Category: Work

I want to complain!

I didn’t like my day.

Came to work to find that someone else used my computer over the weekend, didn’t shut it down, didn’t log out. I had to sit down, stare blankly at the screen for half an hour before I could the system guy clocks in to work. And when he did, that someone who logged in to my computer came too.

First call I answered gave me a numbing effect.

More problems after that.

What I hated most today was when I was given a list of customers to call. To relay bad news to them. What made it harder was because this is the 2nd bad news after the 1st that was relayed to them earlier on by another colleague of mine.

The list was long so I wanted to share it with someone. I asked one of them to help me but she told me she was the one who relayed the 1st bad news last week. From the sound of it, I knew what I had to expect, calling this customers for the second time. And I understand her unwillingness to call again this week. It is painful.

I decided to take the plunge alone.

Some customers were okay. Some didn’t mind the delay. Some complaint. Some asked why. And when you’ve already explained why, they ask you why. You explain the why and you get some more why.

Each time I call the customers on the list, I feel like I’m going to be bombed anytime. You just don’t know when and for which customer.

One bomb hit me. I explained to her and she said, “This is not acceptable.”

“Unacceptable.”

I said I was sorry.

“Please don’t say you’re sorry. I want it by today.”

I didn’t know what to say but I told her we won’t be able to get it for her by today. The ship ain’t coming today. How do I make it come when it isn’t coming?

I explained but she didn’t want to listen to me.

“I don’t care. I want it by today.”

If only I could drive a vessel, I would get it for you. But I don’t and it’s wasn’t my decision that the vessel decided not to take your cargo. I’m just doing my part, to tell you that it has been delayed.

She was attacking me non-stop. Her tactic used was to attacked me non-stop, hoping she could squeeze out something from me. I was speechless. I didn’t know what to say. I looked 100 times worse than the distress picture I posted a few days ago. Two hands on forehead.

She gave me no chance to do anything. She asked me who was the one arranging it. I told her it’s our principal office, the top people. She wanted me to give her the name of the specific person. I couldn’t do that. So I had to take the blame. Shitty I tell you. Even though it’s not my first time and it has been such a long time since I get all this shit, it’s very disheartening. It’s like how you know? Tak pasal-pasal, you kena marah. My own mistake kena marah also I will feel berbaloi and kena pada tempat. This one, memang like sendiri menyakitkan hati sendiri.

You feel like you’re being cornered. To escape, I could only tell her I’ll try and see what I can do and I’ll get back to her. The thing is there is nothing that I can do because the decision is final and I won’t be getting back to her because there is nothing else that is left to say.

There’s a difference between getting scolded when you receive an incoming call and when you get scolded when you make the outgoing call. I prefer to be scolded when someone calls me, not when I call someone.

After I made that call, I so wanted to cry. But I didn’t cry lah. I just went to the toilet to wee wee. Instead of letting the tears flow from the top, I release it from the bottom.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

Yesterday, while I was walking towards the beverage machine to get my usual dose of hot Milo, a manager of another team was there too.

Yeeee, takut!

Anyway, I had to say hi. She then started talking about me leaving, asking me where I’m going. She then looked at me, like so wanting to say something but not knowing what to say. I also stood there not knowing what else to tell her.

Then, I was talking to my favourite lunch buddy and she came over and asked my lunch buddy if she knows that I’m leaving. Lunch buddy said yes and she’s sad that I’m leaving because we were the pioneer ones in the call centre and Grace is my senior…..by a month! She laughed.

Suddenly, the manager asked me, “Why do you have to leave at this time?”

Wah!

My answer was very simple. I just told her the offer came at this time.

“True. Opportunities won’t always come.”

Today, someone else popped in, asking me the same questions again. I didn’t really need to explain because she understood why I’m making this move.

As I was walking towards the door to go back home, a manager came out of the meeting room and saw me. She waved, asking me to stop and I knew what she wanted to say. She is one of the managers that I admire a lot. Besides my boss, I’ve never seen a manager as patient, as capable, as knowledgeable, as kind, as nice, as friendly as she is. She will give you no pressure because she has never once raised her voice and you would still feel like working for her. It’s hard to comeby people like her.

Then, another big big manager saw me and asked me when is my last day.

Yeeeee, takut!

I just told him the date. He nodded his head and asked no more, spoke no more. Scary lor.

I want to write some more but I’m too happy today since it’s Friday and I want to sleep.

I stumbled across this picture after I taught someone to manage the intranet. Boss suggested to include a page where photos can be uploaded so in order to see if my teaching is effective, I left my colleague to try to create a page on his own, after demonstrating it to him.

As I was browsing through the photo gallery, I almost wanted to faint because the picture above was uploaded and it was titled “Panadol or Aspirin”? I couldn’t help but laugh, not knowing when he snapped the photo. And of all time, he snapped a picture of me when I’m in distress.

:-??

I have been busy.

Because I’m leaving, boss has assigned me tasks to do and I will not be answering calls for 3 days. Today is the second day.

I need to plan, organise, think, teach, prepare system guide and everything my boss wants me to do.

I will do the best I can before I leave. I enjoy times like these when I do not need to answer the calls and I can concentrate on the tasks that has been assigned.
Am also guiding this new guy sitting beside me now since the one who is in charge is on leave for a week. He’s smart but we all make mistakes when we are still new and learning. Sometimes I prefer him to make mistakes so that he could learn better. I always feel that sometimes you learn best through mistakes. So, I decided not to spoon feed him but I think I am. I believe one must show some initiative of discovering things. Like how I would always try, think and try before I ask someone, instead of just asking someone whenever a problem pops up. I don’t know. Maybe it’s just me. There’s this joy of trying very hard but you still couldn’t quite get it and then you ask someone and someone tells you the answer and then you go, “Oooooohhh…!”

It’s more exciting that way than asking someone something without even thinking with your own feet on how you think would be the possible solutions. But of course, there are things that you would need to ask there and then.

One thing is that no matter how much a person teaches another verbally, one must still go through the situation itself to grasp a better idea and how to go about it. Knowing is one thing but going through the situation itself is another thing. So, I must be patient in teaching this new guy because sometimes I find that I’m repeating myself. But it’s okay because I always like to see that people are learning and I know he’s learning because he’s asking me questions.

Teaching is learning twice. I learn things too when he asks me something that I’m not too sure of and then I go get the answers and then explain it to him.

He has been lunching with me for two days already. He will wait till I go for lunch and he’ll sit down and eat with me. So nice. So now I’ve got more lunch buddies. And as usual, he asked me, “Grace, why are you so quiet?”

This is the one million dollar question and I never really know how to answer that question when someone asks me. I’m always trying to talk or say something but I think it’s never enough.

That is one.

Today, someone else commented the same thing. I do not know his name. So when he sat down, this female colleague of mine asks if he knows me. He said, “I know. She’s the most silent person in the office.”

I’m like… Yeah *speechless*

And the most frequent or well-known fact about me that is known to these people here is, “When Grace talks on the phone, you don’t know whether she’s talking or not.”

And then came another breaking news. The colleague sitting beside me (to my left) is leaving too. She’s just like me, going back to do the things she wants to do. I like her a lot. She’s good. Really good. She takes ownership of problems and I mean real problems, problems that are hard to solve, the kind that gets brushed away by someone who doesn’t like to be responsible of shitty stuff. She will deal with it even if she doesn’t know exactly what the solution is. Her efforts can be felt, at least I feel them and I like to observe people.

When we are free, we will talk and we were discussing about prawns. She has got this prawn toy in the office with five pairs of legs. Out of boredom, she asked if prawns have got 5 pairs of legs, which was one interesting question. I went back home one day and Mummy cooked prawns. I counted the legs of the prawns. 5 pairs. To confirm, I counted legs of more prawns and I can confirm that it’s 5 pairs.

Today I told her it’s confirmed that a prawn has got 5 pairs of legs. She laughed.

Would love to continue but brain not working because today’s class at the gym was good. I can sleep now while typing.

Good night. Dream a little dream of me.

As mentioned, I work in a freezer.

Came to work to find that we’ve got goodies. A coaster and a pen to mark the launching of a new system. I’m going to miss getting goodies from time to time too. The coaster and pen is really nice though it may sound like they are just simple items.

Work was okay. Nothing too difficult to handle.

When I was left with nothing to do, I was listing down the people that I want to thank when I leave. There are many that I would like to thank and I hope I don’t miss out any of them, which is why I’m listing it down earlier so that I can add up to the list whenever a name strikes me.

Lunch was fine. Male colleague sitting behind me ajak me for lunch again. Yippie!

“Would you like to trade places with me?”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t like answering calls. I’m afraid of making calls too sometimes.”

Do you know at times it takes courage to make a phone call or phone calls? I still feel that way sometimes. But much better as compared to last time. I can hold on to the phone or practically stare at it close to half an hour before I dial the number. It was that bad.

“How many more days left?” He asked while we were eating.

Eh, why do people sound like I’m going to leave this world?

Another colleague came to join us. I would say she’s my favourite lunch buddy of all.

She was asking me about my new job and while we were at it, I mentioned about my working desk.

I’m going to miss my desk too. I’ve never worked on a desk as nice as this before. When I went for the interview, I was looking at people’s desk and I know their desk is nothing like my desk. It has only been like two months I’m working on this desk. Must kiss desk before I leave.

“I’ve got to totally adjust myself again. No more nice desk and all.”

But then what to do? This nice desk won’t bring me far.

Maybe, I should go buy a nice shoe. It would take me places.

Went to work yesterday and received emails from two colleagues to confirm that I’m leaving. This guy is just sitting behind of me and he’s sending me emails just to ask me that.

Today, he ajak me to lunch with him. So, he brought his packed rice and my mum’s home cooked food to the pantry. (Yeah, my mum is here again, specially to cook for Iris who’s sitting for her finals next week before she flies off to UK, leaving her sister alone in KL)

I’ve got this red dog sitting on my paper tray. His name is Patrick. This colleague of mine loves Patrick. He basically would pat on him when he feels like it. Today he said to me or rather Patrick, “I can only pat Patrick for a few more days. Can you leave him here?”

Today, I was walking towards the pantry and crossed path with this colleague of mine.

“Grace…”

I knew what she wanted to ask.

“I heard that you are leaving?”

“Yes, I’m leaving end of the month.”

And then I had to explain the details, where I’m going, what I’m going to do, why I’m leaving.

“Grace, you are one of the best colleagues I’ve worked with. Really. One of the best. I don’t want to talk about the others. Deep inside my heart, I’ll remember the help you’ve provided me.”

Sometimes, when people say extraordinary things like this, I don’t know what to say.

She continued a little more with words that are so nice to the ear, too sweet for me to remember.

I just said “Thank you” beaming all the way.

“I’m definitely going to miss you. Come, let me give you a hug!”

This is my first hug after being in the company for a year. Woo!

Yang ini Happiness Nombor 10.

Okie…

This is going to be long, considering that I haven’t been writing as I should have.

The reason why I said it’s hard to say goodbye is because I’ve got a job offer and I planned to resign. The moment I got the job offer which someone gave me on the spot even before the interview ended happened so quickly that I couldn’t believe it was happening.

I am very grateful and feeling lucky that my future boss is giving me a chance even though I don’t have the skills available that I can offer them on the job. I’m still very much a learning-in-progress person. He asked me whether I know this this and that. I just honestly told him I don’t but he was okay with it.

He didn’t say anything about offering me the position. He instead asked me if I want an appointment letter. Me being blur, didn’t know that he has offered me the job. I was happy after that. Just staring out of the window and playing back what was happening in the room a while ago.

But then, the happiness soon flew further and the dilemma sets in. I felt very heavy-hearted to just throw everything behind. It’s not really the job that I cannot leave behind but the fact that the people and the working environment in my current workplace is indeed excellent. I’m not sure if I’m able to work in some place similar as what I’m working in now but all I can say is that I will miss this place very very much and I will definitely miss all the good people that I’ve known and worked with for the past one year.

After getting the offer, I disturbed the whole world. People that I could think of because there is so much in me that I wanted to express and have someone to listen to me and give me their advice.

I talked to Iris, Mummy and Pappy too. I couldn’t help but cry when I spoke to Pappy. I don’t know why but it’s like a major decision for me and I don’t know what to do.

See lah? When you don’t have a job offer, you worry. When you have a job offer, you worry some more.

After talking to Pappy, I somehow knew what I wanted to do. I tried printing out the resignation letter that I’ve typed a day ago but my printer only allowed me to print a copy of it. Tried to print again this morning but printer didn’t allow me to print at all. So, my only option was to print it in the office. That shows how heavy-hearted my resignation letter and printer can be too. They are as emotional as I am.

When I went to work this morning, my boss came in early too. My plan as I woke up this morning is to walk up to him and settle it there and then. But when I came to the office, I just couldn’t bring myself to do it just yet. So I gave myself some time but told myself that I would need to do it by today.

Then, I finally collected the courage to send my boss an email, asking him if he is free to talk in private for a short while. We went to the meeting room and before I could even say anything, he smiled and said, “So what’s the good news, Grace?”

I smiled and then laughed.

Aiyo, my boss knows.

“I’ve got a job offer….”

He asked where and what I’ll be doing.

“I’m happy for you. I mean I’m happy and sad. Sad because you’re leaving but I’m happy that you got an offer.”

Then, I told him why I think it’s time to move on, telling him I can’t be answering calls forever.

He nodded and said, “Yeah. It has been a year. And you’re too smart to work in this call centre.”

I didn’t know what to say. Tell me how to not like a boss like him? Everything that he has ever said is always so encouraging.

As I walked out of the meeting room, I went back to my desk and as soon as I sat down, my colleague sitting next to me said, “Grace, don’t tell me you’re resigning!”

“Yes, I am.”

She was somewhat speechless. She then told another male colleague, “Yes, she is.”
The male colleague sent me an email with the subject: Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

He wrote, “Grace, you are leaving us is it? But why?”

I explained to him and then I asked why.

He replied, “Maybe I’ve never mentioned this to you but I like you a lot!”

I saw his reply and I was smiling. That is really nice of him. Before I could even reply, he added, “I mean as a friend.”

That would be Happiness #9! :”>

I was planning to tell my toilet buddy about me leaving because I can only accompany her to the toilet for another 30 days and after that she would have to go alone or get a new toilet buddy. But before I could even tell her, someone else told her. So when I went to the toilet with her, she said, “Grace, kenapa you nak resign?”

Then, it was time to hand it my letter to the human resource department. It was my first time entering that room after we’ve moved to the new office. But before I went, I gave the human resource colleague a call. She was the one who took me in, persuading me into giving this job a try even though I’ve expressed that I wasn’t interested at all. And since she took me in to this working place, I thought I just wanted her to know when I leave this place as well.

I walked in and gave her the letter.

“Dah dapat kerja baru dah?”

“Dah.”

“Okay, you pass this letter to my manager.”

So, I approached the Human Resource Manager, someone I’m talking to for the first time because the last time when I started working here was another manager.

“You sure you want to go back to IT?”

“Yes, I would like to try.”

“I’ve been happy working here. I’ve learnt a lot.”

“Learned through the hard way” She said.

And then, I don’t remember exactly what she said but the human resource colleague who took me in said, “It’s some good work that you’ve done. Good attitude.”

The human resource manager then suggested a company that I can try for IT jobs and explained to me what the advancement is like. You see lah? Why is she so nice? I cannot imagine that she’s actually telling me that.

I walked out of the room, feeling so happy and relieved.

Before that and the night before, I was really so confused and worried. But after doing the things I need to do, I felt much better.

We had a training on Telephone Skills today after work and it was the male colleague who earlier sent me an email who gave the presentation. It was a good one. Points that we may already know but it was interesting to see him talk. He speaks excellent English and most of the time, I think he makes a good deejay.

It was time to go home after that and as I was walking to the car park with another colleague, getting to another colleague who’s driving us home today. Coincidently, another girl was there as well. So, I just had to tell them about me leaving the company.

I just blurted out.

“Okay, I want to tell you all something. I’ve resigned from the company.”

“What?! You must be joking!”

“I’m serious!”

“Ha? When did you resign? Did you submit your letter today?”

“Yes.”

“OH MY GOD! I’m so sad.”

Tomorrow I will have more questions to answer.

I have so much to think about that I don’t know how to write it out here. Hopefully, I would be able to write it out tomorrow.

Drove to work and when I was about to reach the toll, “piak” one bird shit on my car. I thought birds only shit when they perch on trees, not when they are flying. Oh well!

People are not cute today. Maybe God was trying to tell me something with the bird shit.

Early in the morning, someone transferred a call to me, without informing me, without even asking whether I’m available to answer the call. When I answered the call, a mad lady was shouting and asking whether I’m the one taking over my boss since today he’s on leave. I said no. People really think highly of me but really I’m not the one taking over my boss.

Anyway, I didn’t get what the mad lady wanted. How do you expect people to understand you when you don’t explain properly but just shouting? My boss talked to her yesterday and that’s my boss. You are talking to me for the first time so don’t expect me to know what’s going on.

As usual, customers like to compare. She was not satisfied with my answer and so when she was put on hold by me, she was talking to someone else and she went like this, “Who? Who? Who asked to book with company? See now, so many problems!”

In a way, she was hinting to me. I know.

The thing is some people never bother finding out whether it’s our fault or theirs. They are simply blaming us for something we had not done. And so, sometimes there’s no point talking to these kind of people on the phone because they will never listen to you whatever the explanation is. What you need to do is reply to their email because then they will read and understand the whole situation. After we sent out that email, she stopped calling. I presumed she understood.

After that, more people who are not cute called.

There was this other lady who doesn’t want to pay and is trying to make us pay for something we shouldn’t be paying in the first place. I think I’ve talked to her for 10 times today. I spoke to her very nicely but I thought if I were to sound a little nasty, she would have gotten the message. But I’m just like that so yeah, even if she called me for 20 times, I’m just going to talk to her the same way. She is plainly trying to call that many times, hoping that I’ll get sick of it and agree to pay on her behalf. Sorry babe.

Another lady called me asking for her money back. I said I’m helping her but it takes time. I’m not only helping to get her get back the amount she requested for. I’m actually trying to get her more than the amount she requested for. If she’s not happy, I don’t know what to say. But she understood so she stopped calling.

The last caller of the day has actually been calling for two days. A colleague had difficulty dealing with her and asked me to give the customer a call. I gave her a call asking her what difficulties she is facing.

“Grace, this is my first time dealing with something like this. Can you help me? I really need your help. Can you think of something?”

I tried to help her but she wanted something that I was in no position to approve so I had to no choice but to escalate it to another manager. Since the manager was still in a discussion with someone, I had to put her on hold. She hold on for quite some time but I had no choice. I didn’t want to put her off the phone because if I do, she won’t be able to reach us when it’s after working hours because the phone system would be down by then.

“I know, Grace. That’s why I’m holding on the line.”

While holding on the line, she talked to me.

“Grace, to tell you the truth but I don’t intend to be hurtful, if you ask any other company, your customers, they have a bad impression towards your company.”

“I know.”

“I think maybe because some of them are very arrogant but I think you are a very nice person. You are really a very nice person…How long have you been working there?”

“For a year.”

“What about you?”

“I’ve been in the industry for 7 years already.”

“How is it for you?”

“It is very stressful. There are times when you feel like crying and you have to cry. There are times when you feel very angry and you have to get angry. But of course, you must control your temper. However, sometimes ….”

“Cannot tahan, right?”

“YAH!”

I laughed.

“Before this, where were you working?”

“This is my first job.”

“Grace, when you go on, don’t change. Be the same person. You are a nice person.”

That was so touching. I could feel my heart melting. My face blushing.

I don’t know what happened after that when I transferred the call. I hope all goes well for her.

All the people in the world suddenly became so cute to me.