so that's how it is...

April Fools' day is more like a bad luck day... hah... it's good that I was dateless.. otherwise, would've to cancel... 'coz some problems cropped up at work...

Ok, warning first... below are all rants.. hey, I had to output it somewhere.. so this is how I chose to do it. Skip if you wish but it's quite entertaining writings, if you ask me :P

So as if problems at work wasn't enough, calling for a cab on a public holiday's eve is like a nightmare...after 10 mins of hearing the music, finally got the operator and she has to put me on hold for another good 5 mins before coming back with the cab num. But the cake on the icing gotta be this... waited for 15 mins, and still no sign of the cab, called operator and had to wait 5 mins just to get the operator to answer and another 2 mins for her to call the cab only to come back to say that there was no such booking. wth! So i said, can't you just go and get me one now? So I was put on hold again for another 5 mins... before she finally said, "I will call you back because haven't gotten any taxi reply yet" -_-''' She could've said that in the very beginning before putting me on hold.. i wasted 30 mins out of my 100 mins subscription... per month. *sob* *sob* As if that wasn't enough... I was in the midst of gastric pain 'coz i only got to eat past 9pm... triple *sob*

So when the operator finally called back after another 5 mins wait (my mobile battery was like very low..like gonna die soon kind) and confirmed the cab number, I said, "Are you sure you had KEYED the number into the system? Because I wouldn't want to WAIT for another 10 mins and still no cab is coming!" <--- can you sense the desperation in this?

Taxi finally came, and I sat inside, feeling a little agitated. So I commented to the driver that SMRT had lousy operators. I described the situation and taxi uncle agreed that indeed their operators are really s l o w. So he related HIS experience with the operators and the management of SMRT. Whoa, I don't want to hear your stories.. I just needed someone to acknowledge that I had a bad experience but noooooo, he just had to go on and on about how BAD his experience was and so, mine was like.. trivial stuffs... Sigh.. oki doki, got it.. EVERYONE wants to be HEARD but no one wants to empathize.. cool

Ended up, I listened to his stories, said my ahems, orh.. oic.. and I suppose I was a good listener and conversationalist (giving myself a pat on my back), so he felt pretty good after that and was in a good mood and wished me happy holidays and to take care when I alighted. Of course by then, I had cooled down and was no longer angry 'coz I realised, even if I am angry, what's the use? The world is not gonna change...

But seriously, SMRT should look into their processes and IT system. Here is what I observed:

1. Operator sounds like she was taking multiple calls at the same time. (how can I tell? To be explained below)

2. Operator tells you the cab number.. verbally. This is room for error as operator may tell the wrong number to the wrong caller. How I know? Because when the operator confirmed the cab number with me, she said, "You are Mr..?" and I had to tell her my name and location again. This is very big clue coz if her computer screen is already showing my phone number and location then this mistake will not happen.

3. When I called the SMRT booking line for the second time, it was able to state the last booking pickup point but not the booking number. This means some data was stored in the computer system. But when the operator picks up the call, she had to ask for the cab number again (??) Seriously, the system should store the cab number lo.. otherwise how they trace? No tracking one ha? Anyway, the operator had to make me wait for some mins before coming back to say the system did not store the cab number for my booking. Seriously, if the computer show no number, just tell the customer that prev operator (although I got the same one.. ) made mistake, say sorry and offer to call another cab la. Why must waste people's time? Common sense mah..


But I suppose, they had to keep the cost low.. so probably the operators are overworked, and just a bare minimum system to keep the business going. Eh.. sounds familiar!! Ha... ha.... ha....


I hoped your day fared a little better than mine!

taxi uncle

Yesterday took a cab from Tanjong Pagar back to home. The taxi uncle was quite friendly and talkative, but he talked like an old old man. So along the way, I've sort of noticed how his taxi will somehow lean towards the left and just like an inch away from the other vehicle...

Then the conversation went on to the way motorist behave on the road.

taxi uncle: You know ah.. last time I was driving with a female passenger, and ah this car I don't understand why ah.. suddenly came up from behind and tried to block my way.

me: orh... (glancing at how close his cab is to the lorry on the left)

taxi uncle: The passenger ah, was sooo terrified.. but you know ah, until now I still don't understand why the other car like that... still don't understand you know...

me: *probably 'coz you veered into his path!* (thinking silently)

taxi uncle: You know ah.. I've always been a careful driver... But then ah.. accidents do happen... You know ah.. accidents are hard to predict.. so they may happen.. (when he's talking animatedly, his hands will be lifted off the steering wheel...)

me: uncle.. but safety still comes first

taxi uncle: You know ah.. once, when driving.. also with female passenger.. we nearly got into an accident...

me: (slowly inching towards the right side.. in case of collision, still have hope of survival...)

Then the uncle stop at the traffic light. And he said, "You know or not... when I see the things at faraway... my eyes can see better! I'm long-sighted (老花眼）.. not near sighted..." Then I said, "Orhh.. me also." Oops, the uncle got excited and turned to look at me. "You!? Sure or not?" Then he took off his glasses and handed them to me and said excitedly, "Look... see how many degrees.." I was like, "Err... uncle no need no need.. you better concentrate on the road!" Then he still insisted, so I quickly look look and said, "Aiya.. I don't know la.. " Then he took off the glasses and decided he won't put them on again!

*gulp* I said, "Uncle, you better wear the glasses!" But he smiled and said, "No need.. " I was getting worried... Then I asked him his age. He asked me to guess.. So I said, "70? 60?" He smiled and said, "58!" I was like.. har... 58 ah.. but he looked more like 68 to me!

So the rest of the journey was like our taxi keep on veering towards the left, with maybe one inch from the other vehicle but luckily, arrived safely at the destination. Phew...