The benefits of doing “more” in every environment.

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After my BSc in 2012, I got my first Job, and I was happy with the pay. I was managing a branch of a company. On the first day at the office, I met with the junior staff there and we related like friends. No bossy thing. The first thing I checked was the highest monthly sales, and it was around $36,000.

I started my first week checking the customers in the environments and the potential customers. I think about the problems the customers were facing and how to make their experience better. My major work was to sell and manage the company. They never gave me a monthly target, but I like to see positive changes in everywhere I step.

I surveyed the environment and how I can increase the company sales. I noticed that we had a good price. I made a price list of the company products and I took it to the street to spread it alone. I distributed over 1,000 price lists to potential customers in the environment.

We got new faces coming to the office, and the sales increased a bit. I felt I needed to do more. I spread more of the price list to more people and I got some big customers, but they gave me conditions that were hard to meet.

The price of one of our product was higher than some competitors with $0.015 each. Some customers that buy over 1000 pieces of the product daily demanded a reduction of the price. I talked to the MD about it, but he said no, so I made my decision. I gave them a discount on my own.

There were customers that sell directly to consumers, and our price was mainly for distributors. I increased the price a bit for the retailers and I use that to cover up the loss from the big customers. I also started home deliveries at the expense of pocket, and I made myself so friendly to customers. I gave out gifts to the top and small customers at the expense of my pocket, and I never missed a day in the office for over 2 years.

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After 5 months, my sales jumped from $36,000 to $220,000 plus monthly. I remained at this level for over 1 year. I turned the branch to the best in all the branches of the company. The CEO was amazed, but she made a mistake.

She thought she had a good price, and this made her to miss the source of the sales. She never increased my pay and no appreciation from her, despite all the sales.

After 2 years and 3 months of working for the company, I got a letter from a better company and they offered me a significant pay raise. I quit the job, and I moved on. The CEO was reluctant when I submitted my letter of resignation, but she did not see any flaws that could happen.

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After 2 weeks that I left the office, I got a call from the new manager of the branch and he asked, "Mike, how do you sell because people are not coming since you left". I told him, work hard, talk to people and give them a good price. After 7 months, the branch could not sell $10,000 a month, and the business crashed. I got a call from the CEO after some months and she said; you were the best staff that I had. It was late for her, but she realized.

Do more

I did not work for the pay that I received; I worked for the growth of the company and to make my name relevant in the company. The CEO made mistakes that cost her the company but my name would never be off when remembering the best staffs in the company. Also, it was my hard work that gave me the chance for a better Job with higher pay.

In any environment you find yourself, think less of the pay that you get and focus on showing some qualities. It will make you know your capability and set up wonderful opportunities for you.

Understand your source of sales

If you have a company, small or big, understand your source of sales. The company owner made a mistake by thinking she had a good price while I was shuffling price for customers to ensure everyone was happy.

Appreciate your staffs that are doing well and never let them go for minor reasons. Good and active people are gems.