Readership Campaign.   With the aid of SPY Lubricant's stealth technology, we know you're reading this issue.   You're part of the average 42% readership week to week.   That's right; more than half our reps never open their Friday Fax email to read it.   This should concern Agent Managers, as we view the Fax as a fun and easy way to maintain regular contact and provide useful product and strategic information to agency personnel.   Whether it's new product intros, sales tips, marketing strategies, competitive updates, or inane humor, we strive to present it in a unique, concise format for your busy schedule.   Poll your co-workers.   Are they ignoring it, or reading pass-alongs?   Does APC have everyone's email address?   Is our address blocked at your end?   Do fax machine hard-copy readers know what they're missing with the new image-enhanced electronic version?   The pictures add a lot!   Please do what you can to ensure that all employees consume each issue.

A Complaint

APC received a complaint last week about the tear-strip lid on our 1-gallon pails.   The tear strip was breaking off, making it difficult to open a pail.   A quality control investigation found that the tear strip was ripping apart when pulled horizontally or at a downward angle.   However, the strip functioned properly and successfully opened a pail when pulled at an upward angle.   We forwarded the complaint to the pail vendor and received this response: "We appreciate your efforts to work around something that shouldn't be happening.   The fact is, you should be able to open either way without the lid breaking.   We're aware this has been happening and are about to change some thicknesses and the tear membrane so it works correctly again.   This is happening because we had to change resins due to some mold warping; this was a trade-off until it could be fixed.   We appreciate your patience.   It should be corrected by mid May.   This lid still works correctly for pail/lid seal integrity and all other functions, but it does unfortunately affect the ease of opening."   If you happen to hear this complaint in the field, you'll now know how to respond as well (pull up).   Keep in mind that this same problem presumably affects other lubricant manufacturers too, since APC is not the pail manufacturer's only customer.

The Joke

Joke of the Week:   Ole's New Truck.   One day Sven was walking down Main Street when he saw his buddy Ole driving up to him smiling in a brand new pickup.   "Hey, Ole, ver did you get dat truck?" Sven said.   "Lena gave it to me," Ole replied.   "She gave it to you?   I knew she vas kinda sveet on yah, but a new truck?"   "Vell, Sven, let me tell you vat happened.   We vas driving in Lena's new truck out on County Road 6, in da middle of nowhere.   Lena pulled off da road, put da truck in 4-wheel drive, and headed into da voods.   She parked the truck, got out, threw off all her clothes and said, 'Ole, take whatever you vant.'   So I took da truck!"   Sven said, "Ole, you're a smart man!   Dem clothes voulda never fit you!"

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