I worked for a company that produces gases under uncompromising quality and purity conditions for food, pharmaceuticals, health etc.

Due to the uses of the gases and after sales services, sales personnel were employed with priority on science and engineering background first and sales and others second.

For a period, some sales representatives within a particular zone started doubting the purity levels of the gases based on a customer’s feedback. This was inconsistent with production records.

I accompanied the Quality assurance manager to the customer site to investigate why and how high purity gas ends up at customer site as low purity.

At the customer’s site we noticed that the customer’s application of the gas was wrong hence the poor output.

The customer was reoriented on the proper application processes which resulted in high quality output.

Some Lessons from the experience; 

• External criticism without corresponding attention to internal strength can lead to self-doubt.

• Self-doubt can lead to anxiety and depression (calling head office with complaints and expressing frustrations with responses).

• Self-doubt generates procrastination (deferring sales opportunities, waiting for improvement in what is already excellent).

• Snow ball effect – you begin to believe every similar pronouncement other than that of yourself.

• Knowledge and innovation evaporates. You stop to make efforts.

• Without self-belief, you will undercut your personal value and the value of your products and services.

Peter M Crabbe