Don't Ask That Question, Again

The young bank manager was greatly influenced by his previous branch manager, who was his mentor. He had learnt from him about the theory of Hunting and Farming as tools for business development. He believed that building long term relationships was the key for his success as a branch manager. He had seen his mentor giving top priority for mixing with and talking to customers. He would make frequent rounds of the banking hall and satisfy himself that all the customers are being attended to promptly by his staff. He would keep aside all internal work and issues whenever he saw a customer or prospect walking into his branch. He would exchange pleasantries with them and enquire about the purpose of their visit to the branch. There would be some small talk about the happenings around, on some thing that would be of interest to the customer. The topic would differ with the age, gender and background of the customer. It was sports with some, literature with some others and politics with someone else. Music and price rise would also figure with some oneelse. If the customer appeared to have some extra time, he would invite him or her for a cup of tea in his cabin. His shrewd brain was always analyzing what the customer said and attempted to spot some business opportunity all the time.

The branch was located in an upcoming extension of the city and there were some educational institutions around. Many teachers and non-teaching staff had their accounts with the branch. Branch manager was particularly interested in this segment of customers as a good share of his branch's business came from these people. Their requirements were limited and often uncomplicated. They would recognize good service quickly and were also sensitive to delays and uncourteous behavior. Staff members were aware of this and attended to them promptly and efficiently.

The two lady teachers of a nearby school would always come to the branch together. It was so even if only one of them had some work at the bank. The other would just provide company to the one with some requirement. Their accounts were well maintained and transactions were also simple. Branch manager would greet them during their visits and they would reciprocate the gesture. 

One day both the teachers walked into the branch manager's cabin and took their seats before him. The elderly teacher took out two checks from her purse and handed them over to the branch manager. They were for substantial amounts and she told him that they were the fruits of her long service at the school, being retirement benefits. She wanted to deposit them in her account and desired to invest a part of them in fixed deposits in the branch. She said she would decide about investing the other part later on. Branch manager called out the dealing staff member and gave appropriate instructions. Tea was ordered and the teacher duo waited for preparation and handing over of the fixed deposit receipts. 

The branch manager had to keep them engaged during this period. "What are your children doing?" he asked. She replied that the elder one, a daughter, was working in a private company. The younger, a son, was pursuing his post graduation. "What is your husband doing?" was the next question that was asked as tea was brought in and placed before them.

The teacher got up from her chair abruptly and told him in a stern voice, "Don't ask that question, again". As she was walking out of the cabin, manager requested her to have tea and wait for the fixed deposit receipts. "I do not want tea and I will collect the fixed deposits later", she said and walked out of the cabin. The other teacher also followed her dutifully.

The manager was perplexed with the happenings and tried to gather his thoughts. The assistant manager who saw this from outside the manager's cabin was also flabbergast. There was nothing wrong with the question. It was a normal and usual question that is asked to many around us. There was no need for such response, he thought. What should be done next, he wondered. He decided to keep quiet for the time being.

The other teacher came to the branch alone after a couple of days. Manager tried to raise the issue with her. "It is not proper for me to say anything on this. She is not coming to the school as she has retired. She has also not spoken to me since. She may come to you to collect the fixed deposit receipts. Let us see", she said and left after her work was done.

The elderly teacher came to the branch after a few days. She seated herself before the manager. Manager was wondering how he should start the conversation. Before he could say something she herself started talking. "I am sorry about my behavior during my last visit. Your question is something that is often asked to me by many others. Unfortunately, that is one question I don't want to be asked. That is one question for which I have no answer", she said. The manager waited for a moment thinking as to what he should say. "I was young and beautiful and he was very handsome. He was a physical trainer in the same school. We fell in love and got married. We lived for five years together and they were the best days of my life. The daughter and son were born in that period and ours was a model family. But misfortune struck me suddenly. He left with his athletics team for participating in an event in a nearby city. He did not return from there. What happened to him is not known. All efforts were made to trace him. Nothing succeeded. Police closed the missing person case after sometime. I do not know whether he is alive or not. I have been living with this question since then. When you asked me that question, it touched a raw nerve in me and I walked off in a huff", she said and wiped the tears in her eye with her kerchief. 

She collected her deposit receipts and left. Her subsequent visits were rare, but as usual. 

*****

There could be such instances when a seemingly innocuous question may bring a surprise response. But these are indeed rare and should not put us off. Talking to customers and looking for business opportunities should continue as always. Such instances provide an insight into the vagaries of life and its many dimensions. They help us to understand human nature and appreciate the joys and sufferings of people around us.

Jaajali, Tulaadhara and Business Ethics

Jaajali wanted to be recognized as the one Rishi with the most revered record of penance, devotion to the Lord and achievement in spiritual advancement. His many years of spiritual practice under most difficult circumstances had earned him a lot of respect in the comity of fellow Rishis. But he wanted to achieve even more. Being not satisfied with the progress made in the normal course of penances, he increased the rigor followed in his rituals. In his quest for spiritual advancement, he went to the ocean and stood in the middle of the sea waters for a considerable time and continued his penance. Not satisfied with this success, he went to a forest and stood still among the trees like another tree and continued his tapas. He controlled his hunger, thirst and resisted even his body's nature calls. He pursued the penance with a singleminded objective of achieving an unprecedented record in penance and tapas. 

His standing still among the many trees like yet another tree was so successful that the birds in the forest took him for a real tree. A pair of little birds started living in the multiple braids of hair on his head. They made a nest on his head and eggs were laid in the nest. Jaajali continued to stand still fearing that his movement would disturb their living.  In course of time, the eggs hatched and the little ones were nursed by the parents. The little ones gained strength and flew away from the nest. Jaajali continued to stay still and waited for several months looking for their return. He did not want to disappoint them when they came back in search of their nest. 

*****

The Law of Supply and Demand explains the relation between the supply, demand and the price of a item or commodity in the market. As the demand for an item increases, its price increases if the supply is constant or comes down. If the item is in high supply and the demand is low, prices come down. Ultimately an equilibrium will be reached and the market finds a price for the item. This is fine as long as all factors of supply and demand are on natural lines in the market. If intermediaries are able to influence flow on either supply side or demand side, prices fluctuate accordingly. There are even violent fluctuations in prices. Essential commodities are more susceptible to increase in prices when confronted with scarcity. 

Today's market players are able to stock up the items and reduce supply side to make prices rise. Their financial strength enables them to hold on to the items till the prices reach the levels desired by them. By continuing to regulate the releases of items for sale in the market, these agencies or forces make huge profits to the detriment of the hapless consumers. Modren markets have introduced the concept of trading in derivatives. The price of pulses has now reached very high levels and trades hoarding these items are making a killing in the market.

Ethics in business is much talked about, but in reality it is the profits that really matter. Traders use all methods and resources at their command to make profits in the various markets they trade in. Definition of ethics also changes depending on who is talking about ethics! Efforts made by regulatory authorities is not yielding desired results. Prices continue to rise though inflation is said to be coming down. Economists confuse us by saying that prices are rising, but rate of rising of prices is indeed coming down. Little consolation indeed.

*****

Rishi Jaajali stood still like a tree and waited for the little birds to return to their nest. The birds did not return even after several months. Jaajali then felt that his duty was over. He was now a satisfied man. He could stand like a tree for such a long time! That he was standing like a tree was confirmed by the birds nesting on the braids on his head and even giving life to their next generation. A sense of fulfillment overtook him. He felt that he had accomplished what he had aimed for. In that moment of ecstasy he loudly exclaimed about his achievement.

Birds flying above him in the forest heard his words. They came near him and laughingly told him, "Rishi Jaajali, do not feel arrogant about your achievement. Your achievement is insignificant in comparison to many others. If you are indeed interested in meeting a true achiever, go to the city of Kashi and meet Tulaadhara there. Then you will really know how people achieve greatness in different ways!"

Rishi Jaajali was so surprised by the utterance of the birds. Who is this Tulaadhara? What has he done to achieve greatness? What is the type of penance he has made? Has he done something more than me? What is the extent of his knowledge? How is it that even the birds know about it? Who can tell me all these details? These were the many questions in his mind. He decided to go to Kashi and learn the secrets directly from Tulaadhara himself. He was on his way to Kashi without any loss of time.

***** 

How much profit should a trader make? We often hear about farmers committing suicide due to failure of crops or not getting a decent price when there is a good crop.  When the yield is low, farmer suffers due to lower income. When the yield is high, he suffers since the prices fall. Either way farmer suffers. But middlemen and agents make profit. Trader's selling price is fixed depending on his purchase price. Does he keep the same profit margin always? Or does he increase his margin when the item is in short supply?  The pace of price rise is not the same as the pace of its coming down. In many cases, prices never come down to original levels even when the next bumper crop arrives. Traders thrive when there is short supply and they have already stocked the items. It is at such times that they can increase their profit margins. Profit margins are directly proportional to the jacked up demand and helplessness of the consumer.

There are also issues of adulteration and cheating in weight and measurements. Cheaper items or similar looking items, often harmful to the users, are mixed before selling the items with a view to make higher profits. Buyers regularly find that the quantity they receive is much less than what they should have actually got. Profits made from adulteration and cheating in weights and measures is undoubtedly unethical. Despite efforts by the administration to control these evils, they are still thriving. Often enforcing authorities are themselves hand in glove with the traders. 

*****

Rishi Jaajali reached Kashi and went to Tulaadhara's place after making enquiries. Tulaadhara was sitting in his shop, busy attending to his customers. Contrary to Jaajali's thoughts, he did not find any special features in Tulaadhara's appearance. He was not a scholar or Guru surrounded by seekers and learners. Tulaadhara saw Jaajali, smiled and welcomed him. "Please come Rishi Jaajali. I am blessed by your arrival at may shop. The birds in the forest must have sent you here. Please be seated for a few minutes. This is my business time. I have to attend to my customers now. I will talk to you as soon as I am done with my work", he said and returned to his work. Jaajali was flabbergast. How did he identify me? How did he know that the birds sent me here? Is not a Rishi and guest like me more important to him than his small customers? With many questions in his mind, he patiently waited for Tulaadhara to finish his business.

Tulaadhara turned to the Rishi after his work was done. He told Rishi Jaajali: "I know the questions in your mind. I am not a learned man and scholar like you. I am a simple man like all the traders and others here. I am carrying on the family business as a trader. Tula (The weighing scale) is the foundation of my business and my life. That is why I have been given the name "Tulaadhara" which means one who is living with its support. The weighing scale (Tula) looks after everyone equally. It does not differentiate between a learned man or a child. Whoever comes to my shop will get a fair treatment. I do not cheat in weight or measurement. I have to keep a profit margin on the items I trade in since I have to make a living. I take only such justified fixed margin on the items irrespective of what others do. There is no adulteration in the items I sell. Even if the item is scarce, I do not charge more to earn higher profits. I sell it at the same rate as long as the item is available in my shop. I am happy with this level of earning. During business hours I do not do anything else but attend to my customers. This is all I know. This is what I have followed all my life. I believe that carrying on my business honestly and ethically is the best penance in the world for me".

"What was wrong with my penance standing as a tree? Did I not help the birds? Does  it not have any value?", asked Jaajali. Tulaadhara smiled. "Were there no other trees in the forest? Did the birds have no other place to nest? What was your goal? To do penance or nest the birds? In your eagerness to help the birds, you wandered away from your goal. How much did you think of the Lord in all those months? You were only thinking of the birds and forgot the Lord. You gave up the basic purpose of your penance. That answers all your questions. Do your duties honestly and diligently. That is what the Lord expects of all his subjects", Tulaadhara concluded. 

*****

There are many dimensions to "Business Ethics" in the modren world. It is much more complicated than what it was several centuries ago. Even then, this Jaajali-Tulaadhara episode detailed in Mahabharata answers many questions on business ethics issues confronting us today. Business ethics are not achieved by discussing them. They are achieved by diligently practicing them by all concerned. 

Please give me my PROFITS!

After insisting that she be paid her true share of profits, the old woman followed the Secretary to collect her profits.  (Click here to read the earlier part)  Mota Seth's secretary took a handful of coins and told the woman, "Here is your money.  You are lucky to make so much money.  Now be on your way".  "I am not here for any gratis.  Show me the calculations and pay the exact amount.  Not a rupee more and not a rupee less" said the old woman firmly.  The secretary tried to convince her but she was a hard nut to crack.  He started calculating the actual amount payable to her.

His began with a 8 digit calculator and moved on to a 12 digit calculator when he found it insufficient.  The bigger calculator was also of no use after reaching one month's computation of profits.  He took his laptop and calculated on it.  This is what he found out:

 

Day	Amount Payable
1	2
2	4
3	8
4	16
5	32
6	64
7	128
8	256
9	512
10	1024
11	2048
12	4096
13	8192
14	16384
15	32768
16	65536
17	131072
18	262144
19	524288
20	1048576
21	2097152
22	4194304
23	8388608
24	16777216
25	33554432
26	67108864
27	134217728
28	268435456
29	536870912
30	1073741824
60	2305843009213690000

The calculations went on and on like this and  at the end of 360 days the amount payable was:

75153362648762700000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000   or 751533626487627 followed by 95 Zeros!!!

The Secretary rushed to Mota Seth with his laptop and showed him the calculations.  Mota Seth could not believe his own eyes and stared at the figures on the laptop screen.  The figures on the screen appeared to  mock at him.  It took some time for him to collect his thoughts.  He fell at the feet of the old woman and told her "I do not have that much of money to pay you.  I did not even understand what I meant when I said that my money doubles on each day.  You have opened my eyes.  Please accept all my business and wealth and release me from the debt that I have to pay you.  I have nothing more to say".

The old woman smiled and lifted him.  She told the Seth, "I am not a person to en-cash something you said in an unguarded moment.  I have known you since you were a helper in this very place.  I have seen you grow and struggle to reach this level.  I always remain your well wisher.  I want neither my capital nor profit.  But I want you to remember three things.  Firstly, no customer is too small for any business.  Secondly, weigh your words when you talk to customers and never insult them.  Thirdly, time has come for you to give away part of your wealth to the needy.  God bless you and may you live long to share your success with the society".

After uttering these words the old woman calmly walked away as Mota Seth and his Secretary watched in open-mouthed bewilderment.
                                   

Old Woman and her COIN

Sitting on his sofa placed in a vantage point, Mota Seth was surveying the large sales area.  The hall was overflowing with customers and all his employees were busy attending to them.  For a moment he reflected on his past and the long and difficult journey he had traveled to reach today's position. He was just an eight year old boy when he started working.  He had started as a helper in the same shop fifty years ago. His father had placed him in the hands of the then owner of the shop.  Abject poverty of the family had compelled his father to surrender his small son to the shop owner for a meager salary. As a boy he did not even know the amount paid as the so called salary.  His father came to the shop on the first day of every month without fail and collected the money from the owner.  The only thing he ever got was a cup of tea his father would get him in the roadside tea stall next to the shop. Father and son met only on the first of each month.  As a boy he was permitted to go to his village and see his mother and siblings only once in a year during Deepavali festival.  He had to work all day and sleep in the corner room of the shop in the midst of all those huge bundles of goods. He was scared on many nights initially but got used to it quickly.  The owner was a highly calculative man and believed in earning and saving.  He was otherwise a kind man and that was the only silver lining in the boy's life.  There was sufficient food and three pairs of clothes was more than the boy could ask for at that stage.

The shop owner suddenly fell sick and the boy took very good care of him. Owner's son chose academics instead of joining the father to pursue the family business.  The sick owner was disappointed with the son's decision and channeled all his remaining time and energy to nurture this helper boy in understanding secrets of business.  The boy was a quick learner and understood the flow of business quite fast.  He was ready to take over when the owner finally left this world. At twenty years he was full of energy and bubbling with enthusiasm. The business was handed over to him by the owner's son on a mutually agreed Deferred Payment terms and it took five years for the young man to clear the agreed amount and be called as the "Owner" of his own business.  Over the next twenty five years he had built an empire by extending the scope of his business.  He was now owning a chain of stores in different locations and all others in the business community looked to him for advice and guidance. He had scientifically divided his business into different divisions and well trained Managers looked after the various divisions.  His only work was to get daily reports from them and enjoy his success by looking at the final profit figure for the day.

His chain of nostalgic thought was abruptly cut short by the sight of an old woman standing in front of the sales hall.  What was this old woman doing in his big shop?  She was pleading with the salesman for something but nobody had time for attending to her.  She was moving from counter to counter and her movements were obstructing other customers from getting their requirements.  He also observed that some of the customers with long list of items to be purchased were showing impatience and frowning on this old woman.  She was indeed a nuisance and a source of annoyance to his valued customers, he thought.  Something should be done immediately, he decided and moved towards her.

"What are you doing here old woman?  Why are you obstructing my customers from getting their requirements?", he asked her.  He was himself surprised at the hardness in his tone while asking the question. "I am not obstructing anybody, Mota Seth.  I am also one of your customers. I want to buy something but your salesmen are not interesting in attending to me", replied the old woman.  "What can you buy in my shop? How much money do you have?" queried the Seth.  "All I want is salt for one rupee" said the old woman.  The Seth burst out laughing.  "Salt for one rupee!  And that too in my shop!!  I sell salt only in truck loads.  This is too big a shop for you.  Go to some small shop in the street corner and get your salt. Clear this place immediately" said the Seth in a voice that ridiculed the old woman.

"You consider yourself as a big businessman.  I do not know any business or what business is.  But just for my curiosity, please tell me how big your business is?" asked the old woman.  Seth was even more annoyed now.  "Can you understand what business is?  And how vast my is businesss?  You will never be able to fathom it.  What can you understand about a business where the money doubles everyday?" retorted the Seth.

"Money doubling everyday?  You are a great master.  I am an old woman with meager resources.  I would like to join you as a partner in your business.  I may not live for long.  Take me as a partner for just one year. I will be grateful to you and spend the rest of my life singing in your praise!" said the old woman.  Mota Seth was taken aback.  "What amount you want to invest?", he asked jocularly.  "Take this rupee as my contribution.  Let it double each day in your business. I will come back after exactly one year and collect what is due to me.  Please help an old woman, Seth", the woman begged him.  Seth wanted to get rid of her and this was a golden opportunity for him.   He took her coin and tossed it into the nearest cashier's box.  "Now that your wish is fulfilled, go away and do not come till one year" the Seth told her.  The old woman mumbled her thanks and left the place.

Mota Seth forgot the old woman and her coin in his busy life and his ever expanding business empire.  One day when he walked into his office he was approached by the old woman.  "Good morning Seth.  You were indeed right about growth of your business.  I find your business has grown a lot in the last one year!  Now please give my capital and profits quickly.  I do not want to waste your valuable time.  I take my profits and be on my way leaving you to attend to your pressing business engagements" said the old woman.

"Ah, you are back.  Do not worry. I will not cheat you and pay you as agreed.  I will tell my secretary to pay you off immediately" said Mota Seth.  He called the Secretary and told him to pay off the old woman.

How much should the Secretary pay her?  If you are too busy  (or lazy) to calculate CLICK HERE to find out!