| "May I help you?" | | | | surprised to say the least. The guys would call up, |
| "Just looking, thanks." | | | | ask to speak to the manager, and then ask who |
| "Okay, if you do need anything I'll be right here." | | | | I was. As soon as I told them, they would say |
| "Uh, okay. Thanks." | | | | something along the lines of, "aahhhaaa, so |
| Does any of the above sound familiar? I'll bet it | | | | YOU'RE him," leaving me a little bemused. And |
| does. It's the usual scenario when you walk into | | | | then they would explain what was going on. |
| some type of shop and most of us will probably | | | | I must admit, it was flattering. Especially when the |
| recognise it, or have been victim to it, at one | | | | area manager refused to let me leave the store |
| time or another. | | | | on a transfer, and literally chucked money at me |
| I did some retail work, once upon a time a long, | | | | to stay there. Money I hadn't worked for. |
| long time ago. Where, or why, it doesn't matter. | | | | What exactly was the secret recipe for this, you |
| Misspent youth, I suppose. | | | | may wonder? Would you believe it was all in the |
| In the process, I've had quite a lot, and I mean a | | | | introduction? |
| LOT, of sales training. One particular course | | | | While everyone else stuck to the same old |
| always sticks to my mind as I am convinced that | | | | routine, as above, I just went up to the person, |
| it was probably the best sales training course I | | | | stuck my hand out and said, "Hi, I'm Rezbi. What's |
| have ever encountered, bar none. I won't go into | | | | your name?" Ninety percent of the time, they |
| the nitty gritty, the meat of the course, as such. | | | | would shake my hand and just tell me. |
| I will say that, if I remembered the instructor's | | | | Then I would just invite them over to have a |
| name he would definitely get a mention here. I do | | | | seat and start chatting. During this chat I would |
| remember he was Welsh. It was a long time ago, | | | | ask probing questions to find out exactly what |
| after all. | | | | they wanted. |
| After this particular course, being new to the | | | | You see, once the introduction was over and we |
| industry and rather naive, I figured I had to do | | | | knew each other's name, it was like we were |
| exactly what I was taught when I got back to | | | | friends and it was much easier to just talk, as |
| work. No-one else got duped so easily. | | | | opposed to sell. |
| As a result, within a couple of weeks I had phone | | | | Who was it who said, "A stranger is a friend I |
| calls from people from far away lands wanting to | | | | haven't yet met?" I forget. But how true it is. |
| speak to me. Yes, I mean the kind of place | | | | I know it's difficult on paper, but maybe you'll get |
| where no-one wants to go: like Birmingham. You | | | | this practical training. Or maybe you've already |
| see, these people had heard of me. I had become | | | | had it. If so, I highly recommend you use it. |
| somewhat of a legend without realising it. | | | | Try it. Be comfortable with each other first. Be |
| Apparently, I was setting some sort of sales | | | | familiar. Be naive. |
| record within this particular company. Wow! I was | | | | |