Wednesday, December 21, 2011

I could not stop laughing

I got one of the most amazing . I have a relocation company

Kindly advice your best rate for the below:

SERVICE: Full ORIGIN Service
SHIPPING MODE: AIR
COMMODITY: 10 x 3 months pregnant Murrah Buffaloes
VOLUME/WEIGHT: 2,000 KGS – (1 BUFFALO IS 110 KG + STEEL CAGE 90 KG = 200 KG X 10 NUMBERS = 2,000 KGS)
AOD: AMRISTAR AIRPORT
AOE: ABU DHABI AIRPORT
COLLECTION ADDRESS: PATIALA, PUNJAB, INDIA

NOTE: 1. Do you handle this type of shipment?
2. If yes, please advice if have any agent in Abu Dhabi, UAE who can handle the clearance of livestock. We are trying to organize this shipment;

Monday, August 29, 2011

Motive and Goal

I have to yet to meet a person who does not have high goals in life. Every one wants to be CEO or top person in any capacity. Majority of them do not work even 5% of what is required to reach to the top. They forget that mountains comes before Everest. They don't have even dreams so no question of fulfilling them . Easiest thing is to dream and then work on it . Once I decided that I will capture a particular account for business . I pursued it for almost 28 days but the account will not crack. All these 28 days I use to think and concentrate seriously on this account. On 30th day I took out my frustration and told him that he is responsible for wasting my one month as he was my target for that month and I realized that I achieved nothing. I even told him that I have more knowledge about his work and his company than he has and some day he will call me as he will not see serious sales personnel than me. he could see anger in my eyes. To my surprise he called me next day and business was mine. Much later he told me that he was testing my patience and my outburst on last day of the month was a winning shot
Every customer is different. There could be success on next step but most of the time we give up before putting that last step. So have dream and work since there is no substitute to hard and systematic work

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Customer complaints

I have always seen that satisfying an irate customer is one of the easiest thing . Before facing a customer have the facts clear , you should knwo the true and false of the reports given by colleagues. Take time but never be factually wrong. While talking concentrate only on him and no disturbance. Have a good ear first than good command over language. Be polite dont loose cool. Try in a very honest way to solve the problem and not just pretend. In majority of cases we forget the customer and his complaint and ask some colleague to solve. Most of the time we do not monitor it on time bound basis. After the problem is solved or even not solved keep commuincation on. Remember customer should not call you to remind. you should keep him informed

Sunday, April 25, 2010

My greatest selling experience

In the year 1980 I got a call from one of the Largest coporation in Calcutta that their one of the Director is moving and I need to do survey at 7 P.M. I reached to his flat and had to wait till 10 PM, when I saw this client coming out of Kitchen wearing a apron and profously sweating. We started his survey and finally reached to the kitchen which was looking as if ransacked . Curiously I asked customer the reason, very innoncently he said that he was trying to make Paranthas ( this is bread with fillings) and could not make it . I suggested if I could make for him , He gladly accepted. To my surprise when I asked for dough , it was watery and potato were cuts into slices , not even boiled
I prepared fresh dough. Boiled potato , mesh them mix some masalas and made paranthas and as soon as I said it is ready , client wanted to pick up and eat , in turn he burn his fingers as the plate was hot. He cooly told me that he will eat 3 , once I made he asked me how many I will eat , Very reluctantly I agreed to make 2 for me. Once this is done , he instructed his team of servants to put them in to OTG and offered me to have a drink to relax before the dinner. Well we finished drinking at about 4 and then had dinner. He came to the door to say good night and when i was about to leave he said he is in office at 9 . during my driving time to home , I was trying to think why he said he is in office at 9 , since this is office timings for all. I reached home and about to hit the pillow suddenly got a flash in my mind. Instead of sleeping I took the shower , took out office keys and went to office. I had to type quote by manual typewriter , but some how manage to reach his company at 8.55 A.M. When the receptionist arrive at 9 AM she was suprised to see me waiting and smelling of alcohol. She was even more stunned to learn that I have meeting with the director. After great persuation she dared to call secretary and in 2 minutes secretary was down to escort me to the director room. I hand over my quote to director and he called for coffee in the mean time. My customer almost fainted seeing my quote as I quoted him Rs. 25000 .00 ( USD 2500 at that time ) per truck and he had 4 trucks load. After coffee he shook hands and I realised that I lost the contract. When I came out from his room, his secretary told me to go to first floor and pick up cheque for advance as per terms ( whihc was 75% advance). We finished the job and gave excellent services to customer. During this time I became friendly with his secretary and later I asked him , how did she knew what happened in the room and how come she got my cheque made in 5 minutes. She told me if I remember she came with coffee tray and at that time director put my quote in the tray and she had instructions that " If I reach by 9.10 to the office,I will do the job and his secretry had to ensure that all my terms are met. If I dont reach before 9.15 I should be told to leave the quote and look for another vendor. Director also ensured that I will do over 90% of movement for their company . He told his Director HR that I am very devoted to my business and man of principal, integrity, discipline and quality man, but very expensive. I never look back in my life after that and understood the meaning of customer requirment, satisfaction and service ,, which later I learned when I did my MBA

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

A very interesting customer

Case study on customer Behaviour
Period from 1993 to 2003

1. Asked for quote for local move.
2. Submitted but did not get the job.
3. After a month got call and asked to do job next day
4. When went to the house , found part of the goods packed by two other movers, which were asked to discontinue since customer not happy.
5. Commenced packing and realize customer wants us to do packing as if he is going to travel thousand of KM and worst of road like using bubble, thermocole, sheets, wooden boxes for all small items, all furniture’s to be crated including mattresses and steel Almirah.
6. On my instructions we did knowing that we are going in for big loss. MD decided to have a first hand learning since he just moved his HO from Calcutta to Delhi.
7. While packing client asked to organize removal of Air conditioner which was not part of contract. We got them removed , now client asked to cover up the hole with a particular kind of glass , which was there when he moved to that flat few years back. We asked him to give us glass , he gave us a broken piece , we had to search for three days to get similar pieces and covered up the hole
8. After packing client asked to shift which was just 3 KM away in a closed vehicle, when none exist in India. Finally agreed to move in LCV provided we do not put any thing on top of others, not even wooden box on top of other.
9. Shift took two days though this was only 3 hours work. Further cost overrun?
10. Client asked us to do unpacking in the slowest possible way. Like take out a cup and get it washed, dried and put in cupboard then take out another piece. Guess 4 packers did this for 6 days.
11. Once unpacking done , client asked us to fix air conditioner , though none provisions exist, we had to call mason , electrician etc, and fitted 3 air conditioner.
12. Since ply wood was used on the boundary of air conditioner and also mason was used. Client asked us to paint that portion and match with the original paint. When it could not be done he asked to paint entire wall. Same thing was done for all the three rooms.
13. Now client wanted us to change the upholstery of his furniture and curtains etc, since they were not matching with the paint, which could not materialize as all the samples brought by us were rejected by him and he did not have time.
14. Then client asked to fix his water purifier , while doing so hole had to be made in tiles . Client then asked to get matching tile, which was not available. On this client asked to change the entire tiles of kitchen.
15. After doing all this we got an excellent job completion report , but client refuses to give additional money .
16. After one year client called us again to move locally . This time MD gave him quote adding all the expenses of previous time plus anticipated expense of this time . This way quote became almost 8 times of what was quoted last time. On this client called MD, who was on US visit for discount, he was explained cost is towards extra services which client seeks for. On this he agreed not to seek any additional services.
17. Till date we moved him locally 4 times in the span of 7 years and today he is vice president of one of the largest white goods company


One rarely gets these kind of customers. Once he was satisfied , he compensated us in future. Also he ensured that we get more business from this corporation, where he worked.

Humilation by customer

Case study on customer Behaviour
1. Asked to start packing on X date. Could not start as no one was picking up the phone. One person kept trying their mobile as well landline. Finally got through and learnt that phones are on at only 3 P.M. send material immediately so that work can start next day. Delay of one day. However dispatch date was not changed
2. Asked to pick up car on Sunday at 3 PM. Send driver, he was told all papers in car. He prepared Car condition report got signed and back. When the papers were checked it was noticed that it had Xerox of previous years INS and not the current. Informed and asked to collect on Monday evening as they need to locate. This was confirmed by client at a later date, he was of the view that since he could not be in Delhi and family generally not aware of the documents so took time to locate.
3. Truck was to be placed at 1 and instead came at 3. It was never informed that truck will come at 7 A.M. and we will load. Delhi is very cold at this time and packers travel about 30-40 KM and even the buses do not ply so early. At about 11 got call from client house complaining that truck did not come and they are waiting and no place to sit. It was communicated that truck will come only after NO ENTRY is lifted in Delhi which is 11 and two hours is driving time, It was also suggested that if they want we can call them once the truck comes, could be before loading or after unloading, but the offer was rejected.
4. Goods reached in time and status was given and no complaint on this account.
5. Next day car was moved in trailer.
6. Client brother called from station about status of car. Chief supervisor told him border of MP. Then he wanted to know truck number, which chief supervisor could not provide at that moment since he do not carry the entire office records and data’s home.
7. Goods were delivered on the desired date. No complaint what so ever.
8. Client wanted to know goods and car status; he was informed that hourly or half day car status is not available since no escort as per contract. PM sent escort with his goods at their cost. However in the lighter way client was told that no news is good news. If some thing happens, our highways system is such that news travels at a lighting speed, otherwise it is treated as normal movement. I guess same principal applies to all mode of transportation in the world. At this time client said that chief supervisor told his brother that car was compounded at MP. Client was called again to clarify that Chief supervisor said border, incidently chief supervisor does not know the meaning of compounded, and he knows simple English enough for his work.
9. Car was delivered again within the stipulated time. However a small dent on the backside of car was noticed.
10. Client again moved his goods in the packed condition locally on his expense, though he was not suppose to as Insurance expires, but nothing happened and no complaint.
11. Understood from Clients Company that he complained about the behavior of MD for his lighter comment. For this due apologies were made, which I guess were accepted
12. We decided to first get the claim of car settled and then submit our invoice to his company.
13. Client was suggested to lodge claim on his Ins company for which client shows his inability to due to shortage of time. For this we arranged damage certificate and other related documents, which were required form the mover. Only thing client had to do is to take his car to Maruti workshop which is less than 1 KM, collect estimate and lodge claim for settlement.
14. For almost a month client did not do due to shortage of his time, however indicated that cost of repair is about 3800.00
15. We have been following up with client regularly on phone from Delhi and later we were told that car was not insured. He purchased the car from his ex. Employer and they changed the ownership of car but not Insurance and nothing he can do about.
16. To sort out the issue MD decided to meet him personally and traveled to his city
17. To make an appointment called on phone and his brother picked up phone to say that come tomorrow at 11.30 A.M. No choice?
18. Client brother spoke to us and now the complaint was nor for car or MD, but for chief supervisor, he said in clear terms if he had time in Delhi and not boarding train and his some political or police relation were in Delhi, he would have ensured that chief supervisor and entire company officials are sent jail and beaten up. The reason chief supervisor did not give him truck number.
19. Brother also said in clear terms that he wants chief supervisor to come to their house, touch their feet and apologize for not having truck number. Brother will not listen anything from MD, however he offered him tea but with a spoonful of insult to his organisation.
20. Brother also mentioned that chief supervisor told their family that reason for delay of placement of truck for two hours was the death of PM director.
21. However much persuasion we agreed to repair his car. On this he was calling Delhi Maruti dealer, whom he knew personally for estimate for replacement. He was asked what is the sanctity of asking Delhi dealer when local authorized is 5 minutes away. He called few times but Delhi dealer did not give any price. He finally agreed to show to local dealer but did not knew driving, MD offered his driving services, but he refused and asked to come again at 10.30 next day by then he will have organized a driver. MD asked him if he can see the car and take pictures, brother came down too. MD found the dent, which is in question, was quite rusted and looks few months old. However it was photographed by mobile camera. I noticed form car condition report that there was hardly any place, which was not dented or scratched, including backside, but brother attitude was that they do not repair but replace which was possibly never done in the life of that car. Brother was requested once again to go to repair shop as MD is staying in their city only for this work. Brother will not buzz.
22. Next day reached to their house at 10.30 and got a call that brother did not wait for me and left 10 AM to the nearby-authorized garage. Brother came back at 11.20 till then MD was waiting on the ground floor of building. He brought the estimate for replacement, though the same garage suggested repair in one third of cost
23. While negotiation brother demanded about 48 % of the replacement cost, when he gave estimate to MD, MD asked him how we would take delivery. On this he says he never gave car to workshop and brought back. .
24. Before he agrees to sign the receipts of goods car and settlement received. At this time he also commented that client is so upset with chief supervisor that he does not wanted to meet me, though he was inside in both the days.
25. While signing he asked the copy of contract we had with his brother company for which he was flat refused, since we do not carry company records in bag.
26. To finish MD asked brother could he put all facts what he said or what MD said on paper and sent to Client Company.
27. Brother also remarked that money is not important in their family, but he is doing it to teach lessons for chief supervisor non information’s Brother also confirmed that he is job less and do not have any earning or work to do at the moment. Another interesting remark brother made. He can still get claim settled from insurance company, he just needs to go to Delhi and get insurance done on the back date.
28. Brother instructed MD to terminate chief supervisor who has over 7 years experience and send him proof of action .
29. Now the brother instructions were to send him first on his personal e mail for his approval


I sent copy of these facts to his Brother. …… MD


There is no addition or editing on the words except name, dates are replaced to conceal the identity of client.

Findings of MD . Brother hired one of the staff of MD company and started another moving company. May be waiting one word in reply from MD to get him blacklisted.