When Darnell arrived at the company, it was eleven o’clock. He was late again.
Perhaps it was just his bad luck that as soon as he reached the eighteenth floor, he ran into Grace stepping out of another elevator.
Grace was dressed quite provocatively today, wearing a blue mini-tank dress with a deep neckline and a slim waist. This outfit accentuated her impressive figure, making it seem as if each breath she took caused a delightful tremor.
Her lower half was clad in black capri pants that perfectly outlined her long legs, with a hint of fair skin exposed below. Below that, she wore silver high heels that added an exquisite touch to her appearance.
When Grace saw Darnell, she furrowed her brows slightly. “Darnell!”
Darnell smiled immediately when he heard Grace call him. “Ms. Morris, good morning. What a coincidence.”
Grace gave him a cold look. “Did you just get here?”
Darnell nodded honestly. “Yes, I just arrived.”
Grace let out a huff. “Do you know what time your shift starts?”
Hearing Grace’s question, Darnell’s eyes widened slightly. Was she meant to give him a hard time? Could it be that she still held a grudge over last time?
However, not wanting to argue with her, he stretched lazily and smiled. “Nine o’clock.”
Grace’s face turned stern. “What time is it now?”
Darnell pointed at the phone in her hand. “Don’t you have a phone?”
“Eleven-oh-eight,” Grace said sarcastically. “Mr. Halford is quite something-your shift starts at nine, but you arrive at eleven.”
Darnell chuckled. “To better serve our clients, our department’s work hours are flexible. Ms. Morris, surely you know that?”
He leaned closer to the fragrant woman. “We can’t just abandon our clients for rigid clocking in and out.”
“Besides, the sales department’s attendance has never been under your department’s control. Ms. Morris, you’re so aggressive today. Did I offend you somehow?”
He laughed lightly at her. “If I did upset you, just say the word and I’ll treat you to a meal as an apology-or even offer myself to you as compensation.”
Images of the woman from yesterday at Vantage flashed through his mind. Although this woman was annoying, she did have a nice figure.
“You didn’t offend me,” Grace replied bluntly, knowing full well Darnell was incorrigible.
“But what you did is against the company rules. I’m supervising you and your department on Miss Fanshaw’s orders. Miss Fanshaw said we need to regulate your department so it doesn’t become a bunch of free-range horses.”
“So starting today, I’ll check your department’s clock-in records every morning at nine for Miss Fanshaw and keep an eye on Mr. Halford’s attendance.”
“Mr. Halford or anyone else meeting clients must report beforehand or submit photos of client meetings within twenty-four hours afterward.”
Grace maintained a businesslike demeanor.
“Oh, so it’s Miss Fanshaw’s idea.” Darnell silently cursed Areli for causing him trouble but then smiled again. “Alright, I’ll make sure to clock in on time from today on.”
He had ways to make Areli change her mind, so he didn’t waste any more words with Grace. Besides, he had plans to find Lillian. “Ms. Morris, if there’s nothing else, I’ll be off. I need to see Miss Fanshaw.”
“No need to find Miss Fanshaw,” Grace said coolly. “Miss Fanshaw said if you came today, you should visit the training department.”
“For sales performance improvement, Miss Fanshaw hired some new people.” She stared at Darnell. “They’ll be the new blood and hope.”
Darnell looked surprised. “How come I didn’t know about this?”
Grace smirked slyly, “You’re never around the office. What’s strange about not knowing?”
“Besides, hiring doesn’t require your approval. The sales department is short by thirty people according to staffing needs. It’s normal for Miss Fanshaw to fill those positions for headquarters’ sake.”
Darnell recalled dismissing over twenty people without following up on recruitment later. There had always been a gap.
To his surprise, Areli seemed to care about this issue, and he felt a twinge of guilt. “I owe Miss Fanshaw for all her hard work. I’ll have to repay her properly someday.”
He planned to repay her with his proud massage techniques.
Grace scoffed, “Of course, you should repay Miss Fanshaw, because those thirty people weren’t just any hires. They were for your teammates.”
“Bailee, Shayla, and Casey have all performed exceptionally, so Miss Fanshaw decided to promote them to team leaders.”
“Really? They’ve been promoted to team leaders?”
Darnell was genuinely happy for the three women. “That’s fantastic! If that’s the case, I should give myself to Miss Fanshaw.”
Grace rolled her eyes.
Darnell shrugged it off and changed the subject. “By the way, why are you sending me to the training department?”
“You hardly make an appearance. I thought it was time for you to show your face.”
Grace replied coolly, “Also, I want you to give a speech to motivate the newcomers. Casey, Shayla, and Bailee lack experience and can’t manage their subordinates just yet.”
“Given your close relationship with them, it’s only right you step in and support them.”
Darnell asked again, “Fair enough, but are there any beautiful women there?”
“Sorry, no,” Grace replied dismissively. “It’s all guys. Miss Fanshaw said only to hire men-strong, energetic ones who can keep up with the demands of the job.”
“Sounds like a short-sighted approach.”
Darnell was quite dissatisfied.
“Sales is about using strategies, not just brute strength. Why hire a bunch of young men? It’s not like we’re doing hard labor!”
He waved his hand dismissively. “I’m not going. I have to get back to the office and prepare for a meeting with a major client.”
Grace picked up her phone threateningly. “Fine, if you don’t go, I’ll call Miss Fanshaw and tell her you’re resisting her arrangements.”
Darnell stopped her, feeling a headache coming on. Finally, he relented. “Alright, I’ll go take a look.”
The two quickly arrived at a meeting room that could accommodate a hundred people, where over thirty individuals were already seated. Contrary to what Grace had said, it wasn’t all men. There was a mix of both genders.
The attendees were listening to the training manager earnestly, occasionally jotting down notes.
The training manager was instilling the company’s principles and values.
Shayla, Casey, and Bailee, now team leaders, sat at the front of their respective groups, paying close attention.
With the three women present, how could the men not be pumped up for the class?
“Mr. Langston, Mr. Halford is here. Miss Fanshaw said for Mr. Halford to say a few words to the newcomers.”
During a break, Grace greeted the training manager. “Mr. Halford’s time is valuable. He’s rarely here, so we should seize this opportunity.”
Mr. Langston laughed and immediately clapped his hands, saying, “Everyone, your future supervisor, Mr. Halford, is here. Let’s welcome him!”
Casey, Shayla, and Bailee turned around first, jumping up with excitement at the sight of Darnell, their faces lit up with joy.
The newcomers clapped as well, peering curiously at the entrance, surprised to see someone so young as the head of the sales department.
He was way too young!
“What? Don’t think that just because I look young, you can underestimate me.”
Forced into this situation by Grace, Darnell decided to stop resisting. With confidence, he stepped onto the stage, surveyed the crowd, and began, “I’m quite impressive, you know. In two months, I’ve secured deals that were worth three to four hundred million.”
All thirty-plus newcomers stared at Darnell in silence, their skepticism clear.
Casey and the other two chimed in to support him, “Mr. Halford is truly a master in sales.”
A crew-cut young man shouted, “Mr. Halford, if you’re so amazing, why don’t you tell us how to win over clients?”
A long-haired woman echoed, “Yeah, it’s super competitive out there. You must have some tricks up your sleeve.”
“Mr. Halford, you’re so skilled. Why not share your experience with us?”
They all urged him, “Please show us what you’ve got.”
“Alright!”
Standing at the podium, Darnell smiled at everyone. “You’re all tired of hearing about the company’s history, right? I won’t bore you with sales jargon or techniques.”
“What I want to talk about today is identifying the real needs of your clients.”
“To succeed in sales, you first need to diagnose the problem accurately-find out what the client truly needs.”
“Every sale is justified by the fulfillment of the client’s needs, whether it’s a lower price, your sincerity, or your persuasion.”
“But you must genuinely understand the client’s needs, not just whimsically satisfy what they say.”
Darnell, like a professor, wrote two words on the blackboard in beautiful chalk lettering, earning a nod of acknowledgment from the dozens of newcomers.
“True Needs!”
Casey paused for a moment and asked, “Mr. Halford, how do we differentiate what the client says they need from their actual needs?”
“For example, let’s say a wealthy man, who has a preference for busty women, is looking to get married. He has three candidates, and all three women are equally attractive.”
“The wealthy man gives each woman a thousand dollars and asks them to fill a small room. Woman A fills it halfway with cotton. Woman B fills it three-quarters with helium balloons. Woman C fills the room with light using candles.”
“Who do you think he ultimately chooses?”
Casey and the others chimed in unison, “Woman C!”
Woman C was so clever. The rich man would definitely choose her as his wife.
“Wrong!”
Darnell decisively declared, “The answer is the one with the biggest boobs!”