Writer is leaving for Penang after work tomorrow. She’s sent by the company to answer calls in the Penang office for two days.
She has not been to Penang for the last 10 years and this is the first time she’s going alone. Adventure time. Adventure!
Category: Work
-
Time to Change
I drove to work alone today. One colleague took emergency leave and she sent me a message 6:30am sharp. Another is on half day emergency leave.
While I was driving, I felt a tinge of sadness and I don’t really know what it is exactly that’s bothering me. The tears wanted to flow out but I held it back and told myself whatever that’s bothering me now, I would still be able to go through it.
I reached the office to be greeted by a email from Mr.Boss who is putting me where I’m supposed to be. The new team. It was one week earlier than expected when I had a short talk with him last week.
So, I was thrown to answer calls with regards to import shipment. It’s like I’m starting afresh again and I had to resort to asking my new colleague sitting opposite of me because they have long started the new team without me. Now, I’m the new one.
There isn’t much call. I only had 10 today. I felt a bit restless because I always would love to be in a situation in which I’m occupied with something to do.
“Grace, if you’re bored, you can always answer export calls but I’m sure that’s not what you want to do, right?” Mr.Boss started to tease.
Even though, I’m officially under the new team now. I still get calls from colleagues of another team asking for help. One customer even called my direct line (I have no idea how she did that) and she asked whether the person she’s talking to is Grace.
“Speaking.”
“Can you help me with…?”
I could just say no but then I was free so I decided to be Grace.
I’m still reading the mailbox I used to read, which serves no purpose anymore. But I’m just reading and reading because I’m just so used to it already. I know I’m just going to read that same mailbox again tomorrow until the system guy removes it from my sight.
I finally discovered peace after so long. However, to say I’m not missing the noise, the painful customers, and sometimes the stress would be a lie.
-
Scream for Ice Cream
She was walking pass. I was sitting at my desk.
When our eyes met, we stared at each other for a few seconds before we burst out in laughter.
We didn’t have to say anything because we know how each other felt.
Another crazy day at work.
I came back home after standing for 45 minutes at the entrance of the building for the rain to stop and another hour to drive back home.
In the car…
“I wonder what will happen if one day Grace screams.”
“You think can meh? Tiada harapan lah.”
“The ones that always call for Grace sound so soft.”
“Eh….No! Sometimes the ones looking for Grace are the meanest customers because she can handle them. I can’t because my tone would change.”
I only listened. I don’t know why people are so curious and excited to see me scream one day. I just hope I don’t come to that day.
Then, I’ve come to realise that the meanest words aren’t the ones coming from the customers, people that I’ve never met in person. They may sound mean but it will somehow go away. It’s the ones coming from the people you care about.
-
A Flying Kiss
One thing I forgot to write about yesterday was that three of us went out for lunch and suddenly, we had some kind of heart to heart talk. It all happened because I started to express my feelings.
“Wah, you see I thought Grace has got no problems but then see now, dia sedang meluahkan perasaan.”
Then, the two of them started to “meluahkan” perasaan also. It’s nice even though all our problems still remain unsolved or would forever remain unsolved. We talked about relationships.
This morning, I received another encouraging call. It was the first call I received.
She ended the conversation by saying, “Thanks Grace. You try to have a good morning.”
Something I really need to hear. Thank you, Ling.
After that, it was back to the problematic calls.
One customer was so annoyed of the delay.
“Can you send by email or not?”
“Okay, I”ll send by email.”
“Send now, okay? Now.”
“Okay, now.”
*click click click* in maximum speed
*type type type* in maximum speed
“Dear E, Attached is the draft for your checking. Harap-harap cukup cepat la! :)”
Usually, I won’t be so cheeky to add that last line but I just felt like doing so at that instant and when you feel like doing something, you just have got to do it.
She replied instantly as well, “Dear Grace, Thanks a lot. Tak sangka boleh dapat begitu cepat. A flying kiss for you.”
That’s like a first kiss from a customer.
A colleague of mine read that email and called out to me while I was walking to another desk to get problems solved.
“Grace, you’ve got a flying kiss!”
I smiled like an angel.
Another new colleague of mine, she’s always asking me questions to a point in which she feels like she’s disturbing me sometimes. I am being very patient with her because I think when you don’t know, you should really ask and not wait till a problem becomes a nightmare. It takes a little more time and effort to explain things to her but I’m okay with that. It’s all about putting yourself in other people’s shoes. If you don’t know a single thing, you just hope that you can ask someone without feeling intimidated or fearful, right?
So, when she called me for the don’t know how many times today, she said, “Grace, you are my walking dictionary!”
And there’s something else about yesterday that I forgot to write.
“Grace, why are you smiling or laughing suddenly for no reason?”
I continued smiling.
“I don’t know.”
Maybe I’m going crazy already. You know the kind that will suddenly laugh or smile for no apparent reason.
All of the above may be just small and simple stuff, but when I’m so stressed up every day at work, all these simple stuff means a lot to me. Like the other day, I printed all the little notes Mr.Boss would say after a job well done or when I least expect it.
It can just be a simple update and maintenance on the department’s intranet but he’ll come back saying, “Looks fantastic! Thank you Grace.”
Mr.Boss was on MC today. He sent me a message saying he’s having a fever and if there should be a need, I can reach him at this number. I’m going to say this again but I like my boss a lot.
-
I Will…
With the first call I received this morning, I thought maybe. Maybe I can survive today.
“Grace! It’s so hard to get you! “
“Grace, can you help me? Other people are so snobbish but you are so nice.”
When she said that, even if she wanted me to cross the ocean or bring her the moon, I’d say “No problem.”
For you I will.
Sometimes, it’s nice to know that people love to count on you.
However, the sweet moment was crushed by another customer, who happens to be an ex-employee.
I called him this morning to tell him the information that he required.
“Why you all so lousy huh? You are providing very poor service, you know? If you compare with other companies, they provide world-class service. You know what is world class service? You company is really bad, even worse than a china man’s company.”
I wished I didn’t call him. It’s like I’m trying to help him by calling him but in the end this is what I get. From Day 1 till now, he has been saying he’s an ex-employee. Ex is ex lah. But you are now one of the customers.
I don’t care about the total number of calls that I can handle in a day anymore. Not with the current situation. What I did today was to answer a call at a time, solving one problem at a time before I proceed to the next. It’s for the benefit of me, so that I don’t go crazy so soon and also for the benefit of the customers.
I’ve decided to do just that because I cannot stand to feel what the customers are feeling right now. When they talk to you, they sound so upset and painful. It pains me too. I pity them a lot. So whenever one upset customer tells me it’s so hard to get me on the line. I tell them I will call them.
“Are you sure you’re going to call me?”
“Yes. I will. Yes I will.”
So, even though there were things that were not completely done yet, I still made the call back. One customer was extremely touched, judging by his tone of voice, “Grace, thank you for calling!”
Other than that, my mind has been haunted with one particular problem of a VIP customer for a few days already. It’s entirely up to me to get the case closed because I promised him I will follow up for him. It’s not something I’ve done before, that explains why I feel so haunted and also afraid at the same time.
I’m writing emails I’ve never written before. Those that requires lots of thinking, more than one checking to ensure every word is correct in order to reflect the current situation. And at the hit of the send button, you need to close your eyes because you aren’t exactly sure whether it’s right or if you’ll get an unfavourable reply. Either case, it’s going to be something new I would learn.
It rained heavily when it was time to go home.
I said bye to colleague and Mr.Boss.
He looked at me and said, “Grace, you look exhausted.”
“Yes, I am.” I said while giving him a very tired smile.
“But it’s raining so heavily now.”
“I know. I just need to…”
Before I could finish my sentence, he laughed. Well, he knew what I wanted to say.
I rather go get stuck in the rain or in the middle of a traffic jam than to stay stuck in the office any longer.
Went to the gym after that with my colleague, which after that she said, “Grace, I’m so stressed. Let’s go shopping!”
“Now?” I asked.
“Yes! Let me bring you to La Senza. Let’s go buy underwear. They are having a sale now. You must buy. It’s so comfortable. Even if you don’t plan to wear now, just buy. Even if they run out of bra of your size and what’s left is the ones of bigger sizes, just buy and stock it at home. Who knows it’ll get bigger? You can wear it then! Come, come, come, I want to influence you!”
Funny or not?
“Tak kan lah suddenly become big?” I said and then couldn’t help but laugh.
This colleague of mine needs retail therapy from time to time. What I did was get one item.
“Grace, why you only buy one? Or are you buying just to keep me happy?”
“No lah. I just want to try so just buy one.”
In the car when I sent her home, “I think ar, really lar, Grace, you tiada harapan already. You don’t have the ability to get angry or to become a shopaholic. I must tell P tomorrow.”
P is another colleague of mine.
“Grace, how do you release stress? I don’t see you scream also.”
People, I have the ability to get angry too but maybe only few would see that part of me. I don’t scream but I cry and I write.
-
You Look So Thin
Mr.Singaporean called me today. It was just destined for me to receive his call.
I spelt out his booking number even before he could say anything.
“Wah, you can still remember ar?”
I giggled. “Of course!”
“Wait, let me check for you.”
*type type type*
“It’s loaded onto the vessel.”
“You sure or not?”
“I’m sure. If you don’t trust me, you can track it online.”
Perhaps it was just too good to be true for him.
I’ve decided to take things a little slower today so that I don’t grow old that fast or have high-blood pressure. It’s the usual Monday blues. For the past week, I’ve been making lots of action in the office, by just sitting at my desk.
Like if one customer calls and I know it’s going to be lots of nagging, I would put my fingers on my forehead as in meditating. Then, if I would land my hands on my chins. Or punching on the table without any pressure or noise.
It’s only today that some people realised that we cannot cope. It takes someone outside to give them a good knock on their heads to enlighten them. Let’s see after the knocking, what would transpire.
In the pantry..
“Grace, why you look so thin?”
“Really?”
“Yes, you look thinner now.”
“Maybe I’m just stressed.”
I’m in need for a holiday soon. The weekend is just too short.
-
We Went on Strike
A colleague of mine went on strike today.
“Grace, 12 noon sharp, we go out for lunch. Leave quickly because I don’t want anyone to follow us.”
Grace obeyed and when we went into the lift, she started pouring out her stories to me.
“Grace, I cannot tahan already, you know? I feel like crying already. All these people, they are asking me the same questions all over and over again. They don’t write it down, they don’t remember. They ask me every single time they face the same thing again. How lah?”
This colleague of mine has the strongest heart. She can take just anything from crappy customers but today was just too much for her. So when she said she felt like crying, it is indeed something.
Grace shared her part of stories too.
“Grace, can I tell the boss I want to go home now?”
“Grace, I don’t want to attend the meeting later. Can we go home or not?”
“You can try asking Ms.Boss, say you’ve got some urgent matters to attend to.”
Ms.Boss allowed her to leave after working hours, which meant I can go home too because it was my colleague’s turn to drive me home today.
As usual, I’ve got my share of distress and painful customers but the last call was the killer.
It was 5 minutes to the end of working hours. I was all ready to go home. I stopped answering calls. It was then that a new colleague looked so stressed up, called to me and said, “Grace, this guy doesn’t trust what I’m telling him and he wants to talk to you.”
Seriously, I’m so tired myself, I just want to go home. I don’t really care anymore but then when I saw the look of my colleague’s face, so pitiful and all, I just couldn’t leave her to the mercy of this customer.
“Okay, pass it to me.”
Not knowing what the issue is, I had to grab every little pieces of small information I get, did a quick search of all the emails from him, speed-read them, checked all relevant systems.
“Do you know how long I’ve been holding on the line for you? bla bla bla”
Oh man! Just cut the crap lor.
He explained his problem to me, which is a request he is making at a very last minute. His very own responsibility but he’s trying to put the blame on us and I was trying very best to defend my stand.
I put him on hold after that because I needed to cool my head and seek Mr.Boss’s advice.
I then retrieved the line and told him I would need to check further and call him back.
“Are you sure you’re going to call me back?”
“Yes, I am very sure.”
“Do you have my number?”
“No, what’s your number?”
“Can you repeat the number to me? I want to make sure you got the correct one.”
I repeated it to him.
“Are you sure you’re going to call me? Cause you’re going home already.”
Tahu pun! I’m going home but how could I if he doesn’t release me?
“Yes, I will call you, okay?”
Mr.Boss is so understanding, he made a call straightaway to another manager to seek clarification while I was still talking to this customer from Singapore.
If I were to call that other manager directly, it just wouldn’t be the same because he’s so fierce, he despise those front liners, like me, which happens to be a speck of dust in the organization. So when Mr.Boss made the call, it was just different. Boss talking to Boss.
I called the customer back and he called out my name once he answered the call. He’s really desperate.
I explained to him of what he should do and I ensure him that it’s going to be all smooth if he would listen to what I say. He still didn’t trust me. So I tried another way to get the message across, up to the extend in which I assure and promise that it’s going to be perfectly fine.
He then insisted I give him someone’s mobile number so that he can check on it. I just can’t possibly can’t give out mobile numbers like that. He kept pressing me for an answer until I had to put him on hold again and asked Mr.Boss if he can take the call.
Mr.Boss handled it from there and he told what I told the customer. The same thing all over and over again. He still pressed him for a mobile number. Just to satisfy him, Mr.Boss gave it to him but warned that he shouldn’t simply call unless there really is a problem.
Before I left, I thanked Mr.Boss.
Then, I walked out of the office without even looking back. The others were already having a meeting without me and my colleague has been waiting to drive me home for half an hour already. I felt bad there for a moment, to have her waiting for me.
I couldn’t believe I talked to him for half an hour.
I came back home, munching on chips. I just so wanted to bite on something. I couldn’t stop munching until I felt I was sane again.
Went to have dinner with Iris and then I saw this bag. I just had to buy it. I felt better because I thought I should reward myself for being one year older and after surviving this stressful and extremely challenging week.
-
I’m One Year Old
At the time of writing this, there are two lizards making love with one another. *ahem*
The moment I sat down on my desk, I thought of how to create a template which another Ms.Boss assigned me to do. Since it’s the first time she’s assigning me something to do, I thought I would want to do it well. I’m working for two bosses now, since I belong to two teams now.
Things are changing in which we are measured daily. They would compile the statistics at the end of the day and share it out the very next day.
I have been the one with the highest number of calls handled for the day before and yesterday. Mr.Boss wrote something like, “Kudos to Grace to who handled the highest number of calls.” and then he mentioned who had the best average handling time and then ended it with, “Let’s see who can “dethrone” Grace and another colleague of mine tomorrow.”
It’s like car racing and a running competition now.
I don’t know whether I’m number one today but I think it’s time I let another person to become number one.
Today’s another tiring day with special issues happening. I am so burnt out. While I was attending to a customer’s request, I walked over to my colleague’s desk for consultation. While I sat down at a chair near her, my ankle brushed against the sharp corner of a drawer. It was painful and I was rubbing it. But the only thing I didn’t realise was that it was bleeding. I only felt it when I touched on the ankle again to find it wet with blood.
Luckily, I brought along some plasters which I always carry everyday in my bag. I know how easily I can get cut sometimes so there’s a need to bring plasters with me. A colleague once bought a new shoes and it hurt her feet a lot. She just simply asked whether anyone would have a plaster. I told her I have one and she looked amazingly surprised.
“Plaster also you bring ah?”
“Ya lor.”
She shook her head and smiled.
One customer complained about me to Ms.Boss today just because I told her the vessel is not calling the port and the other available vessel for the week is full.
“You mean if I tell you I want to book on this date, you are not going to give it to me?” She threatened me.
“Yes!” I answered surely.
“I want to talk to Ms.Boss” I transfered the line wholeheartedly.
I know she might think I’m ridiculous because she’s a VIP customer but then there’s really nothing that I can do if the vessel is not just full but overbooked. And how do I possibly give her a booking when the vessel is not calling the port at all? Do you expect me to put your container floating in the ocean?
I know she tak syok with me already but apa boleh buat?
One customer called and spoke to my in Hokkien. It’s been a year but no one has ever spoken Hokkien to me before so I was dumbfounded when she assumed I knew how to speak fluently. I understand what she wanted to convey and I tried very hard to reply in my smattering Hokkien which was not too bad I think.
Another customer called and his name is Sunny. I don’t know whether it’s spelt that way but he’s very optimistic and persistent. Desperate but knows where his limits are. The name Sunny suits him well.
I knew the answer was no but I tried to asked the same people a few more times but I got rejected. I finally had to seek Ms.Boss’s consent but she rejected me as well. I had no choice but to tell him many many times that we are not able to comply to his request. He asked me to try again and I tried again. After that, I felt I’m out of energy already and then I just called for the very last time.
“I’m very sorry, Sunny but I am not able to help you.”
“It’s okay, Grace. I know you’ve tried your very best. Thank you so much!”
That’s what I call appreciation.
Other than that, it’s nothing really special but a cut on the ankle for me to mark my first anniversary working in this place.
Ouch!
-
Purple Gracie
CANCER JUNE 21 - JULY 21
Considering how charming, caring and kind you are, you dislike unpleasant scenes, much less creating one yourself. You have great tolerance and rarely get provoked into losing your temper. If someone is unreasonable or trying to create trouble, you are more likely to walk away quietly. But that does not mean you do not have a temper. When angry, in your effort to control your emotions, you tremble, your hands get sweaty and sometimes you fumble for words. Tears roll down your eyes easily and the opponent is touched by your innocence and will seek an apology immediately.
I wore a purple top today. This new top has been hanging around in the wardrobe for a year now. I bought it when I just started working but it’s only today that it finally get to see the world. Yup, I like the way I look today too.
A colleague left us today. *sob sob*
And another one is leaving next week.
A few has indicated the intention to leave as well. It’s all written on their faces. They are so stressed up, with too much to do and no appreciation or whatsoever from their boss. It’s like even though they are trying their utmost best, it still looks like it’s not good enough. The scene in the office now is you see a very patient and sweet-natured girl, typing away loudly, banging at every key on the keyboard to get things done. Me, the quiet one, is getting more verbal because there is no more space in store for shitty customers.
A new girl asked me what it is like. I said you just got to take the whole thing in but at the end of the day, you would need to let it out so that it doesn’t get accumulated.
“Grace, but how to you let it out? Do you go back home and scream?”
I didn’t know how to answer her because I don’t really know how I let it out. Sometimes I’m still amazed myself of how I could take it all in and never let it out and still surviving. I do write here but there are many things that I couldn’t write about.
“I want to speak to N.”
“I’m sorry but she’s engaged on the other line.”
“I want to speak to J.”
“He is engaged too.”
“I want to speak to S.”
“She is engaged as well.”
“I want to speak to E”.
“May I know who’s this on the line?”
“I want to speak to E.”
“May I know who’s this on the line? I need to know your name before I transfer you to her.”
Very reluctantly, she spitted out her company name.
Very reluctantly, I transferred the call to E.
This customer is 1000 times worse than Ms.Scream. She once said, “If I tell you my name, I know the other person wouldn’t want to talk to me.”
If you know the other person wouldn’t want to talk to you if you tell your name because you’re so rude, obviously you need to do something about it, being a little polite doesn’t kill.
The customers are getting so wild, they are calling in to claim that they are one of our colleague’s friend when they are not. Imposing as an internal staff from a different branch when they are not. It is so bad that when a valid person, the wife of a colleague called the office today, we had to ask her a few more questions before the line was transferred to her husband.
I’ll be in tomorrow to save the day. Tomorrow would be a milestone for me because officially I’m one year into the job.