I boarded Ispat Express train at 6:15 a.m. in the morning from Howrah station for Jamshedpur. Somehow, I was not very happy about this visit but inside me, the hidden-salesman was repeatedly provoking me to make a trip to Jamshedpur and collect the order and advance. I had made twenty-seven visits to this client for the order without any success. My Boss has categorically told me, not to make any more visits to this client, without his prior approval. I knew for sure, even if I ask for his approval, I am not going to get it. Therefore, I opted for a noble idea of visiting Jamshedpur without informing my immediate supervisor; and if I can get an order with advance then only I will make my trip official and submit my visit report and travel expense bill along with order, otherwise, I will take one casual leave and show it as a personal visit.
I had visited this client first time almost most seven month's back and at the very first visit, this client said, "I need this machine immediately, please send us your no-regret-offer along with early delivery and attractive terms of payment; we will release the order within a week or ten days maximum."
I could not believe my luck, it has never happened in our Industry that a client had ask for the offer in the very first visit itself (yes in case of repeat order this is possible, but with new client, never). I thought, my God will be so kind to me and I am going to break all past record by concluding this order within one sales call only, isn't it great?
Six months four weeks and three days have passed since my first call and 27 visits have gone in follow up for this order, but there was no sign of order. As a matter of fact, after submission of the offer, the client told me to come after a week and collect the order with 25% advance, but that one week never came, and many such weeks have gone in follow-up visits without any success.
On top of it, I had earned a tag of over ambitious sales person who believes in closing the sale-call within one visit. Due to this reputation, my Boss has also started criticizing me about my lack of clarity in evaluating client need, want and desire. More-over, my over-ambition, excitement and inadequate knowledge of customer behavior has further added on to my reputation of over ambitious salesman.
The story goes like this, proposal to buy a capital equipment was made by the concerned department and submitted to accounts cell for preparing ROI (return on investment); the proposal was sent for capital purchase approval to the board of directors; later it was sent for in-principal approval from CMD's office; thereafter, application was filed with the bank for term-loan; and this exercise took seven months, but till date, no good news was received from the customer's side except repeated assurances.
I reached Jamshedpur at 11 a.m. and rushed to client's office. At the entrance of the factory gate, I met with the Purchase Manager, who gave me sad news of GM sir's father untimely demise. I was in a shock as if I have lost my father. Since my return train was at 5:30 p.m., I decided to visit GM sir's residence along with the Purchase Manager and if time permits, I will attend the funeral also.
GM sir was sitting on the floor along with his family members, relatives and friends. His father's body was lying on the floor of the lawn of his bungalow. I paid respect to the departed soul and with my wet eyes, looked at the GM sir, who was also staring at me, as if he was asking "how come you are here?". I wanted to ask him about the order but some-how or the other, I could not speak a word to him, instead I started crying as if I had lost my father. Many people came and started consoling me, but I was unable to control my emotions and I kept on crying for a very long time.
After attending the funeral, I came back home at 11:30-p.m. night, and my wife's first question was "Did you get the order?" And I could not control myself and started crying again like a small child who lost his favorite toy. After explaining my wife in details about day's incident, I started looking after old news papers for appointments, because I knew for sure, tomorrow my boss will come to know about my Jamshedpur visit and he will send me a pink-panther (termination letter) within next three days by courier, I was hundred percent sure about it.
As expected, on third day, I got a telegram in lieu of courier from my Boss, which read, "please proceed for Jamshedpur immediately and collect the order and advance from GM sir " And during our annual sales conference my Boss told me that, same night GM sir has called him on phone and informed him about his father's sudden demise, my visit to attend the funeral of his father and reasons for the delay in releasing the purchase order. Although he will be on leave for next 13 days but he will see to it that the said purchase order and advance will be released within next 24 hours, without fail. He categorically told my Boss that I should visit Jamshedpur again and collect the order and advance from his residence, a day after.
I pray to God Almighty to give enough strength to GM sir and his family to bear this great loss and his father's soul may rest in peace, Amen!
With Prayers
Gurcharan
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