So there is another whole-day meeting scheduled for tomorrow, and my manager instructs her secretary to buy lunch for everyone attending the meeting.
"I will have 2 pork burgers and 1 egg sandwich please" I said. (those pork burgers are actually snack size, therefore a sandwich to buffer my mighty stomach......hm......ok fine, I eat a lot).
"hm...", the secretary paused for a couple seconds and said "when are you going to eat that sandwich?"
Weird that she asked, I thought, "dunno, maybe after I finish the burgers, maybe a bit later in the afternoon if I get hungry..."
"ok, then you pay later, ok?" She responded.
erh....so what exactly was she saying? I wonder. Why would I have to pay? Meeting lunches are always expensed by the company. She was joking right?
So the meeting took place and I got my two burgers and a sandwich, just as I ordered. However, the day after, the secretary came into my office and showed me a bill of $18 for the sandwich.
Damn! She was serious! Since I told her I may not eat the sandwich at the same time with the burgers, then technically, the sandwich is not part of lunch, so it should be expensed out of my own pocket.
Wow, I mean, god, I am speechless!
2008年3月13日 星期四
Dilbert
Now I can appreciate those Dilbert comics more:
So Dilbert's boss comes in and says to Dilbert: "I just had a senior management meeting, and the CEO wants us to push forward and get our projects completed!"
Dilbert responses: "Not a problem Sir, I will schedule a lot of meeting for next week!"
I actually came up with this one from experience. It is sad that some of the business today still operates at such capacity.
So Dilbert's boss comes in and says to Dilbert: "I just had a senior management meeting, and the CEO wants us to push forward and get our projects completed!"
Dilbert responses: "Not a problem Sir, I will schedule a lot of meeting for next week!"
I actually came up with this one from experience. It is sad that some of the business today still operates at such capacity.
2008年3月7日 星期五
Standard Chartered Credit Card - Call Center
So how can I not be impressed?
I called the Standard Chartered hotline to check on the status of my credit card application this morning, I spoke to the agent over the phone and she had problem locating my application file. So she asked me if it is a Manhanttan card that I applied for. "not sure" I said, but I got the number from Standard Chartered's website. She promised to go and check once more and kindly asked me to wait on the phone. But suddenly I realized I may have applied for the stand-alone Standard Chartered credit card, and not the Standard Chartered credit card in affiliation with Manhanttan card (Man, isn't banking product complex these days?). So instead of waiting for her to come back, I simply hang up.
Finally, I called the right number and got on the phone with the right people. As I was being serviced, my cell phone rang, and it was the lady I talked to from Manhanttan card services. She wanted to let me know she tried and still could not find my file. I cut her off (how rude) and told her it is ok coz I got the wrong number.
But, in restrospective, this is really caring service. A call center agent actually follows up on a service call even after a client drops the line, even that client called the wrong number.
Now, my imaginary girlfriend voice is saying: but that is what they are trained to do. Especially, if such call can potentially lead to a new client. So they are just doing their job.
True, I bet if I run a call center, this is one rule I would write into the agent's handbook - to follow up with the client if the line drops. But I would also write 50 other rules in their handbook, all equally important. There are just so many other protocals for call center agnets to follow.
But why have I never got such quality service back home in Canada? Did someone forget to write this rule? At times, a service call could even end up in some ugly exchange of words - yes, North American agents will piss back if they don't like you.
So what is the difference between running a service center in North American compare to one in Hong Kong? Cultural differences will probably top the list, but I think there is more than just that.
I called the Standard Chartered hotline to check on the status of my credit card application this morning, I spoke to the agent over the phone and she had problem locating my application file. So she asked me if it is a Manhanttan card that I applied for. "not sure" I said, but I got the number from Standard Chartered's website. She promised to go and check once more and kindly asked me to wait on the phone. But suddenly I realized I may have applied for the stand-alone Standard Chartered credit card, and not the Standard Chartered credit card in affiliation with Manhanttan card (Man, isn't banking product complex these days?). So instead of waiting for her to come back, I simply hang up.
Finally, I called the right number and got on the phone with the right people. As I was being serviced, my cell phone rang, and it was the lady I talked to from Manhanttan card services. She wanted to let me know she tried and still could not find my file. I cut her off (how rude) and told her it is ok coz I got the wrong number.
But, in restrospective, this is really caring service. A call center agent actually follows up on a service call even after a client drops the line, even that client called the wrong number.
Now, my imaginary girlfriend voice is saying: but that is what they are trained to do. Especially, if such call can potentially lead to a new client. So they are just doing their job.
True, I bet if I run a call center, this is one rule I would write into the agent's handbook - to follow up with the client if the line drops. But I would also write 50 other rules in their handbook, all equally important. There are just so many other protocals for call center agnets to follow.
But why have I never got such quality service back home in Canada? Did someone forget to write this rule? At times, a service call could even end up in some ugly exchange of words - yes, North American agents will piss back if they don't like you.
So what is the difference between running a service center in North American compare to one in Hong Kong? Cultural differences will probably top the list, but I think there is more than just that.
2008年3月4日 星期二
lunch at 1pm!
Well, the fun never ends!
After a super busy morning trying to get some report done for senior management, I stoped by my manager's office just to let her know that if everything is ok, I would head for my lunch, but she can reach me on my cell shall there be an emergency. I thought this is totally in a sign of good faith, and I actually want to make sure she can go to the management meeting looking good (yeah, I actually meant it).
Well, what I get in response was: the corporate rule is that the lunch is to be taken between 1pm and 2pm, it was 12:24pm when I told her I would go for my lunch. So I shall not break the golden rule!
Hm, ok, let me see. I also remember on my employment contract, it says my office hour is 10am to 6pm. Although, from various time I work in the office long pass that 6pm exit rule. So I guess the corporate rule, at least in this part of the world, only works in one direction.
After a super busy morning trying to get some report done for senior management, I stoped by my manager's office just to let her know that if everything is ok, I would head for my lunch, but she can reach me on my cell shall there be an emergency. I thought this is totally in a sign of good faith, and I actually want to make sure she can go to the management meeting looking good (yeah, I actually meant it).
Well, what I get in response was: the corporate rule is that the lunch is to be taken between 1pm and 2pm, it was 12:24pm when I told her I would go for my lunch. So I shall not break the golden rule!
Hm, ok, let me see. I also remember on my employment contract, it says my office hour is 10am to 6pm. Although, from various time I work in the office long pass that 6pm exit rule. So I guess the corporate rule, at least in this part of the world, only works in one direction.
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