Chapter 07
At the morning meeting of the Marketing Team of Samel Electronics’ Home Appliance Division, Team Leader Jo Jung-yeon looked around at the team members and spoke.
“The domestic market response to our company’s first smartphone of the year, the ‘Galaxy M,’ has been successful so far. Although our team is part of the Home Appliance Division, the smartphone sector is a company-wide priority, so regardless of department, we need to provide as much support as possible. You all know that we’re setting up a ‘Galaxy M’ booth at ‘MWCS 2010,’ the world’s largest mobile IT exhibition held in Barcelona, Spain, right?”
“Yes, Team Leader.”
“Since we’re rolling it out on the largest scale ever, the manpower from the Telecommunications Division’s Marketing Team and the Global Marketing Team alone is somewhat insufficient. So we’ve decided to send two to three people from each division’s marketing team as support. Therefore, our team also needs to decide who will go and let them know…”
“…..”
As Team Leader Jo looked around the room, everyone either averted their eyes or cleared their throats.
You’d think they’d all jump at the chance to go abroad, but any employee who knows the situation wouldn’t readily volunteer.
They are all too familiar with how grueling and stressful those few days can be.
“Actually, the Global Marketing Team has two specific people they’d like us to send from our team.”
At Team Leader Jo’s words, the team members’ gazes simultaneously turned to Cha Ji-hoo and Yoo A-ri. They are the two best English speakers on the team.
Their guess was correct.
“Assistant Manager Cha and Assistant Manager Yoo. This is absolutely not a coercion. It’s on a volunteer basis, so I’d appreciate it if you’d share your thoughts without feeling pressured.”
Assistant Manager Yoo was the first to respond.
“I’ll do it.”
“Oh, really? Thanks.”
Now it was Cha Ji-hoo’s turn.
In his previous life, he had declined this request.
The reason was that he was in the process of planning his marriage to Ahn Ji-yeon and setting a date. The exhibition period also coincided with the date of the formal meeting between their families.
But now, there was no need for that.
Moreover, this was clearly a good opportunity.
He would have even volunteered on his own if he hadn’t been nominated, so there was no reason to refuse if the Global Marketing Team wanted him.
“Of course I’ll go! I’ll represent our team and demonstrate the ability of one person doing the work of a hundred!”
“Oh, as expected, Assistant Manager!”
“Good guy! Thanks, Assistant Manager Cha!”
“Good decision. You’re truly our team’s rising star, haha!”
At Cha Ji-hoo’s spirited and refreshing answer, Team Leader Jo and the team members gave thumbs up and responded with cheers and applause.
A few days later, Assistant Managers Cha Ji-hoo and Yoo A-ri appeared at Incheon Airport to support the ‘MWCS 2010’ event. They boarded the plane along with some members of the Global Marketing Team and support personnel from other departments.
“Haha, I can’t tell you how glad and reassured I am that Assistant Manager Cha volunteered to support us. It feels like I’ve gained a million-strong army, haha.”
Global Marketing Team Leader Jang Ki-ho welcomed Cha Ji-hoo especially warmly. It was to the point that his own team members who were accompanying him felt jealous.
He had a reason for so openly coveting and targeting a member of another team. It was after he saw Cha Ji-hoo briefing a promotional plan for electronics products in English.
His likeable, warm appearance, his gentle impression, and his amazing level of English speaking skills surprised him. Moreover, the seasoned professionalism and composure that one would typically feel only from a department head or higher made him think that Cha Ji-hoo could definitely serve as an ace on the international marketing stage.
Of course, his team also had many talented people. In an electronics company that stands at the top of the world beyond Korea, how could there not be?
However, while their skills were no less than Cha Ji-hoo’s, they unfortunately lacked the aura and presence to surpass him. When dealing with people from all over the world, ability is the bare minimum, and one needs charisma and charm beyond that to attract attention and gain favor, which is why Team Leader Jang coveted him so much.
‘Sigh, why did that guy go to the Home Appliance Division’s Marketing Team? He’s clearly a talent who should have come to our team.’
Since then, he had been persistently trying to bring Cha Ji-hoo over through various channels. He had already prepared carrots for quite some time, such as additional incentives or promises of promotions and opportunities to shine. It was a so-called in-house scouting operation.
For Cha Ji-hoo, it was a tempting offer. The Global Marketing Team is larger in scale than each division’s marketing team and operates in a completely different league. If you work on the international stage and achieve results, there’s also the advantage of quickly building a position for in-house promotions.
However, in such cases, the scouting target needs to act cautiously. Because if you bite at a good offer too readily and a perception of being a ‘traitor’ or ‘sly’ spreads within the company, it can harm your reputation.
‘First, the way things look needs to be clean, and for that, I absolutely have to wait for the higher-ups to finish the job.’
Cha Ji-hoo, without showing impatience, was managing his expression appropriately. He absolutely did not reveal his intentions or desires rashly.
“I’m not sure how much help I’ll be. I’ll do my best to meet your expectations, Team Leader.”
“Good, good, haha. So, speaking of which, could you perhaps emcee the seminar on the second day?”
“Me, emcee?”
“Yes. It’s an event with global power users and industry media representatives attending, but some of the others have scheduling conflicts, so we don’t have a suitable person. Plus, it requires fluency in both English and French.”
“I’ve never emceed at a conference before…”
“Don’t feel too pressured. The main speakers are the US branch manager and the R&D Center head, so you just need to support them from the opening remarks and throughout the session.”
“Okay, I understand. I came here to support, so if it’s what you want, Team Leader, I’ll give it a try.”
“As expected! Our Assistant Manager Cha, hahaha!”
He didn’t one hundred percent understand on what basis Team Leader Jang trusted him so much, but at least the fact itself was something to be grateful for.
If someone acknowledges you and gives you a mission, it’s only natural to do your best to execute it perfectly.
‘First, I need to know everything about this ‘Galaxy M’ perfectly.’
On the plane, Cha Ji-hoo went so far as to change seats to ask the Telecommunications Division personnel to explain the product to him. In addition, he checked related materials one by one and diligently crammed knowledge into his head comparable to that of the division members.
‘After returning, my body has become younger, and it seems my brain has become a young one too. The input capacity is noticeably different from when I was in my forties.’
Perhaps finding this change fascinating, Cha Ji-hoo was excited and couldn’t sleep. He reviewed English words and expressions related to new technologies and new IT trends that he had separately organized, thinking they might be needed at the exhibition site, and set foot in Barcelona.
The local preparations for ‘MWCS 2010’ were almost complete, with one day left until the opening.
The support personnel who arrived on the same plane, including Cha Ji-hoo, dropped off their luggage at the accommodation and rushed to the exhibition hall.
“Don’t forget to carry your Exhibitor Badges, everyone!”
“Yes!”
‘MWCS’ is an exhibition that the general public cannot enter. This is because it is a strictly B2B-oriented event. Therefore, without a ‘badge’ proving that you are a company representative, journalist, or specially invited VIP, entry is impossible.
Arriving at the exhibition hall, Cha Ji-hoo hung his badge around his neck and went inside.
“Oh, it’s much larger and more magnificent than I expected!”
“It’s no joke. It’s comparable to last year’s ‘CESC 2009’ exhibition hall.”
Assistant Managers Cha Ji-hoo and Yoo A-ri exclaimed in admiration at the size of the exhibition hall.
“Certainly, since ‘Appple’ released the smartphone ‘iPhon,’ the level of interest in the IT market for communication devices has risen tremendously.”
“That’s right. That’s why this exhibition feels even more disappointing. Because ‘Appple’ didn’t participate.”
“Maybe it’s actually a good thing. Thanks to that, latecomers can share a bit more of the spotlight.”
“I really hope our ‘Galaxy M’ gets a lot of attention.”
They didn’t need to bother looking for the Samel Electronics booth. It was planted right in the front, in the most visible spot upon entry, on a massive scale.
Cha Ji-hoo and Assistant Manager Yoo began helping the Telecommunications Division and Global Marketing Team members with the final preparations. The facilities and equipment had already been completed by contracted companies. Their tasks mainly consisted of displaying products and organizing and arranging the displays and promotional items they had brought separately.
“Assistant Manager Cha!”
Somewhere, Global Marketing Team Leader Jang Ki-ho, holding a walkie-talkie, approached with an excited face.
“Yes, Team Leader.”
“You haven’t forgotten about the seminar day after tomorrow, have you?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Thanks. And Assistant Manager Cha, I’d like you to position yourself right here, at this key intersection of the traffic flow. VIPs and key figures will be coming and going through this route. I’d like you to guide them so they can smoothly examine our products and listen to explanations, and respond to people asking for help.”
“Understood, Team Leader.”
“And they’ll probably ask you all sorts of things. So please answer them well.”
“I’ll do that.”
“Assistant Manager Yoo, please support him well from the side too.”
“Yes, Team Leader.”
After he disappeared, Assistant Manager Yoo smiled and said to Cha Ji-hoo.
“This spot is really a strategic point. All paths lead through here. At this rate, isn’t it almost like they’re putting you in charge? Hoho.”
“Anyway, the product explanations at each point within the booth will be handled by the Global Marketing Team staff or locally hired personnel. I think they just mean for me to greet people well and act as a guide.”
At that moment, two familiar faces appeared. They were colleagues of Cha Ji-hoo from the Global Marketing Team who had already been here for several days.
“You’re finally here, Cha Ji-hoo!”
“You guys have worked hard. I should have come early to help, sorry.”
“We’re the ones who should be sorry. We made you come to support us even though it’s not even your department’s work. Anyway, why is our team leader so obsessed with you? No, that’s the wrong expression. Why does he dote on you so much? He trusts you more than us, his actual team members. We’re so jealous we could die, hehe.”
“Well, actually, I don’t know the exact reason either.”
“Hey, if you’re going to transfer, do it soon. Then we won’t have to be jealous of someone from another team.”
“That’s something for the higher-ups to decide. I just do as I’m told.”
“Let’s have a drink after this is over. It’s been a while since we’ve all gotten together.”
“Sounds good. Contact me.”
All preparation work was finished only after it got dark. Still, the situation was better than last year’s ‘CESC 2009,’ when they pulled an all-nighter.
It was well past 10 PM when Cha Ji-hoo returned to the accommodation after dinner.
He admired the night view of Barcelona, which he was seeing for the first time, through the window for just a few minutes, and then immediately fell into a deep sleep.
Finally, the curtain rose on ‘MWCS 2010′.
As expected, the crowds on the first day were enormous.
Cha Ji-hoo spent the day incredibly busy, greeting and guiding the throngs of visitors pouring into the Samel Electronics booth.
“I’d like to try out the newly released smartphone myself. Where should I go?”
“Would you? I’ll guide you. Please come with me.”
“Thank you.”
“I’m not sure how Samel Electronics’ ‘Galaxy M’ differs from Appple’s iPhon. Could you explain?”
“Oh, yes. This newly developed smartphone of ours has differentiating points not only in hardware but also in software. To explain in detail…”
“Assistant Manager Cha, this person is a French journalist. Could you please interpret for us?”
“Oh, yes. Deputy Manager.”
Since the spot Cha Ji-hoo was assigned to was a key point in the traffic flow, he was effectively taking on the roles of both the ‘Galaxy M’ information desk and a guide simultaneously.
He facilitated smooth communication with buyers, media outlets, and even VIPs, in fluent French as well as English. His performance was at a level that was unmatched even from the perspective of those around him.
