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The Real Name

by Subhadeep Bandyopadhyay
(Kolkata, India)

“The Real Name”
“Dr. Subhadeep Bandyopadhyay”
Somewhere in the eastern part of Quebec the phone of Dr. Mackinson rang. The voice on the other end sounded young, enthusiastic and hopeful.
“Qui, Dr. Mackinson here”
“Hi, this is Roger Rodriguez on behalf of Titon web technologies. How are you doing today?”
“Good but do you know Le François (The French language).I don’t speak good English.”
“No, I know only English”
“What do you want?”
“I want few minutes of your time and a proper digital presence for your company, and the sales pitch went on....
“No, No, I don’t want a website and I don’t do business with somebody who doesn’t know French. Good Bye...Merci”
The computer screen at Titon showed “Call Hung-up” and Dr. Mackinson was lost forever.
But Roger Rodriguez was born!
A few days later a post in Facebook became viral:
“When was Roger Rodriguez born?”
*1 July, 1982
*30 April, 2019
*Both
*None
Who the hell was Roger Rodriguez? Never read him in newspapers, classics or proper popular literature. Never saw him in movies or journals. Never found him in the church, choir or mass. Half of the world slept when he woke .A friend of his replied: “Both”. Nobody replied: “None”. Well the duration of 1982-2019 was 37 Years and can a man be born twice?
But Roger Rodriguez was born!
Lots of people have alias names. It is a common phenomenon in the creative field: Art, Movies, and Literature. Mary Ann wrote as “George Elliot” and became famous and several other examples can be cited in this regard.
Add to this Business process outsourcing. The people who call customers in U.S.A, Canada, U.K., Australia etc. From third world countries like India all have alias names. But what was special in Roger Rodriguez? Whether U.S.A. bombs Korea or India attacks Pakistan or the whole world economy crashes at Dalal Street, Roger is born, well crafted in education, upbringing, voice and of course nationality. He spoke and sales happened. He spoke and interest was generated. He spoke and clapping followed.
In the first seven days of his presence in Titon he had sold 6,000 CAD (approximately 4549 USD). Big, very big sales amount in the context of website sales which comes as second tough sales field after Telecom sales. But did he sell websites or his voice? Actually he sold both.
“Are you born to Irish parents”, a customer had asked. I think you are from Goa, the famous Rodriguez family ...said another. To this Roger had smiled and let it go...
The monsoon had arrived late in Kolkata. But it was now raining cats and dogs. Large pool of

water could be seen in the streets and perhaps you needed a ferry to reach the office rather than a bus or an auto. It is
good for the farmers for the cultivation of paddy or for the growth of Hilsa but a menace to the common man who spends sleepless nights just to earn few thousand INR to run their families.
Roger didn’t find solace in the rainy season. The winter suited him well. The germs become active in the rain and the office A.C. gave him headache. He had daily sales targets to achieve. When his team didn’t meet the target he had to stretch even on a Saturday morning.
Durga Puja is the prime festival for the people of Kolkata and Bengal. The people in B.P.O. / Call-centres expect a hefty incentive in their salary to buy nice things for their families this festive season. The goddess “Durga” comes to her maternal home with her family and this occasion is rejoiced all over Bengal with pomp and glory.
Seeing Roger’s performance in the first seven days his target was fixed to 2000 USD for the month of Durga Puja .He achieved 982 USD in the early days of the month but somehow couldn’t get another sale to achieve his target. All his charisma, attraction and the power of voice somehow vanished and he was
becoming more and more sceptical. The manager session used to happen every day and an ultimatum was given to him to perform, reach his target or perish and face termination from service.
Now what will Roger do? Will he succeed or will he be the same face in the crowd of millions who perish in the sales field unable to take pressure and after initial success they become history.
On the day of Mahalaya, he got a customer, who was willing to buy a website from him provided Roger tells his real name but the condition was if was not Christian, born to Irish parents or not from the city of Goa he would lose 1000 USD which could help him achieve his target, save his job and get the incentive.
Well he began.......and the call was barged by the manager and the team-leader and the whole team was waiting in apprehension.
My real name is “.................................”
Roger Rodriguez succeeded or failed is not the question here but lakhs and lakhs of call-centre employees, who have to face irate customers on a daily basis to achieve targets, is really a cause of concern.
But they live, hope and let go their real names in the process. Perhaps that’s why Shakespeare said: “What’s in a name?”
***