Delivering "The Best Service"...it matters

 There goes my mobile phone,screaming like "It's Monday morning,wake up sleepy head and prepare for work!". As soon as I reach out to snooze it, I'm already seeing myself in front of my computer analyzing the Weekly Service Surveillance Report. In all my years of being an employee,I learned that it's more stressful resisting on doing the things you have to do than doing it right away. So I always tell myself  "It's no big deal,I'm used to it." And so, my day goes on like any other Monday.
 Reports were done before my afternoon break. Then, I received an email message informing me that I have a training to attend to, the next day. I was like,"What's this? Service Desk Analyst?." I'm thinking, oh, another one of those mind-setting, brainwash kind of training to make me a "better employee." After some last minute modification of my schedule for the week, I was all set-up. We'll at least I'll have sometime away from my desk,sitting in a hotel chair, pretending to listen from a boring instructor while checking on my facebook account. But in the back of my mind, I 'm hoping this training would be different for my superior told me this will make me a certified Service Desk Engineer. And so, all of my expectations were tested the following day.

 First day,I arrived late with a ton of sweat all over me. Good thing we have this nice room with overflowing coffee and very nice people . So I quickly "cooled" down over a hot cup of coffee while browsing this book which is in my impression, kind of thick for this training. I'm wondering if we'll be able to finish covering the topics in this book for three days.After about 10 minutes, I'm settled and it's game time. There was this tall young lady speaking in front of us introducing our trainer. Obviously she's not a native Filipina but I'm really glad that I'm able to understand what she's saying. This made me feel even more comfortable, at least I will not be having a hard time listening, I just have to understand. From then on, I'm sure I'll learn something from this training. And so,there goes "Chris", our trainer. I really didn't get his real name the first time, always was the case every time I go on a training session with foreign trainers. First impressions, oh great, a man who looks like he really know what he's talking about. I was glad to hear Chris said "We're all in good hands". And so, after a bit of introduction and acquaintance with the rest of the class, It's all down to business. But before that, we had this mock exam, I'm glad I got a passing grade (wish this was for real already). That got my my confidence a notch higher that I can pass the actual exam.We go on discussing roles & responsibilities, effective communication, skills and competencies. After the first session, I've come to realize many things about being a Service Desk Engineer, "It's not as simple as you might think". The day ends and I'm looking forward for the next session.

 Day 2, I don't know if I'm excited or what but I'm really early this time. So early that I had enough time to go to a chapel and thank the Lord for the blessings. I was the first one to arrive, and so I just did the morning routine over a cup of coffee. Right now I'm even more comfortable with the rest of the class so I had a nice time doing all the activities set for the day. We discussed cross-cultural communication, process management and the service desk environment for the training proper. We had a chance of talking with Chris about other things (politics, culture, cost of living, etc.) during our break, I want to call it my "yosi break" (cigarette break). It was another good acquaintance session.The food, by the way, is really good too. I was a little disappointed knowing we will not be actually taking the exam as part of the training, but then I just focused on being able to pass, learn and be a certified Service Desk Analyst. And so, the day passed by with me having a greater realization of what this training, really, is all about. It's not about the exam or anything, it's about delivering the best service whatever is your profession.

 Last day, is was the perfect timing. That's my perfect example of learning for the past two days. We discussed about Problem solving, tools and technologies and managing SLA's. Had a lot of fun doing the activities set for the day. Then we had another mock exam, this time it's a different story. The questions are much tougher and the answers must really be precise. But this is what you have to expect if you are to get a certification. Felt a bit down when  I wasn't able to get a passing grade (short of one correct answer to be exact). I'm hoping to leave a good impression to the rest of the class but maybe not this time. I guess I have to try harder and do better on the actual exam. That's another good lesson for me. At the end of the day, It's all about attitude, how you react will depend on how you see the things around you. If you want to deliver good service, then you must first be able to see good things on what you have and what you can do.

Service Desk Analyst Training
New World Hotel, Makati Phil.
Sept. 13-15, 2011
Trainer: Prakash "Chris" Christiansen

SmartNet & Netphone...

The newest service from SMART Communications, SmartNet, is finally here. This service is now available on the new Smart Netphone. Built on ZTE blade mobile unit, this service is bound to change the way subscribers use social networking and mobile data communications. Of course, basic services like SMS,Voice & MMS are included.

So what is SmartNet?


It's a Saturday, I should be at home trying to having some time with my little girl, but then, I'm in the office and it's all hands on deck. It's not something unusual for me, I've been in this business for more than ten years so it's just another saturday in the office. But this day is different, this marks a new beginning in mobile communications technology as we launch our newest service, SmartNet & the Smart Netphone. So what really is SmartNet?

I go around my workplace asking my office mates, "O, may smartnet account ka na ba?" then I get the usual reply, "Ano yun?". And so, I go on explaining for the next 60 seconds on the basic details of the service. Then I get comments like, "Talaga,ok yan ah, try ko nga!". You can visit our site by clicking on SmartNet link above.

Ano nga ba ang SmartNet?

 SmartNet is the newest Social Networking Service (SNS) from SMART. Along with the Netphone, this service offers a lot of convenience to mobile subscribers using social networking as their way of life. This is also available via Internet. The web interface offers full access and customizations but it is updated along with the widget running on the Netphone. Simply put, it's just another Facebook, Twitter or Google+ service, but there's more. Not only does it combine your social networks into one but it also comes with features offered only by the largest telecom company in the country. Using SmartNet, you can update your social networks with ease and convenience using the Netphone.It is built with SMART's own applications that makes complicated tasks easier with a touch of an icon. The technology behind this service is truly amazing. You'll be able to enjoy mobile chat, posting Twitter & Facebook updates for free (using Netphone messenger & Social Stream)* anytime, anywhere.

The NetPhone Interface:


 The Netphone homepage uses the SmartNet widget which shows your current updates. Information is updated along with your SmartNet profile on the Internet. A press of a button shows you your current balance and other info. Built-in icons make chatting, email, SMS and SNS updates a breeze. A press of a button shows you your current subscriptions and service status.

 Another cool feature of NetPhone is the Net Setting widget. This widget let's you control the connectivity of the phone so as to prevent unwanted data charges. A simple touch of an icon enables Internet or safe browsing mode.

 Of course, basic services like Voice call, SMS and MMS are available. Additional features like FX are also included. I will share additional details on these services, including  the overall user experience,browsing speeds & network related issues on my next post. More features will be available soon for the service is under continuous development. For now, I invite you to try it out.


The mobile unit. - NetPhone701

On a personal note, my overall impression is good if not the best for the choice of unit. This unit compares pretty good against my 7" Samsung Galaxy Tab.

Pros:

Don't be fooled by just looks, this phone has a lot of features considering it's only around Php9K in the market. It's actually a ZTE Blade unit.I like to agree on Sam Pinto's "this is one sexy phone". I like the fact that this this phone can do most of the things that I consider a "high end or high profile" phone can do. This unit is a 2G/3G multi-band (GSM 900/1800/1900 HSDPA 900/2100) phone. Weighs around 110g with bright and crisp 480 x 800 pixels, 3.5" AMOLED capacitive touchscreen display. Also comes with Wi-Fi, USB and bluetooth for connectivity. It has a 3.2MP camera which is enough for really good pictures in lit environments. It's equipped with 600 MHz ARM 11 processor, Adreno 200 GPU, Qualcomm MSM7227 chipset, running Android 2.2 Froyo OS. And to top it all, this unit also has GPS functionality,FM radio,150 MB of storage, 512 MB RAM, 512 MB ROM and an expandable 2G microSD memory card for storing music, videos and other files. One unique feature I really appreciate on this unit is USB and WIFI tethering, meaning this unit can share it's mobile data connection via USB connection or act as a Wi-Fi hotspot. Now how cool is that! And by the way, this unit can also play HQ YouTube videos and music sounds good enough.User Interface is the basic android stuff with home,back,menu,volume side keys and power/display keys. Battery life is on the average,but if you're a "tweaky" user like me, or if you love angry birds,then travel charger at hand is a must. By the way,this unit also charge via any USB port (but slower than the wall-charger), that's another good feature.

Cons:

Well, you can't just have it all. First of all, the camera has no built-in flash, so you won't be able to snap a pose with your friends while hanging out on a dim corner of your favorite bar.But hey,this is no camera (it's a phone). Another thing is some lack of responsiveness from the touchscreen though it may be capacitive. Sometimes,you have to really put a little effort to try and slide those menus up and down. But I think this is due to the fact that it only has a basic processor to accommodate all of what you're trying to do at the same time. GPS drains the battery easily so i recommend you use a mobile charger when using this device with the built-in navigator.

That's all for now, watch out for the latest updates on my future posts. Thanks!

*Terms and Conditions Apply