For the past few months, I have been working hard on closing a deal on website advertising with a third-party system provider in Singapore. Working hard means I have scouted around for the service providers, got in touch with them, provided and collected data, met face-to-face, proposed layout design, discussed with web agency on integration works, and then became the middle person between Legal department and third party to finalise the agreement. And this A-Z works are just a tiny part of my work.
Finally, last Friday I was ready to show Trump that my department is not just a cost-centre. We are BOTH cost centre and revenue-generating unit. Perhaps, he won’t be so hard in giving his approvals, which will be good news for my successor once I am ready to re-hand in my resignation letter. On my part, that’s something to gloss up my resumé. ‘Despite being a cost-centre, I succeed in contributing monthly revenue for the company.’
With flushed face and thumping heart, I sat in front of Trump and said, ‘I bring you good news, Datuk. We have managed to get in website ads in our website, which translates into a revenue forecast of RMXk per month.’ I can hear Trump’s brain gearing into motions as he comprehended my rushing words. ‘What is this Carneyz talking about? Revenue? More RM? Cost centres don’t generate any revenues…’ and I had to explain in bits and pieces of how I started the whole project, how does the mechanism work, and showed him the memo & the finalised agreement.
He was, undeniably very pleased at this news. ‘Very good. RMXk? Good work.’ Were his two replies. He signed the agreement and studied the memo intently for a minute.
Then…
‘Don’t you think our website looks too cluttered? I find things all over the place. Don’t you think so? Why isn’t the Business section updated? Didn’t you ask from the related departments for feeds? I want it updated by end of this month!’
Suddenly he shot all these questions to us endlessly. It was as if we had wrestled the compliments out of his mouth, of which he had regained the control of his brain from our evil clutches and back to being Trump. The Trump who criticizes and then gives us the axe, and our heads roll out of his office back to where they belong. In a lowly ghetto.
This is probably my 1,865,394th reason to quit and look for a real job (instead of acting like a slave) - the fact that getting appreciated verbally is already hard enough, let alone getting salary increments.
