Microsoft Customer Service

A man walks into Microsoft's customer service headquarters and heads to the complaints department on the 5th floor. He gets into the elevator and presses the button for the 5th floor. The elevator doors shut and the elevator begins to move. Around the 3rd floor, a large amount of water falls onto the man inside the elevator from seemingly nowhere. Now drenched, the man looks up to figure out the source of the water, but after scrutinizing the elevator ceiling, he can find no explanation for the sudden splash of water.

The elevator reaches the 5th floor, and the man walks out, fuming. He heads straight for the reception counter immediately outside the elevator where a young lady smiles at him as he approaches.

"Hello, sir. How may I assist you?" she says with a smile.

"What the hell is going on with your damn elevator?! I was just splashed with a bucketful of water! Look at me! I'm completely drenched!" the man shouted.

"Very well, sir. First, have you ever used our elevator before?" the girl asks in a professional manner.

"What..? No, I've never used it before! What the heck does that..." the man tries to finish but is interrupted.

"Please give me your name, country of residence, and native language, sir," the receptionist says, indifferent to the man's frustration.

"Bill Gates, USA, English," the man responds, having been taken into the girl's pace.

"Thank you, sir. Your customer service number is 37Q38-WDCRD-XYQ6X-G9MGX-6BTWF. Please have this number ready the next time you visit us. Now, you say you were splashed with water?" the girl continues the conversation in a routine manner.

"Yes. Inside the elevator," Bill answers.

"Hmm, that's strange. Could you try walking out the building and coming back?" the young lady requests.

"What?? You want me to go outside and come back? Now?!" Bill says, frustrated and confused.

"Yes, sir. Please leave the building and come back." the girl replies.

"What the...? Fine!"

Bill finally gives up and walks back into the elevator. He takes the elevator to the first floor, gets out, and leaves the building through the main entrance. He then walks back in and takes the elevator again to the 5th floor. He walks up to the receptionist again.

"Now what?" Bill asks with irritation.

"Were you splashed by water again, sir?" the receptionist asks.

"No." Bill answers.

"Okay, sir. I'm not sure what might have caused the first splash, but it looks like everything is fine now. If it happens again, I would suggest that you walk out and back into the building like you just did. Thank you for visiting Microsoft's customer service," the girl says with a smile and a wave.

"Oh. Okay. I guess everything's fine then," Bill says as he turns to leave.

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My 3 Worst Experiences With Malaysian Service

We all know that the service level in Malaysia leaves plenty to be desired. I'm not talking about any specific industry or genre. I'm talking about the overall quality of service the entire country delivers to patrons in any form of communication that involves customer service.

While I understand that, from the perspective of the people delivering the service, it sucks to have to suck up to suckers that seem to suck up their time with seemingly no benefit, please bear in mind that, regardless of the method or amount, these folks are getting paid to deliver the service; by us -- the exact people who they are being rude to.

Wait a second. Does that seem strange to anyone else?

If I were to pay you 100 bucks for you to just pick up and hand me a stone on the side of the road while smiling at me, would you even consider being rude to me? I would bet my left testicle that 99 people out of 100 would just take the money, smile and not think twice. Yet, when it's a job, it's okay to be rude? How does that logic work?

Yeah, yeah. I'm sure there's lots to be argued, debated, and contemplated about on that subject, but that's not what this blog entry is about. It's about my own actual experiences since I've been back to Malaysia (that's about two years ago) that have been so horrid that I still have nightmares about them. Well, not really, but it gets the point across.

3. Is that a hair in my laksa?

We've all experienced it. Weird shit in our food that don't belong there. I was having curry laksa at a hawker stall in Ipoh, when I discovered what appeared to be a strand of human hair floating on my taugeh. Being the outspoken person that I am, I immediately motioned for the attendee of the stall, a middle-aged Chinese woman about the height of my motorcycle, to come over. She strode over to my table slowly with an expression that made it apparent she would rather be somewhere else.

Her: "Ya?"

Me: "Is that a hair in my laksa??"

With almost no change in expression, she peers into my bowl, squinting her eyes several times, and then looks at me blankly.

Her: "Ya, it is."

And then she strode off.

It was my first experience encountering this sort of situation since I had been back, and I simply didn't know how to handle it. My mind went blank. My brain shut down.

Little did I know at the time that a couple months later, I would have to ask...

2. Is that a hair in my wonton mee?

This time, I was a bit more prepared. Before calling the waitress over, I simulated in my mind how I would call for the waitress to come back should she choose to walk away from the situation. Mentally prepped, I called for the waitress to come over. She rolled her eyes slightly and walked toward me like she was heading toward some piece of garbage on the ground she had to pick up.

Her: "........."

Me: "There's a piece of hair in my soup!"

Just as the lady from my previous experience, she showed no signs of shock and did her obligatory peer and squint.

Her: "Boss, that one is my hair."

Me: "........."

At this point I'm trying to figure out what that has to do with anything. Before I could contemplate further, she continued.

"Don't worry, boss. I just wash this morning."

And then she strode off.

I was NOT ready for that. Man...

1. I could really use a smoke.

I've had my share of horrible experiences with government employees, especially in Putrajaya, and I'm sure everyone has as well. Allow me to share one that really stood out for me.

After standing in line for over an hour waiting to renew my passport, my number was finally called by the annoying number calling system. "Nombor tiga enam satu empat, kaunter dua." I walk up to the counter and greet the guy behind the counter with a smile and a "Hello". He wasn't impressed. With his completely emotionless face, he says something to me in BM. Unfortunately, due to not having lived in Malaysia for a long time (like...ever), I did not have the opportunity to learn BM, which I also explained to the guy in English. He stares at me with even less expression, and continues speaking in BM. So I figured he didn't hear me, and so I explain to him again that I don't understand BM due to my blah blah blah situation.

...pause...

The guy continues to speak to me in BM, only this time, he says something reeeaaally long.

What. The. Fuck.

I try to keep my temper and my smile, and continue to explain to him my situation and that I just want to renew my passport. I even throw in a bit of BM vocabulary I picked up. "Tolonglah." "Sila membantu saya." "......dalam Inggeris!"

Finally, it seemed my efforts paid off. Slowly, the guy began to speak.

"I could really use a smoke..."

Huh?!

First off, his English was fucking perfect. Second, he could use a...whaaa?!

He apparently saw I was confused, so this time, he deliberately stared at my shirt pocket, in which was a box of Mild Seven I had brought from Japan, and repeated himself.

"I could really use a smoke..."

Ohhh! How stupid could I be! Of course! I pulled out my box of Mild Seven and politely inquired.

"Would you like one?"

A hint of emotion came across his emotionless face and he gestured to the door behind him.

"Come," he said. "I'll show you to the smoking area."

I follow him through a door behind him that led to an inner courtyard with an ashtray. We both lit up one of my cigarettes, and puffed away while making small talk about random shit like how it's always hot in Putrajaya and how he studied in Australia for 3 years. After finishing the cigarette, he starts to mumble.

"Those are good smokes."

This time, I was sharp and alert! I immediately took out the remainder of my cigarettes and offered the entire box to him. He accepted with a smile, and we walked back in the building to situate ourselves in our previous positions.

Ah! Finally! Now I can get this shit over with! I thought to myself.

I couldn't believe the next words that came out of his mouth.

"I sure could use a good steak..."

Later that day, I walked away with a brand new passport that cost me 3 and a half hours, 250 bucks for the passport, and more than 300 bucks for three steak dinners (he brought a buddy along).

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Democracy & Malaysia

Ahhh, democracy. Just the sound of that word makes people everywhere perk up their ears, feel more positive, and pump their fists as if they just found out they got a huge salary raise.

Most likely due to GE13, I've recently had 14 year-old kids talk to me about democracy and how great it is. Relatives and friends text me about how democracy will save us all, and the Web has been running havoc about how democracy in Malaysia has "died" after the GE13 results.

What is democracy, though? What does it really mean, and how does it actually affect us as citizens when it's applied to society and government.

The first line in the Wikipedia entry on "Democracy" states that "Democracy is a form of government in which all eligible citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives". As with all theories and ideas, the definition is pretty fucking vague. That's because it's exactly that -- an idea -- and we should never forget that things in life have a way of working differently in theory than in practice.

For starters, who gets to define which citizens are "eligible", and who gets to define which decisions "affect their lives"? The government? But if they get to decide, then the principal of democracy has already been defeated, unless the government was elected upon those principals. But then, who decided who were eligible to elect the government? And hence, the vicious cycle continues.

In order to understand how democracy works in practice, we must first understand how a government is operated, as well as the difference between a form of government and a system of governance.

Let's talk a little bit about Malaysia. Malaysia is NOT a democracy by definition of its government form; it is a constitutional monarchy. A constitutional monarchy means that we have a head of state -- the king -- who makes decisions for the state (the country) while acting within the parameters and boundaries set by a constitution that was drafted when the country gained its independence. Constitutional monarchism is different from absolute monarchism in which a monarch has absolute power over all state affairs with no boundaries. Absolute monarchism is pretty much dictatorship. Let's be glad that's not the case for Malaysia.

As a system of governance, Malaysia employs a parliamentary system in which the monarch reserves his power and instead delegates control of the state to the parliament, which is headed by a prime minister. This is the same system that the UK uses. As to why Malaysia adopted the same system as the UK, I'll give you three guesses and the first two don't count. This system of governance allows for representative democracy, which means citizens have a say in the people who represent them in the parliament, which in turn makes decisions that affect the state and its people. This is the system that causes Malaysians to think wrongly that our government as a whole is a democracy.

Since the parliament, or legislature, is elected by the people, it would then seem that decisions made would be in the interest of the people who elected that legislature. Hooray for democracy. Everyone lives happily ever after. End of story.



Yeah, we wish.

We're all just human. The representatives we elect are also human. Some of them may make decisions based on what "the people" want, while others will utilize their position to make decisions based on their own ideals and merits. So the way a democratic system tries to allow for checks and balances is to give the people a chance to periodically change the people who represent them. This, in fact, is the heart and core of representative democracy in application and practice.

Ever hear people say, "If you don't vote, you don't get to complain"? I disagree wholeheartedly. I say, "If you vote, you don't get to complain, especially if who you vote for won". Why? Because you chose the person to represent you, and if that person doesn't do as you expect, that just means your judgment of that person was inaccurate. Too bad. Suck it up and wait for the next election.

Don't get me wrong. I think everyone who can should vote, and I understand that the phrase above is used mostly as a method to coax people who don't think it's worth their time and effort to vote to get off their asses. Still, an inaccurate statement used for a grand purpose doesn't make it right. The fact is, every citizen has the right to complain and bicker, but it certainly doesn't mean that'll change anything.

So what about direct democracy? Some people argue that if the people actually got direct control over all the decisions made by the government that things would somehow magically become peachy.

Aside from the fact that trying to maintain a manageable direct democracy system would be an absolute nightmare, this seemingly ideal concept assumes that everyone understands the good of the whole and that all citizens are well-educated and have good common sense. If you think that you can trust the majority of our nation's population to be sensible, well-informed, and committed to the good of the whole, you should probably get your head checked with an MRI.

Currently, a trend of urban residents versus rural residents can be seen in Malaysia. That is to say that political and social views differ greatly from those who live in urban areas and those who live in rural areas. Since a direct democracy system is basically "majority wins", the dominant faction would basically have control of the country, ALL THE TIME. In Malaysia's case, the country would be under a dictatorship of sorts by the rural community -- the mojority faction. This is most likely the reason that no country has actually put direct democracy into practice.

If you think about it, that really isn't unlike the result we saw in GE13. While the urban population wished to see change for whatever reasons, the rural community saw no need to change a lifestyle they are used to and have no beef with. Humans are animals of habit. We basically deny and avoid change unless we feel strongly compelled to do otherwise. So change will not come easy. It takes time and a lot of hard work -- mainly to spread information and educate the whole population with proper knowledge. If after we accomplish that, people still opt for no change, then who is to say that democracy has not spoken?

Improvement and change comes from within -- within everyone who truly wants the change. I'm not going to get into the fiasco of people asking the US for intervention, that's a whole other blog entry (and this one's already long enough), but suffice to say that if we can't put forth the will and hard work to change society, then we truly have no business whining and shouting.

I hope, very earnestly, that people will see that democracy is not a magical pill that solves everything. People will always complain when they don't get what they want, regardless of what type of governance system is in place or who the leaders are. Since it's simply not possible to satisfy everyone, you will always have arguments, dirt-slinging, cheating, fighting, and all sorts of ugliness. The best that we can do as citizens, is to put forth our hard work and best effort to making sure everyone understands their choices and rights, and that decisions made by governing bodies are made justly and in the interest of the majority.

So the next time you feel like shouting for democracy, think about what you have contributed to change society to your ideal, other than squealing like a trapped rat. If you can't think of anything, please, don't blame it on democracy or the lack of it, because democracy only works for you if you work for it.

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Book: All Is Well by Louise L. Hay and Mona Lisa Schulz

All Is Well by Louise L. Hay and Mona Lisa Schulz

All is well. It really is, when you read this book and feel so comfortable reciting the empowering affirmations created by Louise Hay for each body part and/or condition that is not well in your body or mind. Don't take it wrong, though: this book is not a substitute for medical care or advice, however it blends western medicine with eastern and alternative medicine and the power of affirmations to give suggestions and advice on how you should go about seeking treatment for your dis-eases. And this is what the authors do very well, combining their knowledge with real case studies where you can read about people's real stories and the solutions that were offered to them for their healing and to improve their mind and body's health.

I found the All is Well table starting on page 183 extremely helpful, as you can go through the body organs, or conditions that affect your body, and choose an affirmation to that specific area or problem. It makes a lot of sense, if you are suffering from any of these issues described. They really narrow down the pains to the areas that affect them, and it is all described in a very no nonsense way, easy to read, and broken down into the seven emotional centers. Worth reading, even if you think you're not suffering from any of these condition, and it opens your eyes to potentially avoid them in the future as well.


I received this book for free from Hay House Publishing for review purposes.

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Business: www.Rentalink.com offers exceptional value in Search Engine Optimization

Do you want more traffic, less competition, MORE EXPOSURE on all Search Engines, and 80% less than the cost of Google Adwords and Bing/Yahoo Advertising for your business? Rent a Link's monthly Flat Rate model removes the guess work of what your actual monthly costs for full exposure will be. With Rent A Link, they do all of the work so you do not have to and at a price anyone could afford. 





That's the claim of www.Rentalink.com, a search engine optimization business. Check it out and ask for a quote for your business. This works wonders for small business that are paying too much for pay per click to be on the front page of any search engine. Rent a Link will create an eflier for your business, and will guarantee it's placement on the first page of all major search engines. You only pay when you see your ad in the first page. 

It's the best way to market your business and not spend a fortune. If your business appears on the first page of any search engine, there is much more exposure and chances you will find the right customers. Make sure to take advantage of this exceptional marketing tool. It won't cost you a fortune. The flat rate fee is $150 a month and that's a bargain compared to pay per click. Once you sign the contract, you pay the same monthly fee regardless of how many clicks your page gets. That's awesome, because you can control your budget and know how your exposure is improving your business.

Don't wait too long. Contact www.rentalink.com today for more information, or contact me directly through the blog and I'll send you information so you can make a decision: andrea@rentalink.com

Wishing you success on your small business to grow!!!!

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Contact: andrea@rentalink.com

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Business: Bath & Body Works exceptional online customer service

Buying over the Internet may be comfortable and easy, however I've always preferred to go to a physical store to smell, feel, try, taste, and touch to make sure I know what I'm buying.

Recently, one of my favorite scents at Bath & Body Works was discontinued. I didn't know about it until I went to the store to check out their sales and didn't see the product on the shelves. The salesperson was quick to point out that the rest of their inventory had been put on a major 75% sale but there was nothing else available on that specific fragrance. He offered to call other stores and find out if they had anything left, but I didn't think it was worth the trouble. He mentioned some of the items may still be available on line, though.

So there I went, on line searching for the remnants of a favorite fragrance. It was actually still on sale, so I ordered the product, very happy because I could stock it for a while until I found another fragrance to substitute the "discontinued" one.

Very fast, quick service on line, great communication, and soon I got the message the product was on its way via FedEx. With the tracking number, I knew the day the package was arriving and since I was home all day, I would be able to get it right away as soon as it was delivered.

To my surprise and disappointment, I realized FedEx tracking accused the delivery of the merchandise around 7 pm. I was on line at 7:10 pm and had not heard any knocking on the door. I went outside looking for the package and it was nowhere to be found. There is another house in the vicinity with a very similar address as mine, so I went there to see if the package was delivered to the wrong address, and still no signs of it.

Frustrated, I contacted FedEx and explained what had happened. The rep said the package was delivered and there was no way for them to trace it back whether or not the driver delivered in the right door, and I should contact the seller, since there was nothing they could do to help me. I immediately sent an email to Bath & Body Works explaining the situation and my conversation with the FedEx rep. A few minutes later I received a response that they would investigate it. Early the next day, I got another email apologizing for the missed merchandise and informing me that they would be mailing another order right away free of charges.

No hassles, no delays, no issues! Three days later I finally got my package! It was the fastest, most rewarding customer service experience I've ever had on line! Kudos to Bath & Body Works. Great way to keep a customer happy, satisfied and loyal!

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Lifestyle: The Importance of Being Extraordinary, Wayne Dyer and Eckhart Tolle

Lifestyle: The Importance of Being Extraordinary, Wayne Dyer and Eckhart Tolle


2 CD set






I've been a long time listener and reader of Dr. Wayne Dyer. His lectures and books inspire and motivate. His PBS specials are wonderful to watch and he usually brings along other extraordinary people who appear in his life, to complement his thoughts, observations, feedback and miracle stories. Although I'd heard about Eckart Tolle, I had not yet read any of his books or listened to any of his lectures or lessons. Thus, I became very curious about this 2 CD set titled The Importance of Being Extraordinary, which is basically a dialogue between these 2 very spiritual beings.

Eckhart Tolle's patient demeanor and tranquil voice accentuates an aura of peace that his words bring to the conversation. He is witty, funny at times, and in listening to him, I felt his simplicity and humbleness when discussing elaborate and complex themes such as the purpose of life. I've just became a fan!

Accordingly, Dr. Wayne Dyer validates their conversation with his humor, incredible experiences and lessons from his past. It's a conversation not to be missed. I've already listened to the CD a few times and plan on listening a couple of more times. It's a great way to commute, listening while in the car driving around or stuck in traffic. A perfect companion for the ride.

The second CD also has a section of Q&A from listeners, and both of the speakers alternate in answering, going back and forth with their very positive and enlightening way of facing life, the world and their problems. It will make you think, it will make you want to change, and for the better. Kudos to these authors for this enriching experience which will certainly improve the way we think and react. To an extraordinary life!



FTC Disclosure: I received this item for free from Hay House Publishing for this review. The opinion in this review is unbiased and reflects my honest judgment of the product.

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