After Hours

These days, I usually finish work around 9pm to 10pm.

The whole idea of Marketing Executives having to stay back hours long even after the required hours is starting to sink in.

Needless to say, by the time I finish work....I'm 110% famished. Cant really have a heavy lunch - else I'll get too sleepy when I head back to office; and at the same time dinner is about 9pm.....the moment I step out of office, its like releasing wolf on a full-mooned night. There's only one thing on my mind.

Still, sometimes I get so tired I always resort to my all this favourite; TV-dinners; but in my case, PC-dinners. I save alot of time munching dinner while chatting online, reading blogs and surfing the net.

And another good thing.....when you leave work that late at a place like Bugis; the Cold Storage there always have this clearance offers for their sushi bar.

A set like this cost me only about $7. Cheap huh?

Streeeeeeeess &......TREXIES!!!

Damn its been a stressful week.

Its already my 3rd week in my new company and I'm still trying to adapt and find my place within the entire organisation. Cant really say it has been a honeymoon period as well. Every day when I set foot into office, I have to start writing down a to-do list. And as each day goes by, the list seems to be getting longer and longer.

There has been ups, and there has been downs. The up parts are mostly when I manage to get things done and the sense of accomplishment is simply fabulous. And the down parts? Well, thats when I kena buttered by my boss. Its a serious test to my resolve.

I remember I used to know that whatever shit is thrown my way, I can take it. I can adapt and soak in any information like a dry sponge. I never wavered. But not this time.

These days I find myself doubting myself more and more. Everything has its own intricate detail that must not be missed. Thats what you get from a boss who's a perfectionist. ZERO tolerance for incompetence.

Still, I constantly remind myself that I'm learning loads and this is my best chance to make it in the Marketing field. Its just worth it. Every shit, mistake and lesson. Something is there to be learnt.

And oh yea....anyone heard of Trexies before? Just take a look at these 2. Attitude siah!!!!

Man of Steel

Alright, I cant help it. I'm seriously H-Y-P-E-D out about it already.

My all time favourite superhero's finally back on the silver screen after so many years of absence. And he's coming back in style.

Damn straight. I'm not talking about some sissy cigar grunting mutant with claws or some blind dude with red-colored spandex. And he sure aint one of those low-grade torned up hero with a sad pathetic background story.

This guy's the Alpha, the Omega. He's Superman. Yeah baby. (And dun anybody dare to diss the Man of Steel. I'll be sure to shove a kryptonite up your nether regions where the sun dont shine.)

Anyway, Superman has come a long long way. The most memorable actor who played the Man of Steel, Christopher Reeve. in life, Reeve was every bit of Superman on and off screen. He was Superman in every sense of the word. And finally, Reeve met his demise in 2004 succumbing to his paralactic horse riding injury. Still....this man never let anything keep him down.

Reeve and Routh. Dead-ringers for the role of Superman

And now...years later. We have found the next Man. Kudos to Bryan Singer for finding the perfect successor to Reeve - Brandon Routh. Just look at him! You really cant go wrong.

Now, I only hope Superman Returns will do justice to the legend. To my childhood hero. To the Man of Steel.

Black Bye Summit

Best night I had for the entire week.

Miraculously for this particular week.....ALL, for the first time, the ENTIRE Black Bye team was able to make it for a steamboat session at my place.

Sadly this is what has become of my mahjong table. Had more makan sessions on this table rather than mahjong sessions.

You see, back in M1, a few of my colleagues and I were known as the Black Byes. And yes, it sounds vulger. And if you have a problem with it....shoot yourself. In the head. Twice. - Hehe...its been a long time since i used this line. But anyway, the formation of the Black Byes involves a long and interesting story. But in the end, dont get me wrong...we're not named after a certain pubic region of the female gender.

In total, there are 6 of us. And in the past, we always wanted to have a Black Byes Summit; though it never materialised. Its either one of us were on some cock shift, or something else. So in a way, this is our very first.

An "aerial" shot of our dinner

Its really fun to see everyone again. And I havent laughed that hard in ages. Also, I even got the chance to update myself with the latest gossips in office. Though, from what they are telling me, seems like things are getting from bad to worse in M1. The situation has came to a stage of Red-Alert and even CD, OMs; are called out to answer calls. I guess in many ways, its time they have a taste of their own medicine. Now....they will know what the CSOs are going thru.

Just too bad I'm not around to see the look on their faces.

After dinner, every stayed back with the exception of Alvin - being a father and a family man, he has to see his kid home. Still, it was fun. The rest of us just chit-chatted and hung around watching the World Cup matches.

However, I was most touched when my ex-bosses and colleagues asked me about my new job. I explained to them about the difficulties and the stress that I'm facing....all of them are very supportive and encouraging.

Its really something when you have your ex-bosses cheering you on for your new job. They keep on telling me that I'll do fine. I must admit, their words do give me temporary reprieve from all the pressure I'm going thru.

Black Byes FOREVER!!! =)

48

Ok....finally its the weekend. Something which I havent really got used to yet.

Though, it doesnt mean the pressure is off. Just yesterday had the first one-on-one meeting with my boss. And immeadiately right off the bat, he layed down what was expected of me.

And all I can say is....it dont look pretty.

It seems like my responsibilities just grew triple exponentially. First, there was competitor tracking. Second, there is advertisement tracking...then later on added with budget setting and monitoring. And the list goes on and on and on and on.....

But the biggest fear in mind came to reality. Marketing Strategies. The highlight of my meeting today was more or less like an emperor's decree. I was to formulate and materialise 48 Marketing strategies for the next 1 year.

48......48.....48 MARKETING STRATEGIES!!?!?!?!!??!

So, tell me I dont have stress. With zero Marketing experience, I now have to formulate 48 marketing strategies with budgets of thousands of dollars. No doubt about it. I cant make any mistakes. And as much as I love Marketing, this is truly proving to be a challenge.

Still, looking back from where I'm coming from.....this is where I'm suppose to be.

Later on, after work....went out on my first out-of-office dinner with another colleague. She's been with the company for quite some time now and its somewhat of an orientation to me.

Went to Billy Bombers and of course, I ordered the trademark All-Star burger!!!!! Seriously the BIGGEST burger it town....finally I manage to have a decent meal for the past few weeks.

Yup, my 2nd Billy Bombardment

In the end, you can say that the dinner was...."educational". Learned alot about the company and my colleagues. And also, it gives me a opportunity to express my thoughts and concerns to another colleague which I have been keeping to myself all this while.

Well......so far, so good. Pressure, pressure, pressure.

I keep on telling myself.....we eat pressure for breakfast.

Big Shoes

Its been a loOoOoOOoOoOooog day at work today.

Though, as each day progresses, the more I learn. And as expected, the workload today are piling in non-stop.

After lunch, I could hardly catch a breath and its one task after another. However, I have now come to one conclusion on my current job. There are some seriously big shoes to fill.

With the departure of the previous Marketing Manager, there are so many things under her belt that needs to be picked-up at the shortest time possible. So, I guess these days I'm racking my brain trying to remember every single thing that I have learnt for the past 4 days.

In a way, I'm not too sure if I'm able to live up to expectations; and it also feels weird to be making so many dicisions in a day. And the decisions I have to make these days....will either break or make the company.

Which ad to run, when to run it, what are the budget considerations, whats the reach of publish ads and who are the target markets. All these questions and a hundred more are always on my mind constantly.

So as you can see, I'm seriously stressed out. Without any prior experience, all I can do is go on my gut feeling on the best Marketing strategies I know.....after that, I'm leaving it to the stars.

Difference between Heaven and Hell

Just came back from "dinner" with Don....kinda happy to see a familiar face after 2 days of work at the new place.

Well, whatr can I say about my new employer? Hmmmmm....lets just put it this way; its DIFFERENT.

Back in M1, no matter the time or period of the day, you are always busy. Every second, every minute have to be spent online with the customers. But here.....no, things are less stressful. Though, somehow you will feel that every minute you spend doing something....its something worth doing. You feel as if you're not wasting your time away.

On my very first day....must admit that the earlier part of the day was kinda boring. I had tonnes of material to read and in a way, working there requires alot of self-initiative. I'm not told on what to do, but I just have to cover as much as I can. Still, it was.....fulfilling.

What I get to do in the end of the day is Marketing. I'm learning tonnes as I go along. Get to have meetings with PR and Advertising agencies, work hand in hand with the Projects team to organise events. And of course, what I like best....thinking of Marketing ideas to push the product. And I'm happy to say...some of the ideas have been well received.

In months to come, I can foresee that my workload can only get heavier and heavier. Why? Because I am the only staff in the Marketing Department!!! Its a one-man show!!! Hehe...thats because the previous Marketing Manager got pregnant and now she's a full time mum. However, I'm not complaining.....what I'm learning now is priceless.

In the end...I'm happy I took the big step leaving M1. I remembered when I was back in M1....after working 9 and a half hours staright, I come back home feeling down, exhausted and lethargic. All I want to do is go to bed and not do anything else.

But for this job.......even after today.....my second day. I just finished work at 8.30pm; which I have been working for 11 and a half hours, all I wanna do now is to go to sleep..........So I can wake up early tomorrow for work again!!!! hehe =)

Its really such a drastic change for me.

Your current schedule is LOGOUT

Its over.

I've read my last greeting and I've uttered my last closing. Not much of a secret right now....but my last working day in M1, is officially over.

As common as it comes, last days are very much....bittersweet. On one hand, I was about to embark on a new career and hopefully better things. But on the other hand....I was leaving the only people I know in Singapore...and my friends.

Still, in the end of it all...it felt surreal. It doenst feel like it was my last day and I cant seem to believe it. When I took my last call - for formalities sake - I started to reflect on my very first call about 3 years ago. And somehow...it just doesnt seem that long ago.

Took the time to talked to a couple of friends before I left and I was hoping so much that I wont get teary eyed. Thankfully I didnt. Though, for a few moments, I was really touched by the parting words of some of the managers and colleagues.

So, now...whats in store for the future? Too fuzzy to predict anything I guess. But definately no more working shifts, no more talking to morons and explaining why phone bills are high.

Finally. Thank you for calling M1.For more pictures, please feel free to click here.

Friends

Well....guess I'm starting to feel it.
The countdown begins as I have less than a week before I leave my current job. 10th June. Thats the date. My last day at a place which I started my career straight out of college. The place where I served and report to work for the past 3 years. And also....the place that actually open the doors to Singapore for me.
Not too sure how I will feel during my last day. Guess it'll just be any other day I suppose. Not many people will be in office as its a Saturday anyway.
Though, one thing for sure, I will definately miss the people whom I've worked with. People that have gone thru with me during my ups and downs. People that has been there for me when I didnt have anyone left in Singapore.
I've definately made truly good friends there. I've mentioned it before; no matter what was the reason that brought me to Singapore, but one thing that I am grateful is that I found this wonderful group of friends.
And of course......managers - my immeadiate managers that I feel I will never be able to find in other companies. Still, I see them not as managers. I see them as..... friends. Friends to share stories with.

Then, there's my colleagues across the call center floor. The BYES. The bowling team. All of them I will surely miss. It is only these people that gave me much encouragement to move on with my career. For the past few days...they have put to rest much of my anxieties I have about my new job.
All their words, faith and confidence in me.....in a way, I am really touched by it. Just hope that I will not dissapopint them.
Thats how much these friends mean to me. =)

Bombs Away!!!~

Got alot of things done today, and especially some banking matters that I have been procrastinating for quite some time. However, the highlight of the day was......dinner with my long time pal and ex-colleague Rena!

Its been almost 2 to 3 months since I saw her and we decided to meet up for dinner at Billy Bombers - Parco Bugis. She's still the same and to anyone that knows Rena, everyone can attest she's one of the nicest people you can ever meet.

Though, I'm kinda envious of her. She's been travelling alot lately. Been to KL, Cameron Highlands; just rececently came back from Australia and......heading to China again this month!!! Talk about globe trekking!!!

Anyway, it was really a blast to see her again and catch up with our lives....and before you know it....she sprang a surprise and gave me a belated birthday present!!! And this my friends.....is a seriously SPECIAL present. You know what she got me? A picture frame.

Yeah, yeah...most of you must be saying, "A picture frame? Pfft! So what? Thats boring".

BUT trust me when I say special. I cant stress enough that its so, so, so, so, so, so, so special and unique!!!!!! Check it out!!!! She got me a levitating/floating picture frame!!!! HOW COOL IS THAT?!?!!?

It spins!!! You have have 2 seperate pictures on each side - *ting!* how nice if I had a girlfriend so I can put my pic on one side and my girlfriend's pic on the other. Heheh...then I'll be spinning the darn thing around everyday.

Its like something out of Star Trek!!!!!!!! I cant wait to start using it!!! Though, the only problem is finding the right spot for it (as it has a magnetic field, so kinda sensative to other electronic appliances)...and of course....figuring out what pictures to add in.

Beam me up Scottie!!!!!

House of Cards

Call it the end of the road. Call it reaching its limits. Call it Mass Resignations.

Since the day I tendered my resignation, another 5 has resigned as well. And most actively for the past 3 days. Its as if there's a resignation every day. I guessed in many ways, I've already seen this coming. And I also have raised my cautions to some of my managers that this might happen. And it did.

Still, nothing much can be done. Not even my immeadiate managers can do anything about it. As long as the call center is being runned by arrogant imbeciles and morons; no pun intended - but they're gonna run the place to the ground. Its all coming apart at the seams. Even during my exit interview, I have raised my concerns to HR and voiced out to them what are the difficulties CSOs have to go thru; I'm not too sure if it will bear any impact.

For the past few days, the management has been sending out emails asking everyone to contribute for more OT. And they even used the words "rough times". But c'mon, who are responsible for these "rough times"?

I've said it once, I'll say it again. When 1 month you don't hit your targets. It might be a fluke, it might be CSOs playing punk. But when you dont hit your targets for 6 months, you really have to start looking at the bigger picture.

When they ask, "Why is Service Levels plunging every day?". The answer, "Cos of low staff strenght."

And when they ask, "Why is the staff strenght low?". The asnwer, "Because staff are resigning".

And when they ask, "Why staff are resigning?". That my friends.......the blind morons at the higher management will never be able to comprehend.

Still, one thing I did noticed when I resigned. Some Operational Managers looked at me as if I betrayed them. As if I have left them in their hour of need. And trust me, it is not the look of gratitude or appreciation of any sort after 3 years of working hard to serve them.

And to add salt to the wound? CSOs suffer and fight so hard to save Service Levels...so that in the end of the day, some Operational Managers can get their Call Center Manager of the Year Award by CCAS.

Not this year.