Sorry, it's going to be lengthy. Do bare with me 
If i didn't recall wrongly, it was around Feb 2003 when I was
around Orchard MRT waiting for my friend to arrive. Got approached
by some guy doing a survey for a new start up company looking for
staff. I do recall him asking about my future ambitions and saying
that they have many posts like admin and IT. I thought that was the
last I saw of him, until one month later he called me and asked me
if I was free and if I'd like to go over to their office for an
interview.
So I went down to Apex Tower for an interview. I do remember
waiting quite long for my turn because there were several other
people there as well. Prior to the interview, I was taken around
the building to their different offices and, yes, to their garage.
They also showed me the wall whereby they have all the achievements
of the staffs, like top sales for the month ending Jan, etc. My
first impression of the office was pretty lively - it was pretty
bright and dynamic. The other offices pales a lot in comparison to
the KCG office. Perhaps it was the painting.
Anyway, I found the idea of those achievements on the wall pretty
dumb. First off, it's not as if it's some kind of recognised award
or something mind you, it was just a piece of paper on the office
wall where nobody else except the people who work there will see,
so what hang those eye sores all over the wall? Also, I found the
cars in the garage in pretty shabby conditions. It's not as if
they're gleaming and shiny new cars - they look more like 4 years
old or 2nd hand cars. Of cause, I didn't really say anything and
just smiled when they showed me all those stuff.
I didn't get my interview until almost 2 to 3 hours later. In the
meantime, I was shone a presentation and an ancient documentary
from TV 12. The tape was in such bad condition that I couldn't
really watch anything, so the remaining 2 hours was spent sitting
around doing nothing...
The interview was pretty smooth, with Kelvin trying to strike at
obvious similarities between the two of us, like religion and
family, and doing some business outlook calculations akin to
counting your chickens before the eggs hatch. Since it was the
holidays and I had nothing better to do, I decided to agree working
for fun. Anyway, there wasn't a contractual agreement or anything
to sign. I only remember filling a form with my particulars. I
recalled them asking if I had any questions and I said no. Then
Kelvin mentioned not even the pay, and I said no as well. Then he
and the person who surveyed me gawked at each other and ushered me
out. Thinking about it now, I supposed they didn't plan to pay
me.
The next day, I, and a few others, was given several sheets of
paper to list down the names and contacts of my relatives and
friends, label our relationship between hot, warm or cold, and
attended some kind of a training session (which amazingly took less
than an hour) in their already crammed pantry room. The training
was conducted by Geoff, and I recall him mentioning the convince,
confuse, control and con theory. Also throughout my stay there,
they kept reiterating the fact that sales is the toughest job in
the world. Perhaps so for bad salespeople. I also recall them
promoting competition within the workplace, which contributes
largely to the amount of politics in the office.
A typical day at work would be going to the office at 9AM, spend
the day making appointments and going out to meet the appointments,
debriefing at the end of the day and sitting in the kopi-tiam
(which will leave a thick oily smell on your clothes) beside the
garage chit chatting. I believe that most, if not all, of the
people at KCG smokes. And everyday, I'd see new people sitting
outside Kelvin's office waiting to be interviewed, given sheets of
paper for contacts and more new faces making phone calls
everyday.
Anyway, immediately after the meeting, the group of us, now
full-fledged professionals after an hour's training, were told to
start making appointments. I can vividly recall that almost
everyone I spoke to at the office talking about raising awareness,
and closing the sales wasn't as important as raising awareness. I
found out the opposite after my first appointment.
My first appointment was with a female friend of mine. I remember
the person going along with me to do the sales, I can't remember
his name but let's call him Joe, telling me how to choose strategic
places in order to "trap" a prospect in place. Joe chose a corner
seat inside on of the eateries at Far East with my friend sitting
in the corner, with myself sitting next to her and Joe sitting
opposite us. Then Joe would wait around outside for my friend to
meet up with me first, and I would be supposed to tell this friend
of mine that Joe was a busy man and was doing some customer service
in the area and would be arriving in 14 minutes time. Truth was Joe
was just somewhere outside the eatery watching me build rapport
with my friend.
Anyway, Joe came in soon enough and went through the presentation.
Long story short, Joe asked me friend if she agreed with the
product and she said yes. Joe promptly took out a purchase order
slip, wrote down something and asked her to sign it. I was stunned,
as was my friend. Joe spent the next 30 minutes trying to get her
to sign and I didn't say a word at all. Fact was I felt extremely
betrayed by Joe. I can still remember Joe kicking me under the
table to get me to convince my friend to sign but I just glared at
him. True enough, Joe failed to convince my friend and he tried to
confuse her. It didn't work so he tried to control her by using her
words against her. In the end, I broke up the entire thing because
my friend had to work and was already late. I was totally
embarrassed.
Joe was angry of cause, and he asked me when I kept quiet. I
rebutted by saying that the main goal was to rise awareness, and
that was not the way to do so. And in true salesman form, he
retorted what's the point of meeting and using so much time when we
never close a sale. I spent the rest of the day at the office
hearing the same thing both Kelvin and Calvin. Of cause, I had
other plans, but I've already made up my mind by then to leave. I
really didn't need the money anyway.
Even before I was allowed to leave, they put me through a barrage
of talks on successful people don't give up so easily and such
things. But heck, I just nodded my head and said I've made up my
mind. Anyway, before I left Christine (if I didn't remember
wrongly, the ITE girl?) went out with me and she told me not to
give up so easily in life.
With that, she went to the staircase to smoke.
Strangely, after many months I've left DW KCG, Christine called me
and asked me for one referral saying she needs one last sales to
meet target and get promotion. I said no and that's the last I've
heard of them.
I hope this does not come across as flaming post, and more of a
neutral one for readers to decide whether or not they should engage
in such activities.
