Customer Service

We, consumers, want good services as a consumer. Some people might think, we're consumers, we have the right to ask what we want. we pay right? Yea, we pay, but they are also human beings.

Two nights ago, Pepper, Tengku Mahkota and I went to a popular franchised kopitiam for dinner. The waiter and waitress pissed Tengku Mahkota off before we sat down and I could see from his face that he would just leave the place. Anyway, we managed to get our food. But they served the wrong food for 3 times. Can you believe it? after the 1st and 2nd times we told them that we didn't make this order, a waiter came to our table to look at our orders again. The face was so SOUR and i was wondering 'What kind of attitude is this? It's not our fault'

Anyway, their attitude should be friendly and nice, being helpful to the customers to whoever walks into the shop. I remember our tourism ministry used to advertise and encourage Malaysians to be friendly to foreign visitors. However, we should be friendly regardless of skin color, race and so on. Our culture of being friendly should be instilled and practise fruit of the spirit :-

1. Love
2. joy
3. peace
4. patience
5. kindness
6. goodness
7. faithfulness
8. gentleness
9. self-control

In foreign countries, the one that i've been, UK and singapore, their customer service is really good. They put up a big smile and the first sentence comes out from the mouth is 'Can I help?' Over here, I guess we only do that to foreigners. When we smile, people will speak with us nicely and vice versa.

Back to the bad experience we had two nights ago, i noticed the waiters' faces were so unhappy and they didn't wear their uniforms properly, walked like gangsters in a kopitiam. I started to wonder why they treat customers as if we've not treat these ppl well? Are they forced to work here? Personally, I don't think customers reserve that kind of response and attitude from a customer service person. Anyway, decision lies in our hands. I chose to enjoy my food rather than looking at their faces. Tengku Mahkota has banned the place from Tuesday night onwards.

Me : A BIG eater

I went to bed with a hungry tummy last night.

This morning, I ate --->

1. Milo + oats
2. 2 slices of wheatbread with cheese spread and plum jam
3. 1 small banana
4. 1 box of chocolate milk

Anyone can tell me how many calories I've consumed till now?

Do I look really SERIOUS?

Today,
Boss: Fern is working very hard and she’s really serious staring at her computer.

After a few mins,
Receptionist: Concentrate. Concentrate.

These are the common comments given by my colleagues. In my previous work place, Seemon said ‘Fern on screen saver mode’, move the mouse!

At my current workplace, my HR Sr executive said ‘You’re very serious, I can see that when I pass by your cubicle’.

Yea, I’m thankful that I’ve given the ‘gift’ to focus and when I focus on my work, I go into deep thought to think and think and find solutions. Also, I like to dwell into deep thought when I need to think of problems that I need to solve.

Yes, I’m a thinker. This is a comment from Shan who observed me after a few months in the church.

Yes, I’ll listen to Pastor Chew’s advice. Being able to focus is an asset, but remember do not make as a liability. I need to have self-control to release myself out of the deep thought at times.

Yes? Yes. Yes!

Yes? This is applied when you ask question. To me, I apply it when friends ping me on MSN.
A: Hi!
F: Yes?
In other words, anything that I can help?

Yes. This is a firm answer and it’s a sign that you agree with the other party.

Yes! This is applied when you’re totally agree with someone, a very firm one. Yes! Yes!

However, during pre-marital counseling, I came to know that sometimes a ‘Yes’ is not a ‘Yes’. For example, this happens in situation when the wife is so sad and in order to make the wife feels better, the husband says ‘yes. Yes.’ In fact, this ‘Yes’ is not a TRUE and SECERE yes. It’s a ‘yes’ to make her feel better.

Personally, I always want to make my Yes a Yes, No is a No. And I’m still learning to say ‘No’ sometimes. Lord give me the courage to say ‘No’ and say it appropriately that I won’t hurt anyone. I’m aware of the consequences if the Yes is not sincere, because the person who said a ‘yes’ previously have to do what he/she has promised and agreed with, if the person can’t do it, sorry to say that you’re in big trouble, either you start creating stories or make your lives more miserable.

Matthew 5:37 says ‘Let your 'Yes' mean 'Yes,' and your 'No' mean 'No.' Anything more is from the evil one.’

Friend

Today, by God’s grace, I’ve solved a mystery that lasted for more than a month and found a HUGE answer to my question that has been bordering me thus far.

Three things that I’ve learned:-

1. Continue to be opened, COMMUNICATION
2. Someone has to admit her/his mistake
3. Both parties must have the willingness to share then there’s an opportunity to learn from each other, understand each other’s boundaries and be friend again.
   

Anyway, talking about friends. Today my colleagues and I had a good time talking about the topic ‘friends’. We had a great discussion about friends and right now I have my personal view about friends.

How many friends do you have? Good friends? Best friends?

I have quite a number of friends. I make effort to keep in touch with them and with the advanced communication systems today, writing email with 2 lines of message can be done less than 5 minutes. Agree? In fact, I’m really thankful to have Internet because with one click, you get to chat with your friends on MSN. We do not need to sit down and write letters and get a pigeon to send it away. On the other hand, some might think that using handwritten mails are more meaningful. To me, the thought counts. If I miss someone, I click on that person’s name on my MSN list or my email address, I’ll drop a line or two to the person.

Good friends? I have a few good friends. Friends come in various seasons. We are given the opportunity to know new friends in various places and seasons, in university, college, work place, ex-workplace, or even friends that we get to know when we go on a short holidays despite the fact that tour holidays only last for 4 days. The most important thing is we spend the moments together, e.g. laughing, sharing, chatting, exchanging information, discussing and so on. When I was in college, I have college mates and when I move onto university, I have more guy friends because I was doing an engineering degree. To balance up, I have gal friends in the hostel.

Best friend or best friends?

Personally I find that there’s nothing wrong to have x number of best friends or only ONE best friend. More importantly, ask yourself ‘Why you consider he/she as your best friend?’ Evaluate yourself why you come to the conclusion that you only have one best friend or why you have x number of best friends. Will you be able to sacrifice yourself for your best friend or even good friend.

I’ll share about my moments with one of my good friends. I hope that she won’t mind. Her name is A. We knew each other since we entered secondary school. I found myself really grow when I was in secondary school. Because during teenage period, we want to behave like adults with matured thinking and we’re more realistic, we’re no longer in the world of ‘I don’t want to speak with you today’ or ‘I don’t want to friend you’. We spent most of our recess time together, she is tall and I’m short. Tall + short = (I also don’t know). *mind you I like to write equations due to my research background* We sought understanding by giving opportunities to each other. Sometimes when we get into bad mood (due to hormone changes), I upset her and vice versa. But no matter what, we are good friends. We keep in touch thru emails and texts as we study and work in different place. We share our problems when we get the chance to meet each other. We laugh together, we go thru the hardships. Thru out this almost 15 years of friendship, we know each other’s characters pretty well. From my end, I claim to know her well. I don’t expect her to know me well, but she’s one of the few persons that know my taste. Anyway, don’t put our standard on others and don’t put expectations on others. So, we shout on the phone and talk really loud, sort out some misunderstandings, then we come to conclusion then we are still friends. From misunderstandings and giving the chance to be friend, we know each other’s boundaries and what are the ‘NOTs’ and what the ‘YESes’. Until today, we’re still good friends.

Via internet services, I manage to find some high schoolmates and once in a while, we drop two lines to each. The basic things are ‘how are you?’ ‘Alright, have to work and focus, take care, ta!’

Talking about genre, women are sensitive and emotional mammals, we put in more effort to keep friendship going. That’s why women are linked to being information exchange for guys.

My fav eating places

1. Dome.

I like to visit Dome since university days. I understand it's a bit pricey for students. But, I saved money to go there once in purple moon. :D

I like their coffee and the pie. I'm a pie gal, i love pies. I love the chicken and mushroom gourment pie. Hmmm..i guess it's time to visit Dome again as i've been craving for mushroom for 3 days.

2. Marmalade

This is my all time favourite and it's near to my work place. My team at my work place likes to go Marmalade for team lunch on every Friday because we love the fusion menu in Marmalade. Friday is the always the day that you don't feel like working because you can't wait for the weekends to come. Or it can be the way round that you wanna finish all the work on Friday and you work really hard to avoid thinking about work on Saturday.

I love the salads, and trust me..it's really good... Try this 'Sounds o Havana', it's very refreshing upon eating it. It's really colourful with yellow and red capsicums in it, cheese, pineapple, chicken, nuts and lettuce. The pasta and lasagna are fairly good as well. The next trip when i get there i would like to try lamb shank with brown rice.

3. Delicious

It was CJ who introduced me to Delicious (by Ms Read). The mushroom soup is the dish that makes me wanna go back there again and again. The mushroom is just superb with lots and lots of mushroom! *drooling* The next thing that is pasta, their pasta is good as well. Dessert? woa...i like!

BIG picture + small picture = COMPLETE picture

Recently, I've been reading lots of marriage and relationship books to equip myself as I'll be entering another stage of relationship. Basically, I started off with a book written by Gary Chapman. Dr Chapman is no longer a stranger to readers when it comes to relationship books. Yea..I enjoy reading his book and currently I'm reading '5 love languages' which was given as a christmas gift by Pepper.

Since Friday till Sunday, I came across topics amongst women and men. In fact, the topic started off on Friday lunch when my colleagues and I met up with another newbie in the company for lunch. We spoke about men talk and women talk. Pls do not misunderstanding over here. Men talk and women talk refers to talks at the same frequency respectively. There were 3 gals and 1 man that always talks like Tengku Mahkota.

When a couple wants to work on a project together, man will look into the big picture whereas woman looks into the small picture (details). For example, a couple just bought a new place. Man decides what color to paint and what kind of lightings, kitchen and so on. What does woman do in this case? Woman will suggests those decorations to get in order to match with the wall color. Hence, when woman and man come together, they form a complete picture and get the house decorated.

HOwever, it's a fact that everyone (women and men) comes from different background, culture, etc. There are differences between each individual. We'll not agree with each other everytime. There will be time when couple does not see eye-t0-eye. Couple face problem of agreeing with each other or even get the partner to agree and draws a conclusion. Under this circumstance, what should we do? Both couple has to control their emotions, they have to be sensible, think maturely and practically. The most important thing is communication. One has to listen when the other talks and vice versa. Books that I've read recently mentioned about ways to solve conflicts. Personally, there's no right or wrong with all the suggestions how to solve conflicts to avoid arguments, it all depends on both parties and what's the most comfortable way of solving it.

Some people have the desire to win all the time, in hokkien, we called it 'kiasu'.

There's nothing wrong to be 'kiasu', but we need to know what's the justications. We can't be trying to be kiasu at all times. One chinese saying says 'A stupid person will be smart for a day, a smart person will be stupid for a day'. Hence, we must learn to have listening ears. More importantly, do not be selfish. Remember, we must always think of what's the best solution for both parties not for 'me' or 'myself' but for 'us'.

Back to the topic, there's nothing wrong for men to look into BIG picture and women look into small picture. Remember, do not blame each other 'why he/she never thought of this? why do i have to do this?' Whatever that we do in a relationship is for both persons. Learn from each other and communicate what you want the party to do for you. Do not put hope on men, but put hope on God.

Having said that I started to read all those books that serve as guide to enter into marriage, do not forget God is always the center of a relationship. It's easier to be said than doing it. Nevertheless, reading these books help me to prepare myself if i get into such situation one day, at least i have an idea how to cope with it.

Any difference after 2 months?

In the beginning...

After 2 months plus ...
Ada buah!!!

Breakie!

*Drooling*
Breakie made by Tengku Mahkota: Wheat bread + egg + bacon(Beef)+ cheese+carrots
Rate:8.5/10

Again, we met!!!

Baby Elijah is going to be 8 months old soon. Josephine+Darren+Baby Elijah visited me+Tengku Mahkota in Swiss Garden Hotel, Kuantan. We went to Kuantan to celebrate New Year.

Missing someone

What do you do when you miss someone? That someone could be your dad, mom, brother, sister, friends, roommie, teacher, etc..

Personally, I'm not sure I consider myself as a very sentimental person. I miss people pretty often. When I'm stucked in the heavy traffic jam or some occasions strike on me to remind me of someone, i'll miss the related people . Then I'll spend a minute or two (unconsciously) reminiscing the event and the persons involved. That answers why I miss someone...

What's next besides missing someone?

In addition to missing, I'll pray for that someone, may God bless the person and keep him/her well. I think this is the least I can do.

When I miss that someone, what I want is the presence of that someone.

This morning, I missed Cikgu so much after seeing so many students going back to school today.

Happy blessed new year!

Happy blessed new year!

May our dear Lord continue to shine upon you, bless u and keep u always!

The common question of the newyear:-
What is your new year resolution?
Fern wants to grow closer with God, continue to seek Him and always remember Him in my life. With a thankful heart always...