Same as catalog # 315613 Colorful animated piece showing the proper use of the telephone in typical business situations.
Zoom into skyscraper building, dissolve to elevator, two businessmen-- Mr. Long & Mr. Short-- getting out and walking down hall and entering separate offices. Mr. Long works in an eficient, modern office that uses the telephone well. Mr. Long sniffs flower and sticks it in his lapel. Redhead white woman secretary transfers a phone call to white male shipping clerk. Mr. Smith, the Sales Manager, makes a telephone call. Panning shot of brunette secretary talking on phone, saying she'll be sure ot pass the message. Mr. Long takes a call in his office, a corporate sales chart with a big red upward-bound swing on it.
Zoom into "Short & Co." door, where corporate mayhem resides. Young white blond woman works at old telephone switchboard while trying to type; overtaxed, frazzled woman gets calls mixed up. Another white blond woman dashes through files in file cabinet while irate customer on other end of phone yells about waiting for minutes. Mr. White has his feet propped up on desk in office, scratching his head while muttering indistinctly into telephone while also smoking cigar. Incompetent white male shipping clerk can't even hang up the receiver correctly. White burnette woman at desk can't find her order book.
Mr. Short sits at desk, peering longingly at dismal sales chart behind him while phone rings, jumping off the hook; he eventually answers it, yells at the absence of a caller ("Hello?" Hello?!), then hangs up; his buxom secretary enters and gives him the mail, which includes a brochure entitled , "The Voice of Your Business," which he throws down angrily, then sends her out with the order to hold all his calls; he slumps his head to the desk and racks his brain for an idea to jump start sales, drumming his fingers and putting his head in his hands and generally appearing worried; suddenly Mr. Short has an inspiration, so he puts on a fake nose and glasses and sneaks over to Long & Co., where he will observe their business method.
Mr. Short, in disguise, sneaks across the hall to Mr. Long's office. He sneaks about the workplace, observing the secretaries, taking non-appropriate notes such as, "Red hair/Blue phone/Cream..."; the red-head secretary recognizes him, so he dashes back to his office.
Mr. Short, disguised as a window washer, lowering himself on scaffold outside Mr. Long's office; he takes notes on the color of the decor, Mr. Long's suit, what cigar he smokes; the rope frays and he drops out of sight.
Very funny shot of Mr. Short emerging from wastebasket, taking more notes as secretary pours a vase of flowers on his head (all of these shots of Mr. Short snooping around other people's business could pass very nicely as wry commentary upon the oft-questionable surveillance operations of various US government agencies such as the FBI & the CIA during the Cold War; also McCarthy-esque investigations into Communist Red Scare conspiracies among the American public).
Mr. Short takes notes while stuffed in a file cabinet, smoking a cigar; the shipping clerk slams the door, smashing his stogie.
A construction crew exits Mr. Short's office; he's renovated everything so it looks like Long & Co. Mr. Short walks through new cosmetically altered office, yet business is still as convoluted as it was; Mr. Finchley of Finchley & Co. tries to reach Mr. Short, but tires of waiting for him to pick up so he hangs up again just as he picks up.
In his office, Mr. Short puts paper on the wall to extend his sales chart upwards, anticipating large company and profit growth. Good graphic representing eratic, largely declining sales over time: hourglass superimposed on bouncing sales line. Mr. Short frets in office as profit margin sinks, a worker drilling a hole in the floor so the red line can go down into it.
Mr. Short sits at desk at night, mulling his financial future, wracking his brain for an idea. He sneaks into Long & Co. at night, disguised as a maid; while mopping, he falls into bucket, stumbles across a folder titled "Executive Tips". He leafs through folder, comes across the "Voice of Your Business" brochure.
Mr. Short dashing back to his office, takes off the disguise, tosses papers from the desk until happening upon his copy of the brochure. He looks at the pages-- "Do your telephone manners hurt business?" & "Does the voice of your business create the kind of image you want?" & "Answer promptly, speak clearly" & "Dial correctly, transfer calls properly" & "Make a note of all messages". Good shot of Mr. Short reading at desk, moon in window behind him -- image of working late, burning the midnight oil.
Silhouette of Mr. Short pacing back and forth in office at night, pan to clocktower, time advancing to 5AM. An exhausted Mr. Short falls asleep; bubble appears over his head and he begins to dream.
Dream sequence: incompetent Short & Company workers become characteristic birds and animals, causing annoyance to Mr. Finchley who's trying to reach Mr. Short.
Mr. Short wakes up and sees that his dream- nightmare is indeed true. His phone rings and he picks it up, yelling into receiver & turning into a roaring lion.
Shot of Mr. Long & Mr. Short stepping from elevator, entering respective offices. Mr. Short throws away his disguises. Shots of efficent workers using telephone courtesy; polite, efficient workplace. Mr. Short makes courteous phone call.
Funny end shot shows drill coming up through floor, making way for the sales chart line to come back up, much to the delight of all employees.