SALES @ FMCG ... MAN sans ego .... fun @ its best

I joined a Reputed FMCG company as a Management Trainee in June 2007 from campus........I was completely ignorant about what it takes to be a FMCG sales/ marketing guy ( other than the so called theoritical Knowledge which Mr Kotler had explained in his books)......

It all started on June 4th 2007....... The 1st Day in office....... Just like a typical Indian family who gets excited in all events like first day in office, first day in college, first kid etc ..............., My family (consisting of my mom , my sis , my bro in law and my cute little nephew ) also got up early in the morning, dressed up and set forth for the Corporate office in Gurgaon........We reached well before time at around 8 15 am...... There was a Barista in the office Building, all of us juggled in and caught up with some quick grab........ It was indeed an emotional moment.....I could see the sense of achievement in my Mom, sis & bro in law's eyes........For my mom it was the moment which she waited for 18 long years...........So in short though it was my first day in office & the real achievers were my parents......

I got into the corporate office fully dressed up in an executive attire...... expecting to see the rest of the 9 MT's ..... 3 of them were from my own college of which 1 was my room mate..... so it was obvious that the 1st day syndrome wasn't visible much........ I saw a tied laden Mr AB who came and introduced himself...... and a chill out guy with spiked hair Mr DK........ also two ladies Ms BG and MS NC..... and Mr SI with whom I was already in touch with a social networking site....... Mr HC also was present......

This was the new "damaat's " of the company........ Damat was a typical usage for MT's in the company as everyone in the company used to feel that MT's are the most privilleged Lot directly reporting into the National sales manager and MD ......

The intial 2- 3 days were basic introduction of various functions of the company and small sales stint with the sales officer in delhi ......... we were also given a welcome Kit and a schedule for our Next 9 months.......... On the 4th day after joining we were told that we will be starting our stint with our sales officer stint which will determine "whether we are fit to do sales"...... It also came with a condition under no circumstances you would be doing this stint in your Home Location....... that meant I wont be going to south........

On the 5th day 7 of us( except for me NC & SI) were given an envelope which had there air tickets....... 3 to Kolkatta, 2 to Bangalore, 2 to Mumbai..... the 3 of us were to report in Delhi as our stint was supposed to happen in North....

I reported to Delhi office on saturday with lot of hope and aspiration....... 3 of us were given a book and were asked to complete the book and only then leave the office...... and I was indeed finding it very difficult as it was pretty fat book......

Then my Boss asked me a straight question " tumhe maa behan ki gali dena atha hai".........

I was stunned and was really puzzled............

Then he broke the news........ U will be going to chandigarh......... and then after a guided sales officer stint with a senior sales officer mr RNM u will be moving on to Ludhiana which is the most troubled market in punjab with under cutting, unit running problems etc..........

Things were going above my head.... undercutting???? unit?? wat the heck??? Mr kotler hadnt mentioned this.......

AND THEN HE TOLD>>>>> maa behan ki gali tum khud seekh jaoge........ Tusi punjab ja rahe ho........

It was the strat of a new journey .... the journey which changed my life all together...

made me a egoless guy..... and started 2 find happiness in small things.........

I landed in chandigarh at night in volvo bus ... as i was entitled only 2 a sales officer incentive ... the sales officer over there had arranged a shabby hotel just above a desi daru ka tekha for my accomodation.....

there was another junior of mine who was a summer trainee in the same hotel........ that indeed was a big relief.....

Then came monday......... mr RNM came to pick me up..... i went to a distributor point.... from there to the market....... All my notion of 4 p's went for a toss..... when i realised sales means its all about selling a jar of candies to the retailer inspite of all his complaints of low margin, shortage etc....

we did around 60 outlets....... and we sold candies in around 40 outlets.....

to be frank i thought the btech and MBA's were all4 this?????? But nw I feel tat was the best learning I got till date........... much better than the gears and the 4 p's.......

It thought me about people...... rt from the pan wala's to the shrewed baniya.........

To be continued......

* The experience at the hotel.....

* Chandigarh to ludhiana

* Ludhiana story .... fracturing my leg after falling from a cycle............

* Bharat dharshan......,

* the day I cried hugging anshul....... leaving my 1st job..........

GEC LIFE

so the first year classes started ......
I was lucky 2 have some good seniors , who believed in what they did
so, tat in itself brought in a lot of confidence in me and helped me transform from a school going kid to a guy who can take decisions of his own....

now b4 goin into the transformation, let me tell about my 1st year at GEC THRISSUR ( 1 & 2 in our language)......
as i had mentioned it was a new world 4 me...... a new set of friends who had come frome different backgrounds and from different places ..... but 1 thing in common ie to enjoy for four years( and ya some had plans to excel in studies too.....)

intial 2- 3 months i was a visiting student as i used to go home on thursday evening and reach back on tuesdays ..................................

but as time passed i was becoming more and more attached to the college ....

A lot of groups started to emerge out...
one group comprising of hardcore devils like my frds rahul, ksp, stamu, its a strong list who used 2 cm in bikes with long hairs and a style which u relates to the villans of movies.....
another group of hosteliers( as we had different private hostels in the first year).....
and some smaller groups...............

I remember the intial days when i used to believe that the so called Hardcore devils where spoiled brats and always kept a considerable distance with them.......
Interestingly @ the end of the final year these guys were my best friends and now at times I laugh at myself thinking about how foolish i was in thinking those GEMS as spoilt brats ......

That brought in the first lesson that i learnt at GEC never judge a person on look but look at wat he is made off......

SOLITUDE IN MULTITUDE SYNDROME

continuing from where I left
May be graduation days were the most exciting days of any guy or gal. Interestingly most of the people go thru the Solitude in Multitude (SIM)Syndrome ( esp when you find a gal whom u like but fear of loss stops you from disclosing it to anyone) during this period. 90% of the time this undisclosed feeling remains like that.

I remember in my days in GEC Our batch The selfproclaimed MECHDEVILS were considered to be the most naughtiest and anti female group in campus. Gals were afraid of passing in front of MECHTREE ( supposed to be the brewing ground of devils). It was a batch of 99 guys and 1 gal.

petty fights inspired from tamil flick "minnale" where the nature of those day.

Now you may b thinking from where I have reached where..............

Wait lemmee come to the real point.....

These same guys who were anti female in the first year turned out to have the SIM symptoms in the final year. Interestingly one of my best friend MR X(he may b offended if I put his real name) who was supposedly the devil king showed this symptom first followed by others.But Mr X was lucky and I hope to see him getting married to the gal in sometime.

Another friend of mine had very recently gone thru SIM but for a whole different reason. He was in love with a gal for a very long time and was planning for marying her in another 2 years time but one fine morning a small fight which led to all sorts of commotion in both of their lives ripped apart their relationship. This guy doing his MBA in a good college was going thru SIM affecting his daily routines. But 6 mnths Hence I see the gal is happy with the job in her hand and the guy is movin on in his life with his career goals (eventhough he goes into SIM at times).

So is it only the guys who are bitten by the SIM syndrome?


Well i dont thing i will get an answer for this in this life, may as a gal in my next life........................

my first day@GEC..............................................

It was November 15, 2000.

I came to GEC Thrissur along with my mother and aunt .I did not know how this place will be. First time outside home and tat to in front of another set of people whom I didnt know.

My mind was like that of a 3 year old's first day at Play School.

Waiting in Room 206 for my turn to be called for getting the green card...............

I met Mr Abhilash & Mr Sijohn who had come to join in CSE.

I thought CSE my god these guys would be BONDS.

Then I saw a 6 feeter lean guy with specs I tht another genius.................................

I went and sat next to him

Mukund : hi

Me : hi ur name?

Muks: Mukund

Me: RANK and Branch?

Muks: 1XXX Mechanical

I was rt he was a genius.......

The atmosphere was new to me a very big college and leaving amma was difficult.

But I didnt know then that it will be an experience of a lifetime.....................

The MotorShows, Rithu, the heartbreaks, pulling legs ,small fights,ragging,Vimala College,Mechtree and 24X7 fun............................................................................

oh....................................
I forgot the nightmare exams.

November 20 2000
My first experience outside home was the Hostel.I hated it just like anyother guy away from home............................
I closesd the door of my room and went to sleep to get over the trauma of leaving home.
Knock,knock...........
I was terfied may be some senior who had come to RAG

with trembling hands i opened the door and found a smart fellow Vineeth Rajendran from Hyderabad. Like me he was also away from home for the 1st time. We introduced ourself and became good friends all of a sudden Was it the fear in us or was it our nature that made us good friend is very hard to say.

Our topic of discussion were mostly seniors and the possible ragging that way be getting in the coming days.

In the next 2 days more people joined the Hostel. Intially we were 3 guys from mech but as days passed 2 guys left the hostel coz of ragging.
And I became the lone guy from Mechanical and my seniors were mostly mechanical guys so it was fun.......................

As part of ragging I was forced to become the Representative of our class, the class which later famously(as we say) became the MECHDEVILS.