Monday, May 15, 2006

"Job" interview.

Hai Hui decided to introduce me to a job because he knew I was sitting at home, doing nothing and stuff.

And it's not like I don't need the cash. Transport fees are so expensive.

So, got there after sitting at Lau Pat Sat watching TV and talking about his army life, because there was some screw ups with timing.

But once I saw what the "job" was, I was all prepared to turn it down.

Way down.

It's those kind of "jobs" where they con you into thinking that the product is good, and you, got to con your relatives into buying your product. If you can't con them to buy it, you end up buying it so you can "rise" up the ladder.

In this case, the product is some kind of filtering water system. It uses Nano-tech to ionize our water, gives us ionized calcium and stuff.

Basically, healthy water. And since I did not sign any confidentiality agreement, I can happily say that they compared their water with tap water, Evian and Vodavoda (or whatever that is).

Naturally, theirs is top. In terms of brewing tea cold (to show that their molecules are the smallest in the world), is at pH 8 (for some reason. I've yet to really figure out why. Supposed to counter the acidity in your system.) and chaning iodine's colour (to show that it can "disinfect" or something).

By now, you can see how convinced I am with their product. And it isn't cheap, it costs nearly $1900 ($1882 to be exact). $1900? Well, it can be cheap if you look long term (as they always use to trick you.).

But...I'll pass. It's not like my family is that well off. $1900 = lots of food on the table. You don't talk nuts about health when you can barely put food on the table.

So, if that presentator can't even convince me, how the hell am I supposed to convince others to buy that product? I need confidence in a product when I'm selling stuff. Sure, I can pick up anything, and sucker some one into buying it, but what's the point? Money? Sure, I can get that.

But deep down, you know, you just made some one waste their money.

Unfortunately, I'm not that low. I want money, but I don't want to go that low. If I'm going to sell you a product, it is going to be good.

And ffs, it better be. I mean, the "starting" market is my relatives. Imagine, that damned thing being crap. What would my relatives say? What would they think of me? What would my hawt cous-....I'll leave that out.

But the point is, I don't want to sell stuff I myself is unsure about, as I won't enjoy doing it.

As for the company themselves, I found the presentation over all....annoying.

Why?

Every time the presentator asks a question, say "Do you agree that this water will benefit you?", those staff behind who sits in, will answer "Yes!", "Of course!".

Do it once or twice, fine.

Do it every single damned question, no.

Obviously, these people have never read 天龙八部. If they had, they won't be doing that.

Then, after the "briefing" session, they got this successful guy who works at their company to give a presentation on his experiences.

First thing he does?

Take out a wad of money from his pocket, and asks some newb to buy a can of 100 plus for him.

I was smiling then.

I liked his style. So cool, so composed. The motion was so fluid. Taking out that stack of money, flipping them open, looking strangely since he had no small change, and then giving that newb $10 to buy a can of 100 plus.

Then, his arrogance settled in.

Sure, he's 18, and he's making $4k a month or so. However, if you want me, at least, to join, I sure as hell don't want to work with you.

His "experiences" isn't about how hard he worked, or how well the company is. Moreover, he talked about the company structure, the payout of the company, like say, if you hit the title of a Business Manger, you are entitled to 40% of the company's annual turnover and stuff.

But of course, that is the cool stuff. As with the maintance fee which I had to ask the previous guy who presented the filter, I had to ask the process of becoming a guy like him who can earn $4k, have a wad of money in his pocket and stuff.

Naturally, he said he forgot about it, then said we need to sell "just" 60 sets to reach that status or something.

60.

Sets.

I'm sure they can be sucessful.

But..no thanks.

And with that attitute he had, on how he was raving that he was the youngest Business Manager, about to own his car soon....I found that a little annoying. Not jealous, because he had the talent, and I don't.

But really, eat the humble pie. If you think I'm going to join based on that kind of attitute, forget it. I also found it strange that every other personale in the area said they "respected" him, and that he was "mature" in his mind, despite him being 18.

I would...disagree.

C'mon. Just because we did not laugh at his (lame) jokes, does not make us "un-interesting".

So, after getting out of the office which is operating on a Sunday (strange? Well...blame it on marketing? Hmm), I was to meet up with Hai Hui's in charge. Sort of a tea session. It was already 5pm, and I had Soul Link to translate, Mother's Day Dinner, and god knows what else.

But, since Hai Hui was cool enough to invite me to this job, I just stuck around. I mean, gotta show my thanks. If it wasn't for him, I would have walked out a long long time ago.

So, instead of some manager (who was supposed to have trekked the same path as I'm about to), I met the big gun.

Some real pro dude, who is...very good.

He had all the advantages stacked on him. I was sitting facing the sun (very very bad. You can't concentrate, since you need all the concentration to stare down your opponent.), he had done his homework, and I have no information to go against his. Of course, he didn't show me any paper either, but he does seem very convinced about what he's selling, and, he did answer my questions pretty well. Especially the cost.

Although, I must say, it would have gone into the night if I had actually bothered. The cost thing, and them to not have advertisments is two points I can easily ride around. Just because your competitors don't use advertisments, does not mean you should not. Be the first!

But, one thing he was right on, was that he could not sell me the product no matter how well he spoke. First impressions count. A LOT, especially in selling. The presentator did pretty well, BUT, what he did, was according to the book. I wasn't even half convinced to buy it, and pretty much decided that no amount of talking can get me to buy it. He did, however, urge me not to judge his company just based on this one run in, and to give it other tries.

Sorry, but I'll pass.

But hell, I learnt a lot of things though. How to speak, and how NOT to make a bad presentation.

A good day, and it was free too. Experience is always good.

Although, when I looked at Hai Hui's book on his notes on interacting with Customers, I would seriously disagree with some points.

But that's...something, I won't talk about. Different companies have their style of working, after all.

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home