Practical, effective and practical

outline：When Chen Aiguo, a salesperson for liquefied petroleum gas and alcohol-based fuels, opened the door to his home, the room was pitch-black—his family had already fallen asleep. He switched on the light and glanced at the wall clock; the hour hand had already struck 11 p.m. As was his habit, Old Chen lit a kettle of water and brewed himself a cup of tea. He knew he wouldn’t be able to go to bed for another hour or so, because today...

       

When Chen Aiguo, a sales representative for liquefied petroleum gas and alcohol-based fuels, opened the door to his home, the room was plunged into darkness—his family had already fallen asleep. He switched on the light and glanced at the wall clock; the hands had already struck 11 p.m. As was his habit, he boiled a pot of hot water and brewed himself a cup of tea, knowing he wouldn’t be able to go to bed for another hour or so, since he still hadn’t reconciled today’s payment receipts. For the past four years, every single day has been like this; Old Chen has long grown accustomed to it. Ever since joining the Xishuangbanna Petrochemical Group, he had quietly vowed to himself: “If I’m going to do this job, I’ll be the very best salesperson. Only through hard work can I reap the sweetest rewards.”

 

Old Chen buys two packs of cigarettes every day—smokes more than a dozen himself, and hands the rest mostly to his clients. Four years ago, he didn’t even smoke; when he first started out in sales, he began buying cigarettes to build rapport with customers. As the conversation warmed up, he’d light up a cigarette himself and share it with them, and over time this habit took root: whenever he met a client, he would always offer them some cigarettes. Old Chen is also a master electric-bike rider—not because he’s ever taken any formal training, but because after four years on the road he’s already gone through three different e-bikes. In the New Energy Development Department, we jokingly call him “Jinghong’s 114”: give him the name of any restaurant in town, and he can instantly rattle off its address, the owner’s name, contact number, and even details about the customer’s family and personal background. One day in 2014, Old Chen—who hadn’t taken a single day off in more than three years—had to ask for a week’s leave so his wife could go to Kunming for surgery. But after only two days there, he hurried back to Jinghong: the procurement department at Century Jinyuan Grand Hotel was desperate to sign a liquefied-gas supply contract, and he had no choice but to leave his wife alone in the hospital ward. Looking back, even the usually cheerful Old Chen’s eyes were a little red. With business calls during the day and collections to make at night, he rarely has time to spend with his family. “My daughter’s school performance has always been poor, and she’s constantly complaining that I don’t help her with her studies—that’s the one thing I feel most guilty about,” he says. At these words, the usually smiling Old Chen slowly lowers his head, his eyes filled with remorse.

 

Old Chen is the oldest and most optimistic employee in the New Energy Development Department of the Xishuangbanna Petrochemical Group. He brings not only invaluable sales experience but also a positive, proactive work attitude and a strong sense of dedication.

 

At the Group Company’s 2014 Annual Summary and Awards Ceremony, Old Chen stepped onto the podium for the third time—making him the only employee in the Group to have been honored as “Most Beautiful Salesperson” for three consecutive years. (Text by Chen Chuanliang; Photos by Zhang Guihong)