For the next 4 years following 'O' Levels, all the way from Secondary 4 to Poly and to university Year 1, I worked and studied.
As the saying goes: Beggars can't be choosers. The main concern back then was to find a 2 to 3 months temporary job that fits into my school vacations. The luxury of time was not on my side, and neither did I have the luxury of choice. As a result, over the years, I've worked quite a number of jobs which are of various nature.
At 16, after the last 'O' Level paper - and thanks to the help of some 'N' Level friends who finished their state examinations earlier - I got roped in to work as a banquet waitress in a hotel along Orchard. Worked there for slightly more than 6 months, and from a waitress, gradually moved to serving the VIP tables and finally; became a banquet coordinator, and serving tables gradually moved out of the job description. The money was - of course - good for a 16yo; and definitely better than any fast-food restaurants.
The camaraderie among the service crew and floor staff was great, but tired of the burnt weekends and graveyard shifts, I quit after 6 months. Went off to work in a restaurant in a country club, and finally to Marche at Heeren. Officially quit working a week before Poly orientation started.
I went into Poly. I was 17. For the next 3 years in poly, from age 17 to 19, I worked an eclectic of jobs during the vacations. Data entry clerk for NTUC Income Insurance. Sales promoter for Xando (yeah, remember the 减 肥 product endorsed by Fann Wong?). Sales assistant in OG. Then, God found me. Or rather, He let me find Him. From then on, a new criterion was added to future job hunts: Saturdays are off limit now. The next job I worked as was data entry clerk for Robinsons, keying in the SKU number for their various products and updating their sales records. 4 out of the 6 vacations in the 3 years in Poly were spent working.
Then, came Major Project (that is, FYP) and Student Internship Project (SIP). It's just a better name for 'industrial attachment'. I got "dispatched" to a diagnostics company, MP Biomedicals, at Science Park. The workplace was wonderful, the people were friendly and helpful, and I got a happy-go-lucky supervisor at work. What more could I ask for?
As SIP lasts for 20 weeks (read: 5 whole months), and being held in Year 3 Sem 2, it ate into Term Break of Sem 1. This means that 5 out of the 6 poly vacations were burnt working. The pay during SIP was meager, and I did quite a number of OT shifts; ending up going for countless makeup CGMs in a CG that - unbeknown to anybody - I would eventually become a part of 2 years later. Life is just interesting at times.
SIP ended, and we finished up and presented our FYP. We finished Poly. I was 19.
After Poly, I landed a temporary job as a sales coordinator for StarHub at Cuppage. Working in the Business Customers department, and adding on the fact that there were 7 Account Managers to assist, the job was definitely dynamic and challenging. The business customers are all corporates - a number of whom made me feel like tearing my hair out. Processing the application forms (corporate plans) for new signups or renewals. Processing mobile rental application forms. Processing requests to cancel/activate auto-roaming or caller ID or Data plans or or Push!mail or 3GSM or blahblahblah. Pestering them for a copy of their BN registration. Rejecting application forms because the signature is not one of those key personals who have been approved to liaise with us. Reminding clients the importance of the company stamp. Finalizing the payment mode: COD, credit, or credit terms. Setting up a convenient time between the Postman and client for the delivery date and time. Faxes, emails, calls.
Having unreasonable jerks who called me on my line to say that they've forgotten the company stamp and asking me to persuade the Postman. Of course, without the company stamp, the Postman was not allowed to release the goods. Don't customers understand? Singpost has their own rules and regulations and protocols. We're of different, separate, entities. We order. They deliver. Don't customers understand? There's no way I can help. The only thing I could do is to reschedule another delivery.
Another frustrating case was when a client called and demanded that I re-route the postman back. Turned out that when the postman first made the delivery, there was some problem with the client's credit card, and thus the transaction could not go through. After calling the bank and rectifying it, the client called me back, requesting me to re-route the Postman back from wherever he was and deliver the goods to the client. I rolled my eyes. The world doesn't revolve around you, I wanted to say. Instead, I explained that the Postman already has his own workflow and routes planned out, and that he has other deliveries to make elsewhere. The client persisted on getting the Postman back, insisting that the Postman should be somewhere around the area. I suggested an alternative; that I can reschedule the delivery the next morning at 9am. I offered to put forward a special request for his delivery to be the first to be carried out. The client rejected, citing terms like, "he's near somewhere", "customer efficiency" and the likes. I closed my eyes for patience, and repeated again that we're both separate companies, and that the Postman has his own workflow and routes and deliveries sorted out. The client argued yet again. This went on for nearly an hour, and I found it necessary to hide the growing irritation in my voice. I forgot how we resolved the issue, but the client finally relented and accepted the proposal of a delivery the next morning. I was on the phone with that client for a full hour; being stretched, abused, twisted, pushed, tsk-ed, and shouted at. I finally enlisted the help of one of my Account Managers to deal this difficult customer and passed the phone to him. After settling the issue an hour later, I put down the phone and burst into angry tears for the first - and only - time on the job. Although we "won", I felt sooo bullied nonetheless. I was 20.
After 5 months of working at StarHub, I quit the job 1 week before uni started.
At 20, I entered varsity. After completing Year 1, I went back to MP Biomedicals - my poly attachment workplace - and worked for 3 months during the vacations. After this particular working stint, I realized, I was really tired of working. Ever since O level, I've been alternating school and work non-stop; almost without any break.
At 16, immediately after the Os, I worked at the hotel, country club, and Marche until the week before Poly started.
Upon entering Poly, 5 out of the 6 school vacations were spent working. NTUC Income Insurance. Xando. OG. Robinsons. SIP.
Upon graduating from Poly, I dealt with the Business Customers until the week before uni started.
Upon the very first school vacation in Uni, I went back to MP Biomeds during the vacations.
I realized, after that particular work stint, that I was really tired. I wanted to enjoy the life of a "student". I wanted - badly - the luxury of "recharging" myself before "chiong-ing" for the next academic year. I wanted to breathe; I wanted to play; I wanted to relax; I wanted to be a student; I wanted to be my age.
The temporary job stint at MP Biomeds after Uni Year 1 became my last, and for the next 1.5 years in Uni, I did not take on any temporary jobs again during the vacations. Instead, I juggled tuition here and there.
I realized, all these years spent working kind of shaped me up. Of course, the wide repertoire and different nature of the various jobs exposed me to a lot of things. Waiting on tables? Been there. Computer jobs and data entry jobs? Done that. Sales and mingling with the public? Tons of it. Dealing with customers from the corporate world? Ditto. Biomedical jobs? Yep, yep.
Having been out there, and done that; I know very well the power of customers. Customers are not always right, but, undeniably and indubitably, they do exercise an extent of control and power.
A couple of weeks back, a bunch of us were chilling out at Minds cafe. After spending close to 3 hours there, we were about to make payment. The waiter came over to present the bill. I took the bill and asked - for the sake of confirm-guarantee-chop - whether would there be a 10% merchant discount if I were to pay by using a particular bank. The waiter shook his head, and explained that the restaurant has not yet received the daily dunno-what-dunno-what, and thus could not verify whether the link-up merchant discount is still on-going.
"Oh..." I raised my brows and concluded in a not-so-dismal voice, hoping that he would pick up the non-verbal message that I do hope there is still some room for negotiation.
"Ya..." The waiter rejoined my unspoken sentence, and waited patiently for some indication about how the payment would be made.
I frowned. "But, actually, during the whole of this week, I called specifically to confirm that the discount for this bank is still valid. TWICE." My voice sounded somewhat clipped, and I was aware of it.
The waiter shuffled rather uncomfortably on his feet, and lunged again into an explanation about the daily dunno-what-dunno-what.
I frowned. Keeping quiet, I allowed the silence to weigh in the air for a moment.
"Then, are there any other discounts with any other banks?" A friend interjected.
"Nope. Currently, there is none." The waiter replied.
I frowned. I was very displeased. Is this the way business over here is done? I imagined myself questioning him. Two weeks ago when a friend and I dropped by to check out the place, we confirmed the validity of the bank discount. The following week, I called up TWICE over the phone to confirm the number of seats booking, as well as to confirm again the validity of the bank discount. On both counts, the reply was affirmative. This makes it THRICE - three times - in a roll. And now, just when we're about to make payment, we're told something different; despite the REPEATED ASSURANCES that the merchant discount is still valid. Is this how business should be done? If anything, we SHOULD HAVE been notified about this bit of change right when we first stepped into the cafe, isn't it? And CERTAINLY NOT when we've all settled in, eaten the food, enjoyed ourselves, and about to make payment, then you tell us AT THE VERY LAST MINUTE that the discount is off. Is this how customers are treated? By holding back important bits of information?
And, even if there are some uncertainties about the merchant discount, shouldn't I be made aware of it in the first place? But why was I not? And shouldn't the person who picked up my calls make a note somewhere in my reservation that I would be paying via this bank? That way, when we arrive, someone can notify and update me on whether the merchant discount is valid. Isn't this a more courteous way, rather than dropping the bomb on us just like that?
I seriously had half a mind to grill the waiter and demand an explanation. I wanted to make my displeasure known. Com'on, to be fair, after all the efforts made on my part, I've every right to.
I looked at the waiter. He seemed uncomfortable. This is a table with a bill of $200 plus; I could imagine him breaking out in cold sweat and hoping for the best.
I looked at the waiter, and contemplated whether should I just simply let out my displeasure. He's just a waiter, I reminded myself silently, not the manager. I thought back of my days of working, and recalled the simple law of nature that people at the lower tier often have limited authority bestowed onto them, but yet - ironically - still end up shouldering most of the blame. To be fair, he might not have even been the person who picked up both my calls. In addition, mis-communication among crew staff is common.
I looked at the waiter. This waiter had been a really good help. Just an hour before, he was just cheerfully explaining to us how to play a particular game. It doesn't feel good, to bite at a person who - not too long before - lent a helping hand.
I looked at the waiter, and considered asking to speak with the manager. I mean, com'on, the guy is not being made a MANAGER for nothing. He has a greater responsibility. He should have let ALL customers know that the bank merchant discount is not valid right from the start of the day; especially for a table with a pax of 18. E-I-G-H-T-E-E-N.
I looked at my game of chinese chess. I looked at the time. Service starts at 5.30pm. We're squeezed for time.
I looked around the cafe. Even without the 10% bank merchant discount, I am pretty sure that we would still have picked this cafe nonetheless. For one, the package promotion price is already a rather good bargain to begin with. For two, the location of this cafe is convenient for all. For three, M cafe is the major monopoly of it's trade.
I sighed inwardly. We didn't have the time to spare; if not, I would have chose to grill the manager and ask for a good, solid explanation. This is not about the 10% discount. For goodness sake, it's $20+. Nothing worth fighting tooth and nails for. Rather, it's the fact that despite the 3 firm assurances given, I was told the opposite on the day itself; and at the very last minute when payment was being made. I felt lied to; blatantly lied to.
I sighed inwardly and swallowed the displeasure which was threatening to rear its head. If the manager had been the one to present this bill and drop this bomb on us, I would have shoot him back right there and then. I looked at the poor waiter and felt a pang of pity. "Charge it to this card." I said, placed my card on the bill, passed it to him with a forced smile, and re-focused my attention back to the game of chinese chess. We're pressed for time, and need to finish this game quick.
I realized, I would easily make a mean, tough customer if I choose to. I wondered where it all came from, and where I picked it all up from. It must have been all the working experiences and dealing with people and customers. When you're at the receiving end of the shorter stick long enough, you'll know where and when to draw the line; and what is reasonable, and what is not. Customers may not always be right or reasonable all the time; it's true. However, if you've garnered enough experiences serving customers and, later on, the roles switch and you become the customer for a change; you'll recognize situations in which the blame falls mainly on the service people, and you'll know how to go about pushing for your rights as a customer without overstepping the line.
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Anyway, I met up with LH for dinner last night! Perhaps it's because all these years I've been working temp jobs, but I've TOTALLY forgot about the term "13th month bonus". I've certainly heard of others talking about this before, and I'm certainly aware that there's such a thing as the 13th month bonus. Strangely, though, it has NEVER occurred to me that I would receive it someday, too. The term "13th month" feels very - no, extremely - alien. All those temp jobs and tuition assignments over the years - being paid by the hour - must have brainwashed me. Anyway, it feels so weird; getting something when I need not do anything to get it.
Regardless, I'm OVERJOYED with the upcoming 13th month. It feels like, discovering a long-forgotten surprise. Like, waking up and realizing that you still have 2 hours more of sleep. Like, realizing that you DO have an umbrella in your bag when you're caught in a rain and thought that you've left it at home. Like, unexpectedly finding cash notes stuck in between the pages of a book. Like, putting a cup of Milo into the refrigerator to cool it down, forgetting all about it, and only to "re-discover" it the next morning and it makes a good cup of breakfast. You know, the nice feeling.
Chemistry (CS1) batch; [January 2009 intake!]
(note the empty glasses)
Bored with all the waiting!
(I asked Ahmad to strike off the "we understand" part; because I certainly don't understand. This is the F&B and service industry. They should hire more help instead of keeping customers waiting - simple as that. Ahmad jested back and lurched into his theory of how teachers should be encouraging blahblahblah)
A special a-la-carte plate of pork dumplings! 'Cos I prefer my dumplings steamed. Not boiled in some soup.
Nintendo Wii.
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are Art. And don't get me started on Physics.
