I’ve been
meaning to write a something when 2015 started but I never really got down to
it. Not because I was procrastinating, but because I had no idea what to write.
Oh well, I’m here now.
Last
weekend was my parent’s 31st wedding anniversary. 31 YEARS!!! I cannot
imagine myself spending 31 years with someone – at least not at the moment – so
I really think it’s an incredible feat. Especially when the trend now, or rather
couples nowadays always have the word “D-I-V-O-R-C-E” hanging by their mouths
when they fight or disagree. Anyway, back to my parents. HAHAHA! They don’t
fancy fine dining or any ‘atas’ restaurant. Mum just decided to eat out and Dad
agreed – simple. And the nearest dining place is nex – easy. That’s how my
parents live by, I think – SIMPLE & EASY, never complicate things.
So we went
to Din Tai Fung for dinner and whilst waiting for dinner to be served, Dad
decided to don the ‘selfie-trend’ with Mum. The sight was just too adorable to
not snap it down. But after that, dinner was just dinner. HAHA.
We walked
around and went OWNDAYS cause I wanted to get a new pair of specs. Well,
specifically because the old pair was pissing me off – the ‘hook’ of the specs
were wearing and it strains the ear and the eyes. So, when I finally enquired
about the price – before deciding whether or not I should proceed – it was
quoted to be S$278 for the frame, prescription lens and PC coating, all
inclusive. To me, this is too good to be true.
For fellow bespectacled
friends that degrees are beyond 500, you would know that the ‘traditional’
specs would mostly cost more than S$300. I believe the usual case of ULTRATHIN
lenses, and the nice frames would cost approximately S$500-S$600. So I was ECSTATIC
that it cost less than S$300. Dad was also awed by the price that he decided to
pamper himself too. What’s more, OWNDAYS is having the promotion where you can
get your second pair of specs at 50% off. So, Dad made his regular progressive
lenses and was considering if he should get a driving lens. The good filial daughter
in me decided to get him the driving lens – since it was 50% off and it will
help him see better when driving at night. And also because I was getting my year-end
bonus at the end of this month. HAHAHA. So, why not? When I made the payment, I
was expecting to collect my specs in a week – like the usual opticians. But
when they told me to come back at 2140hrs to collect my specs, I was pleasantly
shocked. Note that it was almost 2100hrs by the time I made payment. I really didn't
expect the in-house service to be THIS FAST! Dad’s specs would need more time
because they are progressive lenses and they had to be specially ordered from
Japan so, he can only “SAY HELLO” to his specs in 2 weeks’ time or when they
text us for collection.
The staff
at OWNDAYS NEX were very friendly and I am very happy with their service. I also saw a Japanese staff in the outlet that
was transferred here from OWNDAYS Japan. Tell me about familiarity… This is
what I see in my office, except these expats are not store staff but managers
and executives. A company that does all it can to increase staff’s exposure to
this ever-changing global market is definitely a company you can work for.
KUDOS TO OWNDAYS!!!
And the
reason I took extra time to write today’s post is because of an adorable Barista,
Safri, at Starbucks Capital Tower. There was a long queue at the cashier and he
saw me somewhere in the queue. He did the ‘miming’ dance to ask if I was having
my regular and he got it ready for me at payment. Now, this is what I call
EXCEPTIONAL customer service. Good is when they recognize you as a regular and
greets you in the morning. EXCELLENT is when they recognize you as a
regular, greets you in the morning and remembers your orders – not forgetting
the ‘miming’ dance that might make you look super silly over the counter to
other customers. Thank you!
Being part of the service industry, you know how hard it is to maintain a smiling
face throughout the day when you are standing all day and you see all sorts of
customers. Yes, and after having firsthand experience myself, I will be more “strict”
on service standards. But it is always pleasant to see good customer service – rare
but not absent. And time to time, I get lucky and I’ll see great services that
just brighten your day!
