After rebirth, I became a great master

Chapter 168 The client asked me to sign the contract
As expected, after the meeting, Director Meng called Zhou Haoran to his office again.

"Ugh!"

As soon as he entered the door, Zhou Haoran began to sigh.

Meng Xuemin said with a smile: "Didn't you win? Why are you sighing?"

Zhou Haoran said, "The way my colleagues look at me in the office is different now. I'm afraid no one will treat me like a newcomer anymore."

"Isn't this a good thing?" Meng Xuemin didn't think much of it. "Everyone is in awe of you."

Zhou Haoran didn't think so and shook his head. "This distance has widened. In the past, I had so many big brothers who took good care of me and gave me a lot of help. I don't think this kind of thing will happen again in the future."

Meng Xuemin laughed and said, "You've got it reversed, haven't you? You're so capable now, who would distance themselves from you? They'd all want to cling to you and get close to you."

"This kind of closeness is all fake. Before, I was a newcomer, a bullied apprentice. That closeness to me was genuine."

Zhou Haoran's understanding of human nature is far deeper than that of Director Meng.

Meng Xuemin was slightly startled. He hadn't taken it seriously at first, but after hearing what he said, he began to think deeply. "It seems so, but if you put it that way... doesn't it mean that the more outstanding you are, the less popular you are?"

“It’s a different circle.”

"circle?"

"If you want to fit in with the elite, the best strategy is to be better than them. The better you are, the more they will admire and respect you. To fit in with the lower-class, it's best to be on par with them, or even worse than them, giving them opportunities to help, guide, and criticize you."

Zhou Haoran said this and flattered the boss at the same time.

Director Meng was said to be very outstanding and powerful, which is why he dared to show his outstanding temperament. If he had been replaced by a petty leader, he would have been fired long ago if he had shown such outstanding work ability.

Meng Xuemin was deeply moved and said, "You really see through this workplace relationship."

Zhou Haoran said, "The upward mobility channels for the lower classes are narrow, and structural difficulties inevitably breed widespread jealousy. Our sales department is a community of humble people. People in this community laugh at others and hate those who have. If you want to fit in, you have to act crazy and stupid, and have obvious bad habits that make everyone look down on you, or even despise you."

In his previous life, he was a core executive of a large Internet company.

Reborn as this identity.

It's just out of place.

Especially in the smoky and foul environment of the alleys.

How to do?
You have to play dumb, and even take the initiative to find some discussion points for yourself, so that the elders in the alley can criticize and discuss them, giving them the opportunity to stir up trouble.

There is no malicious intent in this kind of pointing and talking; it's just a habit in the alley.

Neighbors will still be very close.

However, if you are too outstanding and start to attract criticism from others, that is very malicious.

Just like the alley scandal between Zhou Haoran and Qiao Suiqing before.

He could have avoided this entirely.

But it's not necessary.

You should put yourself in a lower position and give the alley elders some care, guidance, and even opportunities to criticize you.

This is also true.

After word spread, the uncles and aunties in the alley were very enthusiastic, some even visiting the house and jokingly offering to help with matchmaking. Except for Aunt Qiao, who was a bit unhappy, the elders in the alley were all laughing.

There are many words of praise for Zhou Haoran.

He actually doesn't care much about these things.

He is about to move out of the alley.

But this concerns the parents' reputation.

Zhou Haoran's father cares a lot about face. If his son has a good image and is praised by everyone in the alley, his parents will also be proud.

However, things quickly took a turn for the worse.

Because it concerns Qiao Suiqing.

She is so outstanding.

Young, beautiful, and urban-style, she is a popular hostess on TV.

The elders in the alley all need to look up to her.

This is different.

While the comments about Zhou Haoran were all well-intentioned, friendly, and affectionate, like a playful, neighborhood joke, the comments about Qiao Suiqing were less friendly, full of veiled criticism and sarcasm.

Because Zhou Haoran is of low social status, he can create a sense of superiority among the elders in the alley.

Qiao Suiqing is arrogant and doesn't fit in with the group.

Rumors of an affair between Zhou Haoran and Qiao Suiqing spread...

This kind of thing did not harm Zhou Haoran in any way. He was a boy, so it was okay for rumors of dating to spread. No one cared. But Qiao Suiqing was not so lucky. It was simply damaging his reputation.

Many people even do it on purpose.

Zhou Haoran just graduated from high school.

Qiao Suiqing and his wife both graduated from university and started working, and both have stable jobs.

The two sides are not equal at all.

Identity, age, and social status are completely mismatched.

Given the circumstances, Zhou Haoran was not worthy of marrying Qiao Suiqing.

The reason why people in the alley are deliberately promoting this kind of argument is simply to find faults to provoke the Qiao family, to slander them in a sarcastic way, and to encourage Qiao Suiqing to marry down.

It seems that by disparaging the Qiao family, they can feel honorable and respectable.

This is actually a common human psychology.

The professional term is "relative deprivation."

In an environment of scarcity, people can enhance their self-worth by devaluing others. This psychological mechanism allows people to achieve psychological balance by devaluing others when they find themselves at a disadvantage.

Zhou Haoran has such psychological expectations.

Therefore, when interacting with the elders in the alley, he would always intentionally put himself in a disadvantageous position.

Qiao Suiqing is not doing well.

How could she understand this?
Such arguments have caused her some harm.

Qiao Suiqing actually doesn't care much.

Because she had suffered too much, she was used to all kinds of irresponsible rumors about her in the alley.

Zhou Haoran felt very guilty.

It was useless to go to the Qiao family to apologize. After arriving at the TV station, he had the responsibility to take care of this childhood sweetheart.

Fortunately, it seems that the care is pretty good now!

Living together for more than a month was almost the most relaxed and happiest period in Qiao Suiqing's life. He could feel different surprises every now and then, and his daily life was enjoyable and colorful.

However, after the continuous internal strife in the sales department, it is unlikely that Zhou Haoran can maintain his previous low-key style.

The gold has already shone.

There are pairs of hawk-like eyes staring at it, so it is unrealistic to bury it.

Meng Xuemin pondered for a long time, then waved his hand, "That's not what I want to ask now! What about Tian Kai? What's going on?"

"I still want to ask you!"

Zhou Haoran was also confused.

"Ask me?" Meng Xuemin didn't understand.

Zhou Haoran questioned, "What's going on with our investigation team? They start it when they say they're going to start it, and then they stop it when they say they're going to stop it. It was already finished, and now they're starting it again? Is this TV station owned by Team Leader Tian's family? Does the Supervisory Department have the final say?"

Meng Xuemin said in a deep voice: "This is indeed unexpected."

"Accident?"

"I spoke to the director, and he said it was impossible. The investigation team is done, and that's it. It's impossible to restart it anytime soon. The Supervisory Department's investigations are very serious. So I didn't take Tian Kai seriously, thinking he was just being angry and talking nonsense."

"Then what's going on?" Zhou Haoran frowned slightly. "Look at his attitude just now. It's obvious that he's in cahoots with the Supervision Department and wants to reopen the investigation into me!"

Meng Xuemin said, "I guess there are more complicated relationships involved. Perhaps Tian Kai has relatives or friends working in the Supervisory Department."

"Ah."

Zhou Haoran nodded. This was probably the only possibility.

Meng Xuemin laughed and said, "However, even if he has some connections, they wouldn't be that powerful. If he did have such powerful connections, he wouldn't be confined to the sales department and have been suppressed by Zhong Jiantong for so many years."

Zhou Haoran agreed, "Almost."

Meng Xuemin had seen this sort of thing many times and was quite experienced. "I guess his friends and family are just taking the money and not delivering the results, just making some verbal promises. I don't believe an ordinary supervisor from the Ministry of Supervision has the ability to reopen the investigation into you."

"No matter what, it's necessary to take action against him and teach him a lesson." Zhou Haoran couldn't keep being in a passive situation. "This time is a warning. Next time, I might be fired like Shao Kong!"

Meng Xuemin was startled. "Don't come! Tian Kai's ability is obvious to all. He's an excellent salesman. I'm still waiting for him to sign the contract and report the results!"

"Then he'd better not mess with me!" Zhou Haoran glanced at him and laughed, "How about you, leader, go talk to him and make him realize his own limitations and not mess with people he shouldn't mess with."

Meng Xuemin was at a loss for words. "How did you do that? Do you have strong connections in our station?"

Zhou Haoran squinted his eyes and asked, "What do you think?"

Meng Xuemin snorted, "If you had connections, you wouldn't have had to resort to that method to get into Taiwan. Tell me, what methods did you use? I want to learn from you."

Zhou Haoran said frankly: "This is why I want to be a salesperson."

"what?"

Meng Xuemin didn't know what was so exciting about being a salesperson.

Zhou Haoran said, "As a salesperson, you can use the TV station's resources to connect with social relationships and build a powerful network of contacts."

"Is that what you think?"

Meng Xuemin was shocked.

In fact, he already had this opinion.

I felt that with Zhou Haoran's talent, being a salesperson was a bit of a waste. I even considered transferring him to a new position, making him the director's secretary, or transferring him to another channel.

I didn't expect that they would have such plans.

This is not a level of thinking at all!

Zhou Haoran smiled and said, "There are so many benefits to being a salesperson. In a modern market economy, sales is the most critical link and should have the highest position in the workplace. The TV station is in the process of planning a transformation, and their understanding of sales positions is too poor, and the status they give salespeople is too low."

After a pause, he continued, "Among the Fortune 70 companies, 30% of CEOs come from sales backgrounds, and the remaining % are in finance. Every single one of these big bosses in China has worked in sales!"

"Wait!" Meng Xuemin stopped him with his hand, incredulous. "Are you saying that you were able to punish Tian Kai this time because of external connections?"

"Yes." Zhou Haoran didn't hide anything. "I met a client while I was working in sales. He has a strong family background and is very capable. I told him about it, and he helped me."

"How can this be?"

Meng Xuemin thought this was ridiculous.

"Why not?" Zhou Haoran thought it was a matter of course. "If I couldn't build a strong social network, I wouldn't be working so hard in sales. I wouldn't even consider the little commission I get!"

Book sales are going smoothly now.

He has more confidence to say such things.

Meng Xuemin found it hard to accept, "Why should the client help you?"

Zhou Haoran said with a smile: "I help him, he helps me, isn't this human nature?"

"What did you do to help others?"

"Sign the contract. Cooperation is mutually beneficial. If the contract is signed, I get a commission, and he also benefits."

"Can people still beg you to sign the bill?"

Meng Xuemin thought it was ridiculous.

Zhou Haoran said solemnly, "That's right. He's been begging me to sign the contract. It's just that I don't want to be too high-profile in the sales department and don't want to fight for the top sales position too early. Otherwise, my current sales... might have exceeded 100 million."

Meng Xuemin was a little confused. "Haoran, I'm old and my reaction is slow. Let's be honest. Don't mix the truth with jokes. I can't tell the difference."

Zhou Haoran laughed out loud.

Meng Xuemin was a little angry, "What are you laughing at?"

Zhou Haoran's laughter stopped abruptly, and he said seriously, "Director, I'm not kidding you. I'm telling the truth. The client has been trying hard to sign a contract with me. Tomorrow, I'm going to meet him to discuss cooperation on water heaters. The order contract may be over 50. He has been contacting me all this time, begging me to sign a contract with him."

Meng Xuemin really couldn't say a word.

It's like looking at a monster.

It's really jaw-dropping.

Zhou Haoran said calmly, "I've said before that the current sales model isn't working. If the customer sets the rules and we negotiate cooperation based on their rules, then the salesperson will be begging the customer. I want to explore a 'seeking the truth' model. I want to become the rule, so that customers will follow my rules and come to me for help."

Meng Xuemin remembered what he had said and took a deep breath. "So this time, it was this well-connected client who asked for your help, and then you told him about your problem, and he solved it for you. Is that right?"

Zhou Haoran smiled and said, "Almost."

"Then I don't understand." Meng Xuemin was very humble. "This client has a powerful background, so why would he ask you for help? What he wants to do can't be done with just a word."

“That’s different.”

"What's the difference?"

“This is no longer the era of planned economy.”

"Ok?"

Meng Xuemin raised his eyebrows, not quite understanding.

Zhou Haoran said, "His powerful background only means he possesses power. The significance of a market economy is to let go of the control of power over the market and allow the market to develop freely."

Meng Xuemin pondered in silence.

Think silently.

Zhou Haoran hesitated for a moment, then decided to tell the truth: "He has power, but he doesn't understand the market. I don't have power, but I understand the market. It's a matter of each having their own strengths and needs."

"That's it!"

Meng Xuemin suddenly realized.

Then I understood a crucial truth.

No wonder the conservative faction on TV is so strong and stubborn.

Because they don't understand the market.

Not understanding the market means having no money. Many first-tier regular employees are now earning less than many newly hired third-tier temporary workers. How can this be acceptable?
It is in their best interest to maintain the previous structure of power controlling the market.

Ideals and beliefs are all bullshit.

In the final analysis, it is still profit.

(End of this chapter)