கொசுறு

10 வருஷத்துக்கு முன்னாலே நடந்த சம்பவம். சென்னையில் வேலை செஞ்சுக்கிட்டு இருந்த சமயம். வேலை முடிஞ்சு நைட் பத்து மணிக்கு ஆயிரம் விளக்கு வழியா நடந்து வந்துட்டிருக்கும் போது நடை பாதையிலே ஒரு குழந்தை அழுகிற சதம் கேட்டு பார்த்த்தேன். ஒரு அம்மா நல்ல தூங்கிட்டிருக்க, ஒரு பெண் குழந்தை நல்லா அழுதுகிட்டு இருந்தது. எனக்கு ஒண்ணும் புரியாம  நான் அங்கேயே நின்னேன். நான் நிக்கறதை பாத்துட்டு அந்த சைடா போறவன் வர்றவன் எல்லாம் என்னை ஒரு மாதிரி பாத்துட்டு போனாணுங்க. அங்கே நிக்கறது அங்கம்ஃபர்ட்டபிளா ஃபீல் பண்ணினேன். ஆனாலும் அந்த குழந்தையை விட்டுட்டு போக மனசில்ல. பக்கத்துலேயே  ஒரு பிச்சைக்காரன் படுத்து இருந்தான். அவன எழுப்பி 100 ரூபா குடுத்து பக்கத்துலே இருந்தா ஒரு கடைலே பாலும் பிஸ்கட்டும் வாங்கிட்டு வர சொன்னேன். அதுக்குள்ளே அந்த பொம்பள ஒருவழியா எழுந்து உக்கார்ந்துது. போன பிச்சைக்காரன் பாலும் பிஸ்கட்டும் வாங்கிட்டு வந்தான். அவங்கிட்டே ஒரு 50 ரூபாயும், அந்த பொம்பள கிட்டே  ஒரு  50 ரூபாயும் குடுத்துட்டு நான் போனேன். 

Misc

I have noticed that some of us (or most of us) treat the call center professionals (or the service providers) like they are our servants (or even worse). The other day, the internet was down at our place. We have the service provider's office in the basement and I went to inquire about the issue. While I was talking to the person there, one of the fellow residents came about and started talking trash. He started shouting at the person and even threatened to beat him up. The poor fellow was at the receiving end and he was trying to pacify the person by telling him that we will have the connection back up soon. The resident left but not before threatening the service provider of dire consequences if the services do not resume in 5 minutes. All along, i was looking at this and felt really ashamed to be standing there. I didn't intervene and shout at the resident for his improper behavior - though i had my reasons not to do so - that resident was over 6 feet and was almost breathing down my neck though he was shouting at the other person. I had to be safe first :). But jokes apart, I should have spoken and let that resident know that this is not the way to talk to anyone. I was like this too, but a couple of instances changed my thinking. I was once a call center employee too, though not catering to Indian people, I had to cop my fair share of abuses while on the job. Second, i once tried to shout at a manager of a reputed A.C. company for his lack of responsiveness, but was promptly put in my place. The conversation went something like this

me: Hello, is this Nagaraj from xxx?

Nagaraj : yes sir

me: what are you doing Nagaraj. I have bought this A.C. two weeks back and your people havent come yet to install it? This is the third time i am calling you and every time you promise you will send the person, but no one turns up, what the hell is happening?

Nagaraj: no sir, I will send them in two days sir. ple....

me - (at this time, i totally lost it, since i have been following up for this for quite a while), you shut up and listen to me. you have to send the person in the next two hours or i am going to complain to your regional office. what are you man, do you not understand the word "Service"?

Nagaraj : (silence)

me: why are you not talking, will you send the person or not?

Nagaraj : sir, you asked me to shut up, so i am not speaking. you can scold me sir, you can say whatever you want. I will send the person in two days

me :?????

i was totally taken aback by this. I thought I can have my way by shouting at him, but this person has totally put me in my place. I told him to send the person whenever he feels like and i kept the phone down. I haven't shouted at a call center employee or a service provider since.