Be A Good Person But Dodgy One.

I know it may look like a random post, but as I encountered these all the time, as I worked as ones before, this post is not random after all. Before I elaborate more, I would like to know how many of you actually experienced this situation while salesperson approached you when you're having lunch or dinner in the food court, you can see most of the people being ignorance and simply say " NO I AM NOT INTERESTED" even before the salesperson get a chance to introduce his/her products?

I want to think of the bright side of sales role; Undeniably, apart from the quality of products, sales is a concept that bring profits to the company or individual. You sale, you earn. A company without sales, then probably they are in service line, agree?

Tell me have you ever been persuaded by a good salesman, did they listen to your requirements, being helpful in providing information, offering alternatives and being honest? Tell me more about it. Nowadays, sales can say is one of the job that require minimal requirement, many graduates join as ones, they are lacking of working experiences, resulting in lack of common courtesy and responsibility.

Spare my opinions in it, blame the incredibly annoying and ridiculous young salesperson. One of the day, I walked from Sg, Wang towards Times Square and I met this bunch of young people. They approached my sister obviously pursuing her to buy their products. As usual, I stopped them before my sister able to react. Tell me what you'll do when all of a sudden a bunch of strangers coming towards you on the street? One this guy introduced himself as a student doing a survey, all he needs is my signature on a sheet for assignment points. So I think why not, it's just a signature after all. I signed it without think twice. When I thought I am about to go, he blocked my way by showing me some terribly ugly and low quality mobile key chains. Quickly I know I am trapped. Funny thou. He said it's for charity but hell he can even tell me which organization he's working for; It is a free donation as what he claimed, so I said I wouldn't mind to donate RM1 if he gives me the key chain. He shakes his head showing disagreement, and told me that the minimum donation is RM10. RM20, RM40 or above. So unbelievable! It is definitely the ugliest and pricey key chain ever what I seen in my life.

I refused and firmly told him that I am not going to buy his products, I already sign on the sheets as what he asked me to do. I rejected him courteously, not to make myself look good, to be frank, I was annoyed and the best thing I can do that time was put a fake smile on my face, walk off without condemning this kid. And yeah, I've missed the funniest part. He asked for my name and age. He praised me that I look much younger than my age wtf and I have a nice handbag. What the hell it's a torn bag and I am gonna dispose it when I see a trash bin. Blind people.

Another case is about an insurance agent. One of my friends actually given my phone number to this agent without my knowing. I was upset because, apparently he is an irresponsible moron or plainly lack of common sense, can't he realize that giving out my number without acknowledge me is an act of abusing the trusts from me towards him?

Back to this agent now. It's an investment plan that introduced by her. First she showed an early draft of the plan, and talk about this early draft, she already assumed a sum of annual income of boyfriend, and showed us a demo draft, know what I mean? For those who signed for insurance/investment plan before, should be able to know what I meant. Commonly, the agent will gather relevant information about yourself, such as age and yearly income so that they personally can draft out a plan for you. This particular agent did not do this, only the demo sheets shown to us. After few meetings, she realized that boyfriend earned so much more than what she expected, she called us for a meeting, convincing us to top up the monthly payment to RM1000. I felt that she's an unreliable person as I know her history back in school, I want to avoid any misunderstandings, so I asked some pushy questions that time. She assured me that the monthly payment is RM1000 with no hidden charges. Boyfriend agreed so I am asked to fill in the form for him. The minutes boyfriend signed on the paper, she folded it and keep in her bag, dirty tricks revealed! She informed that we need to pay advance payments for two months, total up to RM3000 for the first payment. 5% government tax is mandatory and the final total amount is about 3150rm. If only boyfriend pay yearly, the tax can be reduced.

I disapprove her sales skills. Hence, I told her in the phone that I want to put the investment on-hold, the next morning. She rang boyfriend few times to urge him to make payments, she even told boyfriend that this plan is gonna terminated in the next few months. She thinks she is smarter but I am just simply smarter than her. I called a relative who works in the same company with her, but with much higher ranks than this agent, my relative told that it wasn't the government tax but management fees, advance payment is only for one month. And the most important information about this plan, she actually mislead me about it. Cut it short, it's a EPF investment link. She told me that the beneficiary can be the children or grandson. If I'm dead, my children can get the money, and if they are dead too, my grandchildren can withdraw all the money. Which I found out that it's so WRONG! The truth is grandparents can buy the plan for their grandchildren, grandparents themselves can be the beneficiary. The money can only withdraw by the beneficiary or the policy owner. Can you forgive the big mistake made by this agent? As far as I concerned, she's money-minded and not even bother to take the responsibility to make an early draft, provide proper information to a potential long-term customer. Her money-minded tricks and dishonesty resulting herself a bad name, obviously.

These moronic salesperson caused misconception of the public about all the salesperson. Sales is being pushy, sales is about deception, sales is about manipulation, sales is about boosting, sales is about this and that. If such salesperson make you think so, I apologize on behalf of good salesperson about it. If you still think these are the first things then you need to rethink about it.

I still believe we have honest salesperson out there. When comes to products information, if you find that this particular person unreliable and evasive, Google always be your best assistant / investigator wtf / friend. Trust yourself follow your heart when you feel uneasy about the salesperson or the products. If nobody offers alternative, you should give yourself options. So many different products out there, different companies for you to pick, why bother to keep your eye on one product only? Let it alone mobile phones, TVs, properties and laptops! * Clothes excluded from this stage, you want it, just buy it!*

Shopping Guide 101.

#1 : Gather all the relevant information from the internet, better if from forums. Mostly people talk real in forums, no? Look out for the prices, most importantly, the discounts and promotions. Some of the salesperson will not mentioned about free gifts or promotion packages due to the commission earnings.

#2 : Make sure your initial research come in handy. Know the basic about the products and must ask for further details; they might be able provide the pros and cons of the items, which is important so that you wouldn't not regret of buying it.

#3 : Be firm. Don't sway away by salesperson's words. Know what you really want and the necessity. On the other hand, you need to open up your heart and ears too. Spare some time and patient to listen to salesperson's opinions, perhaps what he said is what you really want all this while. But remember, stick on the products/ items you planned to buy. You might turn up buying a video cam instead of a camera because of the only one requirement you mentioned : Preferable a camera with video taking function; then the salesperson started to push the clearance video cam to earn better commissions.

#4 :  And again, repeating myself here, dishonest and dodgy salesperson are more than what you ever can imagine. Give yourself more options. Take the initiative to visit different shops, look out for different brands of product, you probably end up a happier smart buyer after visited 10 shops.

#5 : Don't rule by your impulsive urge of buying it. If there are better deals in the next few months, why rush it? Unless you need it urgently, it's your call anyways. Wait for the season-change or new product launching, you will be flattered by all the discounts and promotions I assured you. =)

#6 : Bring someone! Believe me it works on me all the time. Boyfriend will be by my side, he will ask for further details while I actually missed the important parts. Some time the decisive questions from him and answers from the salesperson either make me a buyer or walk off from the shop. Two brains better than one.

So what do you think, readers? I tend to disappoint most of the salesperson by asking so much questions as if I am going to buy it, but I would rather to make myself happy, agree?  The fact is by being a fussy customer, at some point it make me a smart consumer. Some might think I'm a demanding person, but I know I have the right to understand the products first before proceed to the cash counter. You too, everyone does got the right.

So if you want to be a smart consumer, improve your reject skills wtf, or start to learn how to be firm, understand your rights, eventually, you'll realize that you've become a better and smarter consumer. *cheers*