Friday, December 19, 2014

The (S)cream of Sales


This is happened today night albeit, a lesson for everyday.

I was bit busy in a Hypermarket for searching a face moisturizing cream which I am using for last five years. As I entered the designated area, different brand representatives approached with their splash of smiles. I cannot satisfy all these brand ambassadors same time, with a cozy smile I went to the area of my favorite brand.

I got another lady there. I had a glance to my favorite brand but before I pick it up, she has started narrating the benefits of the cream like a tape recorder. She showed me a sample as well.

“I am using the same cream for last five years”

I respond to her while checking the sample bottle and locked her narration of pros and cons.  Same time, I had seen another type of gel cream of same brand peeping from the rack. I picked it and opened the cover. “What is the difference between these two?” I demonstrated two creams in my palms, depicting like a weighing machine.

“This is cream and another one is gel !” Her answer was not satisfying. I want to know the benefits or a comparison between the two.  Then I began to read the ingredients of both bottles.

“What you are checking sir..?”

“Nothing… I am looking the ingredients”

I resumed the reading, but ironically her face was not much happy.

Finally, I decided to take my favorite brand and kept back the gel in the same shelf because I don’t want to do an experiment. Now I suppose to leave the area and seek her assurance “This is the same cream you are holding in your hand, right?”

“How many times I told you ?!… Yes, it is the same you are selected!!”

Her answer in a commanding tone has been irritated me. I looked at her face once again but not replied. She got some problem. Then I decided to leave that area.

I walked few steps ahead, and then stopped. Why she is irritated me?...... Why she cannot talk politely to a customer? Some kind of agitation has been generated in my mind.

I returned to the same place and silently kept the cream back to the shelf. I know she is looking me sharply, but not responding. When I decided to leave, she asked me curiously “what happened?”.  Yes, this is my turn;

“My friend, I am using this cream for last few years, but today I decided to stop and go for another brand. This is because of your attitude towards me. Talk properly and politely without prejudice, person or nationality”

She kept quite. Again I told her “As a sales person, you should learn how to handle a customer … never ever irritate us”

Before disappearing that place, I had chosen a new cream. I am going to try another brand instead of my favorite.  Better to tell going for an experiment.

After reaching at home, I started thinking about this incident and asking some questions.  Why I changed my brand? Is it because of a sales person?  I don’t know… The irrecoverable pain of that moment distracted a long relation and urged for another brand.

My next day will start with the new brand.

I silently told that cream ‘You can decorate my shelf until another bad behavior of a sales person!’