Minnie Lee Mei-yee and Carole Chan Mei-yee are area supervisors at FANCL, a United States-based skincare brand that pays a lot of attention to customer service. They provide supervision to frontline staff with regard to sales and operations. Ms Lee has been with the company for eight years, Ms Chan for seven. They are both enthusiastic about the opportunities that the company offers them.
'FANCL is a very good company,' Ms Lee said. 'It has given us lots of opportunity to learn and grow.'
One of the keys to success, Ms Lee believes, is maintaining the right attitude. Another is planning ahead. A third is understanding your company's corporate culture - and keeping your on-the-job performance in line with it.
One of the biggest challenges Ms Lee and Ms Chan have faced is confronting the changes in consumer spending that have been brought about by the economic downturn. Keeping a positive attitude is always key, but it is especially important in economically uncertain times. That means keeping a smile on your face. 'To sustain my team morale, I give positive messages to the team. I try my best to serve our customers in all situations,' Ms Lee said.
In general terms, identifying with customers - treating them as friends and helping them solve their problems - is a salesperson's most important asset. This is especially true in a sensitive sector such as skincare.
When asked if she had any advice for someone wanting to be a more effective salesperson, Ms Lee said that it was important to plan ahead. However, she added that even the best-laid plan sometimes did not work out the way you expect it to, so it's best to stay calm.