One of the things in the code of ethics for salesmen — at least the good ones — is discretion: you do not push for a product just because it’s new or expensive, and you must make sure the product fits your client, literally and figuratively. If he is trying on something that makes him look fat, it’s the salesman’s responsibility to point him to another product that could be more flattering for him. “We don’t really teach that skill in our training programmes,” says Ow. “That’s something you learn from experience.”

The retail industry is a good ground for learning about these subtle things that can turn you into a good sales person. Zegna, in particular, provides an atmosphere that Ow describes as “challenging, innovative and growing.” Together with his colleagues, he is pushing to uplift the image of the sales executive. “In Asia, and here in Singapore, people still look at working in retail as serving people,” he shares. And servitude may not necessarily be a good trait in a consumer-driven economy where everyone wants to be treated like a VIP.

Still, while many people look at selling as a part-time job or something to do to earn money while searching for a “proper” job, Ow believes that a career can be built in retail. “Of course everyone has to start with selling on the