I was told that Johnny Boy was a gang member in his younger days. I confirmed this when I spotted the small tattooed dot on his forehead. Though gang members may not be the kind of people we would normally be comfortable with, I personally respect them for one thing. That is, they have a code of conduct or ethics to be admired for. They are a bunch of people who hold highly to loyalty. Unfortunately, Johnny Boy has brought nothing but dishonor and shame to this code of conduct or ethics. He is basically a very very petty person whereby he would keep accounts of what others have done to him and he takes things very very personal. At least that is what my dealings with him have proved.
When I joined the company, the first year, there was no annual increment. The second year, he only gave the managers an increment but not the the rest of the staff. Here is where I just cannot tolerate this practise. The staff make the managers look good. Without the staff, can the managers hold their heads up high?
On the third year, he sort of caved in to peer pressure. He originally did not intend to give us any raise. But Eric spread the news around the office that Johnny Boy got the head office to buy him a personal car. It was a continental car at that. When he felt the unhappiness of the staff, he took steps to try to calm everybody. He gave everyone a raise. But it was really really pathetic.
Among the staff, the amounts ranged from $10 to $50. Well I got a generous raise of $50 after 3 years of service to the company. I pondered about this and came to a decision.
I decided to return his kind gesture. So I walked into his office and spoke to him. I was very respectful towards him throughout the whole conversation. I started off by telling him that I am not making any personal attack on him but that it was a matter of principle. I told him that I would like to return the $50 raise he has given me. I explained to him that ever since I started generating reports, I know for a fact that the company`s sales has improved over the last 3 years, hence, to give me a $50 raise is just unacceptable.
He then asked me how much I wanted. I replied that it is not wise for him to ask me how much I wanted because the management has to put a value to that and not for the staff to make demands. He assured me that he wants to know what I have in mind rather than having to put in another figure and I may be disappointed with the figure again. I thought about it and said that $200 over 3 years would be reasonable to me. He then said that he will have to put in this request to the head office and that he would let me know.
He then started telling me that he is aware of the staff`s unhappiness about him getting the head office to buy him a car on the company`s account. I replied that I was not using that as an excuse to get a better raise and that I am not making him feel guilty about it. He confirmed his understanding.
I then asked him about career advancement in the company. I told him that I was concerned about it. I cited Hokkien Peng`s example. He has been in the company for 7 years and yet he isn`t moving up. If he doesn`t move up, I won`t get to move up. From his very own mouth, he told me that the company always gives internal staff the top priority when it comes to career advancement. I thought I could trust him. But as it turned out, he took this incident very personally.
Some of my colleagues told me that my career has gone kaput because Johnny Boy is a very very petty person and that he will remember this for as long as I am around.
What resulted was that I got a better raise and they gave Hokkien Peng a promotion. What the hell man. I was putting my neck on the guillotine and someone else got a better deal.
Anyway, when Johnny Boy gave me the good news, he told me this which I remember till this day. He said that in life, we cannot insist on living by principles, otherwise, life will be unlivable. This is the talk of a spineless coward. He has got no back bone of his own which is why he has to sell his soul to the devil.
Keep a lookout for part 2.
www.freeyourselfpackage.com
Monday, November 19, 2007
Monday, November 12, 2007
Jenny - The Grand Finale
I guess what Jenny eventually did would speak volume about her power mad cum hungry character. She is also a person who does not play by the rules at all. Indeed, as some of my colleagues would say, she is a person with a thousand faces.
This year, the announcement for retrenchment was made some time in April. It was announced that due to restructuring issues, head office decided to close the Singapore office and that the agency would be transferred to another company. This company turned out to be an affiliate company of the head office. It was made known that the reason for downsizing was because the head office decided to pull out one service which meant that the work load would be halved. This turned out to be a fabrication and a lie. So for those of you wants to work with the Vietnamese, just make sure you are not being made their carrot head.
But during May & June, Jenny was secretly conducting interviews for people to replace me & Hokkien Peng. This is outright wickedness on Jenny`s part. There is not a chance in hell that Jenny can explain her way out of it. However, I do hope that she has the ability to bear the consequences of her wicked deeds when her day of retribution comes.
Does Jenny have what it takes to be in management? Well, read on and you judge for yourselves.
Basically, the whole office knew that the name list was drawn up by Jenny alone. But, Johnny Boy insisted that it was himself, Jenny and the Vietnamese rep were involved in this decision making. In the marketing department, there was the new Assistant Trade Manager who was newly employed just to take care of existing clients, no need to bring in new clients. There was Hokkien Peng who can`t write a proper sentence to save his life if it depended on it and myself, the diploma holder who was doing reports for the department. Bear in mind that Johnny Boy publicly declared that his old staff would be the priority. How did they fare as management? Well, I thought that in such situations, they would retain people who could multi task. But their decision reflects how they took matters very personal and used this opportunity to get back at others. Well, no surprises here then. They retained the Assistant Trade Manager and Hokkien Peng, and got rid of poor old me.
Jenny Jenny, how to be a Assistant GM like that? Already a grown up and yet behave like a kid. As for Johnny Boy, he claims to be a man of integrity, so how can he justify and condone Jenny`s secretly conducting interviews with the intention of replacing me & Hokkien Peng?
I do hope that the piece of thread on Jenny`s wrist is meant to ward off evil. If not, then she is only shaming and dishonoring what the thread is supposed to represent and symbolize.
Till date, Jenny firmly believes that she did not betray me. However, she does not deny that I did help her to get rid of Eric. So she still owes me a favor but looks like she does not intend to make good for it.
I guess in office politics, power can make one do very silly and shameless things. Jenny is of a mature age but she has such a dark and sinister side to her character.
As the saying goes, you will reap what you have sown.
This year, the announcement for retrenchment was made some time in April. It was announced that due to restructuring issues, head office decided to close the Singapore office and that the agency would be transferred to another company. This company turned out to be an affiliate company of the head office. It was made known that the reason for downsizing was because the head office decided to pull out one service which meant that the work load would be halved. This turned out to be a fabrication and a lie. So for those of you wants to work with the Vietnamese, just make sure you are not being made their carrot head.
But during May & June, Jenny was secretly conducting interviews for people to replace me & Hokkien Peng. This is outright wickedness on Jenny`s part. There is not a chance in hell that Jenny can explain her way out of it. However, I do hope that she has the ability to bear the consequences of her wicked deeds when her day of retribution comes.
Does Jenny have what it takes to be in management? Well, read on and you judge for yourselves.
Basically, the whole office knew that the name list was drawn up by Jenny alone. But, Johnny Boy insisted that it was himself, Jenny and the Vietnamese rep were involved in this decision making. In the marketing department, there was the new Assistant Trade Manager who was newly employed just to take care of existing clients, no need to bring in new clients. There was Hokkien Peng who can`t write a proper sentence to save his life if it depended on it and myself, the diploma holder who was doing reports for the department. Bear in mind that Johnny Boy publicly declared that his old staff would be the priority. How did they fare as management? Well, I thought that in such situations, they would retain people who could multi task. But their decision reflects how they took matters very personal and used this opportunity to get back at others. Well, no surprises here then. They retained the Assistant Trade Manager and Hokkien Peng, and got rid of poor old me.
Jenny Jenny, how to be a Assistant GM like that? Already a grown up and yet behave like a kid. As for Johnny Boy, he claims to be a man of integrity, so how can he justify and condone Jenny`s secretly conducting interviews with the intention of replacing me & Hokkien Peng?
I do hope that the piece of thread on Jenny`s wrist is meant to ward off evil. If not, then she is only shaming and dishonoring what the thread is supposed to represent and symbolize.
Till date, Jenny firmly believes that she did not betray me. However, she does not deny that I did help her to get rid of Eric. So she still owes me a favor but looks like she does not intend to make good for it.
I guess in office politics, power can make one do very silly and shameless things. Jenny is of a mature age but she has such a dark and sinister side to her character.
As the saying goes, you will reap what you have sown.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Reactions So Far
So far, I have had mixed reactions. Before I proceed, I have to say that I appreciate feedback, be it negative or positive.
Some have said that my blog is brutally honest and yet others can sense anger and unhappiness in my blogs. Firstly, who enjoys being taken for a ride by others? Secondly, I believe or at least hope that my writing style can capture the essence of the reality of life.
I guess some may say that what I have gone through is like a drama serial seen on TV. Perhaps some script writers from Mediacorp can incorporate this script in their up and coming drama?
I also have to state that I am not trying to gain sympathy from anyone. I believe that there are people who may be depressed by the injustice they are experiencing or they may be wondering why bad things keep happening to them. By my experience, I sincerely hope that my blogs can convey to them that life MUST go on. Living life may be a matter of battling alot of negativity but all is not lost. Even if there are 5 wicked people around you, there are 5 or more good and sincere people out there.
Dear readers, if you have taken a tumble, pick yourself up and continue walking. And whatever harm people do to you, don`t go all out to mete out your justice to them. They are just not worth it. They WILL have their retribution in due time. Perhaps not this year, not next year or even for the next 10 years. But they WILL have their retribution.
Must read!
http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Story/STIStory_174031.html
Some have said that my blog is brutally honest and yet others can sense anger and unhappiness in my blogs. Firstly, who enjoys being taken for a ride by others? Secondly, I believe or at least hope that my writing style can capture the essence of the reality of life.
I guess some may say that what I have gone through is like a drama serial seen on TV. Perhaps some script writers from Mediacorp can incorporate this script in their up and coming drama?
I also have to state that I am not trying to gain sympathy from anyone. I believe that there are people who may be depressed by the injustice they are experiencing or they may be wondering why bad things keep happening to them. By my experience, I sincerely hope that my blogs can convey to them that life MUST go on. Living life may be a matter of battling alot of negativity but all is not lost. Even if there are 5 wicked people around you, there are 5 or more good and sincere people out there.
Dear readers, if you have taken a tumble, pick yourself up and continue walking. And whatever harm people do to you, don`t go all out to mete out your justice to them. They are just not worth it. They WILL have their retribution in due time. Perhaps not this year, not next year or even for the next 10 years. But they WILL have their retribution.
Must read!
http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Story/STIStory_174031.html
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Jenny - Part 3
Jenny seems to have a `flair` for marketing. Again, judge for yourself.
As with all sales people, Jenny had her own favourite client. But the way she took care of them was a tad bit strange.
In our industry, each booking should translate to one set of BL. At that time, the BL fee was $50 per set. So Jenny executed her marketing plan this way. She told her client that if they were to give her at least 10 bookings on each vessel, she will give them a one off discount on their already cheap rates. The best part was, they had to put it in one BL even if they have 10 separate bookings with us. That was really `smart` thinking on her part. Logically speaking, if her client booked 10 separate shipments with us, that would have translated to $500 in earnings from BL fee for the company. But based on her `brilliant` marketing plan, the company was making only $50 but more work to service her client.
However, after bringing this matter up to Johnny Boy, her client`s support dwindled immediately. Gee, I wonder why.
Whether she was benefiting from the arrangement we do not know. But who is the soap salesman now?
As with all sales people, Jenny had her own favourite client. But the way she took care of them was a tad bit strange.
In our industry, each booking should translate to one set of BL. At that time, the BL fee was $50 per set. So Jenny executed her marketing plan this way. She told her client that if they were to give her at least 10 bookings on each vessel, she will give them a one off discount on their already cheap rates. The best part was, they had to put it in one BL even if they have 10 separate bookings with us. That was really `smart` thinking on her part. Logically speaking, if her client booked 10 separate shipments with us, that would have translated to $500 in earnings from BL fee for the company. But based on her `brilliant` marketing plan, the company was making only $50 but more work to service her client.
However, after bringing this matter up to Johnny Boy, her client`s support dwindled immediately. Gee, I wonder why.
Whether she was benefiting from the arrangement we do not know. But who is the soap salesman now?
Jenny - Part 2
When Jenny was frustrated that Hokkien Peng and me were beyond her control, she started making life extremely hard for us. It was especially me because Hokkien Peng would only rant about her behind her back but would not speak freely when in front of her.
There was one time when she tried trapping me but her sinister plan did not bring her the desired result she wanted. In Vietnam, there are a multitude of ports, each being operated by different owners. Our vessels were calling at one particular port, port A. We also had a partner`s vessel that called at port B. We were accepting bookings to both ports but for port B, we could not accept bookings on our own vessels. So one day, I had a client who wanted to book a shipment on our vessel but to port B, which wasn`t allowed. For my part, I have already informed my client that if they wanted to book to Port B, they have to book on our partner`s vessel which was a later vessel. While I was out for sales, Jenny called me and clarified with me if I have clarified with my client regarding this and I dutifully told her that I have explained things crystal clear to my client. But lo & behold, she actually allowed my client to book to port B on our own vessel. In actual fact, the transfer from Port A to port B does not cost the company a single cent. So I thought that Jenny made an exception for my client. A few days later, Jenny shot and e-mail to me and said that because I have not done my job dutifully, an additional cost has been incurred to transfer the shipment from port A to port B. But she will write to the head office to appeal for a waiver for me.
I replied her e-mail with cc to Johnny Boy. I refuted her accusations with facts and I told her that there is no need to appeal for a waiver for me, I will just bear the cost on my own and asked her to take it from my salary. No reply from her.
Next day, Johnny Boy called me for a private chat. He felt that I was personalizing the whole matter and that it wasn`t good for the working environment. So I just explained to him that I could not understand why he arrived at that conclusion as in my e-mail reply, I clearly indicated that I want to close the case and move on. Johnny Boy said that he knows me well enough and he isn`t making a big deal out of it. He said that mistakes are made so that we learn from them and help them refine the work process. Then he began dissecting the whole situation. I felt so compelled to scream the answer to him. But thank goodness on this occasion, he was smart enough to conclude that the customer service should have been the first line of defense in preventing such things from happening. Case closed.
Well, what Jenny did or planned on this occasion, what would you call it? Sinister? Her intentions were rather obvious don`t you think so?
There was one time when she tried trapping me but her sinister plan did not bring her the desired result she wanted. In Vietnam, there are a multitude of ports, each being operated by different owners. Our vessels were calling at one particular port, port A. We also had a partner`s vessel that called at port B. We were accepting bookings to both ports but for port B, we could not accept bookings on our own vessels. So one day, I had a client who wanted to book a shipment on our vessel but to port B, which wasn`t allowed. For my part, I have already informed my client that if they wanted to book to Port B, they have to book on our partner`s vessel which was a later vessel. While I was out for sales, Jenny called me and clarified with me if I have clarified with my client regarding this and I dutifully told her that I have explained things crystal clear to my client. But lo & behold, she actually allowed my client to book to port B on our own vessel. In actual fact, the transfer from Port A to port B does not cost the company a single cent. So I thought that Jenny made an exception for my client. A few days later, Jenny shot and e-mail to me and said that because I have not done my job dutifully, an additional cost has been incurred to transfer the shipment from port A to port B. But she will write to the head office to appeal for a waiver for me.
I replied her e-mail with cc to Johnny Boy. I refuted her accusations with facts and I told her that there is no need to appeal for a waiver for me, I will just bear the cost on my own and asked her to take it from my salary. No reply from her.
Next day, Johnny Boy called me for a private chat. He felt that I was personalizing the whole matter and that it wasn`t good for the working environment. So I just explained to him that I could not understand why he arrived at that conclusion as in my e-mail reply, I clearly indicated that I want to close the case and move on. Johnny Boy said that he knows me well enough and he isn`t making a big deal out of it. He said that mistakes are made so that we learn from them and help them refine the work process. Then he began dissecting the whole situation. I felt so compelled to scream the answer to him. But thank goodness on this occasion, he was smart enough to conclude that the customer service should have been the first line of defense in preventing such things from happening. Case closed.
Well, what Jenny did or planned on this occasion, what would you call it? Sinister? Her intentions were rather obvious don`t you think so?
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Jenny - Part 1
Firstly, allow me to set the record straight. As mentioned in my previous post, I did help Jenny to get rid of Eric, as such, as a matter of principle, she owes me a favor right? I mean, if anyone out there has a different opinion about it, please let me hear your reasoning.
After Eric left the company, Jenny sort of had mixed emotions. I still remember that the evening that Eric left, Jenny called me from the office and broke the news to me. She was crying and I asked her this simple question. Why was she crying when she was expecting this result? She explained that she felt bad in view of the many years they had been working together. Crocodile tears.
Anyway, after Eric`s departure, I never at any point, asked Jenny to put me up for promotion. I just asked her a simple question, `Will they be hiring a replacement for Eric`s post or will they give internal staff the priority`? She assured me that they will not be hiring anyone outside for Eric`s post. But strangely enough, she said to me that I had to play catch up, hinting very softly that I wasn`t good enough. She said that I was like a soap salesman as I did not have any anchor client. How to when Eric was poaching my clients? Moreover, they prefer to continue selling at high rates while existing clients were still getting low rates. Oh my, I think her degree, if she has one at all, is made in Vietnam one.
The situation then was like this, on one hand, I had a diploma and was churning out fairly good reports. In fact, I was the only one doing their monthly marketing report. On the other hand, there was Hokkien Peng, who though was the senior staff, could not speak or write proper English. I am not running Hokkien Peng down but that was the actual fact.
It is true that Hokkien Peng did his more than fair share for the company. But show me an employer today who would continue to increase your salary annually based on past merits while nothing new was being accomplished at the current situation? Hokkien Peng`s clients no doubt gave good support but they too were enjoying low rates. To me, a good sales person is one whose clients are willing to stick with you despite being able to get a slightly cheaper rate from another competitor. If your clients can still make a profit based on existing rates and still chooses to stick with you despite being able to get cheaper rates elsewhere, I take my hats off to you. But the last I heard, his clients migrated to their competitors because of cheaper rates.
Back to Jenny. After my confidential chat with her, I started hearing rumours that the company would be putting out an ad for the post of Asst. Sales Manager. But I still gave Jenny the benefit of the doubt. However, Jenny did not breathe a word to me about this. At this point, I have to say that as a matter of principle or out of courtesy, Jenny should have informed me about it. I did not believe those rumours until I saw the ad myself in the papers. From that point, I felt betrayed. As such, there was nothing to talk about anymore.
Me and Hokkien Peng started to give her the cold shoulder and I just did sub-standard work. She could not take it lah. So she cried to Johnny Boy. The next day, Johnny Boy called me and Hokkien Peng into his office. He admitted that it was his original intention to get a outside replacement for Eric`s post. But now, he has decided to give us a chance to `prove ourselves`. I thought to myself, either this guy is constantly high on drugs or he just isn`t bothered about what`s going on in the office. So I just asked Johnny Boy a question, in what have Hokkien Peng and me not done to prove ourselves? His reply? I don`t want to talk about the past. I want to move forward. What can you say to that?
Anyway, the coming months since then, Jenny would come to reveal her true management style. She wants dogs to work for her. Some might say a dictatorship? She wants to be the smartest one and the one who is indispensable to the company.
Do wait for my next post and you judge for yourself if she is an ethical person or not.
Technorati Profile
After Eric left the company, Jenny sort of had mixed emotions. I still remember that the evening that Eric left, Jenny called me from the office and broke the news to me. She was crying and I asked her this simple question. Why was she crying when she was expecting this result? She explained that she felt bad in view of the many years they had been working together. Crocodile tears.
Anyway, after Eric`s departure, I never at any point, asked Jenny to put me up for promotion. I just asked her a simple question, `Will they be hiring a replacement for Eric`s post or will they give internal staff the priority`? She assured me that they will not be hiring anyone outside for Eric`s post. But strangely enough, she said to me that I had to play catch up, hinting very softly that I wasn`t good enough. She said that I was like a soap salesman as I did not have any anchor client. How to when Eric was poaching my clients? Moreover, they prefer to continue selling at high rates while existing clients were still getting low rates. Oh my, I think her degree, if she has one at all, is made in Vietnam one.
The situation then was like this, on one hand, I had a diploma and was churning out fairly good reports. In fact, I was the only one doing their monthly marketing report. On the other hand, there was Hokkien Peng, who though was the senior staff, could not speak or write proper English. I am not running Hokkien Peng down but that was the actual fact.
It is true that Hokkien Peng did his more than fair share for the company. But show me an employer today who would continue to increase your salary annually based on past merits while nothing new was being accomplished at the current situation? Hokkien Peng`s clients no doubt gave good support but they too were enjoying low rates. To me, a good sales person is one whose clients are willing to stick with you despite being able to get a slightly cheaper rate from another competitor. If your clients can still make a profit based on existing rates and still chooses to stick with you despite being able to get cheaper rates elsewhere, I take my hats off to you. But the last I heard, his clients migrated to their competitors because of cheaper rates.
Back to Jenny. After my confidential chat with her, I started hearing rumours that the company would be putting out an ad for the post of Asst. Sales Manager. But I still gave Jenny the benefit of the doubt. However, Jenny did not breathe a word to me about this. At this point, I have to say that as a matter of principle or out of courtesy, Jenny should have informed me about it. I did not believe those rumours until I saw the ad myself in the papers. From that point, I felt betrayed. As such, there was nothing to talk about anymore.
Me and Hokkien Peng started to give her the cold shoulder and I just did sub-standard work. She could not take it lah. So she cried to Johnny Boy. The next day, Johnny Boy called me and Hokkien Peng into his office. He admitted that it was his original intention to get a outside replacement for Eric`s post. But now, he has decided to give us a chance to `prove ourselves`. I thought to myself, either this guy is constantly high on drugs or he just isn`t bothered about what`s going on in the office. So I just asked Johnny Boy a question, in what have Hokkien Peng and me not done to prove ourselves? His reply? I don`t want to talk about the past. I want to move forward. What can you say to that?
Anyway, the coming months since then, Jenny would come to reveal her true management style. She wants dogs to work for her. Some might say a dictatorship? She wants to be the smartest one and the one who is indispensable to the company.
Do wait for my next post and you judge for yourself if she is an ethical person or not.
Technorati Profile
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Eric
I was retrenched from the company in July 2007. I was with the company for almost 6 years. This company was a cesspool of office politics.
In this story, the main characters are Jenny the Sales & Marketing Manager, Eric the Sales Manager, Johnny Boy the locally appointed director and Hokkien Peng the Uncle salesman.
This is a `fictional` story hor.
I had a chance meeting with Eric at the mechanic`s workshop. It was then that I found my new job. Before I started work for the company, a close associate warned me never ever step on Jenny`s tail.
Jenny was overall in charge of our department and Eric was supposed to report to her. Both of them had a love-hate relationship. Unfortunately, we the soldiers were always used as pawns in their office politicking. Jenny would always paint a picture of herself as the persecuted one by Eric.
I really think that Eric was a very insecure person. He is a compulsive liar and anyone who did not know him well enough will definitely be victimised by him as I was. His strategy was to make his victims feel very bad and inadequate about themselves and he would portray himself as God. At least that was what Hokkien Peng told me.
In my first few months with the company, he started to work on me. He told me that he got feedback from other colleagues that they did not like me and said that I was a free loader, always going around to ask for treats from others. When it came to my confirmation, he said that he was trying very hard to convince Johnny Boy to confirm me. He said that he even quarrelled with Johnny Boy to give me a $150 increment upon confirmation. I did get my confirmation with a $50 increment. Eric told me that me that he tried his best.
In my first year alone, Eric actually threatened to sack me 3 times. Hence, I decided to take a company sponsored diploma course. This meant that upon successful completion of the course, I would be bonded to the company for an additional 1 year. Upon completion of my diploma in Sales & Marketing Management, I presented my diploma to Johnny Boy. That was it. No increment whatsoever.
One day, Eric had gone too far in running me down and I confronted him about it. I told him the reason I took the company sponsored course was because he threatened to sack me 3 times. Stunned, he denied that he ever did that and that maybe I heard him wrongly.
Because of Eric`s poor written English, he `delegated` the job of writing reports to me. I was also asked to churn up various types of reports for analysis. Obviously, Hokkien Peng doesn`t know how to do it. So apart from bringing in high paying clients, I had to do reports as well.
Eric was closely associated with one particular client, a freight forwarder, which Hokkien Peng also knew. In the shipping industry, we have freight forwarders and direct manufacturers as our clients. Direct manufacturers would go to freight forwarders because manufacturers can get credit terms from them and not from shipping lines. Eric`s client always gets the lowest rates for obvious reasons. Firstly, it does not make sense for a freight forwarder to book with another freight forwarder. But I noticed that Eric`s client was taking bookings from the company`s list of clients. I wonder why?? I brought this issue up to Eric`s attention but his genius marketing brain explained to me that it`s because his client has the volume to justify getting low rates and that this is how they get their volume. How to beat such reasoning?
I also noticed that within one month of my getting a new client for the company, my client would book with Eric`s client. Gee, I wonder how Eric`s client got that info??
Eric only allowed me to sell at high rates. Rates that are way higher than our competitors. Each time I proposed a lower rate for my client, Eric would run me down, commenting on my inability. What can you say to that?
Personally, I have no problems with people who do such things. Let`s be candid, corruption exists everywhere no matter how developed a country is. The problem was, Eric went beyond the boundaries by running down his staff.
One day, an incident led to Eric`s `resignation`.
We had a trader as our client but Eric forwarded me an e-mail and asked me to apply for special rates from the head office for another client of his. The e-mail originated from his client and Eric just forwarded it to me without keeping Jenny in copy. The e-mail contained the trader`s details. So I just did what I was told. Then, I forwarded the e-mail to Jenny.
Then I got that fateful call from Jenny. She asked me about the e-mail that I sent. She could no longer deny what was going on about Eric. I threw the idea to her that if she is going to allow Eric to go on like this, then there would be no point for me to acquire new clients because it would just disappear to Eric`s client. I urged her to talk to Johnny Boy about it since she was in management. She act ignorant and asked me how she should go about doing it. I gave her some pointers and I gave her my word of honour that I will back her up all the way and that I will testify to Johnny Boy if it was necessarry. I also asked her if I could trust her. She too gave me her worthless word.
A couple of weeks later, Eric `resigned`.
In this story, the main characters are Jenny the Sales & Marketing Manager, Eric the Sales Manager, Johnny Boy the locally appointed director and Hokkien Peng the Uncle salesman.
This is a `fictional` story hor.
I had a chance meeting with Eric at the mechanic`s workshop. It was then that I found my new job. Before I started work for the company, a close associate warned me never ever step on Jenny`s tail.
Jenny was overall in charge of our department and Eric was supposed to report to her. Both of them had a love-hate relationship. Unfortunately, we the soldiers were always used as pawns in their office politicking. Jenny would always paint a picture of herself as the persecuted one by Eric.
I really think that Eric was a very insecure person. He is a compulsive liar and anyone who did not know him well enough will definitely be victimised by him as I was. His strategy was to make his victims feel very bad and inadequate about themselves and he would portray himself as God. At least that was what Hokkien Peng told me.
In my first few months with the company, he started to work on me. He told me that he got feedback from other colleagues that they did not like me and said that I was a free loader, always going around to ask for treats from others. When it came to my confirmation, he said that he was trying very hard to convince Johnny Boy to confirm me. He said that he even quarrelled with Johnny Boy to give me a $150 increment upon confirmation. I did get my confirmation with a $50 increment. Eric told me that me that he tried his best.
In my first year alone, Eric actually threatened to sack me 3 times. Hence, I decided to take a company sponsored diploma course. This meant that upon successful completion of the course, I would be bonded to the company for an additional 1 year. Upon completion of my diploma in Sales & Marketing Management, I presented my diploma to Johnny Boy. That was it. No increment whatsoever.
One day, Eric had gone too far in running me down and I confronted him about it. I told him the reason I took the company sponsored course was because he threatened to sack me 3 times. Stunned, he denied that he ever did that and that maybe I heard him wrongly.
Because of Eric`s poor written English, he `delegated` the job of writing reports to me. I was also asked to churn up various types of reports for analysis. Obviously, Hokkien Peng doesn`t know how to do it. So apart from bringing in high paying clients, I had to do reports as well.
Eric was closely associated with one particular client, a freight forwarder, which Hokkien Peng also knew. In the shipping industry, we have freight forwarders and direct manufacturers as our clients. Direct manufacturers would go to freight forwarders because manufacturers can get credit terms from them and not from shipping lines. Eric`s client always gets the lowest rates for obvious reasons. Firstly, it does not make sense for a freight forwarder to book with another freight forwarder. But I noticed that Eric`s client was taking bookings from the company`s list of clients. I wonder why?? I brought this issue up to Eric`s attention but his genius marketing brain explained to me that it`s because his client has the volume to justify getting low rates and that this is how they get their volume. How to beat such reasoning?
I also noticed that within one month of my getting a new client for the company, my client would book with Eric`s client. Gee, I wonder how Eric`s client got that info??
Eric only allowed me to sell at high rates. Rates that are way higher than our competitors. Each time I proposed a lower rate for my client, Eric would run me down, commenting on my inability. What can you say to that?
Personally, I have no problems with people who do such things. Let`s be candid, corruption exists everywhere no matter how developed a country is. The problem was, Eric went beyond the boundaries by running down his staff.
One day, an incident led to Eric`s `resignation`.
We had a trader as our client but Eric forwarded me an e-mail and asked me to apply for special rates from the head office for another client of his. The e-mail originated from his client and Eric just forwarded it to me without keeping Jenny in copy. The e-mail contained the trader`s details. So I just did what I was told. Then, I forwarded the e-mail to Jenny.
Then I got that fateful call from Jenny. She asked me about the e-mail that I sent. She could no longer deny what was going on about Eric. I threw the idea to her that if she is going to allow Eric to go on like this, then there would be no point for me to acquire new clients because it would just disappear to Eric`s client. I urged her to talk to Johnny Boy about it since she was in management. She act ignorant and asked me how she should go about doing it. I gave her some pointers and I gave her my word of honour that I will back her up all the way and that I will testify to Johnny Boy if it was necessarry. I also asked her if I could trust her. She too gave me her worthless word.
A couple of weeks later, Eric `resigned`.
My First Sales Job
My first sales job was with a local shipping company. This is perhaps the best job that I had. The boss is good and I was treated with dignity by my manager. I was with the company for about one and a half years. I parted with them on good terms.
Unfortunately, the competition was so fierce that we basically lost out to our competitors which resulted in having to scale down operations. Although I wasn`t retrenched or anything, I knew I had to look elsewhere just in case.
A chance meeting with Eric at my mechanic`s workshop led me to my next job with a Vietnamese shipping company. He told me to go for an interview as there was an opening for a sales executive due to expansion.
Unfortunately, the competition was so fierce that we basically lost out to our competitors which resulted in having to scale down operations. Although I wasn`t retrenched or anything, I knew I had to look elsewhere just in case.
A chance meeting with Eric at my mechanic`s workshop led me to my next job with a Vietnamese shipping company. He told me to go for an interview as there was an opening for a sales executive due to expansion.
Friday, November 2, 2007
The Italian Job
The second company I joined was a Italian owned shipping company. I joined the company as an executive. I was with the company for about one and a half years.
At that time, it was a relatively newly set up company. I joined the transshipment department as they were expanding. I was basically an outsider to this company as the then existing staff were considered the pioneers of the company. I could get along rather well with my fellow colleagues. But for some reason, the operations manager and the general manager just did not like me. Some of my colleagues just explained that it was just their nature. Anyway, I just did what was expected of me.
My department manager resigned as she was migrating and I got along pretty well with the replacement manager. I would say that he is a pretty loyal person.
The reason I left was very simple. I was being discriminated against by the operations manager and the general manager. When the time came for our variable bonus, everybody else got 2 months bonus while I got 1.25 months. I was the only one who got 1.25 months. My colleagues just could not understand why. To the 2 jerks, if you are reading this, I dare you to post your comments to refute me. Do not even dream of calling me a petty person. I say to you, do not, I repeat, do not give an excuse for your undignified behaviour.
My department manager could only sympathise with me as he was relatively new to the company back then and he just could not do anything for me. From that time onward, I dropped from 5th gear to 1st gear. Every working day, without fail, I would just walk out of the office and just go for a tea break. The GM did not confront me about it at all.
I started looking for another job and joined a local shipping company as a sales executive.
At that time, it was a relatively newly set up company. I joined the transshipment department as they were expanding. I was basically an outsider to this company as the then existing staff were considered the pioneers of the company. I could get along rather well with my fellow colleagues. But for some reason, the operations manager and the general manager just did not like me. Some of my colleagues just explained that it was just their nature. Anyway, I just did what was expected of me.
My department manager resigned as she was migrating and I got along pretty well with the replacement manager. I would say that he is a pretty loyal person.
The reason I left was very simple. I was being discriminated against by the operations manager and the general manager. When the time came for our variable bonus, everybody else got 2 months bonus while I got 1.25 months. I was the only one who got 1.25 months. My colleagues just could not understand why. To the 2 jerks, if you are reading this, I dare you to post your comments to refute me. Do not even dream of calling me a petty person. I say to you, do not, I repeat, do not give an excuse for your undignified behaviour.
My department manager could only sympathise with me as he was relatively new to the company back then and he just could not do anything for me. From that time onward, I dropped from 5th gear to 1st gear. Every working day, without fail, I would just walk out of the office and just go for a tea break. The GM did not confront me about it at all.
I started looking for another job and joined a local shipping company as a sales executive.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
My First Job
My first job was in a Taiwanese shipping company. I worked there for about 6 and a half years. It was a clerical job and I was a total greenhorn when I started work there. Looking back, I now appreciate and understand what it means to experience a learning curve. As I improved and understood my work better, I felt a genuine sense of pride. Even now, at 36, I am on a learning curve to better understand Internet Marketing.
During my time with this company, the company rewarded my progress which contributed to my productivity for the company. I was given a promotion to the next level annually during my time there. Just imagine, I started off as a grade 3 clerk and eventually made it to executive level.
However, I realized that that was the end of the ladder for me. I mean, the only way to move further up was to either wait for someone to quit or for someone to kick the bucket. But they were already in their comfort zone with no clear intentions of moving to greener pastures and they were in rather good health at that time.
Well I could have just stayed on and just banked on the annual increment. But the problem was that the manager who trained me was transferred to another department which was rather incompetent. His staff were taking turns to take medical leave which really was a disruption to the work process. The work process was such that I had to deal and correspond with them and you can just imagine the disruptions I faced back then. What`s more, his staff were rather sloppy and regularly made mistakes. As such, it turned out that I was having problems getting them to do their part. Call me stubborn but I think that one must be disciplined & pro-active enough to be productive. I certainly did not want to be held back in my work because of someone else`s lack of professionalism. This resulted in my exposing his staff`s inadequacies and he wasn`t too happy with it. This resulted in protecting his staff and making trouble for me. I just can`t understand such a mentality.
Looking back, I can only say that he was behaving in an immature way given his senior position. But what to do, it takes all sorts of people to make the world an interesting place to live in.
My second job was with an Italian shipping company.
For those who are in the shipping industry, I was a transshipment executive.
During my time with this company, the company rewarded my progress which contributed to my productivity for the company. I was given a promotion to the next level annually during my time there. Just imagine, I started off as a grade 3 clerk and eventually made it to executive level.
However, I realized that that was the end of the ladder for me. I mean, the only way to move further up was to either wait for someone to quit or for someone to kick the bucket. But they were already in their comfort zone with no clear intentions of moving to greener pastures and they were in rather good health at that time.
Well I could have just stayed on and just banked on the annual increment. But the problem was that the manager who trained me was transferred to another department which was rather incompetent. His staff were taking turns to take medical leave which really was a disruption to the work process. The work process was such that I had to deal and correspond with them and you can just imagine the disruptions I faced back then. What`s more, his staff were rather sloppy and regularly made mistakes. As such, it turned out that I was having problems getting them to do their part. Call me stubborn but I think that one must be disciplined & pro-active enough to be productive. I certainly did not want to be held back in my work because of someone else`s lack of professionalism. This resulted in my exposing his staff`s inadequacies and he wasn`t too happy with it. This resulted in protecting his staff and making trouble for me. I just can`t understand such a mentality.
Looking back, I can only say that he was behaving in an immature way given his senior position. But what to do, it takes all sorts of people to make the world an interesting place to live in.
My second job was with an Italian shipping company.
For those who are in the shipping industry, I was a transshipment executive.
Welcome
Wow. I actually have my own blog! I do hope that visitors would enjoy reading my blog. Not to sound brash but I really think that you would enjoy reading my blog about what I have been through and what my experience has thought me. Especially the bitter ones.
Firstly, why did I choose to name my blog `loyalfreedom`?
Both are tied to what I am doing right now, that is, I am earning my own money on my own merits to care for my family. Or, as some might say, I am self-employed.
I have worked in the shipping industry for about 15 years. I will be posting about my years in working for the various companies in another folder. And I guarantee you that it will be an interesting read. But early on in my working years, I have always wanted to start and have my own business. And this is out of loyalty to my family and myself. In what way?
Think about it. Why do employees always look out for greener pastures, looking for jobs that would pay them better than their existing job? Is it not so that they can give, not only themselves but their family a better life? Is that not loyalty in motion? Today, can anyone show me a employer`s appointment letter that says your job is safe until you retire? Yes my friends, employers are not, and perhaps never will be loyal to employees. In every company, the profits are what matters most. If a company is in the red, either they have to cut your salary or they have to retrench you. Businesses cannot run on charity. Does anyone have a alternative logic to that reasoning?
In the corporate world, your loyalty is always for sale to the highest bidder! As an employee, you owe it to yourself and to your family to move on to greener pastures! Yes my friends, loyalty is one of the motivating reasons for me to start my own business.
How about freedom? Well, to be specific, I am talking about financial freedom. I think most of you would agree with me that most of us are enslaved to debt. Home owners would have to service their home loans. That requires money. Car owners too have to service car loans. Unless you are getting a car allowance from your company, that would be an additional burden. Averagely speaking , I think the majority of home owners are taking at least a 10 year loan period. Some others would take a 15 to 30 years loan period. As such, are we not enslaved to debt?
Unfortunately, being born in this part of the world, this is our lot in life. By the time we actually get to enjoy the fruits of our long years of labour, we would be in our 60s if things turn out smoothly for us.
So what is my personal take on financial freedom? To be debt free and to have either a very sizable savings account or a regular stream of income.
Those are the 2 main reasons for wanting to have my own business. I am a real estate agent now, hence if you do require the services of a real estate agent, do drop me an e-mail. I am also into Internet Marketing. Do have a look at my folders that contain various work-at-home business opportunities. This is something that you should seriously think about if you want an additional source of income.
Firstly, why did I choose to name my blog `loyalfreedom`?
Both are tied to what I am doing right now, that is, I am earning my own money on my own merits to care for my family. Or, as some might say, I am self-employed.
I have worked in the shipping industry for about 15 years. I will be posting about my years in working for the various companies in another folder. And I guarantee you that it will be an interesting read. But early on in my working years, I have always wanted to start and have my own business. And this is out of loyalty to my family and myself. In what way?
Think about it. Why do employees always look out for greener pastures, looking for jobs that would pay them better than their existing job? Is it not so that they can give, not only themselves but their family a better life? Is that not loyalty in motion? Today, can anyone show me a employer`s appointment letter that says your job is safe until you retire? Yes my friends, employers are not, and perhaps never will be loyal to employees. In every company, the profits are what matters most. If a company is in the red, either they have to cut your salary or they have to retrench you. Businesses cannot run on charity. Does anyone have a alternative logic to that reasoning?
In the corporate world, your loyalty is always for sale to the highest bidder! As an employee, you owe it to yourself and to your family to move on to greener pastures! Yes my friends, loyalty is one of the motivating reasons for me to start my own business.
How about freedom? Well, to be specific, I am talking about financial freedom. I think most of you would agree with me that most of us are enslaved to debt. Home owners would have to service their home loans. That requires money. Car owners too have to service car loans. Unless you are getting a car allowance from your company, that would be an additional burden. Averagely speaking , I think the majority of home owners are taking at least a 10 year loan period. Some others would take a 15 to 30 years loan period. As such, are we not enslaved to debt?
Unfortunately, being born in this part of the world, this is our lot in life. By the time we actually get to enjoy the fruits of our long years of labour, we would be in our 60s if things turn out smoothly for us.
So what is my personal take on financial freedom? To be debt free and to have either a very sizable savings account or a regular stream of income.
Those are the 2 main reasons for wanting to have my own business. I am a real estate agent now, hence if you do require the services of a real estate agent, do drop me an e-mail. I am also into Internet Marketing. Do have a look at my folders that contain various work-at-home business opportunities. This is something that you should seriously think about if you want an additional source of income.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
