This was at a time when I was working as a management trainee, for a small SME, who were dealers of Raymond furnishings. I was doing all genres and functions of work there. Formulating inventory mechanisms,trying to professionalise processes and systems,working on functional areas like finance, marketing, sales, operations. Designing promotion tactics for creating market awareness. So it was a very satisfying and holistic experience.
Out of the many revelations while working, there is this one instance that still gives me goosebumps when I think about it. It goes this way.
It was a sultry and hot afternoon, typical of Chennai. I was roaming on my bike with a huge bag of fabric samples near T Nagar in search of star hotels who could be interested in our fabrics. As they are called in sales terms, getting leads. After various visits to star hotels, I was just successful in getting all of their manager's visiting cards, but not successful in closing the deal ( get an order). But in sales, one has to see the glass always half full, even though there are just drops left! I thought of giving a last try and stepped in to this 2 star hotel. As soon as I got in, the doors opened to the lobby, where I was suprised to see a fat old man in white and white wearing lungi, continuosly coughing. He looked like a typical autowala. My first impression of the hotel wasn't too great. So i ignored him and sat opposite him in a very nonchalant manner slouching in the comfortable sofa, waiting for the manager to come.
After some time, the manager came and I greeted him. He strongly replied saying first wish our chairman and pointed to that guy sitting opposite me..! who I thought was a autowala..! What a comedy of errors..I wanted to hide my face somewhere but had no option but to confidently give my sales pitch. I was showing the samples, when suddenly that old man told me, speaking almost British english, to freeze 2 designs and asked for the price.
Within 20 minutes I had a cheque in my hand, not too heavy but very valuable to me as it was my first order.
Then I realised that in life, especially in SALES - " Never judge a book, by its cover"..!
Rohit Bengani
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