At Subway today at lunch.....

[Fortan]

... the line was exceptionally long. It is usually quite long but today VERY long... reason being that a trainee was being put to her test on the cash register.... It baffles me why they don't ask her to step out during lunch break instead of putting her, as well as the 30 customers waiting, under stress and pressure. I go to this shop often, so pretty sure this was the poor girls first day....

[Flyjet1]

Might be helpful if you share the outlet. but I guess all the subways in town are packed during lunch time.

[Fortan]

Might be helpful if you share the outlet. but I guess all the subways in town are packed during lunch time.

This was in Tanjong Pagar. What I was objecting was throwing a trainee at the wolves on one of her first days during lunch break... why? Why not teach her before and after the busy lunch break for a period, instead of throwing her straight in. Just don't see the purpose of it....

[the lynx]

Especially with Lau Pa Sat closed down for renovation for weeks ahead!

(Wait, are you talking about Subway in CBD area?)

[Fortan]

Especially with Lau Pa Sat closed down for renovation for weeks ahead!

(Wait, are you talking about Subway in CBD area?)

The one at 100AM mall.

[kookaburrah]

It seems to be the norm here.

A while ago, the local ATM system was down, and you couldn't get money from any of the local banks' holes in the wall.

I really needed cash so i went in the main office of UOB (I bank with them) and joined the queue for cash withdrawals.

The queue was extraordinarily long. And it kept getting longer, as people who needed cash walked in to get some.

Behind the counter are two trainees, each looking about 11 years old, and one supervisor, hopping between stations giving instructions (a bit like "now you press there.... no, not there. there.... good.... now you see this screen? you want to check that and that... yes... and then you press there....) Each customer was taking an aeon to see to, the trainees were looking like hares in a shooting range and the supervisor seemed completely unconcerned.

I did not blow my top on the poor trainee as she was stressed enough, but I did call a supervisor aside and told them it was not acceptable to have their ATMs out of service and trainees behind the counters during people's short lunch breaks. She blinked at me and reacted much as if i'd suggested they do the whole service in medieval Danish. I gave up.

[Mi Amigo]

You mean like this?

[Fortan]

It seems to be the norm here.

A while ago, the local ATM system was down, and you couldn't get money from any of the local banks' holes in the wall.

I really needed cash so i went in the main office of UOB (I bank with them) and joined the queue for cash withdrawals.

The queue was extraordinarily long. And it kept getting longer, as people who needed cash walked in to get some.

Behind the counter are two trainees, each looking about 11 years old, and one supervisor, hopping between stations giving instructions (a bit like "now you press there.... no, not there. there.... good.... now you see this screen? you want to check that and that... yes... and then you press there....) Each customer was taking an aeon to see to, the trainees were looking like hares in a shooting range and the supervisor seemed completely unconcerned.

I did not blow my top on the poor trainee as she was stressed enough, but I did call a supervisor aside and told them it was not acceptable to have their ATMs out of service and trainees behind the counters during people's short lunch breaks. She blinked at me and reacted much as if i'd suggested they do the whole service in medieval Danish. I gave up.

I did actually make a remark about the trainee as well today. Said to one of the older employees, if it was possible to take over the cash register to shorten down the expedition time. She looked at me like I was trying to rob her.... Sometimes it is like the people here have been given instructions and they follow them to the point and dot. Doesn't matter if there is a special situation that requires special attention or the shit is about to hit the fan, they just continue. The system is more important than the outcome. Lately I visited a pizzeria and chose a pizza and asked the waiter if I could have some fresh chilies on it? She replied in distress, I have to go ask my manager.... she came back and said that I could have fresh chilies but it would be 1$ more. Okay I said, please add fresh chilies. 15 minutes later the pizza arrived... without the chilies... sometime I am just about to give up

[kookaburrah]

HAHAHAHA Classic!

[beppi]

The system is more important than the outcome.

^^^This!
Although for fairness I must say that I've also encountered a fair share of pragmatic problem solvers in Asia, they just tend to be more successful and advance in their career faster, so you won't see them in menial or simple customer facing jobs.

[sundaymorningstaple]

And this is why this country will NEVER be a country of PMETs.

[ScoobyDoes]

.... she came back and said that I could have fresh chilies but it would be 1$ more. Okay I said, please add fresh chilies. 15 minutes later the pizza arrived... without the chilies... sometime I am just about to give up

So long as they then didn't try to charge you the $1 (point of principle, not the monetary value) but knowing the way things are I suspect the instruction didn't make it as far as the order.

[Fortan]

.... she came back and said that I could have fresh chilies but it would be 1$ more. Okay I said, please add fresh chilies. 15 minutes later the pizza arrived... without the chilies... sometime I am just about to give up

So long as they then didn't try to charge you the $1 (point of principle, not the monetary value) but knowing the way things are I suspect the instruction didn't make it as far as the order.

They removed the charge, after I looked through the bill and saw it was there. I love my food spicy so it was a bit of a letdown to have to settle for chili flakes.... it never made the kitchen, it made the order blok...

[beppi]

SMS: What is a PMET? (Sorry if I'm ignorant here ...)

[Mi Amigo]

Pre Menstrual Employee Tantrum.

Just kidding, actually it's Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians.