Friday, February 5, 2016

Cebu Sojourn

After a successful leadership summit in 2014, we, the Senior Management Team once again came together for the second leadership summit to look back at the highs and lows of 2015 and move forward to a bigger, better and bolder 2016. The summit aims to align all our leaders with the overall objective of the company, harness the collective knowledge of both operations and support leaders to help in developing solutions to existing problems and introduce new strategies to better improve performance and productivity. The summit also serves as a venue to fuel collaboration across different segments of the organization – from training to support groups to operations. This year, the event was held in Mactan Island and Cebu City from December 11 to 13, 2015.


We departed Manila at around seven o’clock in the morning and arrived at the Cebu airport about an hour and half after. Upon arrival at the airport, we headed to our first stop in Cebu – the Lantaw Floating Native Restaurant located in the southern coast of Mactan Island. Lantaw is the Cebuano term for “can be seen from a distance”. As the name suggests, the restaurant is built atop Cebu’s sea water where diners can also enjoy a spectacular view of the surrounding hills and Cebu City skyline in the distance.


After our first meal in Cebu, we billeted at the Be Resorts along the shores of Mactan Island.


The summit officially kicked off with the adrenaline-infused Skywalk Extreme. Skywalk Extreme is a guided walk round the outer ledge of a tower, approximately 450 feet above the ground, on a thin glass and metal walkway, with no handrail. This exhilarating team building activity was a bonding experience that gave the team a big sense of achievement. The activity reminded everyone to learn how to deal with the unknown as the team continues to focus on promoting success and productivity while embarking on the new challenges that 2016 will bring. The experience taught everyone to step out on their “Skywalk”, gather new data and experiences, strategize and take action!


On day two, the team toured around Mactan Island and Cebu City to discover their cultural heritage and explore some of the Philippines’ most famous religious and historical landmarks. The tour started in Lapu-Lapu Shrine where a 20-meter bronze statue was built in honor of the hero Lapu-Lapu. Next stop was the Alegre Guitars, a local guitar factory where one could witness the step by step process on how traditional Philippine guitars are made. The tour then proceeded to Cebu City passing through the 1.2-KM Marcelo Fernan Bridge. It spans across Mactan Channel connecting Lapu-Lapu City in Mactan Island to the main island of Cebu.


From there, we visited The Taoist Temple situated 300 meters above sea level offering a grand view of Cebu City. The tour then went to Museo Sugbo (Cebu Museum) which used to be called Carcel de Cebu, the provincial jail of Cebu. The tour continued at Fort San Pedro, built by Spanish and indigenous Cebuano laborers, followed by a stop at the city's most famous landmark, Magellan's Cross. Just a few steps away was the Basílica Minore del Santo Niño. This Augustinian church was made a basilica in 1965 during the 400th year celebrations of Christianity in the Philippines. They also made stop over at Shamrock Pasalubong Center to buy Cebu’s famous Otap and dried mangoes and at Tabo-an Public Market, Cebu’s official dried fish market.

The primary goal of having trips of this nature is not just to have fun and relax away from the office. It also gives the leaders opportunity to learn new things about each other as a change of environment can bring new attitudes. This creates experiences that bring us together, stimulating team identity, spirit and belonging making the team more cohesive and function better for the company.


Day two culminated with a business presentation from me and it opened with recorded video greetings and motivational messages from Executive Vice President of Client Services Paul Grant, Vice President of Operations Bernie Tuazon and Director of Client Services Kate De Grazia. It was followed by comprehensive review of Sprint Prepaid’s successes, accomplishments and challenges in 2015 and the things in store for 2016. In the middle of the presentation, participants were engaged in a focused and framed discussion on the key objectives of the coming year and initial plans and preparations on how to achieve them. The presentation ended with a solid call to action from all departments to make 2016 a huge success.

Finally, on the last day, the team watched the sun as it rose against the blue shades of the sea and sky - the golden sunrise that symbolizes new beginning, new opportunities, new challenges, new endeavors.



The leadership summit was indeed a memorable event that’s strategically significant for everyone.




Thursday, February 4, 2016

SM North EDSA: Apology Letter

Dear Mr. Quintos, 

Thank you for allowing me to speak with you over the phone the other day. 

Once again, please accept our apologies for what you have experienced in our Store. 

We are most grateful that you relayed to us your observations which we really welcome. 

We understand where you are coming from and we appreciate that you would want to help us improve as we also do our best to continuously upgrade our level of customer service. 

Your suggestions/feedback have been shared with our package counter staff and I have personally re-oriented them so a similar incident may be avoided. 

We are monitoring them and ensuring that we deliver exceptional customer service to each and every customer. 

We hope that we will see you again in our Store and that you will have more enjoyable shopping experiences than unpleasant ones. 

If you would allow us, we would want to meet you personally during your next visit. 

We sincerely wish you a very Merry Christmas and a most blessed 2016! 


Very truly yours,   

ANA S. JEANJAQUET (sgd) 
Assistant Branch Manager 
0915-2100792 

JUVY B. BALA (sgd) 
Senior Branch Manager 
0917-8071054 

SM MART, INC. 
SM City North EDSA 
SM North EDSA, North Ave., PAGASA 1, Quezon City 1105 
Contact No.: 926-4765; 926-9002 to 06 local 101/102 
FAX No: 928-1690 
Email : AnaMilagros.S.Jeanjaquet@smretail.com 

Thursday, December 17, 2015

An Open Letter to SM City North EDSA Management

Good day!

We shopped at your department store in North Edsa for some Christmas gifts last thursday, December 3. After paying for the stuff we bought from your store, we thought of checking out if we could find more gift items elsewhere so we went to the department store package counter to leave what we bought and we were declined. They said they do not accept items bought from the department store. We went to the nearby supermarket package counter to leave the items and we were told that some of the items we had were glasswares so they could not keep them. They referred us to customer service. Having worked in the customer service industry myself, my expectations with your customer service people was high. We asked if we could leave our items we brought from your department store and the first question your customer service staff asked was, "May bibilin po ba kayo sa loob?" (Referring to your supermarket). Was that supposed to be your first question? What if we are not buying from your supermarket? We would not get any help? Considering all the paper bags we were holding were from SM Department Store, wasn't that enough reason to get help from your "so-called" customer service? It should not matter whether we go take some coffee or watch a movie. 

Your staff or even managers in charge of customer service should go to the nearby Landmark in Trinoma and observe how they assist their customers. We bought some groceries there and after paying at the counter, the cashier immediately asked if we wanted to leave what we bought first at the package counter or if we wanted to be assisted going to the parking area or taxi bay. We told the cashier that we would eat and check out some shops in the mall first. The cashier called one of the porters/baggers to help us carry our items to the supermarket package counter so we could leave our groceries. And when we came back to the supermarket package counter, the staff noticed that we were carrying a lot of bags so he immediately called one of the porters to assist us carry them. He also assisted us get our groceries that we left earlier at the package counter. That to me is customer service.

It is unfortunate that the biggest mall chain in the country provides such low- or no-quality service to their customers. I am not asking for the moon and stars. All I wanted was basic customer service.

Marlon Quintos

P.S. The the worse part is, I sent an email to customercare@smsupermalls.com and I got this response: The recipient's mailbox is full and can't accept messages now. Please try resending this message later, or contact the recipient directly.

Thursday, September 3, 2015

Sitsirya Atbp ng Dekada Otsenta & Beyond

Nung ako ay bata pa, madalas akong lumabas ng bahay na may dalang barya na matagal ko ring inawitan upang ibigay sa akin ng aking ina. May kakaibang hatid ang lamig na dulot ng mga barya sa aking kamay. Lamig na dumadaloy sa aking mga ugat at kalamnan at tila dinidiktahan ang aking buong katauhan na magtungo sa isang lugar. 

Lugar kung saan isa-isang susuyurin ng aking paningin ang mga nakasabit na plastik sa malamig na rehas na gawa sa bakal. Kapagdaka'y titigil ang pag-inog ng aking daigdig sa hatid na kaligayahan ng mga bagay na aking namamasdan. Kaligayahang dagling mapapawi dahil kailangan kong gumawa ng isang malaking desisyon - ang mamili sa pagitan ng Pompoms at Wonder Boy.

Ganun kaespesyal ang mga sitsiryang aking nakagisnan. Kung kaya't magpasahanggang ngayon, aking itong hinahanap hanap at inaasam asam!

Muli nating balikan ang nakaraang dalawampu't higit pang taon at sariwain ang mga sitsirya ng dekada otsenta!

1. Pompoms - Ang all time favorite. Halos araw araw, ito na ang nakagisnan ng aking bituka na meryenda sa umaga, sa hapon at sa gabi! Ito ang pangunahing salarin kung bakit laging kulay orange ang aking daliri. Madalas pa nga, makunat na ang nabibili ko sa tindahan pero okay lang, solb pa rin!  


2. Wonder Boy - Hindi ko alam kung saan sya gawa pero nasa kanya na ang lahat ng aking hinahanap hanap - malutong, maalat at meron syang mamula-mulang pulbos na maalat pa rin.


3. Haw Flakes - Ito ang opisyal na ostiya ng aking kabataan. Madalas, ako ang gumaganap na pari at sinusubuan ko ang aking mga kalaro na tila ba mga nangungumunyon. Maasim asim, maalat alat, manamis namis!


4. La La - Hindi ito yung sitsiryang may malaking isda. Ito yung parang chocolate bar na pinipilit na maging chocolate bar. Bagamat hindi ito ang aking ideya ng chocolate bar, may kakaibang ligaya ang hatid nito sa aking murang panlasa. 


5. Pritos Ring - Barbeque-flavored snack - medyo maanghang, maalat at manamis namis. At syempre, hindi ito basta basta sinusubo lang. Una, ilalagay mo ito sa iyong mga daliri na tila sa isang sing sing at saka mo sya isa isang kakainin! Finger-lickin' good!


6. Pewee - Halos kalasa lang ito ng Pritos Ring, kaso di masyadong nakaka-excite kase isususbo mo lang sya.


7.  Cheeze-It - Kapamilya ito ng Pewee (gawang Nutri Snack). Kagaya ng Pompoms, ito ang pangalawang salarin kung bakit nagkukulay orange ang aking mga daliri. Cheese flavor daw sya pero parang hindi naman pero masarap pa rin.


8. Kending Hubad - Dito ko unang naramdaman ang kapangyarihan ng pera! Singko sentimos lang kase ang isa nito. Para lang syang asukal na tumigas at kinulayan ng water color.


9. Bazooka - Ito yung kulay pink na bubble gum na may comics ang wrapper. Enjoy akong nguya nguyain ito nung bata ako kahit na masakit sa panga.


10. Frostee - Ito ang ice candy ng mayaman. Hindi kase to gawa sa bahay - gawang pabrika. Matigas ang plastik at iba-iba nag kulay. Ang ultimate pampalamig sa tag-init ng batang paslit!



Thursday, August 27, 2015

Get Free Nights in a 5 star Hotel!

Last-minute hotel booking at amazing prices! The best 3 to 5 star hotels, available on average 28% cheaper than other...

Posted by Marlon Quintos on Huwebes, Agosto 27, 2015

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Marlon Quintos' Pork Rib Caldereta Recipe

Sharing one of my favorite pork dish. I like the beef version as well but it takes a lot longer to cook.

Happy munching!


Ingredients:
1 kg pork rib
5 large garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 cups water
1 cup red bell pepper, cut into strips
3 packs Hunt's 115g tomato sauce
2 cans Reno liver spread
1 teaspoon, crushed chili (siling labuyo)
2 cups potatoes, sliced
2 cups carrots, sliced
1 cup cooking oil
1/2 cup stuffed green olives
1 tablespoon Magnolia Cheezee pimiento
1 pack Eden Cook Sarap grated cheese
salt and pepper



Procedure:
1. Heat the cooking oil in the pan and fry the carrots and potatoes until color turns light brown.

2. Remove the fried carrots and potatoes from the pan and set aside.

3. In the same pan where the vegetables were fried, sauté the garlic and onions.

4. Add the pork rib and simmer for 5 minutes.

5. Add water and let the pork boil until tender.

6. Add the tomato sauce and liver spread and simmer for 10 minutes.

7. Add green olives, some of the carrots, Magnolia Cheezee Pimiento, bell pepper,crushed chili,and some of the potatoes and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.

8. Add salt and pepper to taste.

9. Serve hot. Top with fried potatoes, red pepper strips and grated cheese.

Call Cen(t)er Lyf

Note: This was originally posted in my Friendster account when I was still an agent (January 12, 2008). Then re-posted on Marlon Quintos' Official Literary Site on February 14, 2010 and my Facebook account on February 17, 2010.



Limandaan walumpu't anim na libo at walumpung minuto.

Pilit kong binaliktad ang aking buhay - tulog habang tirik ang araw, kumakayod habang madilim ang mga lansangan. Minsan na lang masinagan ng araw ang namumutla kong mukha. Akmang akma raw sa pangarap ng karamihang pinoy na pumusyaw ang balat gaya ng mga banyagang Kanluranin.

Kadalasan may bahid ng pagtatanong at malisya ang tingin sa akin ng aking kapitbahay na si Aling Cering sapagkat pumapasok ako sa trabaho pagkagat ng dilim. Hindi ko siya masisisi. Marahil ay di pa niya batid kung anong buhay mayroon ako - buhay na salungat sa buhay ng karamihan. Marahil ay di niya pa batid na araw araw ako ay naglalakbay patungo sa malamig na lugar upang makipagtagisan ng dila gamit ang wikang banyaga naman sa akin.

Hindi madali ang pagtahak ko sa buhay call center. Nang ibinalita ko ito sa aking mga kaibigan, isang mataginting na "no!!!" ang aking narinig. Sa aking pakiwari ay kasabay ng pagtutol na ito ang mga tambol at pompyang ng sandaang banda. Sa kanila, kasing kahulugan ng call center and isang sumpa. Mawawalan daw ako ng social life. Mahihirapan daw ang patpatin kong katawan sa mga pagbabago ng aking sistema. Hindi raw ako makakatulog ng sapat dahil mahirap matulog habang tirik ang araw. Malilipasan ng gutom dahil mas nanaisin ko pa raw ang matulog na lang kaysa kumain. Dahil dito, ako ay magkakasakit, manghihina at sa paglaon ay mawawalan din ng hanapbuhay. Masaklap na buhay - ito ang pilit nilang iginigiit. Ngunit iba ang takbo ng aking isip.

Itinuloy ko ang dikta ng aking utak. Call center ang sagot sa minimithi kong mas malaking sweldo. Hamak na mas malaki ang kikitain ko dito kaysa sa dati kong trabaho. At kung papalarin, halos doble ang kikitain ko kumpara sa dati kong sweldo kung maiuuwi ko ang buwanang attendance bonus.

Ang mga unang araw ko sa call center ay di ganoon kadali. Sinikap kung ituwid and aking likod habang nakasandal sa upuang umiikot, kahit na nais na nitong humimlay sa malambot na higaan. Kusa mang pumipikit, pinilit kong imulat ang aking mga mata. Kulang na lang ay tukuran ko ang mga talukap nito upang hindi magsara. At pagkatapos ng trabaho, tila may sariling isip ang mga paa ko habang binabagtas nito ang lugar na aking tutulugan, at doon ay nag-uunahang lumapat sa kutson ang aking ulo, batok, likuran, hita at binti. Hindi rin magkamayaw sa pagpikit ang mga matang matagal nang naghihimagsik. Kapagdaka ay puputulin ng mainit na araw ang ginhawang dulot ng malambot na kutson. Pagsapit ng tanghali, ginigising ako ng init nitong tumatagos sa bubong at kisameng gawa sa hardiflex, tila ba kinukutya ng araw ang kapangyarihan ng aking bentilador. Ito na marahil ang umpisa ng sumpang tinutukoy nila.

Lumipas ang mga araw, mga araw na naging linggo, mga linggong naging buwan, at mga buwang naging taon. Ang bilis ng panahon. Di ko namamalayang bahagi na pala ng aking sistema ang sumpa ng mga unang araw ko sa call center - sumpang may hatid namang biyaya. Hindi lamang dahil doble ang kinikita ko kaysa sa kaibigan kong ilang taon na ring accountant sa isang sangay ng gobyerno. Higit pa doon.

Dahil sa call center, naging rest day ang tawag ko sa day off. Ang lunch naman ay pwede nang kainin sa hatinggabi o kaya sa madaling araw. Ewan ko kung positibo ito o hindi. Ang alam ko ay lumalawak aking bokabularyo. Tumatas din ang aking dila sa pagsasalita ng wikang Ingles. Kasindulas ng palos ang bigkas ko sa mga katagang "twenty", "thirty" at "forty." Kung dati ay may tunog "t" sa mga salitang nabanggit, ngayon tila milagrong naglaho ito - naging "twenny" "thirry" and "forry" na lamang. At kung dati ay "Hello" lang alam kong pambati tuwing sumasagot ng telepono, ngayon ay marami na akong alternatibo gaya ng "Thank you for calling, my name is..." at "Hi, my name is Genie, your wish is my command."

Sabi ng iba, nakakabobo daw ang pagiging call center agent. Taliwas ito sa aking naging karanasan. Ang hilig ko sa math ay naipamalas ko sa pag-aanalisa at pagkwenta ng mga bills ng customer. Gumagana rin and hilig ko sa paggawa ng kwento habang pilit kong ipanagtatagni-tagni ang mga pangyayari ayon na rin sa kwento ng customer at sa mga masasalimuot na notes sa kanilang account. Pinangarap ko rin dating maging psychologist at sa call center ko ito naisakatuparan - habang pilit na pinapakalma ang mga nagwawalang customer.

Ngunit hindi lamang paglinang sa mga kakayahang ito ang dulot ng call center sa akin. Higit pa sa mga ito ay ang mga taong araw araw kong nakakasalamuha. Ilang pangalan na ba ang naglabas masok sa aking isip? Ilang mukha na ba ang nakasanayan ng titigan ng aking mga mata? Ilan amoy na ba na sa tuwing natatanto ng aking ilong ay may pangalan ng kaakibat? Dito ko natagpuan ang lahat ng klase ng tao - mga taong kamumuhian at hahangaan, kagigiliwan at kaiinisan, malinis at marumi, malaki at maliit, maputi at maitim, malaki ang mata at singkit, sarat ang ilong at matangos, mabango at mabaho - iba't ibang anyo, iba't ibang kulay, iba't ibang paraan ng pakikisalamuha. Karamihan sa kanila'y nananatiling mga estranghero. Ang iba naman ay naging kakilala. At ang ilan ay naging kaibigan. Ngunit silang lahat ay bahagi na ng aking pagkatao. Ng aking buhay.

Limandaan walumpu't anim na libo at walumpung minuto. At patuloy pang nadaragdagan