Corporate chronicles - Years to build Trust and seconds to lose!

All in the name of Numbers!!

Here let me narrate an instance my friend countered /encountered during his tenure.

 As part of sales prospecting, my friend once visited premier technical institution of world class repute and met Dean of certain Department, who is Doctorate/PhD and was also in charge of purchase committee. My friend had prior information as, who else had visited in the recent past to the institution for whatever products to sell /service. He had done homework whatever possible and knew it was dangerous to enter the premises to the extent that, security was informed not to allow any one from his company.

However, my friend’s acquaintance was working as a professor in the same institution and on pretext of meeting professor, he did get inside. During meeting over a cup of coffee with professor, he understood the company’s reputation in the premises.

Having enough “motivation” from his bosses, my friend was left with no option but to meet the prospect, he went ahead and handed over his business card to PS of the Dean . He was told to join the Dean in Purchase meeting in a Conference room. After a while, he was called to conference room filled with other professors, HOD's, finance and Admin heads.

 As usual, he greeted the Dean who was holding my friend’s Business card. Just before my friend could gently pull the seat to occupy, he heard a sharp, distinct and quite authoritative voice “Well gentlemen one more joker from the circus company has come to do tamasha here!! What to do?”   My friend swiftly removed his hands away from the chair as if he got a shock and continued to stand in midst of laughter from all of the occupants. Dean Continued “Look you Mr. Whatever you are, before I yell or scream, just get out! And never ever enter the premises again! We have some serious business to do and are least interested in your products even if offered free!” and he tore the business card and threw at me. My friend knew the reasons behind the anger and believed it was fully justified.

My friend just taking a step away from the chair ,said “Sorry sir, I have come to tender unconditional apologies in person on behalf of company, for whatever goof –up done. Sir, this is official apology letter and Service Escalation matrix for some of our products you are already using, Let me please take the responsibility of addressing your issues and concerns from now….”  Before he could complete, Dean snatched those documents and put in shredder beside.  Such was the measure of Customer Satisfaction Index

And in a year’s time my friend won “exemplary performer of the year” award with citation and Certificate signed by none other than his CEO along with Cheque for Rs 15k which he treasures till today! Total order value was INR 50+ Lakh from the very same Institution in a single financial Qrtr !

He had not only resolved pending “Service related issues” which were sadly not technical ones, but related to Communication, Co-ordination and Commitment, he ended up in selling 25 units of certain Product and Certain solution with hardware, which was only second in India after country’s top Premier Engg. institution had deployed it from Principal/foreign company, for which his company had just taken distributorship in India.

Needless to say his one year’s Journey wasn’t easy, He had rented old palatial house right opposite to this institution for faster and better response .Borrowed books, literature and spent hours at Net centre to learn about new Product /Solution being offered which had eventually saved INR 1.2 Cr for the institute by adapting the new solution instead of conventional one.

Just a day prior to collecting the formal PO for supply of 25 units of certain product, the concerned officer at institution called my friend and asked to come with his Company ID card, Salary certificate and Contact number of HR dept at HO in NCR. Office Rubber stamp and Rental agreement copy of local office. My friend just thought it as matter of formalities to collect the PO and did go with documents asked for. 

On visiting the institution, he got shocker of his life, the concerned officer exclaimed “Seems you are hell bent on proving yours is a circus company and you people are jokers” and showed an email from certain Sales Manager from Regional HO which stated that, ---BM is not the “authority” to close the orders, And that he wants to meet the concerned at the Institute and collect formal PO with very minor “technical corrections” as it was “high sea sales” order, though prices and everything were correct!”  And formal PO should be addressed to Regional HO and mentioning Kind Attn : in his name ( name of sales guy who had written email)--- The officer said “My job is also at stake, tell me what to do now? To whom should I address?” which is correct address? Who is the right authority?"

With whatever rapport my friend built with client over a year, he collected the Printout of Email copy and got the same frwd. to his email id as well. For the first time he addressed thru email with attachment, his immediate bosses, Country heads and the tails at HO in NCR including company CEO. The mail though very short was filled with emotion, anger and frustration. Alternatively he had sent Fax message addressing Company CEO.

He pleaded for intervention and requested for  remedial email and also send fax to institution in next 24 hours, else he would commit suicide! HO was quick to act.The episode ended with my friend collecting the formal PO addressed to HO with CC to RHO and Branch office without anyone’s Name! This was the way even BM and the client wanted! All's well that ends well. The order was executed in time, Client was happy and payments were collected without a paisa of “compliment”. At company’ side, incentives and awards followed with apologies and patch-up of Sorts!

Organisations are bigger than individuals ! and organisations are made of what.......?