Wednesday 24 April 2013

Hello, How Can I Help You???

I was thinking of what to write these past few days and then I got an idea...Perhaps I should share this to you...

Well, have you guys ever try calling someone from an agency or company but ended up speaking to an operator who does not know anything so he/she passed the call to another person? Then that person happens to be away so you had to call the agency a couple of times until you're out of phone credit? 

I did...

and I can assure you that it was pretty annoying especially when I had important stuff to ask. And when I finally  managed to get in touch with the agency, the person in charge told me that the application is closed! How irritating...The website is even worst...I can't even log onto the agency's website and that was why I had been trying to get in touch with them for months. Now when I finally got them, they told me the application is closed. And I was like WHAT???? Urggghhhhhhhh...

Anyway I had to find another solution and apply through another agency. It is sad and quite frustrating for me  especially when you got to talk to those operators and still ended up clueless. No wonder most people find it very irritating when talking to an operator or people from call centres. I had an experience talking to an operator from a phone company once. I think it happened not long ago. He was very friendly and helpful throughout our conversation. I was happy when he finally solved my problems regarding the activation of my cell phone number. 

However, I had a terrible experience speaking to a bank operator nearly two years ago. I decided to call the bank one day after finding out that I was not able to log onto my online account. A man answered my call and helped me with my account but after that he called me through his private number and started to flirt with me. I was amused about it at first but then after a while he began to brag about his ability of sabotaging a person's online bank account with just a single click from his computer and take all of the person's money. I was terrified so I decided to call up the bank and issued a complain. Well, I found out that it is impossible for a person to break into people's private bank account and steal away their money without having the person's password. I was relief of course...hahaha...He then assured me that he would find out who was responsible in calling customers through private numbers and blackmailing them.

So far, there are flirty operators, annoying operators, helpful operators but then there are also emotional operators. 

This occurred to me when I happened to book an online ticket for my graduation day last year. Anyway, the story began as I was purchasing a ticket online and all of a sudden there was an error during the process of payment. Note that the air fare cost me almost RM1000++. I realized that the payment was done but I was not able to get my air ticket. I called the airline agency and a lady answered my call. I was asking her about my money and why I was unable to get my ticket. She explained to me that there was a technical problem during the process of my payment. I was quite annoyed as she spoke to me rudely via the phone. I was actually worried about both my money and ticket. Without the ticket, I would not be able to return back to my campus and graduate. It would be terrible for me. I think it was because I kept pestering her about the whereabouts of my money and whether I will be able to get it back or not that she started to get pissed and raised her voice to me. I was shocked! I decided to ask her name and jotted down all the details of my payment and ticket number. I was lucky she gave her name to me because I would seriously find her if I did not receive my money and ticket within 24 hours. She ended up the conversation by hanging up my call rudely and you should see my face (as red as a tomato)....hahahaha. Thank goodness, by the end of the day, I received my ticket and my payment was successful. I thank God for that. (A smiley face).

In fact, I have more stories and experiences speaking with operators through the phone but so far, these are the unforgettable ones. It's not that I despise phone operators but we all have to admit that everyone has their own weaknesses and everyone does mistakes. No one is perfect. And by the way, I almost work as a bank negotiator few months ago and part of my job was to call up customers regarding their loan payments. I declined the job and I'm actually glad I did. It is not easy to be a phone operator or negotiator. I guess one must have good communication skills and patience in order to be a phone operator or negotiator. Well, guess I happen to be lack of patience and besides I'm not really keen with the job as a negotiator even though I studied communication skills when I did my Bachelor's Degree before. I actually hold onto a belief that a person must have a passion in what he/she is doing in order to get a good job result and to avoid stress at workplace in the future.

(Note that the story I shared to you guys is merely based on my point of view --- an observation of my personal life and experiences. It does not refer to anyone or mean for any individual.)

Thursday 18 April 2013

Get set...Okay, I'm Not Prepared..



What happens if you thought that you were prepared of doing or having something then you had it but finally found out that you are actually unprepared? Well, this usually happens in relationships, choice of careers etc. Definitely…things would get messed up and yes you’re going to have problems ahead. Trust me. I experienced it all. Well, okay i’m not going to exaggerate here, I experienced it once or perhaps twice before and seriously it was not a good experience. Like the time when I actually thought that I was prepared for having a relationship but the truth was deep within, I was not prepared (still am now). It all started when I saw my friends having relationships with the opposite sex and I began to think: “Perhaps I should try dating…Friends were doing it and maybe I should go for it too…”
                                       Tetttttttttttt…. bad idea.
Well, it was a bad experience and now I have to tell others I went through a bad date once and I don’t like it…Perhaps this was why you should never do the things someone told you not to. But look at the positive side, at least I have the experience now. I know it’s a bad one but people grow and learn from their mistakes. Guess I’ll just have to accept things the way they are. 
Now, I do things based on past experiences, lots of thinking and well yes I have to admit sometimes intuitions work well. Prayers and lots of faith help me in making wise decisions in terms of career, life and relationships too. I know I am the type of person who has trouble in making decisions and I enjoy making choices spontaneously. A guy friend of mine once told me that being spontaneous is good. I’m not sure he is completely right though. There are things where you can make spontaneous decisions but there are some that need thorough thinking and advises or consultations from the elders.  By the way, the word ‘elders’ refers to parents or any family members, counselors and maybe even your psychiatrist. 
Anyway…where was I? Oh yeah… the thing about being spontaneous. So, like I said earlier, spontaneous can be good and bad at the same time. Besides, it’s not that you’re catching a train or a flight right? It’s your future…The choices you made affects your life, happiness and yes, safety too. Do not rush into things like how I did with my ex once. It ended terribly for me. I had my bad days but life must go on. I’m still not prepared in having any emotional connections with the opposite sex yet. At least not for now. My first priority is to achieve my ambition and maybe later I will think about having a serious relationship and well who knows…I might even want to have my own family too. 
One last thing…the number 24 is such a small number for me that it actually reminds me of how I usually say “They got married in such a young age…What a pity…” during friends’ weddings. But then my mum would interrupt me saying ” I got married at the age of 24…” 
And that actually shuts me up…hahaha…

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by. And that   has made all the difference.”

-Robert Frost-