Perseverance.

Memoirs.....Musings of a sales guy at heart.....

Episode (10)

Before I start writing on my Madurai days, I thought I would share this with you.

Folks, A few days back I met up with a very young boy who has just joined the industry in sales. Very enthusiastic and eager to learn. When he learnt this is my 4th decade in this industry, his first question was whether I have ever been insulted/humiliated and if yes, how did I manage it? I countered him and wanted to know why he used 'humiliation?' instead of any other expressions? Simple...he had a very bad experience with one of the customers few days ago and felt very humiliated and yet to come in terms. Never happened to him in his life as he always got what he wanted! So, welcome to reality!!! Yes, looking back, down in the memory lane, there were so many instances, where customers/consumers didnt want my products or services and expressed their indignations in different ways. Some were polite, some were satirical and few were rude! But this is part and parcel of this profession!! I remember one episode which is indelible in my memory! In 1991, I got promoted as Regional Manager and transferred to Bombay. My first stint in this lovely metropolis. My region was the poorest performing amongst the 4 regions in the country and I was given the task of infusing energy and turning it around! I am not getting in to what happened finally but just sharing this episode which I did with the young guy whom I had mentioned beginning of this post. I was with one of my sales guys on my first trade visit and while reviewing the list of outlets to be visited during the day, against this retailer there was a big X. Not to visit!!! I probed and was told that the retailer is No 1 in terms of business but has stopped selling our products. Someone has rubbed him on the wrong side and he has put a 'NO ENTRY' for Herbertsons!! My colleague's attempts to meet up with him failed and he was thrown out and was in no mood to visit him again. I told my colleague that I must visit him in his shop! My colleague was not happy but could not say no to me and just followed me like the goat to the slaughter house! I went in and greeted the 'boss' who was seated at the cash counter and introduced myself. The 'boss' got up, told his young son, that he didnt want to see me and asked him to show us the door!! I, with a big smile on my face, pretending his ire was not directed at me, told him that I had come to say hello to him and just needed few minutes of his time!! This infuriated him further and he just walked off!! His son told me to leave and I was left wondering on what should be my next move!! This happened at around noon and the shop was decently crowded. My colleague pulled me out and told me the whole story about the relationship issue and tried convincing me not to waste time. Perseverance is one of my virtue and I decided to take this to its logical conclusion. For my colleague it was another humiliating experience in front of many consumers whereas it was a different challenge for me! I told myself I should crack this and started working on the same immediately. I met up with my distributor who was servicing this outlet. He told me the customer is his biggest and buys huge qty of all the other agency products except my company's. Reason? Some issue with the earlier bosses!!! What's the best time to catch him? 9 p.m when he is closing the shop. Next day at 9 p.m I was there, all alone, outside his shop. Around 9.30, after all the staff left, father and son with two of their staff came out to pull the shutters down and saw me standing there! They first thought i was one of their regular consumer and told me that the shop is closed and in a very apologetic tone!! I immediately rushed up to the father and held his hand and re-introduced myself. Without giving him a chance to say a word, I gripped his hands tightly and told him I just needed a couple of minutes of his time. I mentioned that i am new to the city and I have come from Madras with lots of dream and I need his help(wore the shoes of Shivaji Ganesan for a while). I told him I dont want to have a conversation with him at that moment as he must be feeling hungry and his family would be waiting for him to have dinner together and sought an appointment next day for just 10 minutes. I could see a sense of disbelief in his eyes and he told me to come next day at noon again but not with any hopes!!! I shook his hands again, hugged him(this habit continues still), and left! Next day dot at 1155 hrs, I was there, outside his shop. He called me in and, believe me folks, I spent the whole afternoon with him and when I left his shop, it was 1730 hrs!!! I dont want to delve  into what was the issue and how I sorted it out but just wanted you to know that one should not give up and take every issue to its illogical conclusion!!! And especially if you are in sales, never look at anything as 'insult/humiliation'. Yes, it hurts and embarrass when we are shown the door in front of fellow human beings but take it as a 'challenge' with a pinch of salt as they say, and how you could turn it around into an opportunity!! I have developed a great relationship with this customer and when I joined IDV the first case of Smirnoff was sold to this customer! ( there is another juicy story on this SMV first order but that would be posted later!). We still keep in touch and he is one of my well wishers! So, if you ever feel insulted/humiliated by any events, dont get bogged down as you can learn a lot from such 'episodes' and the beauty is to convert those episodes in to 'challenges' and 'possibilities'. Whenever I see a consumer buying competition, i would go to them and push my product. Many a times I have failed but I would never stop pushing!! I dont take it as an insult or humiliation!! I do it with pride and real service to the consumers. After all I sell the best products in the world, right!!! When you are in 'sales' first thing you learn is to shed all your inhibitions!!! I shared this episode with the young guy over a Dalmore GR and felt really good. This episode happened 30 years ago and still fresh in my memory!!! Enjoy life!!!

P.S. The retailer is Shah & Co in Crawford Market, Mumbai. Rundeep is currently the boss and running the show.