Customer Service

Yesterday, I went to the Customer Service Center of my mobile phone service provider. When I arrived at the said center, I was glad there were no lines and there are just few people walking around. I saw the cashier area and there was no customer at the counter.

I approached the security personnel if I could just go straight ahead in the counter. ANd he tols me, "No, you have to get a number first from there (pointing to an improvised counter near the entrance)". So I approached the woman pointed by the security personnel but could not ask for a number since she was entertaining a customer's inquiry. The woman however, looked pissed. I don't know exactly why, probably because the customer was annoying, had too many questions or could not understand what she was explaining.

I waited for a couple of seconds, the 1st customer left so I approached the customer service personnel. I told her that I would be paying my mobile phone bill, she asked me if I had my billing statement with me, so I said no and she asked for my mobile phone number so that she could check it thru their online records. As I was saying my phone number she interrupted saying "Mabagal lang ma'am (slow it down, ma'am) " although she said it in a very irritated tone, I politely obliged. After that she gave me a piece of paper stating my account number and the amount I have to pay. before leaving her counter, I asked her, "Should I get another number if I need to ask about the status of my postpaid plan? ". She told me, "Sa akin, pwede ka na magtanong (You could tell me your query)", again in an irritated voice. I just smiled and told her that I will ask her after I pay my bill.

When I returned to her post, I saw her texting in her mobile phone, so I smiled and said," Pwede na magtanong (Can I ask you now about my query "). She looked at me in a way as if to say "Can't you see? I'm texting?", she however, nodded so I took it as my cue to begin my query. As I was starting to start my query, I can tell from her tone and her facial expression that she totally got pissed this time. She told me, "Sige, ituloy mo lang ha? habang nagtetext ako (Just go on okay? while I continue texting". To some that may seem okay, but for me that's complete rudeness and lack of customer service etiquette.

She was lucky, I am not the type of person who would scold her right then and there or who would go ask for the manager and report her attitude. It may not be right but what I usually do is to tell it to my friends and to other people who I know, so that they could either avoid the same incident or learn from it.

Insensitive

I can't believe how many people have become insensitive.

Just watched a post in youtube of the burial of a local actor in the Philippines. The shot on the actor's remains was a close-up that I could almost feel goosebumps. Some fans say that the post was okay since it is their last view/remembrance of the actor but did they think of what the family would feel. It's probably okay if the family gave their consent to have the video posted. But since (I think) the family has not commented on this yet, the issue of insensitivity on the said video is still arguable.

Everyday, I take the MRT going to and from the office. Since I from the East, I take the train from Cubao. From those who are familiar with the MRT here in the Philippines, you know that the Cubao MRT station is a war zone especailly during roush hour. And if you are a girl, you know that riding the coach that is designated for the senior citizens,children.disabled and women is not an exception. More often that not, the pushing,spanking,shouting and stealing (yes! my mobile phone was stolen from my bag in an MRT train, in the female coach) is much worse in that special coach. There was one incident, that a man in a wheelchair was in the special special coach (yes, I typed in the word special twice, because some MRT guard/personnel would tell you if you have a kid with you or if you are pregnant/disabled, that you have to enter the first coach of the train because it is really the one area "reserved" for you), that he was being pushed by the female passengers or his wheelchair being moved out of the way. I know everyone wants to be on time for an interview, a date, a meeting or to work but it is not an excuse to be inhuman or insensitive.

During the early months of this year, I often see in the MRT Cubao station a blind man and her daughter struggling to get on the train. As expected, they are often pushed and/or frowned at by the female passengers. But lately, I don't see them anymore, they probably decided to take the bus instead to avoid the hassle.


I also take the public FX going to and from the MRT. There are times that I have for a seatmate inside the vehicle a girl fixing her make-up or her hair. That may be okay, if you are not sitting in the seat where they squeeze in 4 people. More often than not, the girl who fixes her make-up, hits your elbow, arms, chest or any body part that is readily available for her. What's more annoying is when her face powder or eyeshadow (or what have you) is loose, so they all end up in your pants or clothes as well. Another annoying instance is when they have long hair and they comb it up to the last strand and afterwards, you see loose strands in your clothes as well, and that's not it, she sees loose strands from her comb so she removes it from her comb and just nonchalantly throws it away.

There is one old woman who is a frequent passenger in the FX terminal where I ride. Before, I was just fascinated, actually disappointed on how she talks to her grandson. Aside from the fact that she just lets her grandson go without the polite "po" and "opo" (they are not English speaking, if that's what you are thinking). She tells her grandson,"Sino ang baboy?, sabihin mo lola baboy ka".I don't get why she wants her grandson to say that. I really don't. I also had her as a seatmate inside the fx once. She was not with her grandson. I was surprised with what she did, she took my arm and forced me to remove it from side. I swear, I did not hit her before that nor my arm touched hers. Since I am not the type of person who complains unless I am in a bad mood or provoked, I just kept quiet.

I do not want to talk about breeding here. Because I believe that being sensitive to other person's feelings should not be reserved to those with high level education or those who can wear genuine Prada. Being sensitive is for everyone since it deals with our own feelings, with being human. Each one of us is human, and being uneducated or poor is not an excuse to become insensitive.