I was at a coffeeshop when I noticed a table of Indian men seated where a well-dressed looking good in MU T-shirt aged 50ish, leading a talk (could be business, MLM or social) to the group of 3 stout men of mid-30s. To his immediate right, was a young male who looked to be in his early to mid-20s.
What was apparent that the early morning breakfast discussion was of value and great interest. The young man perhaps was either disinterest or there was a message on his phone for him.
At one point, after the young man put away his phone, he chipped in the conversation. The elderly man not short of interested listeners said this, "Boy, ...........". The "boy" was taken aback, I was taken aback.
The manner was said by this stylish elder man and the body language provided me that we are still very Asian in the task we do each day. The boy - can be anybody you know in public.
Bill Gates - 1st company at the age of 13. Microsoft at the age of 20.
Larry Page (25) and Sergey Brin (24) started Google Inc. in 1998.
Suhas Gopinath (14) started Global Inc. and recognised as the world youngest successful entrepreneur.
There are of course plenty more....
It doesn't matter who is the boy, its how you say it and you never know who is on the other end of the stick. Boy, what a big slip to start your 2010.
Evening Dinner
I went to a recommended bistro (one and only) at the New World Park, Penang. I got to know the proprietor a long time back when I approached him for business. So this was kind of our first meeting after a year's absence. Met him with a handshake and a new year greeting. The establishment was in full swing and I managed to get a small tidy table for myself.
Looked around, the head waiter was extremely busy. Not taking orders but white-washing the juniors when I was looking for someone to take my orders. He told me with his palm, to wait, at less than 1m away. So I waited. When he came to take the order, I somehow felt the service was not up to my mark. Again, its the tone of voice, the body action.
Fillet mignon, cooked medium. Excellent stuff and compliments to the chef.
Somehow, the bad waitering kept playing in my mind even though I read my book on Peter Drucker's biography. Midst in my wonderful steak, the head waiter dropped over and quizzed how was my steak. "Delish...". He smiled. Eh... the man actually smile? And poke up a signal of the ol' thumb-up indicating Great.
Now... considering the whole environment, its a New Year, the full-house, waiters here there, I would dare say, I was wrong to early judge the man. In organisational behaviour we call it"Halo Effect". Meaning to say, we meet a lot individuals, we see the good and the bad and we figure we know everything and interpret the positive and negative well enough based on 1 single trait or appearance.
This gentleman, I have seen him many times but never this close-up and never served up by him, I must admit he did his work well.
So if you ever give a thumbs-down to a place, a service - maybe once, perhaps its worth the while to check why people always gave good comments about it when you or I weren't there.
I was there on the 1st day of 2010 and I can tell you, the second time - well-worth more than just a steak.
Happy New Year!
Erasmus Koay
Servicing Your Customers and You
