The Sourcers We Are (And Aren't) Today Part VI

Now remember, Pam had just put the phone down and said the s word.

She was disappointed and on tenterhooks, aching to make her next move.

At this point she and I knew a decision had to be made fast.

“What do you want to do?” I asked.

“I’m going to call Diane back,” Pam declares.

I arch my eyebrows and turn my head slightly and say, “You think that’s a good idea?”both of us knowing the stakes at risk.

Chances were equally good Diane had sniffed something on the wind - after all, she was in negotiations for another job - and calls of the nature she just had don't come every day.

In fact, chances are she'd never received a call in her life like she just had!

Then again, standing at someone's desk and communicating on someone's else's phone is an awkward affair and there was reason to believe she could have wanted to get back to her own desk to continue this call.

If I had to lay money down on this one though, I'd go with the first bet.

Going directly at the “hot potato” in a sourcing project is a double-edged sword.

Anything can happen.

They can catch a whiff in the wind as to your motives (often they’re not as dumb as you might think they are!) and once sounded can send a message through an organization that can greatly reduce your chances of success.

However, chances of this happening run on the lower rather than greater side of percentages so many phone sourcers accept this risk.

Pam was still willing to accept this risk.

A phone sourcer’s “spidey-sense” often plays the most important part in this decision; the run-up to this next-step action is what sets the stage and is many times the deciding factor in moving forward (or not.)

“While you do that I’m going to call my songbird back. Maybe she’s back from her meeting!” I chirp, trying to lighten the mood and even the odds, noticing that about a half-hour had elapsed since last I spoke with Annette, as I head for the powder room.

I see Pam pick up the phone out of the corner of my eye as I pass and one part of me doesn't want to witness what happens next.

I softly close the bathroom door and quickly dial Annette's number.

She answers.

"Annette? This is Maureen again. I'm so glad you're back from your meeting."

"Yeah, it didn't last long," Annette sighs and I can't help but think she sounds relieved.

"I found Diane but guess what?" I ask, rather conspiratorially. "She wasn't in Loreen's group like I thought but she was in Renee York's group and I wouldn't have found her if you hadn't told me who Renee was - I'm so grateful!"

"Well, I'm glad," Annette begins to say and I can hear in her voice she's beginning to wonder why I'm doing all this explaining so I quickly cut to the chase.

"But now I can't reach Diane and I'm wondering if you can see if there's anyone else in her group I might try?"

I hold my breath because I feel like I may be wearing out my welcome with Annette but my luck seems to hold.

"Sure!" Annette exclaims with some enthusiasm that renews mine and she breathes those wonderful words every phone sourcer thrills to hear, "Let me open up my directory..."and all falls silent.

"Okay, what do you need?" she asks and I repeat Diane's manager's name - Renee York - and wait, giving Annette time to find her in the system.

"Here she is; yes! I see Diane!" she calls out like she's discovered the missing puzzle part (which, of course, she has!) and then she says, "It looks like Renee has several reports,"and my heart races as it so often does upon hearing news like this and I hold my breath waiting to see if Annette needs further prompting.

It appears she does.

"Does Diane have any other consultants listed with her?" and again, I hold my breath knowing I'm being a bit more brashly bold than I usually am when the stakes are so high but time was drawing on and I did want to get over to the conference too because I did have a presentation to present shortly after lunch!

"She does - three of them," Annette answers and I am rewarded with that warm glow that comes when puzzle pieces begin to fit snugly together.

"Oh?" I ask, trying to sound casually interested. "Maybe one of them could help me," I offer, like I'm half-talking to myself, sounding out theories.

"What are their names?"

Annette tells me.

I ask for their numbers.

She gives them to me.

I ask for their company affiliations.

She gives me those too.

One of them works for the same company Diane does and two of them work for a different consulting company.

I'm not finished.

I then ask if Renee has any other reports "just in case, and it probably won't happen but just in case so I don't have to bother you again, Annette," and guess what? She does! Four of them with delicious sounding titles like "Specialist - Marketing Loyalty Redemption Programs" and "Associate -Loyalty/Email Marketing" and "Specialist - Airline Direct Marketing" and "Marketing Associate -Airlines Direct Marketing" and I feel like my life is complete.

Once I have the direct dials which she also gave me.

Now, I know you're all wondering what happened when Pam called Diane back.

She got her Voice Mail.

We were both glad I hedged that bet.

THE END

There may be another installment to this story and there may not be.

I am in contact with Bill and am following the progress of the candidates from this airline.

As in all of recruiting one day the news is good and the next it is bad.

Once I have a clearer picture of the outcome I'll try to summarize it for you.

In the meantime maybe Bill would like to fill us in on what's going on.

Thank you for following this long series and I hope you enjoyed it.

For more information about phone sourcing I strongly encourage you to join this membership network you're on right now (MagicMethod PHONE SOURCING) and explore the many postings that have largely to do with the subject of telephone sourcing.

When I started phone sourcing in 1996 there was nothing like this available and still today there is nothing like it anywhere but at this site!

I don’t say that lightly. It’s still the only place to come for expert phone sourcing information – this arcane subject so few know much of anything about.

On Sunday nights at 6 p.m. ET we meet here on the main page in the Chat Room to talk about phone sourcing and to get our week started early.

I hope you'll join us!

Maureen Sharib

Ensorceler*

513 899 9628 / 513 646 7306

www.techtrak.com

maureen at techtrak.com

*ensorcel: to bewitch, charm, engage, fascinate