An idea occurred to Nagarajan.
"Sir, I am not conversant with Telugu, the language spoken in that state. Can I take Mr. Ranganatham with me. His mother tongue being Telugu, he will be able to help me in communicating with the people there, during the time I make the arrangements. He can come back here, after the branch is opened" Nagarajan suggested to the General Manager.
After reflecting for a minute, the General Manager, "I thought I would ask you to appoint some local person, for helping you in making the arrangements and subsequently make him a regular employee of the branch, if he was found suitable. However, if Mr. Ranganatham is willing, you can take him with you. I will issue the office order."
After some initial hesitation, Ranganatham accepted Nagarajan's request. Ranganatham was senior to Nagarajan. But, he was not interested in getting promoted and assuming more responsibility. So, he had no grudge about Nagarajan being promoted a Branch Manager. He had no problems in working under Nagarajan, in making arrangements for opening the new branch.
After reaching the town, Nagarajan took up residence in a hotel along with Ranganatham and started his work. With the help of Ranganathan, who was fluent in the local language, Nagarajan scouted for and selected a building for housing the office, in a week's time.
When he informed the news of having selected a building to the General Manager over phone, the General Manager said, "Okay. We need to enter into a lease agreement with the owner of the building. Before that, we have to verify the ownership of the building, with the help of our legal adviser. Get the documents relating to the ownership of the building and send them to me. I will get the documents verified by our legal adviser."
"Sir, if you don't mind, this process will take a long time. If you can ask the legal adviser to come here, this job can be got done in two days" said Nagarajan.
The General Manager accepted his suggestion.
"You get things done! First you got me to help you, by requesting the General Manager to send me along with you. Now, you have convinced him to send the legal adviser here, to scrutinize the documents!" said Ranganatham, appreciatively.
"Sir, whatever task we do, we should do it efficiently. If the legal adviser scrutinizes the original documents and approves the title, there won't be any problem in future. We should do things in time and we should do them right, ensuring that there are no mistakes. Now, let us find suitable people for carrying out the internal structures in the office and installing furniture and fixtures" said Nagarajan.
One week before the office was to be opened, Nagarajan arranged for a banner about the inauguration of the office fixed at the entrance of the building, displaying the message, both in English and in the local language Telugu.
"Why are we fixing the banner now? Will it not suffice, if it is fixed one day before the inauguration of the office?" asked Ranganatham.
"People walking on the street will look at the banner. It is written 'All are welcome' both in English and in Telugu. Reading it, some people may attend the inauguration function, out of curiosity. Even today, within a few hours of our fixing the banner, a few people came in and enquired about the nature of our business."
"That is fine. But it is written '11:30 - Tea.' Are we going to serve tea to the visitors? Can we afford to spend money for such purposes?"
"I have seen that tea and snacks being served during a function entices people to attend that function. After all, how many people are going to attend the function? The number is not likely to exceed one hundred. I have asked the nearby restaurant to bring coffee and tea for one hundred people. We will also buy one hundred small biscuit packets, costing three rupees each. If we offer biscuit with tea or coffee to the people attending the function, they will be happy. The expenses will be within the budget. Have we not been exercising prudence, while spending money at every stage?" said Nagarajan.
Though it was Nagarajan who was planning and executing every step, his including Ranganathan, who was mostly playing the role of an interpreter, by using the word 'we' made Rangantham feel proud and gratified.
Nagarajan got five thousand copies of a notice about the inauguration of the branch printed and distributed them in the town.
Learning that the column 'Today's Events' appearing in a local daily was read by many readers, he arranged, through an ad agency, a paid announcement to be placed under that column in the issue of the paper that would come out the morning of the inauguration day.
When Nagarajan went through the paper the morning of the inauguration day, he was shocked to find that the advertisement had not been published.
He called up the office of the newspaper and raised the issue. The person who answered the call said nonchalantly that sometimes, some advertisements might have been left out due to lack of space and that the newspaper would refund the charges collected by it.
"What is the use of their giving us a refund? We were hoping that a lot of people would see the advertisement and attend the function. When the Chairman comes to inaugurate office, if the crowd is very thin, we will be cutting a sorry figure" Nagarajan lamented.
"Leave it, Nagarajan! You did everything with meticulous planning and careful execution. You and I are not responsible for the lapse on the part of the newspaper. We have already spread the message to a number of people. Whatever be the attendance, we have to accept it. What can we do at this stage?" said Ranganatham.
"Now, it is 9 a.m. The Chairman will arrive only after 11 a.m. Fortunately, he is going to his native place and from there, he will be coming here by car. So, we don't have to go to any place to receive him. We still have about two hours. Let us think what we can do to gather more people" said Nagarajan.
"The only thing we can do at this stage is to stand in the middle of the road and solicit people to attend the function!" quipped Ranganatham.
"Wonderful idea!" said Nagarajan, snapping his fingers in excitement. "We still have some copies of the notice printed by us, don't we?"
"Yes. We have about five hundred copies."
"Give them to me. I will stand on the main road, choose prospects that could attend the function from among the people passing by, give the notices to them and request them to attend. At least a few people could attend!"
"What is this, Nagarajan? You are the Branch Manager. You are going to stand on the road and distribute the notices!" asked Ranganaham, with surprise.
"Sir! First, the branch has to be inaugurated. Only after that, I will be the Branch Manager. Hold the fort for me for some time. I will distribute the notices and come back" said Nagarajan, smiling.
"The inauguration function took place in a grand manner. You did a great job. Your efforts didn't go waste. More than a hundred people attended the function. Our Chairman was very happy about the large turnout. I have no doubt that you will run this branch exceptionally well" said Ranganatham, overwhelmed with pride and joy.
Section 2
Efficiency in Action
URu orAl uRRa pin olgAmai ivviraNdin
ARu enbar Ayndhavar kOL.
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