The value of time

“What you get free costs too much.” -Jean Anouilh

Beware SM shoppers. If very friendly people in semi-formal clothing approach you in order to give you free items such as umbrellas, knapsacks or even movie tickets (and the chance to win a BMW!), make sure you have 3 hours and a lion’s share of divine patience to spare. If you don’t, just walk away.

I learned that people in sales have this unique gift for conversation, but a lack in empathy. I understand that they need to sell in order to earn (hence the intensive training on what to say, how to say it and how to counter common excuses), but to overhear that they get scolded for “lost sales” (which I am a part of), is simply inhuman. Sure they need to try hard, but if a potential customer simply chooses to remains so — that is, a potential — then the salesperson can do squat to convince that customer otherwise. Not even a supervisor or manager can change that. NO MEANS NO. Nobody is obliged to buy a product, however good it is, within a deadline. Heck, if I really wanted to buy a product, I want to think about it at least overnight. I don’t like having my hand forced NOW.

Detention in an air-conditioned room, face to face with a sales agent can be the most trying time of your life. All for 3 knapsacks and 4 movie tickets. Considering what I lost that day, I regret it.