Post by meerkat on Jul 5, 2011 20:09:39 GMT
Three contractors are bidding to fix a broken wall at 10 Downing Street ;
one from London , another from Bristol and the third from Liverpool.
They go with a government official to examine the wall.
The London contractor takes out a tape measure and does some measuring,
then works some figures with a pencil.
'Well', he says, 'I figure the job will cost about £900:
£400 for materials, £400 for labour and £100 for me.'
The Bristol contractor also does some measuring and figuring, and then
says, 'I can do this job for £700: £300 for materials, £300 for labour
and £100 for me.'
The Liverpool contractor doesn't measure or calculate but walks the
Government official away from the others and whispers, "£2,700."
The official, incredulous, says, 'You didn't even measure like the other
chaps! How did you come up with such a high figure?'
The Liverpool contractor whispers back, '£1000 for you, £1000 for me,
and we hire the guy from Bristol to fix the wall.'
'Done!' replies the government official.
And that friends, is how it all works.
one from London , another from Bristol and the third from Liverpool.
They go with a government official to examine the wall.
The London contractor takes out a tape measure and does some measuring,
then works some figures with a pencil.
'Well', he says, 'I figure the job will cost about £900:
£400 for materials, £400 for labour and £100 for me.'
The Bristol contractor also does some measuring and figuring, and then
says, 'I can do this job for £700: £300 for materials, £300 for labour
and £100 for me.'
The Liverpool contractor doesn't measure or calculate but walks the
Government official away from the others and whispers, "£2,700."
The official, incredulous, says, 'You didn't even measure like the other
chaps! How did you come up with such a high figure?'
The Liverpool contractor whispers back, '£1000 for you, £1000 for me,
and we hire the guy from Bristol to fix the wall.'
'Done!' replies the government official.
And that friends, is how it all works.
