Team FERIWALE in MAHAMANDI-2014 --an amazing experience

It all started with the course taught by Dr Mandi where learning is not a theory, but an exercise where one can experience the basic concept with an activity. And to delve more into the concepts there is an event called Mahamandi where learning is fun and practicing the academics in the challenging market place. Students made posters and videos in regional languages to promote the event and eagerly waiting for the D-day.

9^th August 2014, the day arrived and our team- FERIWALE well prepared with the items and planned some tactics on how to targets customers. The event was inaugurated by Miss Sonam Bajwa and Dr Mandi. I could see the enthusiasm in the students for Mahamandi, not only from NITIE but also from other reputed MBA colleges in Mumbai who want to be a part of it. We packed our bags and boarded the bus to Andheri station. It started raining and I wondered how difficult it would be to trample down the streets and sell in pouring rain.

We first started with a furniture shop, neglecting the fact that the shopkeeper must be smarter than us, and there we couldn’t convince the person despite pitching him for all the products. The first effort was all in vain- we devised another strategy on how to target items along with the customers.

The second attempt was near the platform exit where we found that two people looking at the girl in our group. We thought of approaching them and final pitched our products to them, even though they both were unmarried. After showcasing them the products we also touched upon the social cause attached to it. Finally we convinced them and sold them two products which they said will be useful for their nephew. This was our first sale and we were so excited that we started that selling is a child’s play. And this thought didn’t take much time to change as we reached the Linking Road, Bandra. We heard that this place is famous for affluent buyers and that would make our task more easier .Gauging the prospective buyers, it was more than one hour that we couldn’t sell a single product. I realized how challenging it must be for a salesmen to muster courage, approach people, sweat and toil and be ready for hearing refusal or bear disinterest of people. We then divided the team in a group of 4 and started again with more energy and passion to sell.

Then we found a family with two kids exiting from Mc Donald’s. We targeted them and told about the toys which are educative and innovatively designed to have fun all the while helping children understand the basics of mathematics and general science. We sold them 3 products and we were more than excited, on top of the world!!

Half the inventory were sold and yet more to go. By the time my other team made up some sales. Some people were hard to convince, some were neglecting, some were bargaining and blah blah blah!! We found a guy who loved our T-shirt and willing to pay Rs 600, but we couldn’t help him. We tried to convince him for the products for more than 15 minutes but wasn’t of any use.

And then a family outside the Croma Store who were carrying big packages. We approached them and one among them took some of our products very easily as we told them about the NGO- Navnirmiti, that works for economically underprivileged children. The other lady said she had some at home but how will these products help her 7 year old kid. We showed them the JODO GYAN model which can make learning squares, cubes and different mathematical models very easily.

And finally, the feeling on meeting so many people, talking, selling, taking pics has left wonderful feelings and priceless learning. It educates the students of giving back to the society while practicing their academics in the challenging market place. It also reminds us to learn to expect failures in the real world.

Suggestions for those who are interested in Mandi-

1) Understand the need of the customers

2) Sales pitch must emphasize the product effectively

3) Don’t forget to take feedbacks

4) Have some fun along with selling and earn as you learn

5) Never be afraid of failures

I feel so glad that I participated in this noble event. True was its theme “Selling is the game, learning is the aim, MahaMandi is the name”.

Thank you Mandi Sir!!