Day 3 – Field day

Finding the place--

The day started economically in a sense that instead of spending regular 50+ bucks for the auto I got a straight bus to my destination and thanks god that I missed my target bus stop by only about 100 meters. Walking back for 100 meters was not a problem compared to finding the Ganpathy Agencies, the stockist for Henkel. My sales manager told me to turn the first right and when I enquired the local shopkeepers nobody knew the whereabouts of the agency. Finally after some 3-4 calls to the manager, he asked me to walk backwards and find some green coloured auto and then apologized for the first right thing, it was the second right. I took the second right, asked few people and again took the left and then again the first right but of no use. Finally called him back and asked him to pick me up but then gathered courage to ask another person and incidentally the opposite house was the agency.

What is your project?

Well, for my lack of understanding of the knowledge and for this place being in the interior Chennai where without the Tamil you are as good as dumb, I kept quiet for the first 15 minutes and sat like an idiot between people giving me strange look and every-time they laughed on something, I felt that they were laughing on me. The stock was piled up and the place had a fresh aroma. There were two computers and none were being used. Finally my manager arrived and he introduced me to the salespeople. Well, I have none of the requisite qualities of a qualified sales person. I can’t speak the language, I can’t even drive properly and don’t even have a driving license. Making the matter worse, I can’t bargain for pennies, I can’t pester people to buy my things instead of buying from someone else. But yeah this is life. One more thing, after knowing my qualifications and my limits he asked me “What is your project?” I was clueless. “I don’t know but I would like to go on a sales beat with one of your guys” I answered.

Roaming around – Hate to be a silent spectator

So there we started, I got to sit beside a person on his bike and we 3 people went on a sales beat. The origin of the word beat comes from history where if somebody has to sell something, he will go around beating drums or something (this definition came from my boss). I remember some Dosa Walas beating their hot plates and we use to feel happy that Dosa wala has arrived. Well, today even the thought of eating a dosa makes me feel sick in the stomach (unfortunately had to eat dosa for lunch as well as breakfast today). I was counting the number 40 as yesterday I was told that on average a salesman covers about 40 outlets daily. But we did a bit more than that as some of them were closed, some simply refused to take anything and at some places they had enough stock left. I was cursing myself for not knowing the language as the work was not that boring as I thought. Yeah it requires less skill than MBA of-course but then if you are working without stipend that means you are in dire need and you should be ready to do any kind of menial jobs (this definition comes from my placement authorities). The company is your mai-baap for the 3 months and be prepared to do whatever it takes. Well, was sweating buckets today and at one point of time, I even felt like fainting. I was counting like anything and was getting furious as it was 2 in the afternoon and we only covered 24 outlets.

Lunch time

It seemed that the sales man accompanying me was in habit of making these kinds of rounds and they won’t eat lunch. But it didn’t took me long to figure out that they were feeling shy about the choice of place as if by mentioning some cheap outlet they will disgrace me or something. Well, I asked them to take me to any restaurant and finally I paid their lunch bills. Too much for the generosity from a person who is not even being compensated for his internship. Anyways after the lunch every passing second I was getting heavier inside. The sun was right above the head and the heat was like piercing deep into the skin. I was dying to run away. Slowly we completed about 50 shops and the only time I seemed to understand Tamil was when the two people spoke something about going to a couple of more shops and calling it quit. To my delight all the shops on that road were closed so it was the end of the day for me. But no, have to type a report stating my observations which of-course I will be doing only on Friday. But yeah tomorrow, a new place and have some 40 new outlets to visit.

2nd Day - And the wait is over, I got something to hang on.

Well, finally the wait was over and we got to meet the boss. Well, my nightmare came true and I was assigned a sales project and has to assist the sales team for the next four weeks. I always hated the salesman job and that's why I grew a fantasy for finance. But then, things changed and I became interested in the strategy side of marketing but son, this is a world of old and experienced vultures, babies have to watch things happen and have to go through the tough route. Sales, territory, area, marketing, branding, strategy. The path is too long and it seems that it will take ages before I can move to the strategy level.

Anyways, the day started with a metting with my boss and the boss ka boss. My boss apparently is from Punjab and for a moment I thought he became happy that i also did my engineering from Punjab but well that was the only friendly moment between us. I felt ignored after that for a long long time. The place where I have to sit and wait is in one corner and is stacked with 2 sofas, a water cooler and mobile charger. So anyone who has to pass by will take a curious look on you and I was feeling like I do not belong to the place. My boss asked me to read some magazine and for the first time I read any magazine completely. I read and then re-read the whole business world and was feeling so sleepy that it was like I literally started dozing off on the sofa.

An hour and half passed and then my boss called me for a 15 minutes orientation session about sales terminologies. I learnt about the origin of few words (which I can't even find on wiki) and then learnt about my project. For the next 3 days have to go on sales visit and have to take note of the work flow. Gosh! the scorching summer heat of Chennai will leave me with sunburns for sure and the auto bill will burn a hole into my pocket also. Life do not seems to be rosy. Let's see what I learn from tomorrow.

Does anybody care for the Summer Interns?

Yes. A strong affirmative yes is the answer. People do care for summer interns and they show their care and concern in a hell lot of ways. Well, common perception across all the business school campus is that most of the companies do not even care that what the summer interns are doing in their premises, projects have to be decided by the students only and most of the time the idea comes staraight from some book or from some historical projects dug out from google. But I guess that things are changing and they are changing for good.

Today was my first day on first job (summer job) and can honestly accept that I was nervous (wasn't even able to open the doors confidently) was barely able to talk for the first 15 minutes but then slowly I settled my breath as the atmosphere inside Henkel's corporate office was calm and quiet. People were not wandering aimlessly and the most impressive character was security officer cum receptionist who just cannot stop talking. Well, he was an example of person organization fit and not job fit (for he liked Henkel but not his job). He was talking about quitting from this job and we even joked that if he quits before we get some project probably I will be opening the doors and my friend will be taking the receptionist job.

So for 1 hour we chatted with the receptionist and finally Mr. Murali Anandan (DM) came to see us. In appearance he looked quiet, intelligent and focussed. Without any sweet talks he straight forward talked about our project and then told us that the boss wanted to see us and discuss few things so we have to wait as he was in the meeting. Well, this was something completely unexpected from a FMCG company. Posch office, very nicely done interiors, open cubicles beating even IT companies in ambience and me and my friend were asked to wait in an open elevated cabin which looked like better fit for a romantic date out in some cafeteria. But well, for the first half an hour when we were actually reading the report and fiddling with the electronic access cards given to us with our names written in graphite (pencil), we felt like being put in some isolated chamber.

Leaving the humour, slowly everything started looking familiar and it seems that people will accept us easily. Dont know for sure but little things goes a long way in breaking the ice between the employee and organization. We were asked to take our lunch in the employee cafeteria and light music marks the beginning of the lunch hour which also is a symbol of easy going enterprise. So all in all first day have left me with hopes for better tomorrows. Well, all looks bright and rosy but then you never know.

In anticipation of life..

Examinations are over and the writing on the wall is that "life starts now". Well, the week started with a not so professional decision of quitting a strategy case contest final for personal reason but still it feels great to be in a position from where you can assert your choice. Well the situation was not such when I was offered the salesmanship at henkel but as this is just the beginning, this is the time to try out new things otherwise who wish to sell soaps and detergents at the age of 40 or after 20 yrs of experience? So here I am, ready to start my brief 10 weeks stint with the salesmanship for one of the FMCG majors Henko (not in the top 3 of business world ranking published yesterday, but still a big one with some good brands in their kitty).

The aniticipation of the new life is killing me. I don't know whether I am excited or not but ofcourse I am curious that what the new life is going to be, or what life has stored in for me. I don't know the language, have very poor driving skills (both are highly sought after qualifications) add that with the knowledge about Chennai and you see I have nothing which will work for me except myself. Most of us who have started their internship have some knowledge about whatever they are doing or at-least their decision was a conscious one but for me its not a matter or choice and chances are there that I will struggle hard on the job. But anyways, here I am starting with my job in 5 days (without pay) and dying with the anticipation of new life. Hope it would be good but whatever it would be, the writing will not be on the wall but also on this blog.