The Poll Bearer...Part 3 See more novels at www.writemeamystery.com

“We don’t have it,” Daniel said. “And if you brought in a million dollars of technology tomorrow, the people you employ wouldn’t have the slightest idea how to use it. Besides, even if you brought in trained experts, you’d only be able to do what other companies are already doing but they’re way ahead because they’ve already built their reputations.”

“Are you saying we can’t do anything?” E. Emory caught himself asking before he looked at Louis to see if that was an appropriate question.

“No,” Daniel said. “I’m saying just the opposite. We can take the lead only we can’t do it by following what other companies are already doing. Look at it this way. If you want to build a better mousetrap, you’ll run out of options fast because a lot of other people have gone before you and tried. Some succeeded and some failed, but they were there first. To build a better mousetrap, you have to stop thinking like a human trying to design a mousetrap and start thinking like a mouse. That’s what Pro-Rank has to do. Stop thinking of the traditional way to do polling by using modern technology to do it faster; start thinking of how to do it smarter.”

E. Emory looked at Louis who was listening intently.

“And how’s that?” he asked.

“First,” Daniel said, “the design of the questions you ask the people being polled is inconclusive. Second, the way they are asked is time-consuming and expensive. Third, the results are tabulated subjectively because that’s the way the questions are designed. Fourth, the results are far from perfect. The slightest deviation in the answer to a question can skew the results. So if you ask me if I like coffee and I just burned my tongue on a cup, my answer at the moment might be ‘no.’ Ask me tomorrow when my tongue is okay, and my answer is probably a ‘yes.’ Which result are you tabulating? You ask me who I voted for when I come out of the polling place and I think that’s none of your business so I intentionally give you the wrong name, how do you know?”

“So what would you do?” Louis asked causing every eye in the room to be focused on him.

“Stop asking questions,” Daniel replied knowing that was the foundation of any polling company. “You can’t design the right ones to ask anyway, so why try. You can’t ask enough questions without the responder getting bored and refusing to continue. Look at the last eight years. Major polling companies, including this one, have been dead wrong on many of the national elections forcing the networks to eat crow. Look at something as simple as football drafts. Go back to see how many of the actual selections are what the pollsters predicted. Very few. Why? Wrong questions produce wrong data. It’s as simple as that. Advertisers, political campaigns, networks, cable companies…they’re looking to spend their polling dollars on sure things, not on some wild guesses.”

“You haven’t answered my question,” Louis said.

“First, I’d scrap everything you’re doing now and put everybody to work on a single project…finding the most average person in the United States. Second, hire some computer experts on a temporary basis and pay them the money you’ll save by getting rid of your telephone solicitors. Bring in whatever equipment they’ll need to do the job. When they’re done, let them go. You’ll only need to do this every three or so years, so you’ll save money by cutting your staff into a third of what it is now. Third, give away the first results free to establish a reputation and good will. You’ll make it all back fast plus you’ll probably drive some of your competition out of business with your accuracy. You can’t keep polling a thousand or four thousand people to find an average because there are too many variables to consider. External stimuli can cause instantaneous changes in the results. Fourth, put me in charge.”

At that point all of the eyes in the room were riveted on Daniel. Each person was now wondering how much control he or she would have to give up and what risk the company would be taking…except for Louis. He sat calmly in his chair unruffled by what Daniel was proposing and totally unconcerned by what each of the others around the table was thinking.

“And if we gave you this control, what would you deliver?” Louis asked.

“Plus or minus one per cent accuracy or less,” Daniel answered.

The other members started buzzing among themselves saying that figure was impossible to reach and who did he think he was to come in here and in two weeks try to wrest control out of their hands. Even Arturo and Bernard were on the same page in their gripes.

“Quiet,” Louis said. “What would it take to get started?”

“In my pocket, I have a list of high end equipment that would be required. I also know the names of experts that are presently free lancing and would be willing to work for Pro-Rank for a price. I need two secure large rooms, at least fifty feet by fifty feet, in this building and top notch security to protect them. In addition, I will need contingency funds to put the second phase of the operation into play.”

“Give me a number,” Louis said cutting right to the bottom line.

“Eight million dollars to start with another two million when we hit the ground running,” Daniel said, then he quickly added; “You’ll make double or triple that back in a month after we begin. Then the money will just fly in and the eight million will seem like chicken feed.”

The others started to buzz again knowing there was no way E. Emory was ever going to fund that amount on some crazy scheme.

“Done,” Louis said. “You start immediately. The funds will be at your disposal in an hour. Do you need cash?”

“Some,” Daniel said subtly indicating to Louis that some of the work to be done should have no money trail to the company.

“I’ll bring it to your office personally,” Louis said.

“I don’t have an office,” Daniel replied.

“You do now,” Louis answered looking directly at Melinda.