Ideally this dialogue would be recorded by two different men (no need for accents though!)
Paul Mackowitz: OK, Hiroshi, what's gone wrong this time?
Hiroshi Watanabe: You tell me. You said you wanted a meeting.
Paul: All right. Let's go through it again. Two weeks ago we had a strong lead on the Maharito contract for the new Head Office. I asked for someone from your team to get in there quick and report back as fast as possible. What's happened? Nothing! Absolutely nothing!
Hiroshi: Not quite, Mr Mackowitz. You sacked Mr Shigeta.
Paul: Of course I did, Hiroshi. He refused to follow the reporting procedure. I never got one written contract report from him.
Hiroshi: He was one of our best salesman.
Paul: I know that! But if you got targets, then you gotta have systems and procedures for achieving them.We need some energy in this organization, some zap! What's the matter, Hiroshi? Come on!
Hiroshi: We never had reporting systems in Yamahata. They are not necessary. Every salesman knows his client. Sigeta knows Marahita already. Things were going well there.
Paul: Then why didn't Shigeta tell me, for God's sake?
Hiroshi: He did not want to displease you, Mr Mackowitz.
Paul: Displease me? All I wanted to know was what was happening!
Hiroshi: Mmm.
Paul: And, besides, Shigeta wasted time. Mine in particular. Every day he was over here waiting outside the office wanting to discuss this and that. I told him... for God's sake, use the phone, Katsushi. It's more efficient, reduces hassle. But no! Every day Katsushi sitting on my doorstep.
Hiroshi: He was worried about advertising.
Paul: Oh, was he? And what's wrong with the advertising?
Hiroshi: He thought it was too strong. The Japanese like music, sky, pretty girls. Not too many strong voices.
Paul: Well, it works in every other damned market. Anyway, we're not here to talk about Shigeta. I want to know what's happening about the Marahito contracts. My God, Hiroshi, it's like trying to get blood out of stone. Come on, now, what's happening?
Thank you very much!