One
of the things in the code
of ethics for salesmen — at least the good
ones — is discretion:
you do not push for a product
just because it’s new
or expensive, and you must
make sure the product fits
your client, literally and
figuratively. If he is trying
on something that makes him
look fat, it’s the salesman’s
responsibility to point him
to another product that could
be more flattering for him.
“We don’t really
teach that skill in our training
programmes,” says
Ow. “That’s something
you learn from experience.”
The retail
industry is a good ground
for learning about these subtle things
that can turn you into a good sales
person. Zegna, in particular,
provides an atmosphere that
Ow describes as “challenging,
innovative and growing.”
Together with his colleagues,
he is pushing to uplift the
image of the sales
executive. “In Asia,
and here in Singapore, people
still look at working in retail
as serving people,”
he shares. And servitude may
not necessarily be a good
trait in a consumer-driven
economy where everyone wants
to be treated like a VIP.
Still,
while many people look at
selling as a part-time
job or something to do
to earn money while searching
for a “proper”
job, Ow believes that a career
can be built in retail. “Of
course everyone has to start
with selling on the floor,”
he admits. But these sales people
could grow into more specialised
positions like visual merchandisers,
retail specialists, and operations
head.
Another
perk that comes with working
in high-end retail is the chance
to meet important people. “The
networking aspect alone is invaluable,”
says Ow. You get to meet decisionmakers
and influential people who can
help you when you decide to
strike on your own. At Zegna,
there are also other perks such
as commission incentives, uniform
and laundry allowance, and training abroad.
This should be make up for the challenges that come with the job — like odd hours and sacrificing your weekends and holidays (these are the days when stores are usually at their busiest) for work. |
