(Minghui.org) Tien Wen-lien, with her 25 years of experience in sales, is a top salesperson. After she switched from insurance to working for NTD in 2013, she started over in an unfamiliar field: the media. Even though she works in a different industry and faces different customers, she prioritizes resolving their issues.
Wen-lien said that, when she started practicing Falun Dafa in 2005, her perspective on work changed. She gradually understood that making sales is not only about signing contracts—it’s more important to think from the customer’s angle and truly help them.
Learning to Help Others
Wen-lien was born in a small remote town in Nantou, Taiwan Her father was a teacher and frequently helped indigent students. Before he passed away, he held her hand and said, “Take good care of your younger brother and sister. Every month, make sure to donate one day’s salary to help indigent people.”
Wen-lien worked in insurance sales for 25 years. She often thought about the meaning of life and said, “Even when I was a child, I often wondered: where do people come from? Where do they go? How can I become a truly noble and kind person?”
In 2004, her husband suddenly developed a strange condition—his neck was extremely painful when he woke up. He consulted Chinese and Western medical doctors, but nothing he tried helped.
When Wen-lien went to a traditional Chinese medicine clinic to pick up some medicine, she noticed a physician doing some exercises. When she met the clinic director, she was impressed. Wen-lien said, “He looked radiant and healthy and several years younger than his age. I asked if he'd had some special treatment, or if he also did the exercises the physician was doing.”
The director smiled and said, “We practice Falun Dafa. If you want to learn more, I can lend you this book, Zhuan Falun.”
When she heard the words “Falun Dafa,” Wen-lien remembered a friend who was diagnosed with breast cancer, which was later resolved. This friend gave her a copy of Zhuan Falun and said Falun Dafa helped her.
That night, Wen-lien opened Zhuan Falun. She said, “When I read it before, there were some parts that I did not really understand, so I stopped reading. But this time I was so moved that my tears streamed down. I kept thinking: this is what I’ve been looking for!”
She, her husband, and their child participated in the Nine Day Falun Dafa workshop. Her husband’s strange condition that had haunted him for a long time disappeared shortly after he started practicing the exercises. Wen-lien held herself to Falun Dafa’s standards of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, and rethought how she interacted with people.
Wen-lien and her husband participate in a character formation event. (Minghui.org)
Earning a Customer’s Trust
Wen-lien started working as the sales manager for NTD TV’s international marketing department in 2013. The first contract she signed was challenging.
After one company president signed a contract, the president insisted NTD run high-level advertising, but he refused to pay the difference. He planned to breach the contract and refused to meet with Wen-lien.
She did not give up and kept going to his office to meet with him. The 20th time she went, she finally got to talk to the vice-president.
He said, “I have never seen such a dedicated and resilient salesperson!”
Wen-lien coordinated with another organization and brought in resources to fulfill the contract, thus creating a triple-win situation. Afterwards, the company president recommended her to other companies, “If you need commercials, you have to go to Wen-lien. She is the most excellent and trustworthy salesperson I’ve ever known!”
This experience also made Wen-lien realize that when she faced a customer’s refusal and misunderstanding, patience and communication are as important as professional competence.
From Only Doing Things Well to Thinking of the Customers
After she gained more experience, Wen-lien gradually figured out her own approach. She found that most enterprises in Taiwan have distinctive features, and their business owners tend to focus on product quality and honest operations.
She said, “When I identify the customer’s core values and tell their stories with videos and words, the company’s highlights can be showcased.”
It is not always smooth sailing, however. Sometimes when the advertisement falls short of expectations, the customer may change their mind. When this happens, Wen-lien reflects on her approach.
She said even though she’s always worked hard, she simply focused on wanting to do things well. She later realized that it would be hard to truly move the person if she only thought about achieving her own goal without thinking from the customer’s angle.
“I realized that if I only wished to achieve my own goal but I didn’t think from the customer’s perspective, I wouldn’t be able to truly move the person’s heart. So now my first thought is: what can I do for the customer? How do I help them?”
A Small Check Led to a Long-Term Business Relationship
One customer in the brewing industry started his own brand because his philosophy wasn’t compatible with his brother's. His products were good but lacked name recognition.
Wen-lien called multiple times to meet with him, but he refused. When she finally got to see him, he lost his temper because she insisted on visiting in person. He said, “I hung up on you when you called, but you insisted on coming. I’ve issued a check. Now what do you want?”
It turned out that the customer planned to write a small check and use a small order to end the contact. But Wen-lien returned the check and said, “There are over 100 soy sauce companies in Taiwan. Because I want to make your brand highly visible, you need to be advertised, so I suggest you sign a one-year contract. This will give your brand a chance to be seen.”
The business relationship continued after that year, and the customer signed advertising contracts worth several million. Public recognition for the product also increased.
Wen-lien (second from left) with customers she worked with for 14 years (Minghui.org)
Many customers worked with Wen-lien for 10, 12, and even 14 years. One customer told her, “I could feel your kindness the first time I saw you. I could feel that you have no agenda. I feel optimistic when I work with you.”
After 25 years in sales, from insurance to media, Wen-lien has experienced customer rejections and contract challenges but has also established long-term relationships. To her, the focus is no longer just on sales but on how to truly help customers.
Looking back on her cultivation journey, she said, “No matter how many trials I have gone through, I very much appreciate Master Li for giving us so many wonderful things. My heart is filled with boundless gratitude and a sense of being cherished, which is beyond measure.”
