iOS 4.3.3 (untracking your location)

Apple was quick enough to respond on the recent hubbub thrown at them from all angles of the technoworld - the buzz about "your iDevices are tracking you".

The news came to a wildfire last week of April and has intensified further when countries such as South Korea came up to Apple questioning why it's collecting location information.

The first wave of news about this tracking, spying, and storing the location information where you have been, made me a little freaked out. It has subsided and ebbed slowly as soon as i've set foot on the blogs of NYTimes' David Pogue and Scott Adams'. Their insights and perceptions at least have made me calmed down. (I'm an advocate of privacy, so despite the vastness of the internet, i'm kind of cautious on my online trails nevertheless)

As of this writing, my iDevice is currently working its guts to finalize the iOS 4.3.3 update. I'm glad Apple has immediately insinuated this update.

So, for all of you folks who have iPhones, iPod Touches, and iPads... go and connect your iDevice to iTunes and update your software. (yun lang! unjailbreak na naman)

-mAc

5 Best Practices in Lessening Supervisor Calls (SUP CALL)

As a customer, you would feel insignificant or simply unserved whenever a prolonged loop of resolution is always thrown to your queries and complaints. It is best to understand what went wrong despite putting all the necessary efforts, reverse psychology and other strategic tactics just to straighten up the issues and get what you wanted. Assuming, most of the above points  were covered and you simply just doesn't want to give up in getting the perfect satisfaction; might as well ask - I'd like to speak to your supervisor!

That statement must be the dreaded level in a call for all service representatives in the call center industry. Yet, there are numerous ways on how to cut the rope before the heat gets in there. Below are 5 best practices in reducing sup calls.

1. Take ownership of the customer and the call.
Immediately provide assurance and obviously tell the customer that you're owning her case once the problem has been stated and established. This will add a factor of confidence from the customer of what you can do and beyond.

2. Set expectations
Probably this is always being overlooked by most representatives, but in most ways, this is actually a great equalizer. It's also an effective "cover your ass" strategy so long that you convey with utmost clarity and charisma. It's always a rule of the thumb to set expectations after you and the customer have  come to terms on what the problem is all about.

3. Always sound confident
Your voice is one primary asset when talking to the customer. Although, accent and fluency are all subjective, it's always a win win scenario when you can match the pace and mood of the customer. It'll always create a good vibe and a feeling of mutual attachment from the other end when you're confident on what you're saying.

4. Be professional but always personalize the call
This may sound contradicting but the formula is actually easy: Personalize your calls by simply being you (inject a thought provoking situation which  you think & feel that could lead to a great chit-chat) without red flagging your QA guidelines or policies.

5. Be Proactive to offer your Supervisor
It would be useless if you're fighting to the customer just so she will give up in getting your sup on the phone. It's the customer's right anyway to talk to a sup if she want to. From the deepest recesses of your mind, you'd feel it when it's coming, and to counter that, don't say "let me check with my supervisor" instead, "my Supervisor would be happy to assist you". That way, you'd be much more a pro in the eyes of the customer.


Don't ever feel guilty whenever a customer is asking for a supervisor. This oftentimes happen when you're trying to establish the rules and policies of which the customer wouldn't want to accept. As they've said, you can't always please everyone. To reflect and to think back what could you have done better in turning that sup call into a praise call, is a great tactic to improve. You will know and you will always analyze the two sides of the coin what went wrong with it and how you could have made it to be a satisfied customer.






posted by MAC

Departures (tv series)

When Romy, my buddy, introduced me to the show - Departures, i just shrugged and left it untouched in my external hdd, that was for a week. It's like i don't wanna feel like watching a series, yet, due to the impasse floating around during the holidays, i was mandated to browse the folders, then launched VLC player and started watching the show.

Prior to the first episode of season 1, i was already pre-empted by my buddy of what's the series is all about. I never thought to be so unique and so cool, i couldn't help remembering National Geographic Channel. I loved watching NatGeo when i was a kid but this travel-serial-tv really blew my mind, it was awesomely plotted and well-narrated.

Probably the biggest turn down on it was the non-girl casting, the starring roles go to Scott and Justin; while behind the camera is Andre -  he maneuvers the journey and travel thru his wisdom in lens and video. Despite the lacking of a girl character, i think it was far better off, than with a girl in it. As i moved on from the 1st episode to the next and to the next, it dawned on me that an inclusion of a girl as one of the main stars would definitely hinder the extremities of their journey. 

As entertainment and lavish-breathtaking scenes of natures rolled up on my screen, from the vantage point of a cinematographer(Andre) conveying it thru the realization of this kind on a serial tv, the inspiration to travel came rushing in through me like a mammoth arousal. I felt envious to Scott and Justin suddenly, their jobs to travel the world is downright an "i wanna be part of that stuff too".

Somehow, the profoundness and depth of the show invigorates every single nerve in me to jump out from the comfort zones in real life. While it's true that the show is funded, it's absolutely screaming on the audience to enjoy life to its fullest. This travel show may not depict a truly one perfect vacation, but it certainly plays the resolute wisdom that reality is as is, that "we are living in a strange world, don't be a stranger to it" (quoted from Scott)

Another epic character of the show is on being neutral, Scott and Justin could rant and talk about the negative vibes in every culture and country they've experienced but never did i hear any. Instead, the blackballs on certain cultures that was apparent (they didn't talk about it but it was shot thru) as the camera rolls, were turned to give an aspect of realization that indeed, everyone of us, every country and society have their own to offer and cherish from the perspective of a foreigner. Appreciation - that was what i learnt as my eyes feasted on the extraordinary, while the negative impressions on certain countries accumulated thru reading the news and watching CNN were suddenly vanished, rather, i was now more grateful and has intellectually widened my perspective on the people in all walks of life.

I couldn't describe much the enjoyment of watching the travels and adventure, i am neither promoting nor advertising but everyone of us must have an eye on this show. This goes esp to the upper upper class people who are so capable in travelling- it would be a superb experience in life. 

Travelling though is still relative, we might be stuck in one place - but it's still considered as a journey. I dream the day when i myself would travel around the different countries in this world, with the sole purpose to seek and experience adventure, doing a rendezvous from one scenic spot to the next. Taking in full the danger, thrill, adrenaline and bliss of trip to forevermore.

 PS: if you wanna know their facebook page, click here.

posted by MAC

The Vegan Wrap (My Midnight Snack)

The wisdom of whatever the mind can conceive, it can be achieve, lucidly bounced back into my train of thoughts after i've tried and realized TPEB's food recipe. Neither am a bon vivant nor a special kind of vegan, but i really mind my food intake nowadays.

I realized also that preparing your own food somewhat relieves the tension inside the mind and body that was accumulated in a day's work. By cutting and slicing the veggies, and or prepping the bowls and all, somewhat creates a soothing and calming effect.

The Vegan Wrap lifted from TPEB's blog is so easy to prepare.

Everything's self-explanatory, based on the images below. Before you hit the break though, these are what make my tastebuds drip with gusto. So if you want to make you're own, be creative and follow your cravings. The possible list of ingredients can be found here.

Goodness great! Flashes of memories ran through me as i've seen the final outcome of the cut veggies inside the airtight containers, it brought me back to nostalgia at DELL's pantry in Mall of Asia where you could pick the fillings of your sandwich.

Listening to OPM alternatives (Eheads, Rivermaya and the likes) while the earphones are plugged tight on the iPhone made me even more crazy and anxious while preparing this. I couldn't help but smile deep inside. I think it's what you call, preparing your food with love and affection.

It was too late to find for a low calorie wrapper, so i just grabbed a brown-kubos (brown bread) and used it as my wheat tortilla.

Mixing, mixing, mixing. According to Celes, it's better to pour your dressing before plugging in the lettuce. Indeed! i followed.

I just added some mayo on the tomato ketchup.

Wrap it up, hahaha! i couldn't tuck it in properly. Cuz i'm superbly eager to chomp down and taste the home made creation.

Heavenly awesome!!! It's indescribable, i just so love the taste, i could really savor the juice of the mixed fruit and veggies, creating a deliciously aroma inside my mouth.

 It was unbelievably tasty. I relished it with gusto and pride. There are some points that i want to emphasize in here:

1. This home made wrap snacku is cheap and downright economical
2. Easy to prepare, and is not time consuming since you are segregating each veggie in a lunchbox, that is, whenever you feel like making one, just grab those boxes and pour them in to your tostillas.
3. It's utterly delicious and nutritiou.

My inner mind is trying to convince me again to slowly convert myself into a pure vegan. Somehow, i would do that in the future, not now. Meat is still irresistible.

Then again, i realize one thing here, i love preparing my own food, it gives that kind of unblurted satisfaction in the inside.




PS: if you choose grapes, make sure it's seedless... that oozing juice from it really makes you feel tangled.

Preposterous

How many times would i listen to our favorite song?

Before i realize i was too late to bring you back.

I couldn't discern no more between reality and illusion

Or am i just getting stoned by the endless pang of regret?

I wouldn't want you back, but the crisp, vivid memories

Are just so hard to let go, so brief yet full of bliss

"Do me a favor baby, put down your new God"

The song goes, over and over again

The melancholic rhythm drowns me

Allowing me to breathe once and for all

To cherish and reminisce

the good times, our downsides

and yes, even the pledge..

the silent intimacy that was never spoken

where the language of action

murmured in pain and disbelief

and in glorious affection

to finally submerge the unsung hymn of our hearts

 -mac

(damn right! i'm just feeling homesicked again, good thing there's an outlet like this to kill the attempting party of radicals)