Health care or heck care?

It looked so good on paper when our health ‘big bro’ made changes to our mediShield policies to increase claim limits (2013 Enhanced MS Scheme) and to cover those with existing illness and previously not insured (2015 MSlife).

These changes gave insurers great opportunities to increase their premiums. Now my insurance premium has increased by a wobbling 83% (even after I’d downgraded my health plan from A to B).

Our ‘big bro’ only helps to pay small portion of this increase for first 5 years in reducing subsided amount while I have to pay the increase for life. Such changes to our medical health care scheme are treating just the symptoms and not real roots of the problem of escalating health care and medical costs.

I could not accept how our insurance policies could be changed by someone when they were signed with agreed terms and premiums payable decades ago. When ‘powerful’ people do ‘wonderful’ things to gain brownie points, I could do nothing but sulk every year and feel hapless when I need to pay my dues. Sigh! 

 

No way in and no way out

Dear Uncle TOM,

You may say you have aged 5 years as you face many daily challenges and problems in your job. But in reality, you face one daily problem less of jostling with thousands of commuters everyday to get into overly-packed cabins with little breathing space and then got stuck inside due to disruptions.

Whether these problems are technological, structural, systemic or deep-seated cultural in nature, they have to be fixed ASAP. Everyday I fear taking the service during peak hours which has the culture of breaking down without warning.    

By now, you should be fully aware that the culture of putting military men as top management inside this key organization is not working. Critical works were not done and it took more than one year to discover this from bad weather and “climate change”. The culture of “sleeping in the job” needs to be changed too!

After more than 5 years trying to fix the many problems, I see no light at the end of the tunnel anytime soon. I just hope that you wake up and come to your senses to run parallel bus services to all lines so as to give commuters like me an alternative to go from point A to B on time during rush hours. Please give an alternative to commuters.

From a frustrated commuter



 

Why cash is still king

I believe life can be simple. Some people just make things complicated.

 

You see, I have wanted to use e-wallet for payments and to look smart. But there are so many methods out there and none is a unified one.

I wonder why all current methods need an app on mobile phone in order to e-pay. Why restrict it within a mobile device that needs to be connected to the network to make it work?  Also, it takes so many steps to complete an e-transaction.

Why can’t it be a simple solution to just use a smart card/credit card with my finger print to approve e-payment & transaction?

And this takes only 2 steps. IMO, any method that takes more than 2 steps isn’t smart at all.

When everyone views the same problem as ‘nails’, the only tool they know is the hammer. Sigh!   

If you know how to “KISS” (Keep it short and simple) and have the means to implement it here, I’ll invest in you or your business. Please contact me.

Meantime, cash is still king here.

 

to be and let it be

While some people sometimes misinterpret what is said or displayed, some just ignore the law and disobey rules and regulations because they know enforcement is weak and they can get away with their acts. That explains why all the litters and mess in our public places and it’s getting worse. Every time I see this, I just close my eyes, shake my head and empathize with these sick people whose minds could not control their actions and behaviors when they are out-door. Strangely, their illnesses disappear the moment they step into their own homes. This type of illness is very difficult to treat. I’d tried to help them but I had failed. Sigh!

Take it or leave it? Do we have a choice?

I’m very surprised that they are still using float-switches. Only my toilets still use this grandfather’s technology.

While it was easy to blame and point the problem to deep-seated culture, human error and poorly maintained system by the maintenance team, real root-causes should be determined and resolved.  

More “why” questions should be asked: Why there are no other sensors or alarm systems? Why the maintenance team could not get a slot within engineering hours, why wasn’t there someone monitoring the site?  As expected, it’s always reactive and corrective actions after incident but not proactive, preventive measures to prevent delays. Sigh! 

Only insiders know exactly what had happened and the real story may never be told. Our top guns would like to treat this incident as a ‘wet nightmare’ that needed more than 20-hours to “wake up”.

Unless and until our top guns feel the pain and misery of commuters, what motivation do they have to fix existing problems?

Meantime, do we have any choice?










 

Motivation drives changes. Motive drives actions.

A faraway ‘friend’ is buying up our drinking wells in our village. Most villagers think it’s just another commercial transaction. Only the clever ones believe there is more to this move most likely motivated by some hidden intentions. I’m concern too as I need to drink from this well from time to time. The next village is very far away and I don’t have the energy to get there to ask for help. I foresee tough times ahead but wonder if our village chief evaluates and thinks far ahead to mitigate this issue. 




 

Smart Nation: On Whose Perspective?

I can understand why 90% of Singaporeans still prefer cash payment (PayPal’s survey). It’s a no brainer.

If I made a mistake using cash payment, I just go back to the cashier to get a refund. In the case of e-payment, how to get a refund immediately?

While our ‘big brother’ is pushing for digital and cashless payment to support its smart nation vision, there are people who are still unable to catch up with these disruptions and those who just refuse to use it. People just shun any method that is not free, too complex to apply and too many confusing steps to use it. I’m concern about privacy and security for such on-the-spot cashless payment methods. Any method that takes more than 2 steps, needs a fee to use it with gadgets or smart devices to make it work is really not ‘smart’ at all. It doesn’t makes me look smart to use it.

 

The simplest solution is to link all my bank accounts and cards to my finger print using biometric technology(has been around for decades)? There’s no need for any device or application on my phone.

Why a need to re-invent the wheel?

 

To flee or not to flee?

Frequent doodling and drawing have developed my patience as an artist. But every time I took our train services during peak hours, I got really upset and frustrated with ‘smoke’ fuming out from my hair.

First, the trains are fully packed with commuters like sardines in a can with my face just inches away from those strangers. I had to quickly cover my nose & mouth when ever someone near me sneezed or coughed. But moving my hand quickly could potentially touch the other person unintentionally and the risk of molest if I’m surrounded by young inside the packed cabin.

 

Next, our train services often chose to breakdown during these peak periods. The train either refused to move or at times moved very slowly by the inch due to some faults. Our ‘big brothers’ and the train’s operator chief had explained all sort of reasons but the real root causes to these recurring problems. I strongly believe it’s due to overloading of the system if one analyse the breakdown statistics. Train service breakdowns during non-peak hours are rare. Go check it.

Our train systems were designed & built more than 30 years ago. They were designed to cater for a small population of 3M people, not the current 5.5M to 6M population. Some of the old stations, especially those underground ones were so small that commuters could hardly move inside during peak hours. 

There is currently no other public transport alternative as no direct bus route runs parallel to our train networks. One would need longer traveling time to take multiple buses to reach the same destination or train station. When the same operator runs both the train and bus services, it’s common business sense to get more people on the train than on buses to maximize profitability. Think about it.

For every delayed trip, I’m charged the same fare for my journey although it took longer than what is stipulated on their route-map. Surely, the train operator is not delivering the service as promised in traveling time. Yet there is no compensation for the delay and I have to run the risk of being late for work. But I have no other choice but to use the service and start my journey early. Every day, I’m fearful of taking the service and gamble with potential delay. I’m loosing everyday. Sigh!

 

I'm fast. Others are faster.

This watercolor painting is available for sale.

When our local swimmer and fly specialist Joseph Schooling won a bronze at the swimming World Championships in 2015, it was considered a sensational moment in Singapore sport. Two years later, the same medal colour carries far less shine.

The one-sided result – the winner Caeleb Dressel was almost a second faster than Schooling and the Singaporean's time was 0.44sec off his personal best. In swimming, every split second counts and our poster boy has failed to repeat his stunt after winning last year's historic first Olympic gold for our country.
 
Schooling acknowledged his podium finish in Saturday's 100m butterfly final as "a setback" as he went into this meet with high expectations (targeting wins in the 50m fly, which he finished fifth, and the 100m fly which he finished third in a tie with British swimmer James Guy).

 

Schooling’s coach, Eddie Reese, the 76-year-old head coach at the University of Texas, where Schooling studies and trains sould be busy right now analysing his charge’s performance and determining what had gone wrong and draft the next course of actions. This is akin to a post-mortem after an event.

Setting objectives is easy.
Planning what to do and how to achieve them is not difficult. But if results didn’t show, it just means one thing: the plan didn’t work, it’s time to change something. Your mentor and coach can tell what was not right and what changes are needed. Ultimately, it’s the owner’s self determination and discipline to make the changes and get it work. This theory only makes sense if you’re the sole owner to the problem. In real organizations, your proposed plan could work if your boss likes you. If not, live with the problems like many organizations till you find a better way out.    


 

To P or not to P?

At times, we cannot do what we have planned out to do as we don’t have control over many elements. 

Everyone said: “Nobody plans to fail but many fail to plan.”

 

Yes, this is normally true but I think otherwise. We only need to plan when we have absolute power to execute our plans and the full authority to make changes along the process. If not, just save the thinking process and do what the boss wants. Anyway, our brains are already not thinking much as most of our idling, waiting and waking times are consumed by our smart devices.    


 

2B or not to be?

After decades of observing and interacting with people at work and in public, I’ve concluded one thing: every individual has his or her own hidden ambition, goals and intentions for doing certain things. We can never know what’s going on inside their mind. Even if we were to ask them, nobody would ever tell the truth. But if we observe long enough, sometimes we could tell from their behaviour, actions and body languages, we could determine what their real intentions were. However, in most cases, we can never find out until the last moment which often is too late to turn back the clock. Somebody then has to do damage control and clean up the mess afterwards. Welcome to the real world of disruptions.  






 

To be or not to be?

For centuries, powerful leaders and rulers were wary of very smart people around them. When their positions were threatened by these smart people, many got killed, few managed to escape and some found ways to leave and overthrown their rulers. In the modern context, this scenario hasn’t changed a bit. Bosses and employers today are behaving the same. Most do not hire very smart people for fear of being over-taken by them. Almost all bosses like ‘YES’ men surrounding them and just take instructions.

Some smart people just leave before they are axed. Some just pretend to be not-so-smart and do what the boss wants. It’s a choice they make.

 

Australian woman saved 3 boys from drowning

Kudos to the Australian woman who saved 3 boys from drowning at sea off East Coast Park last week.

It takes lots of bravery and courage to do such act because one never knows what is beneath the water in open sea.

She is no Singaporean, so the state cannot award her with the Medal of Valour: The Pingat Keberanian. It’s good that ‘big brother’ think quick and created the Community Lifesaver Award for this lady and also for the 53-year old man (perhaps he is not a Singaporean too) who helped in the rescue.

Some said: “No fish, shrimp also can lah!”

 
Their certificates are too common and not unique like the one issued by the minister of state. 

 

Happy Mother's Day

I remember my mum was happiest when she heard funny jokes and when she received monthly household allowances from her children. It was like her pay day. She often said with a grin: “Whoa, so fast one month already huh.” When age caught up with her, she often forgot having received the cash and asked her children if they had already given. So we gave her a notebook and a signature rubber-stamp to record her monthly ‘revenue’ inputs. But everyone knew where she kept her notebook and rubber-stamp which were not locked up.

Have you given your mum her allowance this month?

Happy Mother’s Day.

 

Why CHOPE Culture continues to survive here

The root to the CHOPE problems in this country is caused by big population of people who all want to eat out in small public eating places all at the same time jostling for cheaper food. These public eating places were built for a small population few decades ago. Like touting, CHOPING with any item without a physical human presence should be banned and made illegal unless the person chopes with a valid CHOPE PASS issued by The Singapore CHOPE Society. The PASS can be fixed onto tissue-paper as a cover. Annual CHOPE Licence fee is $20 (green PASS) for one seat. Add $30 for chopping more than 3 seats per table. Payments by NETS or credit card only. If you want to apply for a Pass, please send me your photo and contact me during office hours. I can assist you.   

Note:
Cover design comes in various color. Contact the artist for details.






 

Caricature Book Volume2 is finally here!

After more than a year in the making and 250 hours put in to create it, my BOOK V2 is finally here.

Many said “never judge a book by its cover”, but for this book, you can!

This book comes with full-color caricatures, illustrations and cartoons.  

Book size: 8.5”X11.0”,

128 pages of my caricature drawings and illustrations collection. 

Soft Launch retail price:

S$32.00, USD23.50, EURO22.00

 

Deliver to local address, add S$4.00 (USD3.00)

Deliver to foreign address via Airmail (3-12days), add S$40.00 (USD30.00)
Deliver to foreign address via Surface mail (3-17 weeks), add S$12.00 (USD8.70).

Readers, who had bought my first book, can purchase this Volume2 at a discounted price. Contact the artist separately.  

Limited stock is available.

ACT FAST TO ORDER A COPY TODAY

 

Customer Satisfaction, who really cares?

 
 

United or Divided?

Customer satisfaction should be a top priority and constantly in the mind of business owners who are doing whatever feasible to make the customer happy and keeps them coming back to buy more. Well, this isn’t true for all money-making businesses.

One thing for sure, monopoly organizations and airlines are the least to worry about and spend little resources on improving customer satisfaction. Why do they need to? Their customers keep coming back and are always in the queue to buy their products or services.

This airline was in the news in recent weeks after a video showed security officers dragging a bloodied passenger off an overbooked flight in Chicago to make space for a member of staff. The result was backlash on social media, billions of dollars wiped off their market share and a seriously tarnished reputation, for now.

Following the news and a few quick checks uncovered the fact that this airline is a very good company to work for. Why? It’s corporate policy is to put Employee First, not Customer First. Even in their corporate ‘shared purpose’ statement, ‘employees’ come before ‘customers’. So do they really monitor and measure customer satisfaction? I guess probably not. This is the least to worry about on this CEO’s mind. Their pre-tax profit was 3.8bn in 2016 and consumers are buying their services even if they are not happy.

Although most airlines declare they are ‘customer focused’ and monitor customer satisfaction and service quality standards via ground surveys and focus-group discussions, I have neither participated nor seen one being conducted. Perhaps arriving passengers are in a hurry to answer questionnaires but surely, they have lots of time to kill when they are in the air. Nobody is doing it.

Customer satisfaction is one element in the new ISO 9001:2015 Standards and organizations must determine the methods for obtaining, monitoring and reviewing customers’ perceptions of the degree to which their needs and expectations have been fulfilled. Unfortunately, the airline industry does not subscribe to this standard.

So what service quality everyone is talking about these days?

Either you take it or leave it. Someone is always queuing behind you to take up their offer.