He clocks up the miles chasing sales, profits and targets in the electronics industry. Welcome to the secret diary of an East Anglian salesman.

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A new year. First couple of days in and the travelling office/playroom needs an MOT.

Twenty-six thousand miles clocked up over the last year.

But the distance seems to be getting lower every twelve months, as I manage to visit fewer customers to generate the profit that the powers that be deem necessary to make me profitable.

Ah. The magic word.

Remarkably, on our first working day of the year, half of a month’s profit arrives in the form of an unexpected order.

Quick. Call the boss.

Wading through emails while also on the phone, I realise that multi-tasking is something I should approach with caution...

as I make very positive noises prompted by reading a “good news” email, while a colleague in one on the offices tells me of her rotten insomnia these last few nights over the phone.

These salesmen are so rude.

But there’s more good news: all 177,000 miles of the car passed.

First trip of the year down the A11 and onto the A14.

The electronics industry, as everyone knows, with the comically low prices for (most) consumer goods produces a lot of its kit in Asia, specifically China.

So the first meeting of the year involves a fantastic opportunity, that I will, should the design be successful, have to track to the far east.

Flights to Hong Kong, are not, unfortunately, expense-able.

Expect calls at all hours of the day in broken English, and not just mine, if we win this one...