The Unprincipled Me!!

In my first job with a corporate entity (a large IT company) I learnt how to sell their products and services. But that was only one part of the customer relationship process. The other part is coming to an agreement in terms of the commercial arrangements and that’s where I learnt about speed money or loyalty money. Speed Money is of course typically paid to grease the hands of lowly officials or peons to get your work done. Loyalty money is involved when your client would need to show special preference to your products and services.

I was specifically trained on these because a) one needed to identify the takers b) you needed to develop along term relationship and c) sometimes you are playing catch 22 in terms of the “taker’s” relationship with your competitor. Most Public sector companies that were my clients had the “loyalty money” concept as a given. In the pure Government departments it used to be a mixture of Speed and Loyalty money. This syndrome did not even spare the Defence(pure) and Defence allied departments and concerns.

Now this is like complaining about our clients but I am sure we were to blame too for the malaise .i.e. us and our competitors.

There were happenings inside the company too. Over invoicing, under production in the factory, empty product boxes addressed to customer names (who never placed orders in the first place) being carted out during sales target period ends, were all a matter of common accepted behavior rather than the exception.
Mind you, that these things were not restricted to my first establishment. I later was involved in Telecom and in Software too and they all did it and mind you still do.

So it is not about just Government and Public Sector being corrupt but the Private Sector is equally part of this hidden black system. In fact I would say that in terms of corruption the ways of the Private Sector is a bit more sophisticated and polished. That’s about it. They are equally corrupt. Now that does not mean 100% and I do not have the data to prove otherwise. But I know and you know too. In fact talking about Public vs Private one of the biggest Private sector establishments has one of the most corrupt Purchase Departments you could think of (no prizes for guessing). The money generated through Loyalty Money Process is used in reverse when you want work done from the Government or elsewhere. It’s a nice non-taxed black money generation system that helps run the hidden agenda and transactions.

These days the CWG is in the news and maybe other topics of corruption too. But please think twice even about the Press. In my telecom days I had to ensure that reporters come and write good things about us and the way to ensure that is Cash, Gifts and Spirits!! The PR firms I am sure do use a lot of creativity in whatever they do, but this is one other aspect that they have to learn and actively practice.

The first passport I made in Mumbai years back was without any documents, no address proof, etc. It was all about loyalty and speed money. The 50 bucks I paid to the Inspector when I crossed the red signal in Jaipur is the same thing.

It is obvious that I have been a contributor to the dark sin. Have you been? If the answer is no…I salute you…but heart to heart..between you and me..perhaps I will win the bet. Make me lose from now on!!! Sphere: Related Content