No Problem

 There was this ad many years ago, for a bike, that said it was a No Problem bike. Nicely made. 

So, one can imagine a conversation that goes "No problem" as follows-

Someone- It's so hot!

You- So what? No problem. Makes you appreciate the cool weather when it comes.

Someone- There's so much traffic.

You- Yes, but I think about other things while stuck in it. Not a problem.

S: It keeps raining so much.

You- We need the rain, farmers will have no problem.

S: There is so much corruption all around.

You- It could be worse, in some countries, they kill innocent people. There is so much violence.

S: My boss is always putting me down, 

You- Think about those who don't have a job. What's a bit of a problem with the boss?

Exam Obsession

 We as a country (I mean India) have an exam obsession. But I suggest going a step beyond, and doing some research on what kind of exams are good and what are counter-productive, or even unnecessary (!)

A simple aptitude test is probably OK, to check if a person has basic skills like language or logic for a particular field of study, but almost everything else can be learnt on the job if the candidate has the right aptitude, and attitude.

Within courses of study, application should matter a lot more than it does now. Industry needs to get involved more, in engineering, commerce, and management at least, in offering internships, live projects and practical training that is flexible, and results in learning of that kind. Teachers can do their bit by designing evaluation techniques that encourage these learnings- class projects, discussions, debates and presentations, rather than 2 hour exams that test rote learning, at all levels. If a simple test of aptitude can generate a merit list, Board exams can be eliminated, and replaced with other forms of continuous evaluation. The pandemic has forced a rethink on many centralised exam systems that may have outlived their utility. 

A major rethink is needed, on the whole subject of what role exams should play, at every stage. 

Customer Service Excellence

Is good customer service a result of attitude, or can it be taught/learnt?

I think the answer is both. I have had hundreds of good and bad experiences with it. Some, like a five star hotel that I stayed in (only a couple of times, on work- I can't afford it otherwise), seem to make a special effort for their employees to learn it. But some others who don't have the good fortune to work for such an employer also seem to have a great attitude towards serving customers well. Not all the time, I might hasten to add.

It could be a small tea vendor at the corner, or a mid-tier restaurant such as a South Indian one serving simple fare, usually the attitude shows during service. The waiter can be very easy-going, and friendly, and intuitively knows when to ask something, and when to stay away. A salesperson in a retail store, ditto. Over-aggressive sales guys are almost as bad as ones that ignore you when you are 'crying' for attention, handwaves and all.

Our bank tellers used to be rude in the extreme, when the public sector banks had a monopoly. Now, such instances are far fewer. One of the reasons Flipkart has done well, I am told, is due to excellent customer service.

May the tribe grow- A Customer and a Maketing Teacher.

Cancer and Our Response to it

I have now met three people in close circles who have recovered or are doing so from various forms of it, post chemo and radiation. I am amazed at their attitude- every one of them. I am sure it is not easy to be resilient, or cheerful, in the face of what was once thought of as a death warrant.

But the fact of it is that if not cancer, it would be something else. Biologically, we are constructed to deconstruct at some point in life, after our biological function (procreation or the extension of our species) is complete. We may have other aims in life, creative or spiritual for example, and usually we get ample opportunities to pursue these as well. Some of us become poets, writers, scientists who make discoveries, teachers and so on.

Coming back to cancer, its treatment in early stages at least, is now advanced enough to give you a few more years in relative peace, compared to a few years ago. Though the causes remain elusive, it is estimated that at least some are pyschological. So it is with the treatment and its impact. A positive self-image, attitude and good self-esteem, seem to do good things to a recovering patient of cancer. Great that I found this in all the three I met. Three cheers to their zest for life! Much better than the drugs and despair of various celebrities, I would say. These are the heroes/heroines for me.