I have always been very interested in learning more about sales and marketing functions at large corporations.
It was nothing short of a dream come true for me to get selected for the flagship summer trainee program at The Coca-Cola Company in India responsible for bottling, sales and distribution.
To describe my experience in words, I have divided my internship in 3 aspects:
The job profile: For the two months of my internship, I was given the task of expanding the distribution of Coke in Karnataka especially in the areas that were dominated by the competitors and posed a challenge. It included the appointment of new distributors and expanding the areas of the existing ones.
On board: I had to travel for about 150-200 km every day. I often went to remote regions for scouting purposes. I had to tackle these challenges and come up with solutions to problems. As an additional benefit, the traveling experience gave me the chance to see the beauty of Western Ghats and explore different cultures and places. The support from my seniors, the motivation to innovate and make each and every day count, helped me overcome many challenges including the vast business related complexities and minor roadblocks such as language barriers.
Learnings: The intensive experience taught me a lot about sales and negotiations. It enhanced my people skills and made me culturally more aware and sensitive. The golden opportunity to learn about the FMCG sector and the business of Coca-Cola was worth every extra effort.
If anyone wants to learn and thrive to grow in a challenging and extremely competitive environment, then The Coca-Cola Company is the place for you. Here, every day brings a new story.
Charandeep Kapoor is a student of PGPB3 (Class of 2016) at MISB Bocconi. He is currently in Bocconi Milan, Italy for his 4-months Specialization Semester.
If you have any queries regarding the PGPB, you can reach him on
charandeep.kapoor@misbbocconi.com
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This post first appeared on
MISB Bocconi Blog