I was almost not to be in IT.

I have a fulfilling career in the IT sector. Starting in sales at HCL-HP, I am today accountable for the P&L of two business lines. And, these two businesses are distinctly different in their characteristics. But, I would not have been here. This story is when I was almost not to be in IT.

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So, was my career in IT. I was almost not to be in IT as soon as I started.

The first months after my entry into IT.

I joined HCL-HP in 1993. I was to report at HCL-HP’s Ballard Estate office. Within a few days, I was told that I will be working for Frontline Solutions (Bombay) Limited. Frontline’s offices were located at Andheri (East), one of the suburbs of Mumbai. Frontline had just moved offices and everyone around me was busy. My desk had piles of files and I had to read a bunch of brochures & files. The word used was “internalize”. Coming from the engineering sector, I did not understand one word of information technology (IT). Thus, I was lost.

I was given a list¹ of prospects after a few weeks. I had to make a defined number of field sales calls and report back to the office each day. Now, I was totally lost.

Because I did not want to be in the office, I religiously cold-called the people on the list. I managed to generate no inquiries and therefore no sales. All my colleagues were from IT or parent, HCL-HP. Thus, I was one of the very few exceptions. And, there was an indifferent attitude towards me. Further, my boss was in the transition-out phase.

In summary, the first months after my entry into the IT sector were a disaster. Thoughts of an incorrect career decision started making rounds within me.

My first sale in the IT sector

Notwithstanding the lack of any success, I continued cold-calling people on the list every single day. Finally, I got a break. After a few months, I sold HCL’s 386DX-based personal computer to an individual located at Borivali, the coastal suburb of Mumbai. This person gave me a blank signed cheque² towards payment together with an unfilled but duly signed purchase order form. He asked me to fill them up as agreed.

On reaching the office, I informed my boss and gave him the documents. He promoted this sale aggressively within Frontline. He displayed a copy of the blank signed cheque and the PO on the noticeboard. And, he also informed many at HCL-HP. A few of my colleagues and Frontline took notice of me.

Congratulations started flowing.

I quit the IT sector as soon as I joined.

Despite the motivating acknowledgment of my first sale, I remained skeptical about my career decision. My discomfort was that I knew very little about the product I was selling. Therefore, I was unsure about the decision to move out of the engineering sector. And, a good job offer from a large & highly reputed engineering conglomerate fueled these doubts.

I concluded that my best action should be to speak openly to the CEO after oscillating within for a while. There was also pressure on me from the engineering conglomerate to accept their job offer. Those were days of few choices for young graduates, particularly those from the middle-class.

The meeting that ensured I remained in IT.

I began the meeting by handing over my resignation to the CEO. We, then, discussed my reasons. There was one primary reason. ‘I did not understand the what (about the product) and the why (usefulness³), so how I can convince any prospective buyer⁴.’ The CEO stated his point as follows; ‘I have been observing you. You have the right approach & attitude to sales. The results will come.‘ The CEO asked me to trust him on this. To facilitate, he said he will send me to the one month’s training at HCL-HP’s HQ at Noida.

The three reasons I decided to trust the CEO and remain.

• This CEO had an electrifying personality and was highly persuasive. He came across genuine and sincere.
• I do not like to leave anything unfinished. So, I was not a good loser. Equally, perseverance is my strength.
• I believed that the CEO was committed because he sent me to the training immediately after.

Thus, I remained in Frontline. And, this is the story when I was almost not to be in IT.

I will never know the real motivations of this CEO. And, frankly, I did not care then and I do not care now. He instilled a sense of confidence within me. Equally, I learned that like perseverance being open is a professional virtue. To this day, I pursue this path, maybe nuanced a little. By doing so, I might have hurt some of my prospects but the fact remains that my professional life’s balance sheet and P&L are very healthy.

I spent close to four years at Frontline. It shaped my thinking in many ways, positive. HCL’s work culture was intrapreneurial. And, HCL taught me to think big and aim high. 

An important trivia

Three of us shared rooms while receiving training at HCL-HP, Noida. One quit Frontline, almost immediately. Yet, we – and our families – have remained friends all these years (27+, now). ‘Maitroika‘ is our group’s name.

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¹ This list was named FTU, First Time Users (of computers) at HCL

² The buying price was agreed upon. Because I was not aware of the applicable taxes, the final amount was unknown. This was an era when mobile telephony had not yet begun in India. And, those days, telecommunication using landline was a luxury expense.

³ HCL was running a sales program ‘XToSX’ (XT to 386SX). The program targeted all PC-XT customers for an upgrade to HCL’s Intel 386SX-based PC. And, I had sold Intel 386DX-based PC. Even though I was given a lot of talking points, I did not know the difference (it made to the customer) between 386SX or 386DX.

⁴ Even though I was happy about the sale but I had no idea why he bought from me.