Selling With Dignity is HELL in UAE, instead ROB them with WAASTA

Dubai Abra Souq Station

Now selling is an art of scraping the needs, finding the value, connecting the client emotionally to the need+value+benefit and sell them the solution.

Clients are not interested what you sell – they look for convenience and solutions which make their lives easier.

Selling in UAE or working as a salesman doesn’t lead you to a dignified position. The focus of businesses is solely profit. But who’s making them a profit..? The sales guys of course. But in the Middle East, the situations is starkingly odd and different.

More or less, the employer is himself a misfit who assumes, business is won through, Waasta (personal references) and there is no such thing as Sales as an art and research.

The oil-rich region is abuzz with investments, business, networking, opportunities and just lots of money and glamour. What misses is this, Sales guys are not respected and are not highly paid executives.

On the other hand, Indian nationalities have done equal damage too – bringing the market rates to a level where only cats and South Indians can survive – on bones.

A market which sends its workforce, in sultry heat of June-October, expects to meet the targets is salaried at just a meagre Dhs.2000 (USD 544). Now how will Sales prosper..? Upon that 14 hours of gruelling work hours with traffic jams and harsher living conditions for expats. See also how expats spend their lives in such living conditions. Welcome the Paradise of Middle East – Dubai.

And this is how corporate companies in Dubai treat employees.

In such a dillemma, where no proper framework exists to allow Sales to grow out of perceptions – the old tabboos of doing business the traditional way is prevalent. Hawkers and sellers pitch by the road side.

Influence, emotionally connect and deliver value form the basis of stronger sales. UAE has just not learnt the right way of doing it. It might never would. WAASTA will give you PASTA in Emirates.

For your reading pleasure, check how expatriates live in UAE. And, how companies work in UAE and rob employees of their salaries.

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Saudiasation & Nationalisation & Emiratisation – Are you prepared..?

Phenomenons carry the limits and the secrets to experiment. Experiment the Dolly, result is death. Fine.
Experiment with Atom and Hiroshima’s gone. Fine again.

But experiment with employment, food and the bread in the Middle East is stressful and diabetic and choleric. Not Fine. 70% of workforce in Saudi is foreign workers, who face an uncertain future ahead of them. Unskilled worker will have a lifeline of only 6 years. Period. Semi-skilled – tailor masters, scissor donning barbers, mechanics cranking your car and truck will have 10 years at most. While white collared people have an extended stay till 12 years. The years a cat has of its lifetime. So skilled people do have 9 lives now.
Source – The Glut Will End

What’s next..? Big question. Either migrate to taxing countries or stay back to count the days missed. Even the weekends will sound hollow and colourless. Switch jobs..? Not a good option. Middle East is still taking turns from recession and not yet in recovery mode.

Dubai’s Corporate metro still has many office spaces to offer enough to cover 3 Empire State Buildings. You have ONE, we have 3..!! Beat it..!

Question remains – what to do..? What next..? Who’s next..? No switching jobs, no business option, the gluttony of local businesses is just enough to burst the balloon already filled up just water.

Answer – Network Marketing, Direct Selling, Parallel set-up, Franchise business. Ready for that or would you brush it underneath the carpet saying its a SCAM. SCAMS happen in your industry too. SATYAM pulled a big scam. EXXON was a big SCAM. RECESSION wiped out many BIGGER and SMALLER businesses – were they SCAM too. Network Marketing too isn’t different.
Businesses sustain to go ahead, while the vanished make way for the sustainability. Price of wrong procedures, law of nature. Period. There are good schools, there are bad schools. So network marketing has to take a blame. All the time.

Not anymore. 110 billion dollar industry shouldn’t be missed. Old trend has been wiped out. Newer trend will see networks of networks being built, forged, endorsed and consolidated.

But question is..do you have a network already..? Is it regional..? Is it sustainable..? Is it alive..? Is it reliable..? Active..? Communicating..? Growing..? Spreading..? Questions every corporate has to answer and so does Network Marketing.

Network marketing is nothing but Advertising, packing, logistics, preparation, MOE, Mission Statement, Secretary – all handled by the company. Your role is to establish network of people without having an office or a table to establish yourself as a BOSS..!! Challenging..?? Yeah for the bosses. Solution – come out of the skin or be skinned in another 3-4 years.

Network Marketing

From a FAD to a fact, Network marketing has established itself as an industry. Even Wall Street has been ‘forced’ to recognise it. So Wake up and Smell the Coffee.
Direct Selling Feature in Wall Street Journal

Long gone are the days when voluptuous and stupendous salaries awaited you and your qualifications. Higher the qualification, bigger the tasks are and tougher the competition and one day get outsourced..!! More qualification, more employable. Where’the financial freedom you desired with your qualification..?

Emiratisation / Globalisation / Saudiasation / constipation..?? Choice is just yours..!!
So either you’re working or networking.

Budget – Mystery or History

Budget’s out, public’s in while the politicians are having a bash yet again. They rule the graveyard; while the grave dwellers aren’t getting any light either. Loadshedding, KESC, mudslinging, infrastructure, terrorism, foreign policy, everything and everyone is in a squander. A shabby one.

The Finance Minister is just another face-change, loyal employee who came up with the budget on time. Something in Pakistan is on time. Trains are never. While security lapses would never be. To be or not to be.

But where is our international relationship heading for? Anyone gave serious thought. But no, don’t. If the Governments hears this, expect another ministry with 10 pseudo ministers would be heading 10 or so committees solely to study and research the plight, the flight of overseas Pakistanis and their status quos. So please, let Pakistanis live. No more tax cuts for such an idea.

International relations are always built on..?? Bulls or bullets or billets..?? Commerce, economics, MOUs and technology sharing and power sharing. Has anyone heard or seen any Pakistani conglomerate, or business group ever coming up with a rock solid idea? An idea to boost and promote Pakistan. Any at least body formation? Council, team..? Nothing. On the ground. No willingness. No seriousness.

To better international relations, we need business representation. Better relations. Better access. But please don’t export LABOURERS. They aren’t living a good life outside Pakistan even. They work 18 hours and are underpaid and underfed. Export your mangoes and more. Export quality, finished goods, business entrepreneurs but not jobs. Much of it has taken flight.

A body to reform the export policies and procedures should be in place, starting with Sialkot, which has the camaraderie of having its own private airport. Access should be made to international publications to promote skills, industries and products. Export policy, on freelance mode, should be taken up at universities in Pakistan. International relations offers wide array of customer base. Invite and be invited. GEO or JEENAY do. Give and take.

But be honest. What you have, offer..!! Don’t over commit. Explore and connect. How difficult?
Further to such initiatives, a rapport building and supporting group should be in place to have a check.

Have I started to sound boring..? Yeah. As nobody has ventured into this arena ever. Non-taxable countries are hubs and nearest to Pakistan but entrepreneurs are again scarce. Scary statistics, expensive visas, stricter policies. Multiply and quadruple your money, Governments are interested in that. India is doing the same, exporting products and business owners.

King of Fruits - Politicians

Pakistan produces mangoes, which are exported. It also produced politicians, never exported. That is the problem. Let American Senate, the respected Senate, have 2-3 Pakistani politicians, only provincial members (MPAs), to be selected in their House. I bet, no green patch or forestry shall exist in America. Even South America might sanction import of carrots. Sticks are history.

Business Circle

International relations can be given a boost if business circles are encouraged to invest in sports industry. Teams should be represented in every sport, Tempest freerunning is a good emerging sport. Some Pakistani should read and take the cause ahead.
Education, representation, Business units, exports and lesser imports should pave the way for better international relations.

Political class is just crass. Undependable. So why not a civilian movement. Why not a behemoth move that of Sir Syed of innovating the status quo. No rocket science involved. Public opinion should be given a formal voice and draft of action. Action is what missing from the scene. Negative action is all around. Positive action..? No actors.

Is anyone listening..? PTI’s sit-in in Multan is coming on 25th. Summers, heat, terrorism, bomb blasts, prayers, Ramazan approaching fast. Better gear up for more mangoes.

Freelance Vs. Permanent Roles – Middle Eastern Black Hole

Middle East is a vibrant and a fluctuating market. Period. But not for those surviving on the tether around them, confining them to their cubicles. And also, my sympathies for those who work in the Accounts and Finance departments; although Middle East is largely tax free throughtout all the seasons but accounts people suffer from most ailments one finds in the Middle East, Diabetes tops it, then Heart related. Accounts is not a romantic role, though, but nonetheless it pounces right at your heart.

After gaining a thorough 4+ years in the Middle East market, also bagging some certifications in ISO 9000:2008 for Internal Auditing and SAP; much of the experience provides me to leverage my efforts much more fruitfully for my own benefit. Job is where you agree to act like a slave. You agree to the terms and conditions of any website before registering, you don’t think twice. But before you do that in the Middle East, stop, consult, think, rethink again and rethink again. The shadowy areas are never discussed until you are cornered in your cubicles.

But, quality of service in the Middle East is always tainted and compromised. But the irony is, you’re expected to work and show yourself busy like Barack Obama. No offence meant but your boss would never commend your MIGHTY work. You would strain, stress, press, redress your efforts and resume but appreciation is an art which cannot be searched in the museums. Your boss envies it. So its out. Why..? Because your Boss is ALWAYS RIGHT..!!!

And that you don’t have a say here. No strikes, yeah, think about it and you’re aborted, deported and black listed. Now what shall we do. And yes, you can only work for one employer at a time and only that job which is mentioned onto your visa. Other than that, its illegal. Sounds Utopian right..? So what can you do?  Suffer is the first option, but that suffering brings with it its benefits. Firstly, Public relations, it is a grand big leverage to land yourself a role, perhaps a job if you’re persistent and know how to make and offer a lemonade for your to-be-boss.

Yeah that’s the trick; flatter others and you won’t find yourself lying flat in the airport lounge and flying out for good from the Middle East. Secondly, experience. Majority of the people who come here to the Middle East, are focused and poised just to EARN MONEY..!! But you won’t set your targets that perrenially retarted and puny.

You have to grow and Middle East is a growing and festering ‘hinterland’ (although it isn’t, pun intended) just for ENTREPRENEURS. So you again experience and not in one mode or area of interest, multi modal experience counts alot. Once you’re over 3 years of core and meaty experience in your and your sweet beautiful colleague’s (in the next cubicle) experience, you are ready to jump onto the next phase. And that is, community work..!! Kidding.

Next phase is where you would have amassed a bunch of newspapers (enough to fill 3 and a half warehouses, yeah the other half of the third would be vacant for the trucks to tow away the mice-nibbled and recyclable paper) and business cards already before you get down to real business. Freelancing is a better way to make your mark in the after-office hours. Abundant opportunities can be browsed through the local newspapers, get to know or hear from your peers (peers from the business cards, in short Networking helps) about upcoming developments. One can contact entities like companies and institutes to garner and utilise your abilities for a percentage. You both share. In this way, the first party (company / institute) doesn’t have to go through all the hassles to support you with the visa procedure which is like sun baking in the desert for them.

Start small and limited and you’ll get to see the wider scope. Start from the back of the pack, remember a movie is best watched and looking if you are at the last row somewhere in the middle, only action movies, mind you. Once you’re in, nothing stops you then. Neither your employer nor your urge to rush for a movie. Once the trend picks up, you would be amazed that you would be saving your whole salary and spending from your extra income. But that comes later, don’t jump and don’t be expensive. Now, you have extra money but not extra time. Outsource, sublet, get a group of friends again to divide and subdivide a mini task to mini projects.

Then again, get everything (projects, mini tasks and not mini skirts, you seem you CANNOT handle at this point as you would have quite a considerable connections and that you would earn a percentage on your networking and delegating capabilities.

From programming, web development, technical (Mechanical / Instrumental), education, financial advice (Year End support and preparation), repair and maintenance, tutoring, advice (Quality Management and Improvement, Supplies, Interior decoration, exploration, introducing (parties with each other, importer and exporter area, I love to do that) and the list goes on.

The service industry is better open after the office hours, although you might not hear the sweet voice of the secretary on the other end, who makes you to call her office for no reason. Yeah, live with it. But believe me her voice is chirpy, you don’t want to drive all the way down to see her. Reality d***s. So folks, if you’re planning to land in here anytime, make sure you have your swimsuits, goggles, a good business plan and guts to work and suffer under your illegitimate boss.

Good luck with your struggling careers..!!