Voices Behind the Desk: The Untold Journey of a Sales Executive

Introduction (Life Behind the Headset)

In the bustling world of customer service and retail sales, there's a voice that solves your problems, offers you deals, and sometimes even listens to your frustrations with a calm you don’t understand. This is the story of Arjun, and many like him—Customer Care cum Sales Executives—who live a life behind blinking screens, ringing phones, and never-ending targets.

While customers think they’re talking to someone robotic or scripted, behind every “Sir/Madam, how can I help you today?” is a real human being with dreams, degrees, stress, heartbreaks, and an uncertain future.

Chapter 1: The Entry – Overqualified and Underestimated

Arjun, a B.Tech graduate in Computer Science, never imagined his future wearing a tag around his neck and smiling at walk-in customers who wanted a mobile recharge or a discount on a new phone. But job offers in his field were scarce, and responsibilities were plenty. His father had retired, his mother was a homemaker, and his younger sister was in college.

Meena, another executive, held an MBA in Marketing. When asked why she was here, she would laugh, “Dreams are expensive; I took a detour.”

Most of them in the team had surprising backgrounds:

• Ravi: M.Sc. in Physics, joined after being rejected by multiple teaching jobs.

• Farzana: A B.Com topper who dreamed of working in finance, but her father’s medical bills brought her here.

• Karthik: A former cabin crew member who returned home during COVID and never found a way back to the skies.

All came from different educational paths, but life brought them here—under fluorescent lights, endless targets, and ringing phones.

Chapter 2: The Double Life – Mental and Physical Battles

A customer care executive is expected to smile all day, solve problems, hit sales targets, and handle pressure—all at once. But behind that smile:

• They skip meals.

• They sit for 9-12 hours daily.

• They're scolded for not converting a sale.

• They're shouted at by customers for a system error.

• They’re pushed by managers: “Only 2 SIM activations today? Target is 8!”

Mental fatigue builds fast. Anxiety over monthly targets, fear of termination, and no time for self-care.

Meena once fainted mid-shift from low BP. Ravi had insomnia from constant late shifts and shift rotations. Arjun started taking antacids every day because of skipped lunch breaks.

They were emotionally trained to suppress personal problems. Even if a loved one was sick, they were expected to answer calls with, “Welcome to XYZ Services, how can I help you?”

Chapter 3: Love Among Targets

In between bill payments and device troubleshooting, love bloomed.

Arjun and Farzana grew close during late shift duties. They shared a tiffin box during breaks, helped each other with software glitches, and eventually exchanged numbers. Their bond wasn’t dramatic—it was built over simple gestures: remembering favourite snacks, covering for each other when sick, texting “Take care” after tiring shifts.

In the same team, Meena fell for Prabhu, a stock and inventory manager. Their departments were different, but one warehouse loading incident sparked their friendship. From checking stock status together, it turned to late-night chats, and then, marriage.

But not all love stories ended in happiness. Ravi’s long-distance girlfriend left him, saying, “You’re stuck in a job that has no future.”

Chapter 4: Re-joining – The Loop of Survival

Many left this job once, hoping for something better.

• Arjun left after a year to try freelance coding—but clients didn’t pay on time.

• Meena resigned hoping to join a start-up—but it shut down in 6 months.

• Karthik went home to take care of his sick mother.

But within 2–3 months, they returned. Same desk. Same headset. Slight embarrassment. But a warm welcome.

Because this job, however hard, gave consistent pay, a known system, and familiar faces.

They didn’t return because they failed. They returned because they had no backup and no one else gave them a chance.

Chapter 5: Expectations – More Than What They’re Paid For

The role may say “Customer Care cum Sales Executive,” but reality is different.

They’re expected to:

• Be a tech expert

• Be polite, always

• Sell at least 5–10 devices/SIMs daily

• Keep track of stock

• Handle billing

• Explain warranty

• Make cold calls

All for a salary of ₹12,000–₹18,000 per month (most on contract).

When they ask for leave, the response is, “Who’ll cover for you?”
When they hit targets, the reward is: “Good job, next month aim higher.”

They don’t get paid incentives most of the time. The branch gets credit; they get pressure.

Still, they don’t revolt. Why?

Because they still hold hope. That this job is temporary. That they’ll escape this someday.

Chapter 6: The Unexpected Goodbyes – Layoff Season

It was a Friday morning when the news came like thunder.

25% of staff were being let go.

No warning. No prior notice. The HR just walked in with a list. Names were called, one by one.

Arjun was on that list.

“Sir, I completed all targets last month,” he said, voice trembling.

“Nothing personal. Budget cuts,” was the cold reply.

Meena, newly married, broke into tears. Farzana, with a younger brother to educate, sat frozen.

The remaining employees were shaken. Survivors’ guilt filled the air.

Desks were cleared in 20 minutes. No farewell, no cake. Just silence. Some tried to smile, others hugged.

That evening, Arjun sat outside the store with a plastic bag of belongings. He looked around at the building, the familiar café, the security guard who always saluted him.

It all felt like a dream that ended mid-sentence.

Chapter 7: The Real Value – Beyond Resumes and Targets

Being a Customer Care cum Sales Executive isn’t about just answering calls or selling SIM cards.

It’s about:

• Listening to angry customers and staying calm.

• Working 9-hour shifts and still saying “Good evening!” like it’s your first hour.

• Smiling through physical exhaustion.

• Hiding personal struggles because “you’re in the front line.”

They deserve more respect, better pay, empathy, and recognition.

People often say: “It’s just a job.”

But for Arjun, Meena, Farzana, and hundreds of thousands like them—it was life, survival, family, and sometimes, even love.

Epilogue: One Month Later…

Arjun now works in a small digital marketing firm. Less pay, but flexible hours. He misses the noise, the chaos, the team.

Meena and her husband started a tiny mobile shop. She now hires freshers and tells them, “We know what it feels like. Here, you’ll be respected.”

Farzana started preparing for competitive exams. She posts daily job updates to help others.

And those who remained in that job?

They now whisper: “Will we be next?”