Hating the salesmen

I went to Costco today to pick up a few things and noticed a kiosk for AT&T near the entrance. A couple of salespeople were stationed by it, and since my wife and I needed a new phone connection, I decided to approach one of them.

While waiting, I observed the other salesperson, whose job was to approach as many people as possible and try to convince them to switch to AT&T or purchase a product.

Being Costco, there was a steady flow of people coming in, and he strategically positioned himself in the middle of the entryway to talk to more people.

I noticed his approach: he greeted each passerby with phrases like, “Hey guys, how are you doing?” or “Hey, we have a special deal for you!” Despite his efforts, I observed that around 95% of the people completely ignored him, even though he was close and speaking directly to them.

I started to feel a bit sorry for him—he was putting in so much effort, trying to make eye contact with people who mostly tried to avoid him or subtly moved away. Of course, a few responded with a polite “No, thanks,” but the vast majority kept walking.

It got me thinking about my usual response in these situations, which is like most people’s—trying to avoid eye contact, saying, “No, thank you,” and walking away faster. It struck me that these salespeople are simply doing their job, selling whatever it is they’re assigned to sell.

I used to feel a lot of disdain for salespeople, finding them a nuisance, as if they were forcefully intruding into my day for their own interests. But, in reality, they’re just trying to make a living. And perhaps people, myself included, should be a bit more empathetic.

As a startup founder, I’m deeply involved in the sales process for my business. I speak to countless potential customers, explaining how we can add value and improve their lives, sharing the excitement about our product and how it could be a game-changer.

And just like the salesperson at Costco, I’ve encountered my share of difficult moments—rude responses and feedback that could have been expressed more kindly. But I’ve come to accept this as part of my journey as a founder, and it’s given me a unique perspective on the importance of empathy for those doing tough jobs.

This also applies to telemarketers. Yes, telemarketing calls are annoying, especially since they often come from local-looking numbers that trick us into answering. I used to feel quite frustrated by this. But now, I consciously try to respond kindly, politely saying no so they can move on without a negative experience, simply because I’m in a bad mood.

Everyone is just doing their job. Some people excel at sales, like the AT&T salesperson I saw today. He was consistent, he kept smiling, and my guess is that he talks to thousands of people each day, securing just a handful of deals.

That kind of persistence, facing rejection repeatedly, will likely teach him invaluable life lessons. I truly believe he’ll go on to achieve great things with that resilience.

So, I think we should all try to be a little kinder to people doing their jobs. Kindness makes everyone’s lives easier. And maybe, if you can be a source of positivity for just one person, that’s worth a great deal.

Of course, there are times when things aren’t going well, and we’re not in the best mood. But trying to be kind and understanding is a worthwhile endeavor.

Akhil