Liu Kwan Chun Andrew shows great affection on the 3-storey jewellery shop in Carnarvon Road, Tsim Sha Tsui. It was an old empty tenement house in the past. It is now a trendy jewellery shop crowded with customers every day. Andrew took the helm of this dramatic face-lift. Looking backwards, the jewellery sector was not in Andrew’s career plan at the beginning. Though he studied import, export and international business at IVE, he turns out to be the Business Manager of a jewellery label. It was unplanned but he could apply the business knowledge learnt from the subject into the retail management.
Self – analysis, Set Path in IVE Diploma in Import and Export Studies
Andrew is a well-planned person. After the announcement of the result Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination, he began to decide the future study path according to his own character and the market need. “I am not the kind of person who can sit all day long, so I can’t fit in any office job”, said Andrew. Based on this criterion, he chose to enroll to Diploma in Import and Export Studies at IVE. “I picked that course not only because I like it. The import and export industry of Hong Kong was thriving at that time. Considering the increasing trading demand from the China market as well, career in this industry should be promising after my graduation.”
The IVE course offered lots of industry attachment opportunities, which totally fitted with Andrew’s active character. During the attachment, he enjoyed working in the warehouse. “After receiving the customer request, I placed the order and arranged for delivery. In the afternoon, the cargo arrived. I unloaded the 50 cartons of paper tissue and placed in a line on the floor for counting. It was excited and felt like receiving presents.”
Jockey Club Part-time Job Helped Self-discovery
An veteran tutor encouraged Andrew to experience more in life, so that he would understand more about his own capability and interests. Following this advice, Andrew applied a part-time job in the Jockey Club Membership Services Department and worked there for five years. During his service in the Jockey Club, he found himself enjoying interacting with customers. There was once that a customer didn’t like the assigned seat, which was underneath a crossbeam. He believed that it would bring bad luck. Andrew proactively offered another seat to the customer who was delighted by his serving attitude. And there was another case that a retired engineer came to him suddenly and said, “I used to wear the same uniform as you do now. Work Hard! Vision determines how successful you are, but not the academic qualification!”
Financial Tsunami, New Direction
Upon graduation, it was out of Andrew’s expectation that his career plan was interrupted by the Financial Tsunami. Luckily, he discovered his talent and interest in the customer service field during his work in the Jockey Club. Then a jewellery group was recruiting Executive Officer (Management Trainee) at that moment. Andrew applied for the post immediately and stopped sending out resume aimlessly. “I like both trading and customer service. Working in the jewellery field meets my interest as well. Moreover, the jewellery group offers professional training and promotion opportunities. I take it as a career, but not simply a job.” It is true that only prepared people can grasp the opportunity when it comes.
Explored for Breakthrough in Difference Positions
Andrew learnt a lot during his service in the busiest flagship store in Tsim Sha Tsui where he met a very supportive and encouraging boss who motivated him to join the “Distinguished Salesperson” Competition. The competition was originated from the USA. It was a significant international award in the industry and was also known as “The Oscars in Sales Industry”. The Hong Kong area competition, aiming to offer recognition to the outstanding sales personnel and escalate their level of professionalism, was organised by the Hong Kong Management Association.
However, Andrew did not appreciate that suggestion and said, “I am not a salesman!” His boss was exceptionally patient and supportive. He showed no anger and said, “You shouldn’t restrain yourself as an executive or sales personnel!” The words were so inspirational that Andrew couldn’t helped to asked himself, “Oh yea! Why do I set a fixed role to myself? If I don’t step out from my comfort zone and worked on different tasks, I could go no further!” With the determination to leave his comfort zone, Andrew won the competition even in the first attempt. He then kept joining other competitions afterwards. However, the motivation behind was not winning, but meeting more counterparts and learning the management experience from them.
Not Let Go of Any Opportunities, Promoted 3 Times in a Year
Andrew didn’t take his job as a job, but a career which worthwhile for throwing in his effort in every second. He wouldn’t let go of any opportunities to learn or to embrace challenge. When he was working in a branch, he didn’t stay in the Manager room to review sales reports but approached the customers spontaneously to learn the market needs and talked to the frontline colleagues to understand their difficulties in order to develop the right sales strategies and training programmes. Knowing that the Group was planning to open a new shop in Carnarvon Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, he immediately offered himself to be the project in-charge. “There are lots to learn for implementing this project. If I don’t set a limit to myself and try out different tasks, I can move my career forward.” Pursuing this strong believe, Andrew successfully turned an empty tenement house into a trendy jewellery shop crowded with customers every day.
After that success, Andrew was assigned to the sales-dropping Canton Road branch in Tsim Sha Tsui. Andrew made a bold decision to boost the sales. He examined and restructure the product display combination. In addition, he changed the passive question and answer sales approach of the frontline staff, alternating their mindset such that they would proactively recommend products to fit the need of every customer. That was the largest branch in the area. Under these revolutionary moves, the sales picked up an upward trend gradually. Andrew’s willingness to take innovative move received appreciation from the Company. He was promoted 3 times in a year to be the Business Manager, overseeing the operation of more than 20 branches in Hong Kong. This youngest Business Manager in the Group demonstrated that “there is no limit if you do not define one”.
