This is a true story. It is about- “Shailendra Saraf and his job as a Biscuit Salesman!”
Many years ago, Shailendra Saraf was a biscuit salesman in Bombay. At his heart, he is still a salesman, and he will continue to remain so. He has several reasons to be a proud salesman, though he never allowed pride to come between him and his job. The company Shailendra worked for was neither number one nor number two in biscuit trade. Back then we did not know it was FMCG. The term ‘Brand’ wasn't in our horizon either. I do not remember being familiar with these in those days. Today even school children know- “Which one is the leading Brand in what category.” Just like Shailendra, we also liked to believe that he worked for a company which was number three in the trade.
His territory was between Bandra and Andheri. Vile Parle, a station between Bandra and Andheri is home to the number one biscuit Brand. Yes, you got it right, “Parle G”. If you ever travelled by a local train in that section, you could smell the rich aroma of Parle G biscuits when the train halted at Vile Parle station. It is well known that ‘Olfaction’, the sense of smell, has an over riding influence in shaping consumer behaviour. And this accidental and occasional encounter people had with aroma at Vile Parle was deeply engraved in their minds. Consumers would rather have a brand they had already smelt than to try some thing entirely unknown.
Against such odds Shailendra did his work. His customers were mainly grocery store owners. He was required to visit at least 50 customers before calling it a day. Each morning he would submit his report and orders received on the previous working day. Before leaving for the field he would obtain, from his boss, special instructions for the day, which among other things included a stereotyped quipping “TARGET!” and the look (on boss’s face) that went with it. Though he fulfilled his target each month but had this nagging feeling that next month he may fail.
One late afternoon when he was doing the Khar-Danda beat, he walked into a store that was empty of customers and the owner had a painful expression on the face. He struck a conversation with the shopkeeper and came to know that poor-rich soul has been standing since six o'clock in the morning and was cursing himself for being in such a vocation. Shailendra did his best to pacify the guy before he walked out without asking for an order. He also carried with him the guilt of not doing his duty, ‘asking for the order.’
He kept on debating in his mind, if he had done the right thing. As a result of this the whole episode remained fresh in his mind till late that evening. It was at the bed time he had this flash, “If this guy is at work at 6 am so will be other shopkeepers. Why don’t I try to meet these people when they are fresh in the morning?” Next day he got up at 5 am and was in field by 6 am. He could finish all his calls by 10 am and reached office half an hour too late. Boss was angry, but Shailendra had two day’s reports and orders with him. The orders looked good. If the boss suspected some thing, he kept his suspicion to himself and decided to do back checking himself. In a few weeks time Shailendra’s order book seemed comfortable and he was now more confident about keeping his job even for the next few months.
Future had more exciting things in store for Shailendra and he didn't have any idea about those. One day the same Khar-Dandha shop keeper wanted to talk to him in confidence. By now the shopkeeper had figured out that Shailendra has changed his routine as a result of the conversation they previously had. He told Shailendra, “I know you are working so hard and proper, but your boss has some other plans for you. He has been back checking you and is going around the beat like a mad man. He wants to frame you up into some thing. Tell me if you have been fulfilling your target or not.” Then without waiting for an answer, he went on to say, “I have made a plan to silence your boss for ever. Can you meet me this Friday night for a few drinks? Of course it’s on me.”
That Friday night Shailendra was in for a bigger surprise. This shopkeeper had a friend who was a supplier for the out going ships from the Bombay Port. Each Friday he would order supplies required for next week’s sea faring vessels. Shopkeeper's friend gave him his card and asked him to meet next Friday. From the shopkeeper’s friend, next Friday, Shailendra received an order far in excess of his monthly target. Shailendra was asked to come back again next Friday, and this routine went on for several years even after Shailendra left that company.
Many years ago, Shailendra Saraf was a biscuit salesman in Bombay. At his heart, he is still a salesman, and he will continue to remain so. He has several reasons to be a proud salesman, though he never allowed pride to come between him and his job. The company Shailendra worked for was neither number one nor number two in biscuit trade. Back then we did not know it was FMCG. The term ‘Brand’ wasn't in our horizon either. I do not remember being familiar with these in those days. Today even school children know- “Which one is the leading Brand in what category.” Just like Shailendra, we also liked to believe that he worked for a company which was number three in the trade.
His territory was between Bandra and Andheri. Vile Parle, a station between Bandra and Andheri is home to the number one biscuit Brand. Yes, you got it right, “Parle G”. If you ever travelled by a local train in that section, you could smell the rich aroma of Parle G biscuits when the train halted at Vile Parle station. It is well known that ‘Olfaction’, the sense of smell, has an over riding influence in shaping consumer behaviour. And this accidental and occasional encounter people had with aroma at Vile Parle was deeply engraved in their minds. Consumers would rather have a brand they had already smelt than to try some thing entirely unknown.
Against such odds Shailendra did his work. His customers were mainly grocery store owners. He was required to visit at least 50 customers before calling it a day. Each morning he would submit his report and orders received on the previous working day. Before leaving for the field he would obtain, from his boss, special instructions for the day, which among other things included a stereotyped quipping “TARGET!” and the look (on boss’s face) that went with it. Though he fulfilled his target each month but had this nagging feeling that next month he may fail.
One late afternoon when he was doing the Khar-Danda beat, he walked into a store that was empty of customers and the owner had a painful expression on the face. He struck a conversation with the shopkeeper and came to know that poor-rich soul has been standing since six o'clock in the morning and was cursing himself for being in such a vocation. Shailendra did his best to pacify the guy before he walked out without asking for an order. He also carried with him the guilt of not doing his duty, ‘asking for the order.’
He kept on debating in his mind, if he had done the right thing. As a result of this the whole episode remained fresh in his mind till late that evening. It was at the bed time he had this flash, “If this guy is at work at 6 am so will be other shopkeepers. Why don’t I try to meet these people when they are fresh in the morning?” Next day he got up at 5 am and was in field by 6 am. He could finish all his calls by 10 am and reached office half an hour too late. Boss was angry, but Shailendra had two day’s reports and orders with him. The orders looked good. If the boss suspected some thing, he kept his suspicion to himself and decided to do back checking himself. In a few weeks time Shailendra’s order book seemed comfortable and he was now more confident about keeping his job even for the next few months.
Future had more exciting things in store for Shailendra and he didn't have any idea about those. One day the same Khar-Dandha shop keeper wanted to talk to him in confidence. By now the shopkeeper had figured out that Shailendra has changed his routine as a result of the conversation they previously had. He told Shailendra, “I know you are working so hard and proper, but your boss has some other plans for you. He has been back checking you and is going around the beat like a mad man. He wants to frame you up into some thing. Tell me if you have been fulfilling your target or not.” Then without waiting for an answer, he went on to say, “I have made a plan to silence your boss for ever. Can you meet me this Friday night for a few drinks? Of course it’s on me.”
That Friday night Shailendra was in for a bigger surprise. This shopkeeper had a friend who was a supplier for the out going ships from the Bombay Port. Each Friday he would order supplies required for next week’s sea faring vessels. Shopkeeper's friend gave him his card and asked him to meet next Friday. From the shopkeeper’s friend, next Friday, Shailendra received an order far in excess of his monthly target. Shailendra was asked to come back again next Friday, and this routine went on for several years even after Shailendra left that company.
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