She has no idea where we are.
Ahhhh... good times.
Heh. Good times. ;-)
Posted by: Bou at November 10, 2005 05:57 AMHmm, I too am directionally challenged, mapquest sucks, by the way!
Posted by: oddybobo at November 10, 2005 08:22 AM