Sales guy, are you?

Most orators are, well... just plain, lack-lustre monotones, few are inspiring, and then there are those who take you through moments of truth. This post revolves around Prof. V. K. Murti who teaches us a subject, which till date I thought was amongst the dry, dull and dreary topics – Distribution and Sales Management (DSM).

Few of us would want to remember a Friday the 13th. I would, for reasons completely different from what this day is attributed to. Having lazed the previous day and all of that morning, it was difficult to shake off the lethargy and gear up for the first session on DSM post-lunch. The first 2-3 rows were empty. Most of our professors are used to this sight. But he insisted we occupy each of those.

Marketing and Sales functions have always been uttered in the same breath but they never shared the same pedestal. Marketing conjures an image of devising strategies, venting your creativity and being the “brand-maker”. On the other hand, what meets the eye when you think of Sales is laborious work, remote areas and snappy customers. Marketing is envied while Sales is despised.

Most of them who have taken Marketing majors knew in their hearts that it wouldn’t be all that rosy. Then he mentioned Kotler; who is “gawd insaan” for most of us – and from that point on we were glued. Like a barbarian he would slay one myth after the other – that Kotler was written only from an FMCG perspective; that it never changed much since its first edition in 1964 (while the whole concept of marketing had undergone a radical change). He had nothing personal against Kotler I guess, but he was a man on mission, who wanted to put Sales where it belonged – as the only revenue generating department! Marketing, he says, is splurging money; but where will the “bloody” money come from?

A notable point about this professor is that he says what is; doesn’t try to be diplomatic. And this is exactly why all of us feel at home in his class; because he is not bothered about being politically correct. Some of his “bond” statements will always be remembered –

“Saala idhar kutta wafadaar nahi hai, insaan kaise wafadaar rahega?”

“Saara MBA ka gyaan, saari akad nikal jayegi..”

“MBA is the only course where you are allowed to use jargons without understanding anything about it”

“Consulting? Tum usko advice doge jisne industry mein pachhis saal kaam kiya hai? Arre you are barely twenty five..”

“What is the value proposition to your recruiters? Green campus..? Arre woh kya karega green campus ka?”

What he said pierced like an arrow at times, nevertheless it was the truth. He is a Brahmin, but thinks and does business like a Gujarati-Marwadi-Sindhi-Jew, all in one! And, indisputably, he is proud of it, as must any sales guy be!