Profile

Beijing's top sales agent puts clients first

By Shen Jingting (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-03-05 11:56

Fang Xiaoqing, a property saleswoman with a high-end apartment project near Beijing's East Third Ring Road, sold 120 apartments worth 380 million yuan last year. That staggering performance helped Fang, 29, win the title "House Sales Queen of Beijing".

METRO: How much money did you earn last year? Some property salespeople say that a 10,000 yuan monthly salary in this market is pathetic. Is that true? Was 2009 a profitable year for you?

A: I haven't heard of that. A 10,000 yuan per month salary can be good pay.

Our project is great, and the market is hot, so it's not hard to achieve a record high income. I am satisfied with my salary last year. But the company will adjust the commission rate to keep wages within a reasonable range. Last year I sold 380 million yuan worth of apartments here, and I took about 0.1 percent as a commission fee. For me, the whole year's wages might reach 300,000 yuan. I bought a new car last year. It cost me 100,000 yuan.

METRO: People call you the "House Sales Queen of Beijing". How did you manage to do such a good job?

A: I don't know, but I do believe a gift exists. People said to me, "Every time I look at you, your face and smile make me happy."

Though I am not tall, and colleagues sometimes laugh at me as a chubby girl, I still think I am beautiful. I like to chat with different people; sometimes people can talk with me for a whole day. Our chat topics can range from house decoration and children's education to gossipy news. Compared with office ladies, who face computers doing boring jobs every day, the work of a saleswoman brings me money and happiness.

My friends often ask me, "Don't you feel tired?" Yes, I do. Having to talk to so many different people every day, I often get exhausted. But I like my job. If you are doing the job you like, it is easy to find success.

METRO: Do you have any specific skills to persuade people to buy your apartments?

A: Do not even think about of it. You should be sincere and be yourself. Every person you may meet might be smarter than you, so if you play tricks, or use some so-called skills, they will recognize it. The result is that they will not trust you anymore.

A good salesperson should be a good learner. Though you cannot be an expert in every field, you should have some knowledge of every field. I read the news every day. Sometimes clients, especially male customers, like to talk about economic policies or changes in the real estate sector with you. If you don't know the information, people will lose their interest in chatting with you and will turn to others.

My company organizes training sessions, for example, training on top-level luxury brands, protocol and fengshui. Learning about luxury brands is not to teach you how to tell rich people from ordinary people, but to allow people to start talking with you quickly. One day, a lady was wearing a pair of Fendi shoes, and I told her they suited her trousers well. She was very glad.

METRO: You said you treat people equally, whether they are rich or poor, handsome or tattered.

A: Yes, I never look down on people. Because in Beijing, you can never know a person is really rich or poor. Rich people keep a low profile. People often say the first experience plays a decisive role for a property salesperson. I agree.

I started selling houses in 2002, and it was at a Daxing property company. One day, a couple wearing pajamas paid a visit to our company. It seemed no saleswoman showed an interest in serving them. I walked forward and welcomed them. You know, people often are moved when you suddenly lend them a warm hand after they were ignored by others. Afterward, they bought three apartments from me.

That was the first time I successfully finished a deal. So I said to myself never, ever ignore people.

METRO: You studied computer science at the Beijing Forestry University. Why did you choose to be a property saleswoman?

A: I don't think this is strange, as many people change their interests after graduation. When I finished my studies in 2002, a friend recommended me to a property company in Daxing district. At first, I was only a secretary, sitting in the office every day. The job was dull and boring, while in the sales department, colleagues were talking and laughing, and seemed very happy there. To be frank, I first wanted to change to the sales sector because it was full of fun. Later, I discovered being a salesperson can earn so much money!

METRO: Do you feel pressure because you are the top saleswoman in your company, let alone Beijing? Are your colleagues jealous of you?

A: If you have a good relationship with your colleagues before, they will not be jealous after you succeed. I am the type of girl who likes to use my defects to compare with other people's advantages, and I usually play a low profile.

For example, when people are not satisfied with their weight, I say to them, "Hey, look at me! Are you heavier than me?" This kind of move usually makes people happy and relaxed. My colleagues even encouraged me when I won first place. "Good job!" they said.