Born to sell

When Tom Keating was appointed Compaq country manager for Ireland in 1994, he was also the sales force. Five years on he still seems surprised that he is somehow responsible for 600 people.

Since he left school in London he had always operated as something of a one-man-show. A number of jobs soon indicated he was seduced by the buzz of selling.

Very clearly driven by targets, Mr Keating's pet hate is probably inertia: "I prefer to reward people on actions that get results even if I don't like their methods. I don't like rewarding mediocrity, they tend to drag down overachievers."

Born in London to Irish parents - his mother was a descendant of Grania Uaile - he has clear memories of rainy, music-filled holidays with her family on Achill Island.

A strict Catholic upbringing in the heart of an Irish community gave him enough understanding of his heritage to happily embrace both cultures. "I'm a Londoner who happens to be Irish."

A first job as a bank clerk served only to confirm in his head that he wanted a job where he met people. Soon afterwards he entered the life insurance industry.

"I learned all about selling there. You learn to handle rejection easily. The only people that get hurt selling are those that can't admit to themselves they haven't got a sale. You have to get up and go on."

By now aged 20, Mr Keating took a job in the life and pensions side of the Hong Kong Shanghai Bank, where he became its top salesman for two years. After selling a pension to a Mr John Chalmers, he offered Mr Keating a job in his IBM personal computer dealership despite the latter's ignorance of technology.

"Being a Star Trek fan I couldn't believe computers weren't the way ahead. I thought the IBM PC would have to be a success."

When Mr Chalmers died prematurely Mr Keating left the business and approached Compaq which had already made an impression on him as a progressive company.

Soon he was responsible for Compaq's public sector sales in the UK where he won a contract from the British Post Office for $150 million annually.

It was the 1980s, London was booming and Keating laughs when he looks back at the excess of it all.

"The Thatcher loadsamoney mentality went crazy over there. People everywhere with mobile phones the size of bricks, talking about cars and houses - much like people in Dublin are doing today."

When Compaq reported poor earnings in 1991, founder and chief executive, Mr Rod Canyon was replaced by Mr Eckhard Pfeiffer. He proved extremely successful until April of this year when he too was jettisoned over uncertainty over the future direction of the company.

Under Mr Pfeiffer, Compaq grew in seven years from a $3 billion to a $30 billion business. This was achieved aggressively, and Keating was at the vanguard of the UK assault, focusing intently on delivering to shareholders, customers and staff - in that order.

"They needed someone who didn't mind ruffling a few feathers within Compaq, and outside. I saw the objective and realised we had to get along with it. If you want to survive you just have to get along, and don't complain if you're not coming with us."

Mr Keating turned his attentions to the Irish market in 1994 as things started to move here. In the first year, Compaq's sales in Ireland grew from £3 million to £11 million. Soon this figure rose to £97 million, when there were only nine people in the Irish market.

Then in January 1998, Mr Keating was presented with the biggest test of his career. Compaq had purchased ageing computer giant, Digital, for $9.6 billion.

Digital had a huge manufacturing operation in Galway and Mr Keating became responsible for the entire sales and marketing efforts of the combined entities.

"I suddenly went from running a football team, to the cast of Ben Hur. To say I was overwhelmed would be an understatement."

Nearly two years later, Mr Keating is pleased to report he has never been happier. He believes constant open communication is the key to success. Every quarter all of the staff are briefed on everything good and bad happening within the company.

There is also a strong focus on team building, with regular excursions to Carlingford Lough, where staff engage in team challenges of the mountain climbing, raft building type.

Mr Keating is a big believer in bangs per buck. One of his first lessons in business, he says, was the importance of a return on any outlay. "It doesn't matter what you spend as long as you can afford it, and you get the money back in sales. If you can't measure it on the books, you can't be paid on it."

Mr Keating particularly enjoys seeing his staff become energised by the job. Recently one manager cancelled his annual holiday to assist in a bid for a lucrative Eircell contract, which the company was later awarded.

"That's the kind of commitment you can't demand. I was knocked sideways by that."

At 41, Mr Keating has not taken time out for marriage, although he has a long-term girlfriend from Limerick. He particularly enjoys living in Ireland, finding the pace a little more leisurely than in the UK.

"The UK is almost like a virtual state of America with buses and tubes going 24 hours a day. The people in Ireland still work to live. At 5.30 people revert to being with friends. Ireland has a special charm, and seems more relaxed even though we work very hard."

An occasional golfer, and an avid reader of Irish history, Mr Keating probably derives most enjoyment from socialising. Many of his resellers and customers have become close friends.

Describing himself as a WYSIWYG kind of guy - What You See Is What You Get - he expects to move on in around 18 months. He says he would not be averse to a more global sales role within Compaq, but has no intention of becoming complacent in the meantime.

"I can assure you there's a bullet out there with my name on it. If I don't produce I'm gone. There's no such thing as a secure job any more, if you're crap you'll be found out. It's that simple."