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

Episode 5

The action starts.....

It was sometime in Sept 79. I was with DIL and in Trichy. I used to stay in Everest Lodge next to Hotel Jayanthi on Salai Road, Trichy. This Everest Lodge was salesmen paradise. Almost 90% of the residents were either Medical or Sales reps. In fact, my brother Ravi used to stay there during his Avery days before shifting to Srirangam. Paras, who is the eldest son of Amar Jewellery in Trichy became my friend when I was in Everest. On the ground level of Everest, just outside the gate, there was on General Merchant, (Gnanam Stores-my stockist, one dry cleaner and some other shops)....Paras used to visit the GM to have a cigarette. His house was on the 1st cross of Thillai nagar and his smoking was kept a secret then and used to come to my room or inside the Everest to have his quota of cigarettes...We were contemporaries and very first meeting itself we started jellying well. He used to look like Vinod Khanna of those days...such a handsome guy...I attended his wedding too and we continue our great friendship. Trichy days were excellent....And I have a special place for Trichy...

One day, I get a call at Gnanam stores (no phone at Everest and no mobiles those days), and it was from my sister in law. Gnanam stores, was at the ground level of Everest lodge and also my distributor for Regal. She called to inform me of my interview with Herbertsons. I was quite surprised as I didnt apply for the job. I spoke to my brother then and he told me his ex colleague and good friend Abraham has joined HL as Asst Regional manager and he has requested him to look at me...Didn't know nothing about Herbertsons...but as DIL was a struggle, decided to just attend the interview.

So I figured out from my brother, that Abraham is his good friend and when he mentioned to him that they are recruiting, my brother had sent my CV to him and hence the call from them.

Herbertsons was on Edward Elliots Road (Dr. Radhakrishnan Road now) opposite to President hotel on the ground floor of DMK ex minister Vezha Vendhan. Interview was conducted by KP Tomy and Abraham (really a very handsome guy) and I was asked to sell a pen to them. Think I did a good job but wasn't sure whether I would get the job...I left and it took almost for a month for them to revert with the offer letter. With a consolidated salary of 550 per month and daily allowances of 15 and 25 or something like that. I was given Madras as my HQ. So resigned from DIL-Khan was not very happy but convinced him with some stories and they relieved me. Had a great send off by Paras, Vasu (he was Paras's neighbor), Gandhi, Madan Makhija, Shekar and a couple of them. Party those days were sans alcohol and a card session in the room and dinner at Kavitha or Ananda or Padma Cafe. Padma Cafe WB Road in Trichy was iconic for its coffee. Balu of Padma cafe was my good friend. Trichy had some simple but very special places to go to. One of them was Michael Ice Cream parlour, where an ice cream was sold at some 50 paise or something. Padma Cafe, the road side eateries opp to Chella Stores and opp to Janakiramans, Aristo restaurant if you are a Non Veg, Kavitha, Ananda to name a few. Also the cabbage vada served at Plaza theatre (mostly English movies) during interval-no match to this divine stuff. The best theatres were Aruna, Padmamani and Gaiety (only Hindi movies). Yaadon ki Baraat was released at Gaiety and Bobby was at Aruna simultaneously and both ran for 175 days in Trichy(!). So bye bye to Trichy and to Everest Lodge. Oh, forgot to mention. Its at Jayanthi hotel I met Manoghar, my dear friend, who became my younger sister's husband later. Again cards united us. Once we all assembled in my room-self, Paras, Vasu, Sehkar, and Radha Krishnan, the adopted son, of Mahadevan, the owner of Hotel Jayanthi'. Shri Mahadevan was also a popular musician and used to play a tough instrument called Morsing, in concerts as an accompaniment to main performers. It's a very difficult instrument to play and it could cut or scratch the tongue if not properly handled. Coming back to cards-we decided to move from rummy to 3 cards and big gang in my room. The game was going well and for me it was a decent evening. The stakes could not be high as we all decided to just enjoy and not make it as a money making thing. But one game changed everything. I got a Q triplet on deal. I went gang ho...Many scooted and it was finally between me and Radha. Radha also went no holds barred and Paras who was sitting next to me also thought my cards were unbeatable. The stakes went up to some 1000 bucks (it was really a lot that time) and finally someone intervened and asked us to go for open show...,I was so ecstatic and I opened my cards with a twinkle in my eyes....Radha saw that and with his poker face....heart break...it was K Trippiee....I went in a dizzy....all my excitement got punctured but Paras started laughing adding salt to the wound....Didn't know what to do as I was so dumbstruck-I told Radha, I would settle it next day. He was kind enough to agree but with a parting word 'Rajah do not run off'. 

So myself and Paras got in to a serious discussions after burning out a pack of Wills Filter, and finally I told Paras that I have no option but to seek this guys pardon. Didn't want to delay it till next morning (it was around 2 in the night)...so go to his room in Hotel Jayanthi, knock at his doors and fortunately he was still awake. I was very open and told him that I had absolutely no money and have hardly 50 bucks and that's for my ticket to Chennai. He listened patiently and asked me whether I have any gold chain...I said no and told him I have nothing. He asked me what would be my reaction if situation was reversed...Like a fool I told him if you had lost to me I would have taken the money from you as you are a rich guy and owner of this hotel. He started laughing extended his hands, gave me a hug and said ' dont bother-all the best'. He offered a coffee to both of us and what a relief it turned up to be, finally....my farewell turned out to be so eventful!! 

I just can't forget this episode as it is very rare to see such kind of people. Sadly I never met him at a later stage as I wanted to return his generosity with some thing in kind. I started crying and thanked him profusely and came out and hugged Paras...we blew off few more cigarettes and with this episode behind me, I left for Chennai. Paras keeps pulling my legs quoting this whenever we meet....he once asked me, what I would have done had Radha didnt agree--I told him that I would have made him to pledge his gold ring(!)...after that he stopped asking me this...

Lesson...Gambling is not good but gambling without money in your pocket is worse. You dont get people like Radha often.

I reach Chennai and go straight to my brothers home at KB Nagar, Adyar Chennai where my brother with his wife, my younger sister Sumathy, my dad and my brother's first baby boy Viju were living on the first floor of an independent house, with the owner lady staying at the ground level. The house had just one bedroom, a living area, kitchen, balcony in the front and a nice terrace at the back with a bathroom and toilet.

Next day morning I take off to HL office, 1st of November, and to my utter disappointment it was closed due to ' Eid ul adha '. no one there to enquire and return the next day 2nd of November 1979....My life as a real sales guy started this day...and what a journey it was...From Sales Rep to Field Sales Officer to Area Manager to Branch Manager to Regional Manager to Sales Controller. 14 years in total. Some great bosses and some great colleagues turned life time friends. What an experience it was. Whatever I am today, the foundation was laid in Herbertsons. The organisation had its own flaws but it was an exhilarating experience....

Okie....There was Tomy as RM, Abraham as ARM and RS Rajendran as FSO...this guy RSR was one typical character...Tomy-difficult to read his mind and Abraham was friendly but not well grounded with the nuances of FMCG...he came from Avery's. So on my first day, RSR gives me a brief about my territory, the area I would cover and sent me to my distributor. Met Dattatreyan aka Datta, Sheigar Kanniah, LT Murthy-three of them managing different functions in the office. Datta was the head constable there with a penchant for quitely sliding it in....so first day, I was asked to work with V Parameswaran aka VP....he takes me around Chennai market in his lambretta and lunch at Ashoka-Egmore...very sweet and wonderful guy....not much about products but more of introducing to customers. VP was in HL for some time but left to join Mohan brothers and later JIL and from JIL to Shiva where he spent almost his entire career...We became good friends and always kept in touch. Very nice guy and I came down from DxB to attend his daughter's wedding. But we lost him recently...Just a day of induction and next day was pushed to the market on my own. First call is the distributors office in Mandaveli and later I came to know the distributor was Tomy's Brother in law (compliance???)...again no product briefing...nothing...so the tricycle was loaded and i was asked to cover the Arcot Road area starting from Kodambakkam. Dipys was the umbrella brand and we had, squashes, syrups, jams, ready to cook soup, exotic sauces like Worcestershire and 8 to 8 apart from Tomato sauce and ketchup. I load the tricycle to its brim as i didnt have any idea of what would sell and hence even a case of 4 kg jam was loaded. I asked this distributor guy about sweet corn soup and he told me you have to just heat it up and drink it....product knowledge...so the journey of a true salesman with FMCG started...I take a bicycle and travel along with the tricycle guy....reach Kodambakkam and the first call itself was a big grocery shop. General introduction and the owner ask me for a case of W sauce but sadly we didnt carry that...so i booked my first order for HL with that stores...but when asked about our squashes the response was it would sell only in Summer...what about jams? No sir, Dipy's doesn't sell here....oh...on the way we bumped in to Gurucharan, Kissan Sales rep...he was so cool with just an order book on hand and a cigarette. He looks at me and the cart with disbelief....you are carrying 4 kg jam to sell in this area? You cant even sell the normal pack...your bosses didnt brief you? went on and on...i realised that it's going to be tough selling Dipy's...the other competing brands apart from Kissan were Noga (Maharashtra) and Rex....Rex was always premium but more in to squashes and syrups and not in to jams...Noga and Kissan in to Jams and Squashes...So we go up to Vadapalani Bus stand and the sale was hardly anything....and I met Vijayaraghavan an ex HL and working for Balsara...another cool guy...he used to always wear a smile....he looks at me and tell my tricycle guy to wait there...give some money to have tea and snacks, ask me to be his pillion and takes me to his home which was close by....First meeting and we became friends....tea and snacks at his place and he straight away took me to a shop, introduced and forced that guy to buy something...so 1 case of MF jam...thanks to Vijayaraghavan and told me to call him in case of any help required...(only thru landline)...So I come back wondering what and where I got in to. On the way back, I stopped at a Malayali restaurant to have tea and casually introduced myself and asked them whether they use jam and sauce...to my surprise that guy said yes to jam but no to sauce as they use cheaper version of sauces made from pumpkin with a small portion of tomato added. Okie...opportunity now....I converted that opportunity by selling him that one case of 4KG I carried with me and also collected full amount...,big sales!!!!

Felt so good not because that i could sell a case of 4kg jam but because I proved the Kissan guy wrong....hahaha

Life went on like that in Chennai for some time....selling was tough but I have to find new ways to push Dipy's....have to figure out friendly outlets and sell...In T Nagar, Bombay Stores Harish became my good friend and could push some stocks....some restaurants where I could push some 4 kg jams....some quantities of exotic sauces but the problem was with squashes and Tomato sauce. The problem with squashes, especially with Lemon, Lemon barley and orange, the shelf life. After 6 months the top portion of the squash turns darker and consumers would not touch it..Kissan and Rex didnt have that problem may be due to the consumers preference but we had lots of issues. The company never had a replacement policy. We were all given something called a 'recommendation voucher'-(RV). So we need to fill that with details on unsalable stocks and destroy those unsaleables by draining them in a bucket found at the shop or at the drainage. When you open those bottles the smell comes out of that would be horrible...and when you submit the RV to Rajendran he would take the shit out of us...he would normally say, we dont have any business to provide RVs....then how do you replace as the customers can't sell those which means no more business from that outlet...the answer would be 'that's why company employed you...you have to manage that! How, from my 550 salary i have to pay? No answers...I still remember once in an outlet opposite to Meenambakkam old airport, when i visited first time, another Malayali shop-he almost kicked me in my but....as he had lots of expired stocks of squashes....it was around 120 bottles...I patiently emptied all these in a drain next to his shop issued RV took his new order and submitted the RV to my FSO Rajendran for his approval. He took it, gave a glance, and tore it off....I just could not believe it....what do I do? 

HL also had brands like Bagpiper, Honey bee, Royal Treasure Rum, RT Beer, Herbertsons Beer et al but we were never given any brief on that and also were never taken to the distributors. Once RSR took me to V M Raghavulu Naidu and Sons, one of our distributors in Chennai for alcoholic beverages and was introduced to Dr. Madan Mohan Reddy the owner....he had so much of issues with HL and started arguing with RSR....I had no clue on what kind of business was that and how to go about it....but made a note of everything....Prince & Co was another distributor and he had cream of HL brands that included Bagpiper, though Bagpiper was not popular that time. Though VMR also had Bagpiper and Honey Bee he was not considered as the distributor for these brands. There were few more distributors in Chennai to cater to the select outlets. But the retail was restricted to service against permits only. There were very limited bars serving alcohol and these were primarily 5 and 4 stars. The liquor business was not huge in TN in 79 as it was very restricted but overall for HL the money made from the small volumes of alcohol was much more than whatever brand Dipys was churning out. And the process of getting the stocks in to TN for the distributors was also very cumbersome. Lots of procedures. Relationship with these limited distributors played a huge role.  Didn't know why only Tomy and RSR were involved and not others in the team. To some extent VP had a role but he left and joined JIL and after that it was all KPT and RSR....but that's not possible when I am around, right?

So one day I go to Mahabalipuram, 50 KM from Chennai, a tourist place on a market work. It was mid of December. Mahabalipuram is a good place to sell some premium brands of Dipy's portfolio and the business is from all the resorts and hotels there. Temple Bay by ITDC and TTDC were two big outlets. So first I visit TTDC and got some volumes for Dipy's and my next call was ITDC. Meeting with the purchase guy and once Dipys was through, I asked him whether it is possible to get some order for our IMFL, with out knowing any abcd of what I am supposed to sell and where from? he asked me what brands of beer I have on stocks...The meeting with VMR was fresh in my memory and I grabbed the opportunity and pitched for Royal Treasure beer. But he was all for UB and Kalyani or Golden Eagle as these were the most popular. But I gave some BS stories to him on RT Beer and believe me guys, I got a 100 cases order. I could not believe I got this huge order and didnt even know how to react...it took some time for me to come to normalcy... It was on HL order book. First order and that too from one of the biggest customers an unbelievable quantity too (10 cs was the maximum one could get for this product, is what I came to know later) and for a product which was not well known and tough to sell. Overjoyed and I wanted to enjoy the moment and straight away hit a restaurant for my lunch...pl do not run your imagination wild...for the kind of allowances I used to get, only the budget restaurants were possible. Enter this place to have the full meal, pay cash and buy the token, settle down on a table...the restaurant was almost empty and suddenly lots of noise and I see a swarm of girls and boys descending on the restaurant...chatting in a different language...later I came to know it was Kannada...They were all from Mysore University on a trip to TN...Few of them shared the same table and one girl in that crowd, attracted my attention..They all boarded the same bus to Chennai and the bus was fully crowded. This girl was standing next to me, very beautiful but shy....I wanted to introduce myself and talk to her but as she was surrounded with her own clan, though she was standing close to me, I could not gather the guts to start the conversation. But before the bus pulled down at Adyar, I gave my card to her and asked her name and she promptly responded with a beautiful smile...made a note of and got down and when I looked back she was still looking at me with a smile....as usual love at first sight...My excitement was more on the first order and rushed straight to Nungambakkam to VMR and to meet Dr.Reddy. 

I meet Dr. Reddy and hand over the order. As he opened it, his eyes became wide with utter disbelief...I have to do a lot of convincing that the order was real. The moment he realised it, after making a phone call to the purchase manager of Temple Bay, he realised I have pulled off some unbelievable stuff. He immediately called his brother and said something in Telugu and within 15 minutes I got some special sweets from his home and also something to munch. You must know that Dr.Reddy was very rich guy and it's difficult to get up close and personal with him. But with this one stroke of luck, I got in to his good books. And believe me guys that no one tutored me on this and to be very frank it was an opportunity which I converted in to a possibility. But Dr Reddy was so frank he told me that no one could get such huge orders for RTB from its launch. That smiling face of Dr Reddy is still etched in my memory.

I go to the office next day morning (in today's context, this news one could have flashed in the WhatsApp group but I had to wait till next day to share this with RSR) to inform my boss but to my bad luck he had come to know of this from Dr Reddy's brother previous night itself and was seething with anger that I didnt tell him before handing over the order to Dr. I realised my mistake and profusely apologised to him. He cooled down immediately and to my surprise, he took me out for lunch to Woodlands....wah!!!! We had a long conversation in Woodlands where he told me that I should start visiting these hotels and restaurants and start looking at other range of products too. He made it clear to me that I should support Prince & Co than VMR.....for whatever reason...didnt ask him as my focus was on eating and also the girl I met in the bus....RSR used to speak fluent Telugu and both VMR and Prince & Co also Telugu speaking people....

So my image/rating in the office and company went up and KPT and Abraham acknowledged this great feat. 

One evening Dr Reddy called me, I think it was before Xmas that year, and gave me a bottle of Herberts Gin...those days it was like a lottery as getting a bottle was only for the privileged. I gleefully accepted it and took it home. 

We opened the bottle that evening and that was the first time my dad tasted alcohol in his life...initially there was some kind of hesitancy but later that disappeared. At our place alcohol was never a taboo...My dad knew all my friends, colleagues and almost with most of them had a drink. Even my uncle Nagu. But Nagu stopped drinking few years back but my dad continued till his death. So I have the pride of introducing alcohol to my dad, thanks to Dr. Reddy. 

Just before new year, during my visit to the office one evening, our dear Sheigar, comes to me with a sheepish smile and hands over to me a greeting card....new year greeting and signed as 'guess who'.....for few minutes I could not decipher it and then looked at the stamp to figure out where it was posted...I saw 'Madurai' then realised it is from that girl whom I met in the bus on my return from Mahabalipuram...I overheard their tour plan and one of the place of visit was Madurai....So we started corresponding....another story.

My HL days I would split it as Chennai days (5 months), Salem days (2 years), Madurai days (2 years) Chennai days (3 years) Hyd days (2 years) Chennai days (2 years) Mumbai days (2 years) and again Chennai days (1 year).

Let me work this out and share the gist of it.

So I started working out on how to get the business ticking in my territory and focussed on the 20:80 principle...20% of the outlets provide 80% of the business. I was incharge of South Madras and the big retailers were Ambika Appalam Depots, Nilgiris, Bombay Stores, McRennett, Some Malayalee Restaurants in Adyar, Samco in Alwarpet, 5 star hotels et al. 

When I got the first RTB order, RSR called Datta, who was the 'all in all' guy in our office and totally trusted by Tomy and RSR, and asked him to provide some giveaways for free distribution to ITDC and other clients. Datta was the in charge of the giveaways and nothing could move without his consent. We have to give a requisition slip, get it authorised by RSR or Tomy and then Datta would provide the same. And getting those items, key chains, trays, openers et al, was not an easy one. So I decided to use them very judiciously and kept something for managing key outlets of not only alcohol but also Dipys. Park this aside now.

Datta was excellent with his typing and shorthand skills. He was also great with the command of English language. So there was so much of dependency on Datta by Tomy and RSR...

Once I was about to start my market work...just a few days in HL...it started raining heavily...I call up the office and Datta picks up the phone...'Datta its raining heavily...what do I do?'...Datta quipped immediately 'in Herbertsons whether it rains or shines, you have to work'....I still remember this and keep telling Datta how he used to bully us those days....But guys, people like Datta are organisations strength...full of energy, passion and doer. Later on Datta.

Ambika Appalam Depot was a great story. They had stores in Adyar, Mylapore and T Nagar. Visits to these places yielded nothing. All the managers were Malayalees only...even now...to get in to their good books is quite tough as most of them respond in monosyllables only. And sadly I didnt know Malayalam. After a few visits, I somehow manage to strike some kind of friendship with one of the managers and persuaded him to give me some leads to get placements for Dipys. (guys, HL was not new in Chennai--they were there for quite some time-and KPT was a hard core Malayalee but still they could not get an entry)...So after so much hesitation, he calls me aside and tells me to make an attempt with the owner of the chain...and he tells me that he normally doesn't entertain any business visits at home but if I go around 7 in the morning, I will be able to get his audition. So, one morning I reach his home in T Nagar, Dr Nair Road (coincidence-name) and he was sitting outside reading some Malayalam news paper. He looks at me and asked me 'Entha'....tough nut to crack...somehow I managed to get his attention for 10 minutes and told him about our brands and also quietly slip in the Malayali connect of my distributor. That worked, I think. He smiled....but he wanted to consult his shops before placing an order....which I was very skeptical though. As our brands were not 'pull' based. I tried my level best for the initial order but he didnt budge and he told me to come next day at 1000. So that's a positive sign. Same day I visited all his outlets, gave each manager a BP Key chain (the metal key chain of Bagpiper those days, people would give anything to possess it) and requested them to give some positive response. I also told my 'informer' in that outlet to put in a word to all his managers. Next day, I reach at 0955 but with some key chains of Bagpiper and one big jackfruit which I got it from Mylapore market the previous night. I carried all these in an auto and the owner was quite surprised. The Jackfruit thing was told by my 'informer'. So he accepted them gleefully and when I gave the key chains he was all inquisitive about Bagpiper...he came to know Bagpiper and Honey bee are also our company, he realised that he is dealing with a big company and not some small Dipys guy...(this is a big learning for me too which I started exploiting totally)

I got an initial order of 10 cases of jam assorted, 25 cases of squashes, 5 cases of Sweet Corn and 20 cases of Tomato ketchup....This is a fantastic breakthrough and my distributor could not even believe it...

I presented this story in the next regional conference which SS Gandhi presided and got a pat from SSG (more about SSG later).

So Chennai started liking me and one day RSR calls me and tells me that I need to be shifted and to Salem...When I asked him the rationale he told me that its a kind of jump for me as I would be handling independently all these markets and also the liquor outlets as TN started slowly opening up the alcohol with permission to sell to the cooperative stores. Didn't know how to react as I was just settling down in my job. This happened in March 80. But I had no issues of shifting my base and said immediately YES to him....

I had hardly met anyone else, in those 5 months I was in Chennai, apart from VP, Fernandes and Thomas (they all left HL sooner). KS Raghavan, Ashraf and E Kanthasamy-met them later.

So the first transfer....keep counting....bye bye Chennai and hallo Salem!!!