The Scranton branch has been mocked and picked on from other branches within Dunder Mifflin's umbrella, but had the last laugh because they ended up being one of the most profitable branches in the company. With Michael Scott as the regional manager on The Office, no one expected the Scranton branch to do well, but he has proven time and time again that he is not to be "truffled" with.
Sales numbers and margins aren't always shown to viewers, but David Wallace and the other heads at corporate all commended Michael for a job well done at Scranton. The problem is, no one really understands how Michael has such a profitable branch with him being such a goofball all the time.
Michael Knows How To Work The Clients
Michael Scott tends to talk in circles or gets off track when in a serious conversation, but, at the end of the meeting, his point always gets made. As silly as he is, he knows how to work with clients and gain their trust.
He created a numerical game in his mind to help him remember clients' names, he created a color-coded guide on the back of note cards for each client so that he knows what to talk about with them and what to shy away from, and, more importantly, Michael treats each client like an old friend. His time with buyers of Dunder Mifflin paper are some of the best episodes of The Office to watch over and over.
Michael Doesn't Fire People, He Inspires People
Viewers knew that a friendship between Michael and Ryan was never going to work, mainly because Ryan hated being around Michael and the only reason he tolerated him was to keep his job. Even when Ryan thought Michael was going to fire him, Michael reminded him that a good boss doesn't fire people, he inspires people.
He did the same thing with Meredith after finding out she was sleeping with a supplier for discounts. Michael gives people more than one chance to be their best.
He Keeps The Peace In Terms Of Rank
Characters like Andy and Dwight cared about their rank when the two branches merged because they both viewed themselves as the company's top salesmen. With two alpha males in the same atmosphere, they quickly questioned Michael where they stood in terms of rank.
Instead of telling them the order, he told the cameras that it was in bad taste to do so and that they were simply different positions. Dwight and Jim rarely work together or get along, but Michael repeated this state of mind when Dwight tried to get him to fire Jim. Instead of choosing between Dwight and Jim, Michael escaped the situation and held off the conversation until Dwight cooled off.
Scranton Knows They Have To Work Hard To Reach Their Goals Because They Mess Around So Much
It's hard to get work done when there are constant interruptions or annoying characters coming into play at the Scranton branch. But, with the salesmen knowing that they have quotas to hit and a life to live, they have no choice but to work harder—despite the distractions—to reach their goals and keep their jobs.
In one episode, Michael gets caught for having 30-minute movie breaks for his workers as a way to increase production. He claimed that the mini-break forced the team to work harder in order to complete their daily tasks. This could be the secret to the branch's success.
Michael's Killer Sales Expertise
New viewers of The Office often wonder how Michael got the regional manager position due to his, at times, incompetence with business. Yet they soon find out that Michael was once one of the top salesmen for Dunder Mifflin and was promoted to manager because of it. His salary at Dunder Mifflin increased, as did his desire to create a workplace environment that was also a family.
Viewers get an inside look at his selling technique in the episode 'The Client' as well as when he takes clients from Dunder Mifflin for The Michael Scott Paper Company.
A Veteran Sales Team
It's easy to keep clients when they're familiar with their go-to salesperson at the Scranton branch. That's another thing the branch had going for them; there was rarely any turnover. Scranton had a veteran sales force (Jim, Dwight, Stanely, and Phyllis) that were comfortable there and made a lot of money in return.
Michael's Ideas Are Unconventional
What makes a corporate environment are rules, standards, and employees who follow those rules and standards. With David Wallace as Dunder Mifflin's CEO, he took his job incredibly seriously and needed branches to follow suit.
Michael, however, didn't work that way. He worked best off the cuff and in unconventional ways. But it worked, and The Scranton branch proved that their success was because they didn't always follow the rules.
Scranton Doesn't Rely On Technology
With The Office starting in 2005, the technology shown wasn't what viewers have today. It was a time where the Internet was just becoming popular, and the same could be said regarding the advent of cellphones and instant messaging.
When Ryan was promoted to corporate, he tried making Dunder Mifflin more tech-based, which was something Michael loathed. He was adamant that business was best done in person. This is why he tried pushing the gift baskets on clients instead of over the phone.
The Group Is Not Micromanaged
It's not known how other branches are run, but Michael does not micromanage his employees. He's not breathing down their necks, yelling at them about their sales. He instead sits back and lets them be themselves and get their work done when they can.
When Charles Miner—a man who, unfortunately, caused more than a few cringe-worthy moments on The Office, came to Scranton, he was a perfect example of micromanaging not working for Scranton. His fear tactics were too strong and the workers were in fear of their jobs when he was around.
He Knew How To Make A Good Team
Michael also knows how to create a great team. He didn't fire people easily and took the time to get to know each employee. When the Stamford branch merged with Scranton, he knew right away who was going to make it and who wasn't.
In the end, Andy and Karen lasted the longest before eventually leaving on their own terms. Michael doesn't get enough credit for his visions, simply because they're unconventional.