A Sales Department Full of Energy

"Okay, so we'll be able to deliver fifty-three vehicles tomorrow, right?"

"Mm-hmm. I'll contact the customers according to when they placed their orders."

"Great, great."

At the Jiuzhou Automobile Store, Ji Shenghai hung up the phone he'd used to coordinate with the Production Department. He picked up the thick stack of customer files beside him.

After counting them, he pulled out fifty-three files in order of when the customers had placed their orders. Then he beckoned to a young man in the store who didn't have much sales experience.

"Xiao Liu, call these customers and let them know they can come pick up their cars tomorrow."

"Sure thing, Manager Ji." The eager young man hurried over.

He picked up the thick stack of customer files and enthusiastically went to the desk behind the counter. Using the store's dedicated phone, he began contacting the customers listed in the files.

He was one of the young men who had recently joined the Sales Department. He was articulate, so simple tasks like making phone calls were usually assigned to him as a way to help him gain experience.

"According to the boss, if all goes well, production capacity will see another major surge next year. Then we'll gradually open stores in cities and towns all across the province."

"We need to start developing a core group of salespeople now. After that, we can hire another batch, and we should be set."

"Car sales aren't like a lot of highly specialized jobs. The salespeople just need to learn the specific features and advantages of the Jiuzhou Mini, and they'll be ready to work.

Pair them with one or two experienced employees, and there shouldn't be any problems."

Sitting on the lounge sofa, Ji Shenghai took a sip of tea and listened quietly to the young man talking on the phone behind him.

"Hello, sir. I'm calling from the Jiuzhou Automobile Store. Am I speaking with Mr. Zhou Qiming?"

"I'm calling to let you know that the Jiuzhou Mini New Energy Vehicle you ordered from our store will be ready for pickup tomorrow.

You can pick it up at our Jiuzhou Automobile Store or at the Jiuzhou Automobile Factory in Chengnan Industrial Park.

We offer driving lessons at the factory, and there's also a practice course. If you haven't driven regularly before, you can learn at the facility we provide."

"Mm-hmm, all right. You can come to our Jiuzhou Automobile Factory in Chengnan Industrial Park any time tomorrow. There'll be staff ready to assist you. Just let the security guard at the gate know."

"All the paperwork for the purchase, including the VAT invoice, can be handled at the factory."

"Okay, great."

The young man had been respectful, and there hadn't been any major problems with what he'd said.

After observing him for a while, Ji Shenghai stood up with a satisfied look and walked farther into the store.

More than forty salespeople were taking turns helping customers who'd come in to look at or test-drive cars. Everything was running smoothly.

Dressed in business attire, the salespeople welcomed customers politely. They explained the features of the different models, highlighted the Jiuzhou Mini's advantages, and invited customers to take it for a test drive.

After around half a month of settling in, the new salespeople were gradually getting used to their new jobs.

The veterans trained the newcomers diligently, and the newcomers studied even harder.

New employees had a three-month probation period. During that time, they received only a base salary, while their sales commissions went to the experienced employees training them.

There was no direct conflict of interest between the two sides. Even after the newcomers had gotten up to speed, they couldn't threaten the veterans' earnings.

Besides, training new employees was part of the job, and the managers were watching from the store. Naturally, the veterans gave it their all.

Though they were called new employees, many had worked in similar jobs before joining the store.

Some had even worked at major auto brands right next door to the Jiuzhou Store. When they heard Jiuzhou Automobile was hiring salespeople, they'd come over to apply.

Rather than competing with salespeople from countless other car brands, expending endless energy and effort every day, and still failing to sell any cars, they'd decided to join Jiuzhou Automobile instead.

Cars were a major purchase. Aside from very wealthy families, most people compared one option after another before buying. They compared brands and features, checked fuel consumption, and so on.

It could take months before they placed an order, during which they'd visit countless 4S dealerships.

The salespeople had to deal with wave after wave of customers who came to look around and ask about different models, but never actually bought a car.

They also had to greet every customer with a smile, explain all the details about the models, and spar with customers to persuade them to place an order.

The Jiuzhou Automobile cars might not look like much. They weren't as well-known as the big brands, couldn't go on highways, and couldn't even be registered.

But they sold in huge numbers, and they were easy to sell. Almost eighty percent of first-time visitors placed an order on the spot.

The price was low, the quality was acceptable, and there was only one product like it on the market. Customers couldn't even find anywhere else to compare it with!

And though the quality couldn't match that of real cars, the vehicles were more than good enough for getting around town.

At Jiuzhou Automobile, any salesperson who wasn't too lazy or slow could earn over ten thousand a month in commissions.

The top salesperson last month had even made over twenty thousand!

Who wouldn't be envious? Everyone was putting their all into learning the ropes, just waiting for the new Jiuzhou stores to open so they could show what they could do.

They'd all worked in sales, so they understood just how well this product was doing on the market and how much money they could make from it, especially with so few competitors.

By the end of their three-month probation period, the second big surge in production capacity should be underway. Then the salespeople could be sent out to bring in even more profit.

Even if production capacity didn't surge again, Xu Yifan still planned to open one or two stores in neighboring cities and transfer some of the new and experienced employees there.

A major boost in production capacity would be even better. These employees could become management candidates and eventually take charge of Jiuzhou stores at the city level, overseeing Jiuzhou Mini sales in their respective cities.

The Sales Department was thriving. Everyone had something to look forward to, and the coworkers got along well.

After checking on how everyone was doing, Ji Shenghai returned to his office.

Looking at the office—the desk, the reception sofa, and the steadily improving work environment—he couldn't help but feel emotional.

"I've worked in sales for over twenty years, peddling all kinds of products. I'd always hoped to become a regional manager and take charge of selling a particular brand in one area.

"But I'd spent all that time spinning my wheels, unable to find a way up. Then, more than three months ago, I happened to join the Jiuzhou Automobile Factory, and my life changed."

"I never knew selling a product could be this easy. Turns out it's pretty easy to make money from elderly men and women.

"And even if some of them dress plainly, they're often hidden rich. They don't even bat an eye when they spend money—they go straight for the top-of-the-line model."

"Our sales team has more than forty people now. We've already grown to a decent size."

"Once production capacity increases again, I should be able to become Jiuzhou Automobile's general sales manager, with at least a hundred people under me."

"Our boss really is impressive. After taking over the factory, he decisively abandoned traditional cars and turned his attention to the untapped market for low-speed electric vehicles."

"And even though he's working in a business that's a bit of a gray area, he still keeps a strict eye on product quality and maintains high standards. He has the makings of a major manufacturer."

"You can tell he's ambitious. He doesn't just want to make a profit and settle for one corner of the market. He wants to capture the whole market. And he's got the ability to back it up—he turned the company around in just a few months."

"Good pay, a good boss, a good product. Unless something major happens, Jiuzhou Automobile's future achievements will be far greater than what it's accomplished so far."

"Jiuzhou Automobile, I hope you'll spread your wings and fly farther and higher."

After picturing what the future might look like, Ji Shenghai threw himself into his work, full of energy. He picked up a document and examined it carefully.

A job like this didn't come easily, so he had to cherish it. If he lost it, he was sure he'd never find another with such good pay, great benefits, a good boss, a good product, and such straightforward work.

Just keep at it!