Yes Telecom’s Company Forum was so employee focussed this year that one Customer Services employee walked away with the Managing Director’s job!
BBC News Anchor and Krypton Factor host Gordon Burns took order for the day as Yes Telecom revealed thrilling plans for the future of one of the telecom industries leading figures.
Providing them with the stability they desire, staff were also taken on a virtual tour of the company’s brand new, state of the art offices. Based in the beautiful parklands of Towers Business Park, Didsbury, the new premise combines a modern open-plan design with unique glass partitions that epitomises a company with huge ambitions.
The unique service provider announced its exciting strategy for growth, opportunity and success for the forthcoming years, with a distinct focus on the employees. Stability, reward, opportunity and enjoyment were the key features that employees wanted out of the award-winning company, as Gordon Burns led them through numerous video clips of staff discussing what they enjoy and how they wish to benefit from working at Yes Telecom.
During a forum that centred on what the staff really wanted from the award-winning company, Deputy Customer Services Team Leader Dave Read cheekily quipped in a video montage how he could make the company better if he was MD.
So, during the Forum’s evening entertainment, Read, from Stockport, led his fellow colleagues in open-mouthed astonishment as Yes Telecom’s MD Keith Curran gave Read a hallowed chance to experience Managing Directorship for a week!
Always one to encourage the best out of his employees, Curran had secretly gathered Read’s details in order to have his car insured for him, and maintained complete confidence for his long-time Customer Services employee.
Read, one of the cheekier members of staff, was not heavily envied for his acquisition though, as many members of staff looked onward in fear as he pulled out of the cramped car park for the first time!
To place this in some perspective, Read drives an 11 year-old Ford Escort with 1400 cc, seatbelts and even a cassette player, while Curran, on the other hand, commandeers a Mercedes S Class Limousine with 300 BHP, reversing camera and computerised guidance system, Sky TV and, naturally, a fridge!
Let’s take a closer look at the comparison of motors:
| Keith Curran Yes Telecom MD | Dave Read Customer Services Deputy Team Leader |
| 2006 Mercedes S Class Limousine | 1996 Ford Escort |
| Price….a reliable source informs me that the priced of one of Keith’s wheels is about the same value as Dave’s car! | |
| 3.5ltr 300 BHP Engine | 1400cc |
| Restricted to 155mph | “Had it up to 110mph” |
| Obsidian Black Metallic | Blue (few rust spots) |
| Passion Leather & Sahara Beige interior | Grey cover! |
| Extras | |
| Adjustable Interior ambient Lighting | Street Lamp illuminated |
| Self closing doors | Manual “shove” function |
| Electric Blinds | “Bin Liner when window put through” |
| Electrical multi-contour massage seats | “Sit on hands” |
| Heated Steering Wheel | Gloves (plus glove box!) |
| Front & Rear Seat Heating | See above |
| Cooling fan built into seats | Take off gloves |
| Infrared protective glass | Don’t park in dodgy areas |
| Reversing camera with Computerised guidance grid | Ask a passer by/cross fingers |
| Fridge | Open window |
| Distronic plus cruise control | Keep up with the car infront |
| Keyless-Go No need for key to open or start | Coat Hanger |
| Panoramic glass electric roof | Head out of window |
| Rear seat entertainment system | Mates in the back can sing |
| Surround Sound System | Mates sing in harmony |
| Satellite TV | AM Radio |
Commenting on the swap, Curran has assured us he has taken care of Read’s reliable motor:
“This is definitely down-to-earth motoring at its finest – I even felt the veins on a leaf that I drove over this morning. I guess one thing you do realise is that, just like First and Standard Class on an airplane – they both get you to your destination at the same time!”
Read was equally complimentary and informed Curran his beloved motor was in safe hands:
“I love the purr the car emanates as you hit 180 mph. As do my friends, who all enjoyed the ease at which they could perform donuts and handbrake turns on the waste ground. My only complaint would be the interior electric blinds – I didn’t have enough light to find my dropped cigarette. . Thankfully the automatic climate control was on the blink since my coca cola accident so I eventually found it thanks to the smell of burning leather.”
“This is definitely down-to-earth motoring at its finest – I even felt the veins on a leaf that I drove over this morning. I guess one thing you do realise is that, just like First and Standard Class on an airplane – they both get you to your destination at the same time!”
Read was equally complimentary and informed Curran his beloved motor was in safe hands:
“I love the purr the car emanates as you hit 180 mph. As do my friends, who all enjoyed the ease at which they could perform donuts and handbrake turns on the waste ground. My only complaint would be the interior electric blinds – I didn’t have enough light to find my dropped cigarette. . Thankfully the automatic climate control was on the blink since my coca cola accident so I eventually found it thanks to the smell of burning leather.”