Long Weekend

Was a lovely extended weekend with family and friends..my folks were in Chennai as we shopped for my brothers new apartment that he is moving into in Bangalore. Right from utensils and kitchen ware in Parrys corner, to T nagar for some more shopping..was fun. Have often indulged in retail therapy..buying someting new for an apartment be it rugs or even bed linen and stuff always just makes me happy..

We went to Besant Nagar beach on 15th August, sat on the beach and just chatted..the four of us after such a long time.. Mom and dad reminisced about us playing on the beach as kids. The raw mango slices, the ice candy and the timeless Sundal..were all sights and sounds of a typical south Indian beach..whether Marina or Besant nagar beach..Then dinner at Murugan idli kadai(where the idlis are a close second to my moms-call me biased if u like)

Meeting old friends and reminiscing about life in Bangalore was Saturday evening ..again at Elliots Beach…

Sunday was sad as my folks drove down to Bangalore. I went off to watch the S Ve Sekar comedy “vaal paiyyan” really cool show. Inspite of the bloopers and goofups in a live show, the fact that the audience was so supportive and actually laughed along sportingly was really endearing…

Agitated Customer of Banks, Financial instituitions, and other Nuisances PART II

I am fed up of these tele-callers..the DO NOT CALL is a SCAM. it does NOT exist. Its just a cover up operation while these tele-marketers are happily just calling...

I have been called consistently by SBI, HDFC and Deutche bank about 4 days in a row at different times, each time my response was DO NOT CALL ME AGAIN.

AM guessing their phone recievers hear selectively. They call again. The next day. By another colleague of theirs. Really pathetic.

Wish we had a forum where compaints could be lodged for companies in India(a bit like the quaint Letters to the Editor) a favorite passtime of my family and close friends, who use the forum to point out shabby roads, bad train/bus services, good Auto drivers etc.. Me ? i just blog...

HOwever, there seems to be link http://www.hellopeter.com/.The website is a forum for customers to lodge complaints and for suppliers or service providers to respond.

The website is run by Peter Cheales, author of the book I Was Your Customer. According to Cheales, if you don't give the customer what he wants, when he wants it and how he wants it, he'll find someone else who will. The link seems more active in South Africa.

Queue benefits all

Have u ever stood in line to say(consider the mall during a weekend) and someone just stands in your personal space over your shoulder ? like hello..its my turn...or the burlesque person who insists on just walking in and showing his garment bag, never mind if you were just in the middle of a transaction...

Now imagine the ATM, the bloke behind is peeping to see "probably" my balance ?? i just dont get it..why would anyone stand so close ?(must be me)

What i like/prefere are those "Dont cross the yellow line" kind of discipline seen usually at immigration counters and probably the only place where it is ever respected..*why annoy the bloke behind the counter and delay your arrival/departure" as the case maybe

Remember those quaint documentaries on Door darshan on "Q Benefits all" ..how true..but guess we really needed that as a "punblic service announcement"

Policies and the Monkey story

Am having one of those classic moments..of the story of the 8 monkeys in a room...

It’s a old one but worth a second read...The story of 8 Monkeys

Put eight monkeys in a room. In the middle of the room is a ladder, leading to a bunch of bananas hanging from a hook on the ceiling.

Each time a monkey tries to climb the ladder; all the monkeys are sprayed with ice water, which makes them miserable.

Soon enough, whenever a monkey attempts to climb the ladder, all of the other monkeys, not wanting to be sprayed, set upon him and beat him up. Soon, none of the eight monkeys ever attempts to climb the ladder.

One of the original monkeys is then removed, and a new monkey is put in the room. Seeing the bananas and the ladder, he wonders why none of the other monkeys are doing the obvious. But undaunted, he immediately begins to climb the ladder. All the other monkeys fall upon him and beat him silly.

He has no idea why. However, he no longer attempts to climb the ladder. A second original monkey is removed and replaced. The newcomer again attempts to climb the ladder, but all the other monkeys hammer the crap out of him.

This includes the previous new monkey, who, grateful that he's not on the receiving end this time, participates in the beating because all the other monkeys are doing it. However, he has no idea why he's attacking the new monkey. One by one, all the original monkeys are replaced.

Eight new monkeys are now in the room. None of them have ever been sprayed by ice water.

None of them attempt to climb the ladder. All of them will enthusiastically beat up any new monkey who tries, without having any idea why.

This is how the work culture in many Companies get established

Enough said....

and This Dilbert book is the flavour of the week for now..