Well here I am, back in Mexico like I never left. It was a very bitter-sweet trip back to the states. A close friend of my family passed away last week in a motorcycle accident. He was only 19 years old. Just goes to show how fragile life is. Make sure you tell the ones you love that you love them and tell them often. Much love to anyone reading this. RIP Obie....
I arrived back in Mexico on Sunday afternoon, staying at the same hotel; Casa de la Condesa. This time, they gave me a room on the other side of the hotel. Although it is a bit smaller, I like this room much better. I have a small balcony with a hammock and a view of the plaza outside. Also, my bed is a bit softer, the shower has good pressure and...... a door on it!! Maybe they were reading my blog?
This week we are working over night on the convenience routes. We start at 8pm and don't get done until about 5am. These routes seem a bit harder than the other routes that I have been on. There is only one vendor for all brands, which means they work with a lot (*side note: maybe one day I will remember before spell check reminds me that a lot is two words and not one*) of different products. Each store takes at least an hour so each night the vendor only services 5-7 stores.
My body is clearly not used to the over night hours. I should probably be asleep right now. I am sure that by the time my body adjust, I will be going back to working days. But it is what it is.....
I just got an email that told me we are going to meet Daniel Servitje on Friday. For those that don't know, Daniel is the CEO of Grupo Bimbo so this is kind of a big deal. According to the email, we won't be meeting him in person however. It will be via satellite. He is a very important, busy man so I am pretty honored he is making some time for us. I am looking forward to chatting with him.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Reflection....
So I have been in Mexico for just over a month now and I thought it would be a good idea to reflect on some of the things I have seen/done.
It has been a great experience so far. I am very happy and thankful for the opportunity. We have been doing a lot of work but have been able to throw in some fun here and there. Everyone at Grupo Bimbo has been very helpful and kind. I have been able to learn a lot about the business as well as the culture here in Mexico.
I have written down a bunch of observations. I will try to be as PC as possible....
Riding around with the route guys, you quickly learn all the bad Spanish words first (as I am sure it would be the same riding around with our guys). I will spare you all the bad words but they love calling each other names. They are always telling me to "say this to that person", or he is a "_____". I guess it is similar in the US. When you are good friends with someone, you tend to bust on them and call them names. It is kind of a sign of endearment. Also, they say "buey" after EVERYTHING!! From what I have gathered, it is similar to saying "dude"? With people you know, it has more of a friendly vibe but it can be used with a negative connotation. Having an extra word thrown in there that has nothing to do with the context of the sentence has definitely made understanding some things more difficult. Not to mention it sounds pretty stupid....
Which brings me to my next point. Not meaning to beat a dead horse, but the language barrier can be pretty frustrating at times. Information is power and it has been hard to get all the information I want without some grey areas. What I wouldn't give to just be able to communicate clearly and to be able to bring more to the table. Not to mention I have definitely been the butt end of more jokes and agreed to more stupid things than I can count. Sometimes, I am sure I am saying yes to things that I probably shouldn't be. They always seem to get a good laugh at it so whatever.
All I have to say is holy hair cuts and hair gel!! I have seen some funky hair cuts down here for sure. Spiked hair and Mohawks everywhere you look. Not only that, every guy uses hair gel and A LOT of it. I am pretty sure they are keeping all the hair gel companies in business.
Interesting tid-bit in case you care; I have definitely had to pay to use the bathroom......more than once. At one gas station, I had to pay $5 pesos just to walk in the bathroom. What if I only wanted to wash my hands?? At another super market, not only did I have to pay $3 pesos, but they divey out the TP before you go in (which isn't a lot). Good thing I only had to go num...... never mind.
Being with route guys all day and driving in a truck, I have noticed that they are great parallel parkers. I have seen them fit a big truck in a spot I wouldn't even attempt to fit my car. It is pretty impressive.
Two things I am very surprised I haven't seen more of; car accidents and (sadly) dead dogs. The traffic in Mexico is crazy to say the least. There are traffic laws but, from my perspective, they aren't enforced. People are constantly running red lights (they will run the red light and just beep their horn like "hey, I'm coming through"), cutting other cars off, and driving where I don't think you should be driving. It seems like "if you can fit, you can drive there". However, I think I may have only seen one or two car accidents. It kind of baffles me. On bad traffic days a 20 minute trip can take over 2 hours. This happened to us one Friday coming home from work. Our normally 20 minute drive back to the hotel took us a good 2 hours. It was insanely frustrating. Traffic is one of the only things that really grinds my gears. I will never complain about traffic in Boston again. This ties in with the dogs. Everywhere you look there is a stray dog or two. With how crazy the traffic is, I am surprised they aren't hit more often.
Also tied into the traffic are vendors and performers at the stop lights. At almost every stop light there are vendors walking by your car trying to sell you something. I have seen everything from snacks, water and fruit, to globes, giant calculators, and tools. I can see trying to sell someone a bag of chips or something, but lets me honest, when was the last time you were stopped at a light a thought to yourself, "you know, I could really use another globe in my house"?? The answer to that is most likely never. But they have to be selling some of them or I am sure they wouldn't be carrying them around in the hot Mexican sun, right?? You also see a lot of street performers at lights. As soon as the light turns red, they hop out, put on their little performance, and then walk up to your car and ask for money. Some of them aren't too bad. I have seen jugglers, guys doing tricks with weapons, and, my favorite, the parent/child duo. Usually, the kid is dressed up like a clown and has something stuffed in their pants to make it look like they have a large back side. Then, they stand on the parents shoulders, come out in the middle of traffic, and do a little dance. It is pretty comical, not going to lie.
The cost of living in Mexico is way cheaper than it is in the States. For example, a breakfast at a diner might run you $12-15 in the US. Here, the same breakfast is only about $6. However, items that are way more expensive are electronics. For an Android smart phone in the US it will probably run you about $200-250. Here, that same phone is close to $1,000. For this reason, not everyone has a fancy cell phone. It is definitely not like in the US where everyone is constantly on their phone; texting, tweeting, facebooking. I am just as guilty as anybody else so I am not passing judgement. Around here, people actually talk to other people. It's crazy!! Social media is killing our social lives. I actually just read about this cool game people play at dinner. It's called phone stack. Everyone stacks their phones at the table and the first person to look at their phone has to pay the bill. I think its a cool idea. Go talk to a real person!! But I digress.....
Something I learned very quickly working for Bimbo is that Mexicans LOVE their sweet, sugary snacks. Cookies and cake definitely are the main drivers of our business. In almost every Tienda, the first position next to the register is some sort of cake, candy or cookie. While that is good for us, consuming so much sugar can cause major health problems such as obesity, diabetes, and poor dental health. I did a little research and Mexico has a very high rate of child obesity and diabetes. Diabetes is one of the leading causes of death in Mexico; about 75,000 deaths per year. It is estimated that within 10 years, the high rate of diabetes could cripple their Healthcare System. They are also one of the highest consumers of soft drinks in the world (this I have seen first hand). It is becoming a serious problem in this country and other developing countries around the world.
Before I came to Mexico, the first thing everyone said to me was "be careful", "it's dangerous down there". I refused to buy into the hype. As with any major city, there are parts that are going to be dangerous. So far I have felt pretty safe for the most part. However, there have been a few things that have made me feel slightly uneasy....
First, in our culture class, the teacher told us not to trust the Police and to avoid them at all cost. He told us that the Police in Mexico are under trained and under paid, therefore they are easily corrupted. Most of the time, they are just looking for a bribe and will leave you alone. I have heard this from many people down here too. They say Mexico is a place that, with enough money, you can get away with anything.
Another thing that is a little nerve racking to see are the Police walking around the streets with fully automatic weapons and riot gear. I mean, you see Police on the streets in the US but never with Uzis or Shotguns. The first time I saw this I was shocked. I went to a soccer game last Sunday and I have never seen so many Police in riot gear. The were lined up all around the stadium. I know soccer games can get a little crazy but this was a sight to see.
In our culture class, we also learned that Mexico is a country of contradictions. The one contradiction I have seen first hand is that everyone is so nice and friendly but no body trusts anybody else. There is security for everything, even to check product into a store. You have to get patted down when you walk in and patted down when you walk out. I was told that as some stores, they check the color of their employees underwear and socks when they come in and when leave so they know they didn't steal anything. Also, I don't care how fancy you make them look, there are still bars on ALL windows. I find it kind of sad.
Since I have been here, I have heard about several muggings and was a witness to one. Before our vendor class one day, one of the guys came in a told us he had just been mugged in the way to work. Another time, I heard a story of a girl getting mugged on a bus full of people. No one did anything. She had to ask the bus driver for money to get on the next bus to get to work. The one I was a witness to happened in traffic with the Police standing 100 yards away. We were on our way home from work and heard two pops. I honestly didn't think anything of it but our driver quickly told us to roll up our windows. We looked behind us a two guys were robbing a girl in a BMW. One of the guys let of two shots, and then jacked her for her bag. We drove up to the corner where the Police were standing and let them know what we saw. It was kind of scary.
I could probably write a small book on everything I have seen and my thoughts thus far but I will leave some stuff to your imagination. Overall, being in Mexico has been great. I knew coming into it that it was going to be a big change. That's one of the reasons I really wanted to come. It is interesting to see how another country operates, weather it's in business or socially. If anyone from Mexico spent time living and working in the US, I am sure they would find a bunch of this things we do weird. Sometimes you just need to get out of your comfort zone and experience new things. I obviously miss home but I also still have a lot to experience in Mexico. I am looking forward to the next 3 and a half months and what they have to offer.
Things I Miss
By Ramon Posada:
- Pulling on any street and being able to get a cup of fresh coffee from DD. They don't drink much coffee down here and when they do it's the instant stuff. Not a big fan. I have had a couple of good cups of coffee though.
- Being able to drive myself where I want, when I want. We have a taxi service that takes us to and from work. In the AM they are pretty much always on time, although they don't always know how to get to our destination. However, in the PM they are pretty bad. We usually call at least an hour before we need to get picked up. Most of the time they are 30+ mins late. I have waited up to two hours for them to pick me up before!!!
- Being able to cook my own food. There is not a full kitchen in the rooms so we have to eat out when we want to eat. At least I don't have to do dishes......
- My bed. They bed here is hard as a rock (I use it to iron on). I have gotten used to it though.
- My shower. The water pressure in my room is not very good. Again, you get used to it. The one thing though, there is no door on the shower?? Instead, there is a drain inside, and outside the shower. Haven't been able to figure this one out?? Why not just put a door or curtain??
- My co-workers
- My friends
- And most importantly, MY FAMILY!!
It has been a great experience so far. I am very happy and thankful for the opportunity. We have been doing a lot of work but have been able to throw in some fun here and there. Everyone at Grupo Bimbo has been very helpful and kind. I have been able to learn a lot about the business as well as the culture here in Mexico.
I have written down a bunch of observations. I will try to be as PC as possible....
Riding around with the route guys, you quickly learn all the bad Spanish words first (as I am sure it would be the same riding around with our guys). I will spare you all the bad words but they love calling each other names. They are always telling me to "say this to that person", or he is a "_____". I guess it is similar in the US. When you are good friends with someone, you tend to bust on them and call them names. It is kind of a sign of endearment. Also, they say "buey" after EVERYTHING!! From what I have gathered, it is similar to saying "dude"? With people you know, it has more of a friendly vibe but it can be used with a negative connotation. Having an extra word thrown in there that has nothing to do with the context of the sentence has definitely made understanding some things more difficult. Not to mention it sounds pretty stupid....
Which brings me to my next point. Not meaning to beat a dead horse, but the language barrier can be pretty frustrating at times. Information is power and it has been hard to get all the information I want without some grey areas. What I wouldn't give to just be able to communicate clearly and to be able to bring more to the table. Not to mention I have definitely been the butt end of more jokes and agreed to more stupid things than I can count. Sometimes, I am sure I am saying yes to things that I probably shouldn't be. They always seem to get a good laugh at it so whatever.
All I have to say is holy hair cuts and hair gel!! I have seen some funky hair cuts down here for sure. Spiked hair and Mohawks everywhere you look. Not only that, every guy uses hair gel and A LOT of it. I am pretty sure they are keeping all the hair gel companies in business.
Interesting tid-bit in case you care; I have definitely had to pay to use the bathroom......more than once. At one gas station, I had to pay $5 pesos just to walk in the bathroom. What if I only wanted to wash my hands?? At another super market, not only did I have to pay $3 pesos, but they divey out the TP before you go in (which isn't a lot). Good thing I only had to go num...... never mind.
Being with route guys all day and driving in a truck, I have noticed that they are great parallel parkers. I have seen them fit a big truck in a spot I wouldn't even attempt to fit my car. It is pretty impressive.
Two things I am very surprised I haven't seen more of; car accidents and (sadly) dead dogs. The traffic in Mexico is crazy to say the least. There are traffic laws but, from my perspective, they aren't enforced. People are constantly running red lights (they will run the red light and just beep their horn like "hey, I'm coming through"), cutting other cars off, and driving where I don't think you should be driving. It seems like "if you can fit, you can drive there". However, I think I may have only seen one or two car accidents. It kind of baffles me. On bad traffic days a 20 minute trip can take over 2 hours. This happened to us one Friday coming home from work. Our normally 20 minute drive back to the hotel took us a good 2 hours. It was insanely frustrating. Traffic is one of the only things that really grinds my gears. I will never complain about traffic in Boston again. This ties in with the dogs. Everywhere you look there is a stray dog or two. With how crazy the traffic is, I am surprised they aren't hit more often.
Also tied into the traffic are vendors and performers at the stop lights. At almost every stop light there are vendors walking by your car trying to sell you something. I have seen everything from snacks, water and fruit, to globes, giant calculators, and tools. I can see trying to sell someone a bag of chips or something, but lets me honest, when was the last time you were stopped at a light a thought to yourself, "you know, I could really use another globe in my house"?? The answer to that is most likely never. But they have to be selling some of them or I am sure they wouldn't be carrying them around in the hot Mexican sun, right?? You also see a lot of street performers at lights. As soon as the light turns red, they hop out, put on their little performance, and then walk up to your car and ask for money. Some of them aren't too bad. I have seen jugglers, guys doing tricks with weapons, and, my favorite, the parent/child duo. Usually, the kid is dressed up like a clown and has something stuffed in their pants to make it look like they have a large back side. Then, they stand on the parents shoulders, come out in the middle of traffic, and do a little dance. It is pretty comical, not going to lie.
The cost of living in Mexico is way cheaper than it is in the States. For example, a breakfast at a diner might run you $12-15 in the US. Here, the same breakfast is only about $6. However, items that are way more expensive are electronics. For an Android smart phone in the US it will probably run you about $200-250. Here, that same phone is close to $1,000. For this reason, not everyone has a fancy cell phone. It is definitely not like in the US where everyone is constantly on their phone; texting, tweeting, facebooking. I am just as guilty as anybody else so I am not passing judgement. Around here, people actually talk to other people. It's crazy!! Social media is killing our social lives. I actually just read about this cool game people play at dinner. It's called phone stack. Everyone stacks their phones at the table and the first person to look at their phone has to pay the bill. I think its a cool idea. Go talk to a real person!! But I digress.....
Something I learned very quickly working for Bimbo is that Mexicans LOVE their sweet, sugary snacks. Cookies and cake definitely are the main drivers of our business. In almost every Tienda, the first position next to the register is some sort of cake, candy or cookie. While that is good for us, consuming so much sugar can cause major health problems such as obesity, diabetes, and poor dental health. I did a little research and Mexico has a very high rate of child obesity and diabetes. Diabetes is one of the leading causes of death in Mexico; about 75,000 deaths per year. It is estimated that within 10 years, the high rate of diabetes could cripple their Healthcare System. They are also one of the highest consumers of soft drinks in the world (this I have seen first hand). It is becoming a serious problem in this country and other developing countries around the world.
Before I came to Mexico, the first thing everyone said to me was "be careful", "it's dangerous down there". I refused to buy into the hype. As with any major city, there are parts that are going to be dangerous. So far I have felt pretty safe for the most part. However, there have been a few things that have made me feel slightly uneasy....
First, in our culture class, the teacher told us not to trust the Police and to avoid them at all cost. He told us that the Police in Mexico are under trained and under paid, therefore they are easily corrupted. Most of the time, they are just looking for a bribe and will leave you alone. I have heard this from many people down here too. They say Mexico is a place that, with enough money, you can get away with anything.
Another thing that is a little nerve racking to see are the Police walking around the streets with fully automatic weapons and riot gear. I mean, you see Police on the streets in the US but never with Uzis or Shotguns. The first time I saw this I was shocked. I went to a soccer game last Sunday and I have never seen so many Police in riot gear. The were lined up all around the stadium. I know soccer games can get a little crazy but this was a sight to see.
In our culture class, we also learned that Mexico is a country of contradictions. The one contradiction I have seen first hand is that everyone is so nice and friendly but no body trusts anybody else. There is security for everything, even to check product into a store. You have to get patted down when you walk in and patted down when you walk out. I was told that as some stores, they check the color of their employees underwear and socks when they come in and when leave so they know they didn't steal anything. Also, I don't care how fancy you make them look, there are still bars on ALL windows. I find it kind of sad.
Since I have been here, I have heard about several muggings and was a witness to one. Before our vendor class one day, one of the guys came in a told us he had just been mugged in the way to work. Another time, I heard a story of a girl getting mugged on a bus full of people. No one did anything. She had to ask the bus driver for money to get on the next bus to get to work. The one I was a witness to happened in traffic with the Police standing 100 yards away. We were on our way home from work and heard two pops. I honestly didn't think anything of it but our driver quickly told us to roll up our windows. We looked behind us a two guys were robbing a girl in a BMW. One of the guys let of two shots, and then jacked her for her bag. We drove up to the corner where the Police were standing and let them know what we saw. It was kind of scary.
I could probably write a small book on everything I have seen and my thoughts thus far but I will leave some stuff to your imagination. Overall, being in Mexico has been great. I knew coming into it that it was going to be a big change. That's one of the reasons I really wanted to come. It is interesting to see how another country operates, weather it's in business or socially. If anyone from Mexico spent time living and working in the US, I am sure they would find a bunch of this things we do weird. Sometimes you just need to get out of your comfort zone and experience new things. I obviously miss home but I also still have a lot to experience in Mexico. I am looking forward to the next 3 and a half months and what they have to offer.
Things I Miss
By Ramon Posada:
- Pulling on any street and being able to get a cup of fresh coffee from DD. They don't drink much coffee down here and when they do it's the instant stuff. Not a big fan. I have had a couple of good cups of coffee though.
- Being able to drive myself where I want, when I want. We have a taxi service that takes us to and from work. In the AM they are pretty much always on time, although they don't always know how to get to our destination. However, in the PM they are pretty bad. We usually call at least an hour before we need to get picked up. Most of the time they are 30+ mins late. I have waited up to two hours for them to pick me up before!!!
- Being able to cook my own food. There is not a full kitchen in the rooms so we have to eat out when we want to eat. At least I don't have to do dishes......
- My bed. They bed here is hard as a rock (I use it to iron on). I have gotten used to it though.
- My shower. The water pressure in my room is not very good. Again, you get used to it. The one thing though, there is no door on the shower?? Instead, there is a drain inside, and outside the shower. Haven't been able to figure this one out?? Why not just put a door or curtain??
- My co-workers
- My friends
- And most importantly, MY FAMILY!!
Saturday, April 7, 2012
La Tarea
Para mi tarea, Jorge, mi maestro de Espanol, pregunto yo escribo un ejercicio en Espanol. Voy a tratar.....
Mi experiencia en Mexico estuvo muy bien!! Estuve aprendiendo mucho sobre Bimbo, la cultura de Mexico, y Espanol. Es un mundo diferente aqui. Bimbo no tiene mucha competencia. Nosotros dominamos el mercado. Nosotros hasta distribuimos Wonder!! En USA, ellos son nuestra mayor competencia!!
La gente en Mexico es simpatica, amable, y agradable. Yo conoci muchas personas buenas. Todos tratan de ayudarme. La semana pasada, un vendedor nos invito a Joe y a mi a su casa para cenar con su famila. Estuvimos muy divertidos. Es una experiencia que yo no olividare.
Yo estoy aprendiendo mucho Espanol pero estuve esperando que fuera mejor. Necesito practicar, practicar, practicar..... Cuando termine en Mexico, creo que hablare Espanol perfecto (yo espero jaja).
Hoy Joe y yo vamos en un Turibus para ver la ciudad. Hablamos pronto!!! Adios!
Mi experiencia en Mexico estuvo muy bien!! Estuve aprendiendo mucho sobre Bimbo, la cultura de Mexico, y Espanol. Es un mundo diferente aqui. Bimbo no tiene mucha competencia. Nosotros dominamos el mercado. Nosotros hasta distribuimos Wonder!! En USA, ellos son nuestra mayor competencia!!
La gente en Mexico es simpatica, amable, y agradable. Yo conoci muchas personas buenas. Todos tratan de ayudarme. La semana pasada, un vendedor nos invito a Joe y a mi a su casa para cenar con su famila. Estuvimos muy divertidos. Es una experiencia que yo no olividare.
Yo estoy aprendiendo mucho Espanol pero estuve esperando que fuera mejor. Necesito practicar, practicar, practicar..... Cuando termine en Mexico, creo que hablare Espanol perfecto (yo espero jaja).
Hoy Joe y yo vamos en un Turibus para ver la ciudad. Hablamos pronto!!! Adios!
Friday, April 6, 2012
Week with the Divisional
First off, I'd like to thank baby Jesus for giving me today and tomorrow off.
Well, I must admit, this week was a little bit easier than any week I have had since I arrived. Joe and I spent the week with the Divisional Manager in Azcalpotzalco, Eduardo. He showed us what his job entails, which is very similar to our Regional Managers. It is the responsibility of divisional to manage the entire depot, his supervisors and routes, and to make sure operations are running smoothy. He also manages the thrift store, works with the union, deals with safety issues, and makes decisions to increase sales, amongst many other things.
I learned a lot this week and it really tied things together between riding on the routes and how decisions are made. Eduardo is a very smart guy. He is very good at managing his subordinates and using the information he is given to make decisions. With the lack of competition and how small the stores are I was wondering "what can they possibly do to increase sales". I kind of felt like the "Detalle" channel was a little too easy. After this week, I realize that it is really not.
Over the course of the week, Eduardo had us attend a meeting with his supervisors, took us on the market, and showed us some of the programs/reports he uses. It reminded me of how things are done in the USA. On the report side, they have a TON of information that is sent to them, just like in the USA. And just like in the USA, a lot of the information doesn't get looked at or used. Sometimes it is an information overload and it's tough to filter through what is useful and what isn't; what should be focused on now and what can be dealt with later. While information is good, just like anything, too much can be a bad thing.
We also worked on a route re-structure for Tia Rosa and a plan to get small Tia Rosa displays in the stores. The union wants to increase the amount of money each Tia Rosa route is making. To do this, we had to eliminate two routes and re-distribute those clients. Eduardo and I met with the supervisor to figure out which routes to cut and how they would be re-structured. One of the issues is that some of the routes are pretty unorganized. With so many stores in so many different areas, there is a lot of overlap. Out of the depot we are in, there are 112 routes; 58 Bimbo, 38 Marinela, and 16 Tia Rosa (they are trying to eliminate two). These routes deliver to 2,812 clients (we do not sell all brands to all clients....GAP report......)! I am sure trying to come up with an efficient route structure would make you want to pull out your hair!!
On Monday, there was another small earthquake. We were sitting in a car at the light and someone in the car said there was an earthquake. I swear, Mexicans must have some Spider Man senses because I didn't feel anything. Then, before I knew it, people were evacuating buildings. I clearly came to Mexico at a great time haha.
Quick story Eduardo told me:
So he rents a room out in his out to a gentlemen that sells cell phones, computers, and other electronics. On Tuesday, when he arrived home, the shop was closed. 3 guys with guns had robbed the shop. They put the owner and his wife in the storage closet and took all the electronics. The owner clearly did not have enough money to pay Eduardo rent this month. I have heard a bunch of stories about people getting robbed and/or mugged since I have been here. I even saw one happen while sitting in traffic one day. The area our hotel is in is nice, but I have definitely been to some rough areas. I try to always stay aware of my surroundings because I def do not want to get mugged. Wish me luck....
Well, I must admit, this week was a little bit easier than any week I have had since I arrived. Joe and I spent the week with the Divisional Manager in Azcalpotzalco, Eduardo. He showed us what his job entails, which is very similar to our Regional Managers. It is the responsibility of divisional to manage the entire depot, his supervisors and routes, and to make sure operations are running smoothy. He also manages the thrift store, works with the union, deals with safety issues, and makes decisions to increase sales, amongst many other things.
I learned a lot this week and it really tied things together between riding on the routes and how decisions are made. Eduardo is a very smart guy. He is very good at managing his subordinates and using the information he is given to make decisions. With the lack of competition and how small the stores are I was wondering "what can they possibly do to increase sales". I kind of felt like the "Detalle" channel was a little too easy. After this week, I realize that it is really not.
Over the course of the week, Eduardo had us attend a meeting with his supervisors, took us on the market, and showed us some of the programs/reports he uses. It reminded me of how things are done in the USA. On the report side, they have a TON of information that is sent to them, just like in the USA. And just like in the USA, a lot of the information doesn't get looked at or used. Sometimes it is an information overload and it's tough to filter through what is useful and what isn't; what should be focused on now and what can be dealt with later. While information is good, just like anything, too much can be a bad thing.
We also worked on a route re-structure for Tia Rosa and a plan to get small Tia Rosa displays in the stores. The union wants to increase the amount of money each Tia Rosa route is making. To do this, we had to eliminate two routes and re-distribute those clients. Eduardo and I met with the supervisor to figure out which routes to cut and how they would be re-structured. One of the issues is that some of the routes are pretty unorganized. With so many stores in so many different areas, there is a lot of overlap. Out of the depot we are in, there are 112 routes; 58 Bimbo, 38 Marinela, and 16 Tia Rosa (they are trying to eliminate two). These routes deliver to 2,812 clients (we do not sell all brands to all clients....GAP report......)! I am sure trying to come up with an efficient route structure would make you want to pull out your hair!!
On Monday, there was another small earthquake. We were sitting in a car at the light and someone in the car said there was an earthquake. I swear, Mexicans must have some Spider Man senses because I didn't feel anything. Then, before I knew it, people were evacuating buildings. I clearly came to Mexico at a great time haha.
Quick story Eduardo told me:
So he rents a room out in his out to a gentlemen that sells cell phones, computers, and other electronics. On Tuesday, when he arrived home, the shop was closed. 3 guys with guns had robbed the shop. They put the owner and his wife in the storage closet and took all the electronics. The owner clearly did not have enough money to pay Eduardo rent this month. I have heard a bunch of stories about people getting robbed and/or mugged since I have been here. I even saw one happen while sitting in traffic one day. The area our hotel is in is nice, but I have definitely been to some rough areas. I try to always stay aware of my surroundings because I def do not want to get mugged. Wish me luck....
Sunday, April 1, 2012
As we proceed....
There just never seems to be enough time in the day.......
This week was extremely busy again. I am down here for work and there has been no shortage of that for sure. Each day we leave Casa De La Condesa at 6:00am and usually don't return till around 6:00pm. On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays after work I have Spanish class with my man Jorge from 7-830. Trying to find time to chill and reflect a little is tough. However, I am learning a lot and have enjoyed my experience so far.
I spent my week with one of the Marinela Supervisors, Jamie. He took me around and showed me what a supervisors job entails. It is very similar to what our TSM/ASM do; whatever it takes to facilitate smooth operations and the increase of sales.
Jamie is the secretary of a team for vehicle safety so on Monday we attended "Taller Para Comisionados de Seguridad Vial". Basically, it is this groups job to ensure the safety of our vendors and try to prevent accidents when they are driving. I would be lieing to you if I said this meeting wasn't boring. It was an 82 slide presentation and each slide just had paragraph after paragraph of Spanish. The presenter literally just read directly off the slides. I really hate it when presenters do that....... not to mention I can only understand about half of what they are talking about. I drank about 5 cups of coffee that day. But anyways......
The rest of the week we were on routes with his guys. Jamie is responsible for 14 routes and about 20 people. They are currently working on a project to "separate the lines" for our Marinela brand. This is part of their "best practices" for increasing sales. Where possible, the vendors should sell in additional displays to separate the cookies, cakes and Lara brand. There is a contest to see who can sell in the most displays and the vendors can win prizes. Jamie is highly involved in this process.
In between managing his routes and selling in new displays, Jamie was also training a new Vendor and working on a developing route. Tuesday, we packed 5 of us into a truck to run a route and help train Omar, a 21 year old new vendor. There really wasn't much for me to do since there were 5 of us so I spent the day just observing. We did sell in a couple of additional display so I got to see that process. Trying to find extra space in these tiny stores is a task in its self.
Wednesday Jamie and I went with Gustavo on a route that is not fully developed. Before hitting the market we had breakfast at this little restaurant. It was a very good breakfast and I FINALLY got a good cup of coffee. I was pumped to say the least. Most of the coffee I have drank in Mexico has been the instant stuff. I am not the biggest fan.
We ended up selling to two new clients which were good wins. One Tienda we delivered to was literally a hole in the wall at someones house. There were no signs; just a window in the wall that this old couple sold product out of. How do people find these places is all I want to know?? At another stop, there was a little kid, no older than 11 or 12 running things. He checked in our product and paid us. They start the hustle at a young age. We also stopped at a traditional market and a small super market. The traditional market is kind of like an open market that has specialized stores. There is a place you can get chicken, another to get beef, a place to get electronics fixed, a place to buy shoes, etc. I guess these used to be more popular about 15 years ago before supermarkets popped up. At the super market we went to, they have a security guy in the back. I had to get patted down before entering and exiting the building. It was the first time I have seen this. They even pat down their own employees. Not much trust.
Thursday was pretty much the same but with a different route guy. We delivered product as usually and sold in a couple of new displays to 2 stores. I have found that some of the Mexican woman really take a liking to Americans. I am pretty sure I made a couple women blush. At our first stop I was standing near the entrance and the woman behind the counter asked who I was. Jamie explained that I was an associate from the USA. She got a little embarrassed, told them I was hansom and wanted to get my number (I didn't give it to her). Later on in the day, one of the store owners, Carmen, also fancied me. She was a good looking older woman, so I threw the charm on. I asked her if she was married and she so no, so I shook her hand and gave it a kiss. I told her where I was staying and what room I was in so she could come by (joking). She was definitely blushing. It gave us all a good laugh and was a joke for the rest of the day.
Friday, we were with Gustavo again trying to build his route. We stopped at that same restaurant for breakfast and the guys decided to play a little trick on me. The waitress brought over some sauce that had onions and peppers in it. The guys were eating it like it was nothing. When my food came out, I put some salsa verde on it but Ignacio, a vendor, pushed the other stuff over and told me to try it. "Es para los hombres" he told me. It looked pretty harmless and the way they were eating it I thought "why not?". Not thinking twice, I put it on my meat and took a huge bite. I immediately started sweating, my nose was running, my eyes were watering, and I got the hiccups. The whole table burst out laughing. It was habanero chile sauce and..... holy hotness. For the rest of breakfast I couldn't taste a thing or drink my coffee. I am just glad I can keep everyone entertained..... a**holes (it was pretty funny though).
Later on that day we sold in three displays to a new customer. This was probably the most product I have brought into a store. It was 8 tray fulls, more than $1,700 pesos (which in reality is only a little over $100). Jamie was extremely happy about this. Our Bimbo vendor was there as well and sold in about $800 pesos of product. It was a big win for us.
The Marinela display we sold in! Bank!!
Saturday was a pretty easy day. Jamie had us back to the depot by 2:30. Earlier in the week, Mario, one of the Bimbo vendors, invited Joe and I to his house for dinner after work with him and his family. It was a very nice gesture and it seemed like it was very important for him so we happily obliged. It was another great experience here in Mexico. His family was awesome. He has two daughters; 18 and 6, and one son; 11. His wife made us carne asada with potatoes, onions, and nopal (which is cactus, a traditional Mexican food). It was very good. After dinner, we all sat around and chatted. It was a good indication of where my Spanish is at because I was talking with his kids while Joe (who speaks much better Spanish than I do) and Mario were chatting. We really had a great evening. Mario and his family were so happy to have us over and break bread with us. His kids were so outgoing too. They were showing me all their stuff and sharing what they like to do. They were telling me jokes and singing Michael Jackson (his son loves Michael Jackson). I even helps his son with some English. It was very humbling. Definitely an experience I will not soon forget.
This week was extremely busy again. I am down here for work and there has been no shortage of that for sure. Each day we leave Casa De La Condesa at 6:00am and usually don't return till around 6:00pm. On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays after work I have Spanish class with my man Jorge from 7-830. Trying to find time to chill and reflect a little is tough. However, I am learning a lot and have enjoyed my experience so far.
I spent my week with one of the Marinela Supervisors, Jamie. He took me around and showed me what a supervisors job entails. It is very similar to what our TSM/ASM do; whatever it takes to facilitate smooth operations and the increase of sales.
Jamie is the secretary of a team for vehicle safety so on Monday we attended "Taller Para Comisionados de Seguridad Vial". Basically, it is this groups job to ensure the safety of our vendors and try to prevent accidents when they are driving. I would be lieing to you if I said this meeting wasn't boring. It was an 82 slide presentation and each slide just had paragraph after paragraph of Spanish. The presenter literally just read directly off the slides. I really hate it when presenters do that....... not to mention I can only understand about half of what they are talking about. I drank about 5 cups of coffee that day. But anyways......
The rest of the week we were on routes with his guys. Jamie is responsible for 14 routes and about 20 people. They are currently working on a project to "separate the lines" for our Marinela brand. This is part of their "best practices" for increasing sales. Where possible, the vendors should sell in additional displays to separate the cookies, cakes and Lara brand. There is a contest to see who can sell in the most displays and the vendors can win prizes. Jamie is highly involved in this process.
In between managing his routes and selling in new displays, Jamie was also training a new Vendor and working on a developing route. Tuesday, we packed 5 of us into a truck to run a route and help train Omar, a 21 year old new vendor. There really wasn't much for me to do since there were 5 of us so I spent the day just observing. We did sell in a couple of additional display so I got to see that process. Trying to find extra space in these tiny stores is a task in its self.
Wednesday Jamie and I went with Gustavo on a route that is not fully developed. Before hitting the market we had breakfast at this little restaurant. It was a very good breakfast and I FINALLY got a good cup of coffee. I was pumped to say the least. Most of the coffee I have drank in Mexico has been the instant stuff. I am not the biggest fan.
We ended up selling to two new clients which were good wins. One Tienda we delivered to was literally a hole in the wall at someones house. There were no signs; just a window in the wall that this old couple sold product out of. How do people find these places is all I want to know?? At another stop, there was a little kid, no older than 11 or 12 running things. He checked in our product and paid us. They start the hustle at a young age. We also stopped at a traditional market and a small super market. The traditional market is kind of like an open market that has specialized stores. There is a place you can get chicken, another to get beef, a place to get electronics fixed, a place to buy shoes, etc. I guess these used to be more popular about 15 years ago before supermarkets popped up. At the super market we went to, they have a security guy in the back. I had to get patted down before entering and exiting the building. It was the first time I have seen this. They even pat down their own employees. Not much trust.
Thursday was pretty much the same but with a different route guy. We delivered product as usually and sold in a couple of new displays to 2 stores. I have found that some of the Mexican woman really take a liking to Americans. I am pretty sure I made a couple women blush. At our first stop I was standing near the entrance and the woman behind the counter asked who I was. Jamie explained that I was an associate from the USA. She got a little embarrassed, told them I was hansom and wanted to get my number (I didn't give it to her). Later on in the day, one of the store owners, Carmen, also fancied me. She was a good looking older woman, so I threw the charm on. I asked her if she was married and she so no, so I shook her hand and gave it a kiss. I told her where I was staying and what room I was in so she could come by (joking). She was definitely blushing. It gave us all a good laugh and was a joke for the rest of the day.
Friday, we were with Gustavo again trying to build his route. We stopped at that same restaurant for breakfast and the guys decided to play a little trick on me. The waitress brought over some sauce that had onions and peppers in it. The guys were eating it like it was nothing. When my food came out, I put some salsa verde on it but Ignacio, a vendor, pushed the other stuff over and told me to try it. "Es para los hombres" he told me. It looked pretty harmless and the way they were eating it I thought "why not?". Not thinking twice, I put it on my meat and took a huge bite. I immediately started sweating, my nose was running, my eyes were watering, and I got the hiccups. The whole table burst out laughing. It was habanero chile sauce and..... holy hotness. For the rest of breakfast I couldn't taste a thing or drink my coffee. I am just glad I can keep everyone entertained..... a**holes (it was pretty funny though).
Later on that day we sold in three displays to a new customer. This was probably the most product I have brought into a store. It was 8 tray fulls, more than $1,700 pesos (which in reality is only a little over $100). Jamie was extremely happy about this. Our Bimbo vendor was there as well and sold in about $800 pesos of product. It was a big win for us.
Saturday was a pretty easy day. Jamie had us back to the depot by 2:30. Earlier in the week, Mario, one of the Bimbo vendors, invited Joe and I to his house for dinner after work with him and his family. It was a very nice gesture and it seemed like it was very important for him so we happily obliged. It was another great experience here in Mexico. His family was awesome. He has two daughters; 18 and 6, and one son; 11. His wife made us carne asada with potatoes, onions, and nopal (which is cactus, a traditional Mexican food). It was very good. After dinner, we all sat around and chatted. It was a good indication of where my Spanish is at because I was talking with his kids while Joe (who speaks much better Spanish than I do) and Mario were chatting. We really had a great evening. Mario and his family were so happy to have us over and break bread with us. His kids were so outgoing too. They were showing me all their stuff and sharing what they like to do. They were telling me jokes and singing Michael Jackson (his son loves Michael Jackson). I even helps his son with some English. It was very humbling. Definitely an experience I will not soon forget.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Zocalo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Z%C3%B3calo
 | |||||||||
| Art Museum on the way (haven't gone in yet) |
Jose tossed a coin directly in the tiny hole. Make a wish!!
J
Saturday, March 24, 2012
EARTHQUAKE!! (and vendor course)
Sorry for the absence to anyone that has been following. I have been very busy.....
This week, Joe, Chico, Jose and I took "El Curso de Ventas" (Sales Course). The course is for people who want to become vendors for one of our brands. It covers Bimbo's vision, values, and ideals, and how the vendors can satisfy our customers and consumers needs. There is a handbook that covers the "theory" and, in the back of the room, there is a mach Tienda where we did application. I thought the course was well organized and well taught. Our instructor, Ceasar, really knows his stuff. He kept us engaged with a lot of group exercises and "role playing". Some of it was pretty fun. I think some of our vendors at BBU could benefit from a similar course (good luck trying to get an IO to take the course though....)
The course is taught completely in Spanish. Even though I can't understand everything, I can follow along and grasp the main ideas. However, it is tough to contribute without being able to clearly communicate. I feel like I have so much to offer and I just can't get it across. Some of the group exercises left me a little frustrated. One thing I did learn though: humor is a universal language. I must have cried 3 times because I was laughing so hard. Everyone else was laughing as well. Also, without speaking good Spanish, I can still make people laugh. During some of the "role playing" I had people going. I guess what's funny is funny.....
As most of you know, there was an earthquake on Tuesday in Mexico. The center was in Acapulco, which is about 3 hours from Mexico City. The quake registered a 7.4 magnitude, the strongest since 1986, the year I was born (I know, I know, I am that ground breaking. Mexico can feel the presence of greatness. haha)!! It is the craziest feeling ever. We were sitting in class and all of a sudden I felt a slight sway. I thought someone was shaking the table. Then someone noticed other objects in the room shaking. We had to evacuate the building immediately. When we went out side, all the trucks were moving back and forth, the doors to the depot were shaking, and you could still feel this strange swaying even though you were standing still. It was actually kind of a cool feeling. Luckily we were all safe. Thanks for every ones concern!!
Thursday was our test, which counts as 60% of your grade. Even though I studied, I was still kind of nervous. I know the test didn't count against me in any way but I always want to do my best and I really wanted to pass. It was two pages, front and back, 18 questions. I am pretty sure I killed it (we never got our actually grades). There were some things that I was unsure of but the majority of the test I know I did well on. If it was in English I would have got 100% for sure.
One of the gentlemen taking the course, who already had a strike against him because he showed up late one day, brought a "cheat sheet". Cesar caught him and he was immediately kicked out. He said something along the lines of "I don't play those games". He was the only one who didn't pass the course. I know it's cliche, but when you cheat, you're only cheating your self. This guy blew his opportunity to work for Bimbo and will not get another one. Goes to show, cheaters will not make it very far in life.
After we took the test on Thursday, our class took a tour of the Marinela plant. The plant has 12 lines, 84 mixers, makes over 20 different products, and has 650 different packages. At this plant we make Gansitos, which is a VERY popular product here in Mexico. It's like a Twinky with vanilla and strawberry on top, covered in chocolate. It is SUPER sweet (I am not the biggest fan). This plant produces 72,000 Gansitos an hour, 24/7!!!! I am not even going to do the math on that one. And that is only one plant too!! (I would have taken pictures but we weren't allowed. I guess I wasn't suppose to take pictures in the Bimbo plant either..... oooopppps)
On Friday was the lesson on the Hand Held. This may have been the most frustrating day I have had so far in Mexico. Learning the Hand Held in English would be hard enough, but trying to learn it in Spanish was like learning two different languages at the same time. They might as well have been teaching me how to do sign language in German. The whole day, everyone had a HH and we did a "mach route". We went through each store and he had us do examples of different scenarios, then print out our tickets. I lost the instructor very early on and just could not catch up. Actually I ended up being two stores ahead of the rest of the class, however that happened?? Without putting the whole class on hold and taking away from the people who actually need the course, I did my best to forge ahead.
Even though class on Friday was tough for me, it ended on a great note. We all passed and got our diplomas!! It definitely turned my day around. Cesar had Joe, Jose, Chico and I help pass out the Diplomas. Everyone was in good spirits. After we all received our diplomas, there was a lot of "congratulations" and hugs. We took a group photo and everyone wanted to take pictures with the "Americans". I feel like us being in the class made an impression on them that they won't forget. Likewise, I met a lot of great people in the class. Everyone here is so gracious and friendly. Some of us exchanged information and I am definitely going to try to keep in touch with them. It was quite a rewarding experience.
After
class on Thursday, we had a little game of futbol with some guys from
class. They have fields right at the plant. Joe is the guy to my
right, Chico is the big man in the tie with his mouth open (soo
classic), and Jose is the guy in the back with the lung shirt on. Joe
and I were captains. Team Posada obviously won.
Graduating class of March 2012!!! Whooohoooo!!!! Great bunch of people right here!!
From left to right: Joe, Chico, Cesar, Jose and ya boy! In the back is our mach Tienda. Pretty cool idea.
I passed my course!!!! Cesar said I got a 100% but in reality
I'm sure it was a little lower. You have to pass with an 85% and I'm
confident I got above that.
This week, Joe, Chico, Jose and I took "El Curso de Ventas" (Sales Course). The course is for people who want to become vendors for one of our brands. It covers Bimbo's vision, values, and ideals, and how the vendors can satisfy our customers and consumers needs. There is a handbook that covers the "theory" and, in the back of the room, there is a mach Tienda where we did application. I thought the course was well organized and well taught. Our instructor, Ceasar, really knows his stuff. He kept us engaged with a lot of group exercises and "role playing". Some of it was pretty fun. I think some of our vendors at BBU could benefit from a similar course (good luck trying to get an IO to take the course though....)
The course is taught completely in Spanish. Even though I can't understand everything, I can follow along and grasp the main ideas. However, it is tough to contribute without being able to clearly communicate. I feel like I have so much to offer and I just can't get it across. Some of the group exercises left me a little frustrated. One thing I did learn though: humor is a universal language. I must have cried 3 times because I was laughing so hard. Everyone else was laughing as well. Also, without speaking good Spanish, I can still make people laugh. During some of the "role playing" I had people going. I guess what's funny is funny.....
As most of you know, there was an earthquake on Tuesday in Mexico. The center was in Acapulco, which is about 3 hours from Mexico City. The quake registered a 7.4 magnitude, the strongest since 1986, the year I was born (I know, I know, I am that ground breaking. Mexico can feel the presence of greatness. haha)!! It is the craziest feeling ever. We were sitting in class and all of a sudden I felt a slight sway. I thought someone was shaking the table. Then someone noticed other objects in the room shaking. We had to evacuate the building immediately. When we went out side, all the trucks were moving back and forth, the doors to the depot were shaking, and you could still feel this strange swaying even though you were standing still. It was actually kind of a cool feeling. Luckily we were all safe. Thanks for every ones concern!!
Thursday was our test, which counts as 60% of your grade. Even though I studied, I was still kind of nervous. I know the test didn't count against me in any way but I always want to do my best and I really wanted to pass. It was two pages, front and back, 18 questions. I am pretty sure I killed it (we never got our actually grades). There were some things that I was unsure of but the majority of the test I know I did well on. If it was in English I would have got 100% for sure.
One of the gentlemen taking the course, who already had a strike against him because he showed up late one day, brought a "cheat sheet". Cesar caught him and he was immediately kicked out. He said something along the lines of "I don't play those games". He was the only one who didn't pass the course. I know it's cliche, but when you cheat, you're only cheating your self. This guy blew his opportunity to work for Bimbo and will not get another one. Goes to show, cheaters will not make it very far in life.
After we took the test on Thursday, our class took a tour of the Marinela plant. The plant has 12 lines, 84 mixers, makes over 20 different products, and has 650 different packages. At this plant we make Gansitos, which is a VERY popular product here in Mexico. It's like a Twinky with vanilla and strawberry on top, covered in chocolate. It is SUPER sweet (I am not the biggest fan). This plant produces 72,000 Gansitos an hour, 24/7!!!! I am not even going to do the math on that one. And that is only one plant too!! (I would have taken pictures but we weren't allowed. I guess I wasn't suppose to take pictures in the Bimbo plant either..... oooopppps)
On Friday was the lesson on the Hand Held. This may have been the most frustrating day I have had so far in Mexico. Learning the Hand Held in English would be hard enough, but trying to learn it in Spanish was like learning two different languages at the same time. They might as well have been teaching me how to do sign language in German. The whole day, everyone had a HH and we did a "mach route". We went through each store and he had us do examples of different scenarios, then print out our tickets. I lost the instructor very early on and just could not catch up. Actually I ended up being two stores ahead of the rest of the class, however that happened?? Without putting the whole class on hold and taking away from the people who actually need the course, I did my best to forge ahead.
Even though class on Friday was tough for me, it ended on a great note. We all passed and got our diplomas!! It definitely turned my day around. Cesar had Joe, Jose, Chico and I help pass out the Diplomas. Everyone was in good spirits. After we all received our diplomas, there was a lot of "congratulations" and hugs. We took a group photo and everyone wanted to take pictures with the "Americans". I feel like us being in the class made an impression on them that they won't forget. Likewise, I met a lot of great people in the class. Everyone here is so gracious and friendly. Some of us exchanged information and I am definitely going to try to keep in touch with them. It was quite a rewarding experience.
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