When Morons Are In Charge

In my line of works, the human factor are very much at play. Each corner, each step we do, it involves human, as in person (or not so humanlike, as the case may be) At times, you wonder at the sheer stupidity or/and inconsideration of some frontline staffs who manned the work.

Just today, I was available and there was one urgent document (Delivery Order) that I needed. I volunteered to my staff to collect this document since the customer wants it urgently and that my despatch boy is not back yet.I went over to the shipping company, waited patiently for them to give me the Delivery Order.

After waiting for more than 20 minutes, nothing happened. I am beginning to get grumpy and ask the counter girl what are taking them so long? In my company, if the client have to wait for more than 10 minutes, I would sound my girl already. Then the counter girl went to check with the person in charge. Only then they have the cheek to tell me that they need deposit cheque for the release of this said D/O.

First and foremost, the collection of deposit is not part of the deal where D/O is concerned. I was fuming because of two things :-

1) they did not inform me they needed the deposit, made me wait for like 20 minutes without knowing what is happening.
2) they wanted to collect charges for services not rendered yet and which are not allowed by our community, association and the authority.

I called our association people and asked them if it has been agreed and that we should pay? Apparently, they are doing it without the authority's sanction and trying to sneak it in to make it an industry practice. After some strings pulling, with the authority stepped in, I managed to get the said D/O without paying the deposit.

I called the person in the authority and thanked him but at the same time I told him, it will not do to settle the problem on piece meal basis. All this monkey business have to stop and someone have to have the ball to crucify the sneaky ones to teach the rest a lesson. I mean, by all means, collect deposit from bad paymaster or bad customers but don't ever impose unnecessary inconveniences on people who follow the rules and are not bad paymaster. We are in the business everyday, not fly by night kind of businesses.

After all is done, I sent the documents to our controversial PKFZ, to one of the operator there. It is very true that the place was built like at a very God forsaken place. But if handled properly, this place should be the centre of activity. I don't know why it is not moving already. I see that most of the facilities is in place already.

The fastest way to get this place to become a center of business activity is to shift a big portion of the logistics business operators, who are scattered all over Klang Town into this place. Some carrots and sticks approach are to be taken. If Sepang can make their cargo centre a place for people to work, no reason why PKFZ should not have at least the same volume. Just some minor tweaking will create the mass needed to mobilise the activity in this place. If only the power that be are not so myopic.Well, let's see how it turns out. I don't mind to get a place there if there are some incentives and activities to be had that, that can contribute to our bottom lines. Trust me, it would and it can be a bustling logistics centre, IF only our power that be are smart enough to know who are the movers of the logistics chain and to move them into this area.

Posted by Thomas Mok at 4:35 AM