Agenda | Nov 02,2019
The sun was getting robust. Having watched the theatre shows on the stage over the weekend, I was tempted to stay home. Without giving it a second thought, I immediately put on my cap and sunglass, chose the route with more trees, and stretched my legs.
On my way, I went into a supermarket to pick up my Sunday papers and packed nibbles. As I headed next to the nearest stock on the racks, some packages that were awkwardly full to burst caught my eye. Some looked like they were repeatedly tampered with, while others were torn, flaunting the products inside. I called the nearby duty-bound sales worker to listen to and resolve my complaints.
He barely understood the basics of food safety factors and food-borne illness prevention. He insisted on pointing out that the product's expiry date was not due. This led me to conclude that he lacks the necessary training to complete his duties following a well-established procedure. It is nothing but mastery of a salesperson's safe working practices. Then on the checkout line, I witnessed incompetence in core sales skills without which a salesperson cannot be imagined.
There was an item on a discount sale close to a throw-away price. When I asked what it was, no one among the salespersons had the remotest idea. No wonder it was on discount in bulk.
I carried on with my walk, talking with my thoughts. The story of a man who worked for a railway company came to my mind.
It was reported that one day as he went into the freezer compartment to do his routine work, the door accidentally closed, and he found himself trapped.
He shouted for help, but since it was past midnight, no one heard him. He tried to break down the door, but he could not; he struggled to sustain the cold but could not. After unsuccessful attempts to escape freezing to death, he felt tired, signalling that the end was near.
Finally, he decided to write his last words on the compartment wall.
"I am freezing, and I am getting weaker over time. If anyone sees this, it may be my last words."
The other workers found him dead in the freezer early the next day. The sad twist was that the unfortunate worker believed the freezing apparatus was working perfectly. He was so consumed by the thought of freezing to death that he failed to recognise that the freezer had stopped working a few days earlier. His thought has killed him.
Salespersons are expected to be conversant while dealing with customers, following the sequences of scenes leading to the ultimate purchase. Apart from the apparent knowledge of the products, sales must include safe product handling, the associated risks, and how to implement the appropriate controls. Operation leaders should make an effort to make safety a valued culture equal to productivity.
Businesses may develop and maintain occupational health and safety policies that meet specific standards. They may arrange to check for qualities and product management. All severe risks may be identified with the objective of early detection of hazards. However, all these will not mean much if the end-user cannot get the proper information. It is essential for the seller to know the requirements and for the worker to analyse the environment.
The businesses' lifeline depends on them.
PUBLISHED ON
Nov 12,2022 [ VOL
23 , NO
1176]
Agenda | Nov 02,2019
Verbatim | Jun 15,2019
Commentaries | Dec 19,2021
Commentaries | Jul 31,2021
Fortune News | Dec 29,2018
Agenda | Aug 14,2021
Agenda | Mar 21,2020
Radar | Apr 25,2020
Covid-19 | Sep 04,2021
View From Arada | Jan 21,2023
Dec 24 , 2022
Biniam Mikru heads the department of cabinet affairs under Mayor Adanech Abiebie. But...
Jul 2 , 2022 . By RUTH TAYE
On a rainy afternoon last week, a coffee processing facility in the capital's Akaki-Qality District was abuzz with activ...
Nov 27 , 2021
Against my will, I have witnessed the most terrible defeat of reason and the most sa...
Nov 13 , 2021
Plans and reality do not always gel. They rarely do in a fast-moving world. Every act...
Mar 25 , 2023
At a crossroads, Addis Abeba finds itself on the precipice of monumental transformati...
Mar 18 , 2023
Ethiopia's economy once hailed as a paragon of growth and development, now faces a co...
Mar 11 , 2023
Ethiopia is rapidly emerging as one of China's top African debtors, second only to An...
Mar 4 , 2023
Once again, Ethiopia has claimed international attention in the past few weeks for re...
Loading your updates...