Diary of a Sales man
It was a sunny afternoon of May, when I stepped into the shoes of a Sales man. I shrieked instantly for I had almost stepped on a bed of thorns. I tried regaining my composure, as I had to learn walking in them…comfortably. I was a new joiner at Kotak Life Insurance and with absolutely no background in Insurance; I was out in the sales field for a month.
It was my first day and my Sales Manager tried making it less painful. He gave me a ready database with few names and phone nos. I felt it was a task too easy for an MBA! We people know how to talk you see; in fact, know how to talk a lot! Therefore, on I went with my first call to Shadab Ahemad (refer to the excel sheet). I was polite, confident and crisp in my introduction and purpose of call. When the person at the other end did not respond for few seconds, I thought I floored him. He then spoke, “I am busy right now. Can you call me back at 10:00 tonight?”
That call never happened. Not because I never called back, but because when I did (at 10:00 p.m.), he kept me on hold for 10 minutes and went off to sleep. I sensed the feeling of hatred people had for sales personnel. The experience made me stronger; I felt it won’t be that difficult to walk in these shoes after all. I had not realized that the nightmare had just begun.
My second day took me by surprise. I asked my SM to get me some leads that I can pitch and that my experience the previous day had made me strong enough to handle any freak on a phone call. To my surprise he said, “I have no more leads for you. Generate your own. And yea, you are on your own now baby!” Another hour passed and I was out in scorching heat not knowing where to go and sell INSURANCE!
They call them cold calls! Any sane individual with some commonsense would never call it near to cold. My further experiences would stay with me through a lifetime. I can never forget that short, fragile and feminine looking guard at some office I do not even remember the name of. He looked so feminine that I felt I could easily knock him down and generate as many leads I wanted. I was neither perturbed nor submissive when he refused any strangers in the office premises. I stood confident with my Kotak ID card which had no photograph, no name, no designation; precisely nothing to prove my existence as a Kotak Life Insurance employee (as I was a new employee)! Holding myself straight and wearing a stern look I said, “I am here to do social service and a survey. I am a respectable employee of Kotak Group (using a Life Insurance company, as your father/mother organization was taboo on field!) You cannot shoo me away like this. I won’t go from here until you let me speak to your manager.”
The now very fragile looking guard went inside and I swelled in pride. I had never been so successful in intimidating people. While I was still thinking of how I would narrate this incident of bravery to my friends and family, the tiny guard reappeared. I gave him a mocking smile. Sadly though, it faded too soon, when I froze to see another guard behind him. He was double the height, four times the weight; nowhere near to a female and with the heaviest moustaches I could remember seeing on earth. Our eyes locked. His were red and piercing and mine…I really do not remember seeing much after that.
Once I was out, I gasped for some fresh air. I heard myself consoling my own self and said, “Be positive. It is not your fault. It’s the day that is jinxed.” The reality though was different. All my days thereafter turned jinxed.
I started afresh the next day with new fervor and spirit. I was wearing a white and pink salwar kameez and my colleague complemented me saying, “No one will shoo you off today!”
It was the Marico Sales and Marketing office with posters of Hair and Care and the sort displayed. I hoped to meet some sophisticated young woman as I waited at the reception. I had almost dozed off when suddenly I heard a thunderous sound. Two men were yelling at each other. “I want numbers you bastard”, one shouted. “I have not seen the face of my newborn baby, you son-of-a-b----#%3#^##*&^^&*”, the other countered. “I care a damn! Ten more would be born this single minute as I sack you. Am I sitting here to count your babies?”
Yes, I heard all that and yet I stood there. It was the biggest mistake of my life. As I was about to wipe the sweat off my forehead I found myself facing the monster.
He asked me, “ Kya chahiye? Kahan se ayi ho?
I meekly replied, “Sir Kotak.”
“Kya Kotak? Kotak Bank”, he thundered.
I could feel my feet trembling as I spoke further, “No Sir, Kotak Life Insurance.” He now towered over me and said, “ Sahi time pe ayi ho. Yahan bohot logon ka janaza uthne wala he.” My ears could barely take what he spoke further.
“And I thought selling Life Insurance was a social service”, I heard myself saying. I walked out of the office and said a small prayer for him and all those who ‘sell’.
My days ahead were not easy. There were some good, some funny, embarrassing and some sad experiences. But this month taught me how to respect people esp. sales people.
They are extraordinary in every sense. They understand the customers better, they connect to them better, their patience is par comparison and God only is aware what form of motivation drives them? Every sales call is a reflection of the company it represents. Every single sales man who is walking in one of your street right now is carrying a baggage of his/her company’s reputation. You can insult them, yell at them, abuse them but they cannot return back any of those graces. They put in an effort; larger than any CEO, to impart and protect the company’s image.
I now attend sales calls with much patience. I make it a point to thank them for calling before they do for my ‘precious’ time. After all, their time is precious too.
Regards,
Vagmita Sharma
