Introduction
In this report we are conducting an interview with foreigner salespeople regarding their sales activities and culture influence the sales. We approach an Indonesian Woman named Stella Lebed; the religion she belongs is Protestantism. It’s so difficult to understand the personality that is related to different region and religion but the lady is very much humble and kind. Firstly she completely listen our requirements related to our interview regarding sales and make sure she will definitely help us for the interview. The interview is successfully accomplished by the list of the questions and answers regarding culture and sales activities which are given below in interview session.
Interview session
Q1: Firstly tell me about yourself, from where you belong?
Ans: I live in Bekasi city, in west java province, Indonesia.My position is sales quality engineer for SGMW motor Indonesia (WULING motor).
Q2: Ma’am you can tell us about your country’s sales activities? Like here in Pakistan alcohol sales are considered taboo and Muslims can’t drink alcohol. What I find surprising is there are shops selling not only to the non-Muslim community but also to the Muslims.
Ans: basically I think it’s the same one like your country. Just like your country, alcohol is forbidden to b sold at local grocery stores or market. It can be found honestly, but in secret the majority in Indonesia r Muslim so I think it’s almost the same like in Pakistan.
Q3: How are these activities handled there? Like usually the alcohol stores get raise.
Ans: in Indonesia, we can still find alcohol seller but when people want to buy it, they need to show their ID card before buy it. It same goes to buy cigarette. In indo, we also can find people sell pig meat just like in US. But it is accepted here because we tolerate other religions.
Q4: Gifts of cash and expensive products are frequently an expected part of doing business in countries. Why do you think it’s like this?
Ans: Because of the erosion on value system and the erosion on the system itself. That’s why bribery and corruption is becoming part in doing business in countries as it makes the business approval easier and faster.
Q5: How should salespeople and sales managers’ deal with gifts when doing business with international customers?
Ans: From UU no. 3 year 1980 (law in Indonesia), definition of bribe is “someone whomever accepting something or promise. Meanwhile he knows or must be realized that the gift or the promise it means so he or she make or not make something in his or her job, which is contrary with his or her authority or his or her duty which is connected with public interest.”
“Giving in wide scope, includes giving money, stuff, discount, commission, non interest bearing loans, travel ticket, lodging facility, tour, free medication and other facilities. Those gratifications, which is accepted either from domestic or overseas country, which is done with or without electronic equipment.”
Based on those two definitions above, so The gift from other business colleague can be defined as bribe or gratification at the same time. And of course from religious view and law can’t be accepted.For example: one of coworker, who worked for General Motors in Indonesia, told me that every year the employees signed a document against bribery. Since his job as supplier quality engineering for car parts he met suppliers from domestic and overseas. He told me that many suppliers tried to give him expensive gifts and else, but it would be dangerous for him for it means he accept the bribe. When suppliers insisted, the company decided to only accept a small gift, likes mugs, umbrella, hat, and other cheap gifts.
The same thing goes with sales manager and other connected position in sales department. It’s forbidden to accept bribe here.If the case is connecting with government level and also from big enterprise company, Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi or be known as KPK will arrest those people for bribery case.KPK is my country specialize state institution in taking care of bribery case.And of course, KPK found many issues regarding bribery and also corruption too. Which way it causes that people from different level and department in companies and government itself relatively afraid to accept bribery from other.
Conclusion
The interview conducted by Stella Lebed a foreigner of SGMW motor Indonesia. She gave us information about very interesting things which is doing in her country. As she told about her culture through the example of alcohol that alcohol is forbidden to be sold at local Mart and grocery but found secretly so they need to show there ID card before buy it and it’s available only some part of the country because of Muslim nation and surprising thing occur in our country is the selling of Pig is doing openly and Muslims have to tolerate on it because of contras nations live in the country. Regarding the receiving of expensive gifts and gifts of cash, Indonesia have a law on it that is UU no.3 year 1980 she gave a real example of bribe that every year the employees signed a document against bribery if anyone found out to received a bribe so there is a KPK (Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi) a community will arrest those people for bribery case according to the law.
