Years ago while working as a plant manager for a major poultry company, the sales and operations executives would come to each operation twice each year. This review was generally a “dog and pony show” in which the executives took a tour of the facilities, shook hands with many of the associates, then retired to the conference room, where they were treated with a synopsis of accomplishments and issues for the past six months. The meetings started with a review of the field operations. They asked questions about cost, bird health, grower relations, and other pertinent field operations issues. It then went to sales. The sales manager reviewed sales pricing, customer relationship, and potential business opportunities. Next was the plant, at which point yield, efficiencies, cost, and the like were discussed.
