People

Today I am in a completely different mood than that of the last post. Reason ? Its the people who make you happy or sad or irritated. Its the atmosphere you work in. I'm feeling as though there's no other better place to work in.

It all started when my boss decided to go on a week's leave. I was very apprehensive as to who will be taking his place in his absence to oversee the day to day work. However I was proved wrong. I wasn't convinced on the first day. Was a little conscious/reserved while approaching him. But the coming days were a pleasant surprise.

I guess I have a new friend or a "buddy" at work now. It has been like an oasis in the desert. Never expected someone here. Especially where the organization is mostly made up of people who are older to you and are not interested in making friends but giving orders and are not happy with whatever you do. Although I know a couple of people of my age, I've never felt like speaking to them about certain topics. It would be mostly about work. I can't help smiling at people now.May be it was months that I smiled from my heart at work. The day begins with a good note and ends with good memories to cherish. The last one week is like I've never expected at this place...

To put it in my friend's words, I hope that this friendship becomes a "big banyan tree".

Is this all in our mind? Is our approach different to different people? Why can't we behave in a similar manner with everyone? Is that where the individuality/personality comes into picture?

Well good things won't last for ever. But memories do. And so does a good friend...

P.S : So many things to share but unable to express it with words. Might have edited this post a hundred times....

Work place crap...

Many might be astonished or frown upon the caption ..but thats how i am feeling at my current place of work. Some might even say that I am lucky enough to have a job.

But I say I would have been be better off with out a job like this. And the problem is got to do nothing with the people with whom I work with. Its the people who come to the workplace.

OK .I know Im confusing everybody here. So let me give a brief background about my job. I am working in a Nationalized Bank. Yes I know I have nothing to complain about. But the truth is since it is a nationalized bank, all sort of people come to the bank. Rich and poor(middle class toowho are in small no.), Arrogant, hot headed, egoistic,and down to earth, literate, semi-literate(ya that exists too!!) illiterate people.

Category 1 : Rich , arrogant,egoistic, semi literate(or semi illiterate??) illiterate

Category 2 : Middle class , arrogant,egoistic, semi literate, illiterate

Category 3 : Rich, down-to-earth, literate(so no other handicap) - not many such people


So whats the problem? The people who come to the bank( most of them) belong to category 1 & 2 . Very dangerous people. Impossible to satisfy them. They don't care what work you are doing. They have to be ' served' first. Even if you are attending to other customers.

For them money speaks. They look at people as though the bank employees are a piece of rag. Ive been to banks as a customer. Ive not treated any one like that.

Had an exchange of heated words with one of the above described people. I almost threw the cheque at him. Had an itching of throwing it into the face. Well didn't do that. I regret that.

I know that the organizations want that customer service to be excellent and all that crap. But how far can one push in the name of customer service ? If the mistake is at our end, ok we accept and take the blame. But what if its from the other end? Who is going to listen to us?

Customer cant always be the king. Nor can the management dictate for a long time. This is where attrition starts. One might say this is not the time to say all this because of the market condition. Sometimes the frustration becomes so much that one start thinking that one is better of not having a job.....

I know a lot of people disagree with me....

An Experience Outside A City

I had an opportunity to leave the madness of the city for two days. A great experience all in all. It was a hill station 200 km away from the city in which I leave in.

Each place has its advantages and disadvantages. The remote place would definitely not be well connected as well as the cities are but have many things to offer...from fresh air to breath and friendly people. One cannot expect the same from the city. The polluted air makes you want to get out of the place but has the advantage of being well connected and caters to every need of yours. The people....well are not that friendly towards strangers. Me included. After all we read in the newspapers one cannot help but be on guard.

I happened to notice this subtle difference when we( me and my family) were walking down a lane where one could expect no shelter other than the houses. It started raining heavily. We had to run into the compound of a small house where we took shelter. There was also a year old baby with us. The owner of the house was very considerate to invite us inside the house to take shelter. However only the mother and the baby went inside the house as we didn't want to dirty the house with our muddy shoes.

The next time it was the people of the hills. They look after the cows and grow coffee for their livelihood. The children attend a near by school started by a social worker.

There was no TV in the lodging we stayed. Well I didn't miss it. By the time we returned to out rooms in the evening everyone was tired. This also gave us an opportunity to spend some quality time with our family members without the disturbance of the 'Idiot Box'.

May be we can try and do that here too. Switch off that TV for sometime. But is it really possible? Someone or the other will have something or the other program to watch; it might be the news channel or some other serial.

Well this sort of outings becomes necessary to re bond with the people who matter to us the most.