(Minghui.org) I used to work as a sales representative for a nation-wide corporation that was responsible for servicing all of the drugstores and supermarkets in an entire city. Every sales representative made service calls following an assigned schedule and route. For each service the customer was required to fill out and sign a customer service form.
However, most of my colleagues would falsify the forms by either forging the customer's signature or having friends sign the forms. The company knew about this, so they had all of the sales representatives carry a GPS phone with them. They were asked to photograph the entrance of each store and upload the picture right away. However, there were still ways to cheat. As the saying goes, “Where there is a will, there is a way.”
It gets tiresome to make the same sales calls on a regular basis over a long period of time. That is why many of the sales representatives were not motivated. There were sales representatives all over China. It would be impossible to have managers watching them all of the time. In fact, it is widely accepted that sales representatives will cheat the company while doing service calls.
I also found it tiresome after a while. Especially when there were constant difficulties with issues related to retail sales. My colleagues had shared their “solutions” to the problems with me, but I didn't apply any of them. I am a Falun Gong practitioner and I must conduct myself according to the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.
I have never falsified a customer service form. If a customer were too busy to sign the form, I would leave it blank and write an explanation on the form. My customer service forms were always used as examples for employee training. The marketing department told me that they knew they would get a good review on the internal audit because of my customer service forms.
I am embarrassed to say I am unable to follow the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance all of the time. I regret my actions when I know I have failed to live up to the standard. I will reflect on my actions and make an honest effort to improve myself.
I would visit my client's every day on my bicycle. I would organize our merchandise, clean up the aisles and restock the shelves. I always addressed any issue that came up about retail sales, including pricing. Sometimes I would travel between several stores a few times on the same day to fix pricing differences. Some stores wanted to attract customers by offering lower prices. I would explain the problems that came along with engaging in price wars. The stores would often give up the idea simply because they were moved by my sincerity.
Sometimes I would also grow weary of my job and I would want to slack off. But I would end up making service calls because I am a Falun Gong practitioner. When I arrived at the store, I usually found new problems waiting to be solved, or customers waiting for me. One time a customer bet on me. She said to a friend, “See? I told you she would show up today.” Eventually I stopped having the thought of slacking off all together.
During the three years I spent as a sales representative, I made sure to always visit my customers every week. Except during my vacation, I went every week. I always made it to the store at the scheduled time regardless of the weather conditions. My customers were very touched when I still came on the days with bad weather. One of them praised me by saying, “No other sales representative would show up in this weather.”
Falun Gong has given me perfect health and a lot of energy. I have not taken a sick day for many years. Falun Gong has turned me into a person with a positive attitude. I am always happy and my attitude affected the customers as well. I would spend time talking with my customers. Many of them found my service calls to be pleasant and they actually enjoyed spending time with me. I would make a note of the customers' birthday and send them a handmade birthday card along with product samples as a birthday present. My customers were very touched and appreciative of these gestures.
Many of the customers would confide in me because I was honest and sincere. One of them lost their youngest son in a car accident and looked to me for support. I spent time talking to them for three nights after work. I shared my life stories and how I faced challenges with the guidance of the teachings of Falun Gong. I kept them company while they were going through one of the most difficult times in their life.
I had a pretty good sales performance because of the good relationships and friendships I developed with the customers. I was given the prime location in the merchandise aisle for free. They would even refuse to give the prime location to other companies who offered to pay for the spots. After the general manager made an inspection, he told my colleagues, “All her customers treat her like their own family.”
A local drugstore owner used to work for a foreign pharmaceutical corporation. She and her former colleagues talked about the salespeople from different pharmaceutical companies. At a reunion they decided that I was “the most devoted, responsible and the best sale representative” among all of the pharmaceutical companies in China. Their accolade was passed onto me via a sales representative from one of our competitors.
I was also the employee of the year. I was happy to receive the recognition. The most meaningful recognition came from my customers. They thought highly of me and did not change their opinion upon learning that I practice Falun Gong. The Chinese Communist Party has spouted hate propaganda against Falun Gong since 1999. My customer's had known me for three years. If they still had high regard for me knowing I practice Falun Gong, it must have meant they realized the truth about Falun Gong.
I have not always been such a likable person. Before I started practicing Falun Gong, I had a foul temper and wasted time analyzing the most insignificant comments made by others. I would slack off and procrastinate at work. I blamed everyone for everything when I was under pressure. But nothing ever bothers me now. I relocated to several different cities because of work. Every time I left an area, my colleagues and customers told me they would miss me. People liked that I was very responsible and that I treated people honestly and with sincerity. I didn't play games and I did not form or join any particular faction at work. Some of my colleagues tried to elbow me out or they played politics when I would first start working with them. I would show them the same level of sincerity, kindness and forgiveness I had shown everyone else. In the end, they were all moved. Many of them told me, “I have learned a lot from you.”
A former colleague sent me a text message. “What I value most from working here is having the opportunity to meet you. I have seen great things in you; including your work ethic, your forgiveness, your selfless contributions and your spirit to never give up.”
I have met all kinds of people during the past 20 years of my career. People will always find new ways to avoid work no matter what. I know that when a person genuinely wants to be a good person, they will motivate and discipline themselves without being threatened or punished.
How many people can manage to do this?
I did it. And I did it because of Falun Gong. I am not just an exception. Millions of Falun Gong practitioners are just like me. In fact, there are many practitioners that are more diligent. I often feel that I have let down the Teacher of Falun Gong when I compare myself to them, although I stand out as an extraordinarily good person in society.
Falun Gong must be a cultivation practice of high virtue; otherwise I would not have become the well-respected person that I am today.