The Best Christmas Present- ever

[DaveB]

You folks know that I can be cynical & flippant ( I am British ) & you know when I'm serious.

In the last eight days the company I work for has been awarded two major contracts .

One is a telecomms upgrade and support contract supported by our tradtional principals, Motorola,- 3 years.

The other is as a sub-contractor to a Chinese telecoms giant that our local engineering group (31 companies- that has identified on a strategic level as the Chinese company that we must try and work with) for a two year supply contract and two years' support.

All very First World hi tech.

I'm 57 and we've got 3-4 years business guaranteed! Our new MD (old one reitired 2 years ago and we got a new young dynamic forward thinker to replace him) is about to become the star of the show. We are about 45 people (1/3 of whom I've known for over 20 years). The two contracts are worth >$30M. We'll make our turnover and profit targets for the next 4 years and they'll be loads of spin-off business. I've been here 24 years. Sometimes we make our targetted profit and sometimes we don't, but we always make decent profits. We do great engineering with great products (Motorola, Huawei) in a truly ethical way. I couldn't be happier! 45 people, plus families, are going to bust their guts, make it work and get rewarded!

Isn't that what it's all about?

My greatest Christmas present ever.

 

[hemibee]

I love it when a plan comes together! Congrats on the bright future.

 

[DaveB]

The great thing about it is that the sales team & the engineers did it. I was barely involved in the pre-sales effort.

But when these contracts are in place I'll be in the middle of it all. So it's basically great praise for the sales & engineering guys. Well done, and we all benefit!

 

[otherwise]

Cool man!
Just make sure you take time to smell the roses.
And the big one IMHO, you said "I'm 57 and we've got 3-4 years business guaranteed!" That's enough in 4 years you'll be 61 pull the pin and smell the roses every day.

 

[keystiger]

THAT is a great Christmas present and a heck of a way to start off the New YEar. Congrats to you and yours

 

[Rocky]

Congrats on the great turn of events

 

[DaveB]

There will be the daily stress of having work to do and it won't always be easy. That's the kind of easy motivating stress that makes you want to get up in the morning.

But, but, the underlying really horrible type of stress, the stress that eats you up from the inside and stops you sleeping at night- are we going in the right direction? will we survive? is my job safe? etc.- evaporates. And it takes all the Head office pressure, which can be merciless, off our boss. One of these contracts took eight months to win; the other took 4 years! Trust in our beliefs and trust in your bosses & colleagues are paramount when you're working away on the really big quotations & tenders (formal bids). You also have to trust the customer. Heck, trust in yourself is a pre-requisite. You really have to earn the big contracts. Both customers, one Government and the other parastatal, know us inside out. That level of customer trust takes years, even decades, to earn.

It means that we as individuals can make plans and our lot in life should improve. For the select few it means we'll be able to get new motorbikes! I've known and worked with about a third of our current staff for over 20 years. Some of them are personal friends. I've seen marriages, children born, children graduate, grandchildren born etc. in that time. Wow, the New Year at work will be absolutely fizzing for a week or so. Then we'll all have to settle down as the serious stuff begins. Bring it on!

 

[DaveB]

We moved to bigger premises in September, partly in anticipation of winning these contracts.

Right outside my office window is a duckpond with real ducks in it. How cool is that?

 

[donroger1]

Congratulations Dave!!!!

Your news is incredible and very comforting for quite some time to go!!!

 

[DaveM]

Great going on all that made this happen and as you say nothing worse then always sitting wondering if you will have a job the next day.

 

[CarlS]

Dave, that is great news. I am glad fory you and your company. Having a secure job is a wonderful blessing.