It's All in the Delivery Method.
"Apa la kedai ni, so not strategic, they should open an outletla at least in Maju Junction or on Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, easier for the customers!" Mummy was complaining - it's just normal for an old lady who can't find her way through the twisting KL roads.
"Melayu ni tak pandai betul berniaga. Siapa nak datang sampai terperosok dalam Kampung Bharu ni?"
I just kept quiet. The shop we're trying to reach is known even by the Singaporean market. We finally reached our destination, the place that even serves a lot of VIPs in town. It's still sheltered by 'atap zink', a small 900 sq feet shop but is very well lit, air conditioned and organized product display. The shop signage is probably just about the size of 2 feet x 1 feet. I passed that road many times before and I swear I had never noticed it.
We spent 2 hours there and mummy was very impressed with what she saw. She even ended up ordering what's beyond her budget!
When we headed back into the car, I said to her "See, if the workmanship is good and provided they just stay put, I guess the Feng Shui lies in words of mouth?"
*******
"I'm not sure if it cang (can) work or nok (not) but if it cang (can) you buy me a jarge (jug) of beer. Okeh!" That's one of my colleagues, a manager. He has a great problem with expressing himself in proper English and by far, using the right grammar. The few GM's who served our company looked down on him for the way he speaks, they just tune-out.
And this guy has worked his way through another position as a Manager in a well known Semiconductor company in Singapore, came back and still speak the same way, no improvement at all. Yet... the delivery of his broken English served better than those who speaks well. Why.... it's all the passion and sincerity we see in his eyes when he explains even through his occassional stuttering.
*******
Some people say, in this country if we can't speak English, it is difficult to get a job, if you get a job, you'll have difficulties climb up the ladder. There are so many talented Engineering Drawing, Photography experts, gadget Mechanics out there, who can't speak English. Correct me if I'm wrong if some of you are interviewers who suffer brain and heart aches seeing misfits and mismatch of talents. Boleh buat kerja tapi tak boleh speak English, average skills tapi boleh speak English, nak hire mana satu?
I may digress left to right, because lately I haven't the time to think how to arrange my points.
Look at Saiful Nang, his grammar may not be perfect, but who can disqualify him from running his own business. Look at Bernard Chandran, his English bersepah even his French is poor but he made it there and here. Their customers are those whose education are sky high and carry certain honorifics.
I guess no one will have the rights to look down at us if we try create our own destiny.
Note to Self: We're all stuck in an evil system, trying to be like everyone else--earn monthly salary.
"Melayu ni tak pandai betul berniaga. Siapa nak datang sampai terperosok dalam Kampung Bharu ni?"
I just kept quiet. The shop we're trying to reach is known even by the Singaporean market. We finally reached our destination, the place that even serves a lot of VIPs in town. It's still sheltered by 'atap zink', a small 900 sq feet shop but is very well lit, air conditioned and organized product display. The shop signage is probably just about the size of 2 feet x 1 feet. I passed that road many times before and I swear I had never noticed it.
We spent 2 hours there and mummy was very impressed with what she saw. She even ended up ordering what's beyond her budget!
When we headed back into the car, I said to her "See, if the workmanship is good and provided they just stay put, I guess the Feng Shui lies in words of mouth?"
*******
"I'm not sure if it cang (can) work or nok (not) but if it cang (can) you buy me a jarge (jug) of beer. Okeh!" That's one of my colleagues, a manager. He has a great problem with expressing himself in proper English and by far, using the right grammar. The few GM's who served our company looked down on him for the way he speaks, they just tune-out.
And this guy has worked his way through another position as a Manager in a well known Semiconductor company in Singapore, came back and still speak the same way, no improvement at all. Yet... the delivery of his broken English served better than those who speaks well. Why.... it's all the passion and sincerity we see in his eyes when he explains even through his occassional stuttering.
*******
Some people say, in this country if we can't speak English, it is difficult to get a job, if you get a job, you'll have difficulties climb up the ladder. There are so many talented Engineering Drawing, Photography experts, gadget Mechanics out there, who can't speak English. Correct me if I'm wrong if some of you are interviewers who suffer brain and heart aches seeing misfits and mismatch of talents. Boleh buat kerja tapi tak boleh speak English, average skills tapi boleh speak English, nak hire mana satu?
I may digress left to right, because lately I haven't the time to think how to arrange my points.
Look at Saiful Nang, his grammar may not be perfect, but who can disqualify him from running his own business. Look at Bernard Chandran, his English bersepah even his French is poor but he made it there and here. Their customers are those whose education are sky high and carry certain honorifics.
I guess no one will have the rights to look down at us if we try create our own destiny.
Note to Self: We're all stuck in an evil system, trying to be like everyone else--earn monthly salary.
posted by Maine at 11:55 AM
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