[I gave her googly eye glasses to protect her privacy, for now]

I attended IDA’s full-day seminar (Enabling Digital Retail) today at the Mapletree Business City. After I had quickly finished my lunch during the lunch break, I ventured back into the freezing-cold auditorium to set up my laptop and do some work.

Took the seat closest to the door as I intended to leave early (around 3pm). Was doing my work and minding my own business in the largely-empty auditorium, when the white-haired lady (pictured above) rushed in and DEMANDED to know why I was in her seat.

I looked around at all the other empty seats and wondered why the seat I was in was… hers.

I told her that it’s free seating, and she and I can sit anywhere we each liked. But she insisted I had stolen her seat. I tried to explain that I didn’t. Her name is not on the seat, she did not leave any belongings on it, and there was no way of telling the seat is “hers”. And if she could please stop accusing me, thank you very much.

Then she goes on to ask me “Why do you want this seat?!” and “Why is your bag on the other seat?!” But hello, you can sleep across three seats if you want. Free seating plus not all participants were back from lunch. (@_@)

I didn’t know how to answer her silly questions, so I asked her to go check with the staff. She did… and they told her it was indeed a “free seating” arrangement.

And I gave her the seat, of course. Even though she is a rude, annoying, crazy woman.

I also had to keep telling her that we respect the elderly in Singapore but it doesn’t mean that she can bully people younger than her or abuse her (perceived) “authority”. (And to please stop screaming at me; want this seat, just ask nicely)

The nametag on her lanyard reads “Cheryl Chua, Jurong Health”.

Thankfully, some of the staff came in and spoke with her. One guy in particular, Matthew, was really helpful. I have videos of their conversation, and I might upload them here later, depending on how this unfolds, as a video means no ones privacy is protected anymore.

I called Jurong Health after the fiasco, at about 1.24pm, and informed Joey about this incident. She said they would investigate.

At 3.22pm, Anny from Jurong Health called and said that ‘Cheryl Chua’ does not exist in their database, and that her colleagues had seen this lady at other seminars. Apparently White-haired Lady likes attending seminars, whether as an imposter or not. I then asked Anny to please send me confirmation that this lady is not their staff via email.

Ahhh… how the plot thickens.

At 4.09pm, I called IDA’s Quality Service hotline and spoke with Fatimah. An investigation is probably underway as to how this #WhiteHairedLady managed to infiltrate an IDA seminar as… wait for it…. an imposter. :)

And the irony is not lost on me. Today, we learnt about collecting data, managing data, and analyzing and working with data. How EVER did IDA allow a mentally-unstable person to register for today’s seminar, and even give her an official tag and lanyard??? And what are they going to do with this new ‘data’? Hmm…

These have to be the highlight of my day! :) The 3 limited edition sets that I ordered have arrived today. These SingPost SG50 Hello Kitty plushies are just too adorable. I can’t wait to take them out and snap some pretty pictures!

There were just 1000 sets for sale, and they were all sold out within 12 hours. This is truly a collection to treasure because SG50 only happens once.

And here’s a size comparison of the SG50 kitty with one of those from McDonald’s in the past:

And they come with a certificate and lanyard too :)

As for the stamps, it’s pretty obvious they are just for collectors to keep and admire from time to time. I don’t think anyone will be able to rip one out and stick it onto an envelope. Ha!

Did you get a set too?

Bought 2 slices of this Passionfruit Meringue (S$8.03 each) from The Patissier at 4 Mohd Sultan Rd (Tel:67373369), near my gym. It’s my pre-workout snack for today. Lol. *And no, don’t try this if you are battling a weight issue. Get something less sweet.

For some reason, it’s my trainer’s favorite cake shop. (@_@)

I like the meringue… crisp, chewy, tangy from the passionfruit and altogether, delightful. Because meringues are so sweet, it’s good to have the passionfruit ‘counter’ it.

The Patissier has another outlet at 18 Ann Siang Rd #01-01 (Tel: 62205565). You can check it out if you’d like. I’ve never been to that branch before.

I’ll likely update this post in future with other purchases from The Patissier. There are a few other pretty creations I wanna try. Oops. :)

And yes, despite the family history of Diabetes… eat first, talk later lah.

On Monday evening, I attended Watsons’ Girls Day Out upon their kind invitation. The event was held at Serangoon NEX and let’s just say I didn’t go home empty-handed. The goodie bag I was given probably weighed more than 8kg, and like one of my Facebook fans noted from a picture I posted, it seemed to have one of everything from the Watsons catalogue, though that’s definitely an exaggeration. :)

Here are the top 5 highlights of Monday’s event. It’s probably one of the best events I’ve attended this year – lots of fun plus fantastic prizes:

1) Game Booths and Watsons prizes

The bloggers were all divided into groups, and each group leader decided which booth we would visit first.

For my group of 3 bloggers, the leader brought us to the ‘game booths’, which required some interaction and involved some prizes. Himalaya Herbals gave us a small gift bag for visiting their booth while the next booth (I think it was Pure Beauty’s) had us participate in a ‘matching’ game – to match the product ingredients with their stated benefits. That was fun!

And after that, divinia’s sales reps had us net as many plastic globes as possible in just one scoop from a big glass tank. If a plastic globe contained one of their product ingredients, e.g Ceramide, Olive Extract or Double Hyaluronic Acid, it’d be counted as 1 point. The blogger with the most points wins.

And for our efforts, we won things like the ‘Treats by Watsons’ gummy bears and gummy fizzy letters, and Watsons mini hankies you see above. I’m keeping the hankies and giving the sweets to my gummy-loving pal.

It was a really good start to the whole event. Though it ended past 10pm, and our feet were sore, everyone agreed it was most enjoyable. :)

2) L’oreal Revitalift Magic Blur and an Instagram post for a S$50 Zalora gift card

The brand which wow-ed us most with their generosity was L’oreal. All we had to do was post a picture on Instagram about the L’oreal Revitalift Magic Blur product, and we’d get a Zalora $50 gift card instantly. That’s probably the easiest $50 I’ve ever earned!

This product “instantly blurs the look of pores, lines and imperfections” and retails at S$41.90 (50ml).

I’ll be reviewing this product soon. Because the gift bag is filled with so many goodies, I just didn’t know which product to start reviewing first. :D

3) Kinohitmitsu EyeBright and JointPro360

Kinohimitsu was yet another generous brand. When we visited their booth, we were given a bag with the two products you see above – EyeBright and JointPro360. We were also given a sachet of EyeBright to try on the spot. I would have thought that the ‘powder’ had to be mixed with water before consumption, but I was told to just eat it like I would a sweet.  It tastes quite good too. And don’t hold your breath for a giveaway of these products; I definitely need EyeBright as my eyes are always tired from working on my laptop for too many hours every single day. Ha! And the JointPro360 goes to the future MIL. XD

EyeBright is retailing at S$59.90 (Introductory Offer right now: S$55.90)

JointPro360 is retailing at S$69.90 (Introductory Offer right now: S$65.90)

In the bottom right hand corner of the picture is a tiny bottle of bird’s nest from a brand I shall not name. We were given only this tiny 30ml bottle – how to review? It’s not even a mouthful, in my opinion. :D And *ahem* it costs S$95 for 6 small bottles in stores. Honestly, I don’t think it’s worth the price lah but you can check it out at Watsons and tell me what you think.

4) Revlon ColorStay Moisture Stain and PhotoReady Airbrush Effect

At the Revlon booth, we were introduced to the Revlon ColorStay Moisture Stain by means of a powerpoint presentation. We were also given snacks and an aloe vera drink. THEN… we were tested on whether we had paid attention to the presentation. LOL!

I’ve forgotten what the question was, but the answer was Aloe Vera and Vitamin E… and I won the gift set you see above (sans the lipstick, which came in the goodie bag). The set of Revlon PhotoReady Airbrush Effect in the shades Ivory and Natural Ochre are encased in that camera-lookalike box. It is not for sale, but you can win it in my giveaway at the end of this blogpost! :D

*These new lipsticks provide immediate lip hydration and are available in 8 shades (S$20.90 each).

*PhotoReady Airbrush Effect is available in 5 shades and retails at S$30.90.

5) Watsons eStore and S$100 Shopping Cart Challenge

Watsons has once again proven that they understand the needs of their customers best. They know that crowded stores, long queues (!!!) and heavy shopping bags are some of our frustrations so the Watsons eStore has been set up! Woohoo!

The eStore will have the products sold in stores, and also some exclusive ones which are too bulky and typically not sold in physical stores. What are these? Head to http://www.watsons.com.sg to find out. Register and place an order, and you’ll also get a surprise gift throughout the month of March because it’s Watsons’ 27th anniversary! *You can pick up your purchase from selected ‘Click & Collect’ stores or get it delivered for free (min. $80 spending).

http://www.watsons.com.sg/

I won the items you see above because we were given tablets and told to select as many items as we want in under a minute, within a S$100 budget. The blogger whose shopping cart bill came closest to S$100 wins everything in his/her cart. And I won! My ‘bill’ was S$98.10 and I honestly don’t know how I did it. I simply picked some Sally Hansen items I have been wanting to buy and a Revlon ColorStay Eyebrow Liner. I have fast fingers?! :)

~ GIVEAWAY ~

WIN the set of Revlon PhotoReady Airbrush Effect Makeup OR the Revlon ColorStay Moisture Stain lipstick:

Step 1: ‘Like’ my Revlon giveaway on Facebook

Step 2: ‘Share’ my Revlon giveaway on Facebook

Step 3: Comment on THIS blogpost and tell me which item you want to win: PhotoReady OR Lipstick :D

It’s that simple. Giveaway ends 18 March 23:59hrs and is only for residents of Singapore.

This is not an advertorial, and I have never been sponsored meals here before. :D I just think it’s a fab restaurant because it looks so atas, and yet offers its members pretty good deals. I only got to know about Watami early this year when my trainers and I went to Ion for a late lunch and we just randomly picked Watami. The Ion outlet looks quite posh (from the outside at least), and I would ordinarily not pop in if I’m dining alone and visiting it for the first time.

However, on my second visit, I noticed that it has a really awesome membership program. Pay S$30 to sign up and you will get 2 x S$30 vouchers to use to offset your bill at your next 2 visits. Any other restaurant would have a minimum spending requirement before you can use the voucher, but Watami doesn’t! It’s so awesome that I’m telling all my friends to sign up!

And the food’s decent too. I like the beef don, which I’ve ordered many times already.

This post shows some of the food my bf and I ordered when we were at Watami’s City Sq Mall outlet last week. We went to that mall to collect our race packs for an upcoming run, and so we had dinner at Watami. :D I was so happy when I spotted their banner that said members get a free platter of salmon sashimi (the usual price is S$11 or so, if I remember correctly) if the bill comes up to S$30. I’m a huge fan of salmon sashimi though I really shouldn’t eat so much raw fish, what with that bacteria and all. We were also allowed to use one of our membership vouchers of S$30 (thumbs up for this company) and still get the free salmon sashimi.

He ordered a Zen Udon Nabe set (S$26) while I had the Udon-suki (S$19.80), and there was also an OCBC promotion!

Total of 15% discount! We ended up paying just S$15.80 for our meal. Shiok!

If you have a craving for Japanese food, do pop by Watami. And make sure you sign up for their membership program, while those freebie vouchers last. It really seems too good to be true and yet I’ve already used up my 2 vouchers! Got my bf to sign up, and received 2 more. Hehe!

I’ve transcribed the English portion of PM Lee Hsien Loong’s 8am address on TV.

“The first of our founding fathers is no more. He inspired us, gave us courage, kept us together, and brought us here. He fought for our independence, built a nation where there was none, and made us proud to be Singaporeans. We won’t see another man like him.

To many Singaporeans, and indeed others too, Lee Kuan Yew was Singapore. As Prime Minister, he pushed us hard to achieve what had seemed impossible. After he stepped down, he guided his successors with wisdom and tact. In his old age, he continued to keep a watchful eye on Singapore.

Singapore was his abiding passion. He gave of himself in full measure to Singapore. As he himself put it towards the end of his life, and I quote ‘I have spent my life, so much of it, building up this country. There is nothing more that I need to do. At the end of the day, what have I got? A successful Singapore. What have I given up?My life.’

I am grieved beyond words at the passing of Mr Lee Kuan Yew. I know that we all feel the same way. But even as we mourn his passing, let us also honor his spirit. Let us dedicate ourselves as one people to build on his foundations, strive for his ideals, and keep Singapore exceptional and successful for many years to come. May Mr Lee Kuan Yew rest in peace.”

You can watch the video of his speech here.

~

Tears fell as I watched our Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong struggling during the Mandarin portion of his speech. I’m proud of him for putting on a nice shirt and a brave front for Singapore, in his time of grief.

It is a very sad day for us in Singapore. We have lost a great man, a charismatic leader, a courageous fighter. Let us continue to “strive for his ideals” and keep up Singapore’s success, and make Mr Lee Kuan Yew proud of us.

May you rest in peace, Sir.

Earlier this month, I was invited to a food tasting and coffee appreciation session at Coffee Nowhere at West Coast Plaza (#B1-06/07). Coffee Nowhere (pronounced “Coffee Now Here”) serves specialty coffee which is surprisingly good, and should come with a warning that you’ll probably not like your kopitiam coffee as much after trying theirs.

*I like how they have kids’ high chairs stacked near the entrance; it serves as a “Welcome” sign to parents with children. ;)

One fellow blogger, Steven, brought three children and they sure had fun. You’ll see a picture of one of his daughters (super cute!) later in this blogpost.

Also, check out the pictures Coffee Nowhere fans took and posted on Instagram:

Interesting coffee art! :)

Us bloggers had the privilege of learning about coffee appreciation from one of the few Q graders in Singapore, Mr Ian Consulta. If you pop by, head to the Brew Bar where lessons will be conducted. :)

But here’s a quick guide if you don’t know what the terms “Syphon”, “Aeropress”, “French Press” and “Pour Over” mean in relation to cofffee…

Go ahead and try one of each if you want to find your favorite. :) As for me, I like the aromatic coffee brewed using the Syphon method.

What I believe makes Coffee Nowhere stand out from the crowd of ‘coffee places’ is the quality of the food they serve. After all, it is most troublesome to have a cuppa at a cafe, then up and leave for food elsewhere. At Coffee Nowhere, just sink into a comfortable seat and enjoy the brew and the food.

Here are my favorite items from their menu:

Cheesy Fries (S$8.80) – This is one guilty indulgence. A tad pricey, but worth the calories. :D

Pizza Nowhere (S$19.80) – First time I’m seeing lychee on pizza! Together with smoked duck, mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese and their homemade tomato sauce, this is one yummy pizza.

Wild Mushroom Pizza (S$16.80) – I’m a fan of mushrooms so I love this pizza too. The crust is so thin that yes, 2 people can probably finish eating this pizza together.

Burger Nowhere (S$14.80) – If you’re ordering this, my advice is “Don’t Share!” as you’ll want to eat the whole burger on your own. The beef patty is juicy and tender, and I love the fries too! :D And yes, 8 of us shared 2 of these burgers, and now have to return for more.

Chili Crab Spaghetti (S$14.80) – We ordered two plates of this yummy spaghetti and somehow it still wasn’t enough. I think their homemade sauce does the trick, though I haven’t discovered the secret behind the sauce.

As for dessert, oh boy, it was divine. The reason I ordered the Granny Smith Apple Cheesecake was ‘cos I’ve never eaten such a cheesecake before. Why Granny Smith Apples? I don’t know. But the cake is absolutely delicious. And the chocolate-y drawing is too cute…

The brownie with ice cream tastes as good as it looks:

And there’s the little girl posting for pictures. Steven is so lucky to have adorable kids like this little angel.

I skipped the waffles as I was feeling too full by then but I was told that the waffles are pretty decent. And at a promotional price of S$9.90, it’s affordable too.

The next time I pop by West Coast Plaza, I’m heading back into Coffee Nowhere for a burger and coffee. Plus that yummy cheesecake! :)

154 West Coast Rd #B1-06/07

https://www.facebook.com/coffeenowhere.sg

[Artwork reproduced here with permission from Evacomics and Phoebe Lau (BPDGTravels)]

I attended a memorial service for Mr Lee Kuan Yew at the Kallang Theatre yesterday, upon an invite from my friend who works in Business China. Mr Lee is the Founding Patron of Business China (通商中国).

I was moved to tears.

I am from that younger generation that does not know Mr Lee Kuan Yew very well as we did not live through those turbulent times and cannot fully appreciate what he has done for the country. However, after watching many videos online, carefully appreciating the eulogies, and gaining insights into this man’s life from the stories shared about him (I particularly like the one about Mr Lee’s red box), I am deeply moved by the sacrifices Mr Lee Kuan Yew made for Singapore.

Also, he was not only the fiery political figure who got us to fight for our future and stand up for ourselves with “guts and gumption”, he was also that loving husband for Mrs Lee.

And I particularly like the two drawings of Mr and Mrs Lee Kuan Yew that you see above.

Thank you, Mr Lee.

We will strive to keep Singapore a strong and cohesive nation, successful in our endeavors, and uphold what you hold dear – the education of our people, and the continued prosperity and progress of this clean and green city we call home. RIP.

~

Because I am still reeling from the shock of reading the malicious words used, I shall, at present, not reproduce them here.

The stress, embarrassment, fear and anxiety from being cyber-bullied has had adverse effects on my health.

The good that has come out of it is I am now more empathetic towards victims of cyber-bullying. I have long read about them online and in the papers, but now I know exactly how they feel.

Hence, I came up with this:

I chose the symbol of the ‘snowflake’ because what may seem pretty on the outside can have grim and not-so-glamorous origins – ” A snowflake begins to form when an extremely cold water droplet freezes onto a pollen or dust particle in the sky” (Source: NOAA).

When you see someone insulting another person online, you may find it funny or amusing, and you may even want to support that person’s actions by ‘liking’ their post or comment, or adding your comment into the abuse. However, when the intention is to hurt / insult / abuse another human being, there is nothing pretty about it. Question your intentions.

Also, let us not forget the chilling effects of cyber-bullying, or bullying in general. From self-mutilation to suicide, victims have tried their best to cope with (or escape from) cyber-bullying.

Articles to read:

1 in 4 secondary students ‘admits to cyber bullying’

1 In 3 Students In Singapore Have Been Victims Of Cyberbullying

~

Some have asked me why I have decided not to suffer in silence like the rest of the people (or bloggers) who have been cyber-bullied. I draw strength from the words of one of our founding fathers, a man I deeply respect and admire, who fired up Singaporeans and told us to have the “guts and gumption” to stand up for ourselves, and who always sought to make Singapore a better place. If you are being cyber-bullied or if you think you are having an ordeal, stand up for yourself and apply for a Protection Order.

Ultimately, I wish for a better blogosphere, a calmer cyberspace, a safer Singapore. I am doing this for our children, our students, my fellow bloggers, and the public in general.

#SayNoToBullying

[For updates, follow me on Facebook (@thegracetan) or Instagram (@thegracetan)]

*Possibly the nicest thing Wendy has said about me (and which I can reproduce here) is that I have a “pathetic 314″ followers on Instagram, despite knowing that it is one of the social media platforms I am least active on. I have over 13,000 followers on Facebook and over 139,000 on Migme, but she chose to ignore them. Nevertheless, I will strive to update my Instagram account more often, so follow me (@thegracetan) if you agree to #SayNoToBullying.

[30th Mar 4.20pm EDIT: I apologize to anyone who is offended by my mention of one of SG’s founding fathers. I mean no disrespect.]

Well, this is what has been on my mind today. It is something Xiaxue has addressed before. You can read her post about the Protection Order against SMRT (Ltd) Feedback, and find out if someone should be able to take insults online just because he/she is a blogger.

It’s like saying that a comedian should always be making people laugh, even if he is at home, even if he is sad his dog just died, even if he’s having a terrible day. It’s also like saying a celebrity should always have paparazzi intruding upon their privacy because they signed up to be celebrities. No matter where you are, you deserve to have your privacy intruded upon and your pictures taken simply because you are a celebrity?

I am no celebrity. I only call my blog an award-winning one because (1) I did win at the 2013 Singapore Blog Awards – Best Individual Blog award, and (2) My students did well in the 2014 Singapore Blog Awards – winner of Best New Blog, and Top 10 Finalist for the Best Individual Blog Category.

I received my award from Minister Lawrence Wong:

My student received his award from Ms Sim Ann (I took the picture)…

I am not an award-winning Instagrammer, Facebook-er or Twitter-er. I hope I don’t have to keep pointing out the obvious. And yes, many of you have more fans than I do on these platforms – want an award? My point is… I’m a BLOGGER. How come this is so hard to understand?

But no, please don’t try to sign up for blogging workshops. I’m stopping them till further notice.

Like I said on FB, if my readers tell me they think my blog is a terrible one, I will shut it down. (Keyword: readers, not haters who have never been following my blog in the first place)

Likewise, I spent many months putting together my best-selling book, ‘Blogging For A Living’. And Wendy has been attacking me and my work for a long time. Read this blogpost. And here’s an excerpt of what I wrote:

“And it makes me furious if you dare to INSULT me and DISCOUNT the effort I put into the book. Even if you couldn’t care less about my part in the writing (including my experience in the past years of blogging), the book includes interviews with bloggers Celestine Chua (whose site personalexcellence.co gets more traffic than xiaxue.blogspot.sg), Silver Ang (blogger, actress, and survivor of a blog war with Xiaxue), Alvin from alvinology.com (one of the top sites in Singapore), Renee from beautyfool.com (named one of the world’s best beauty blogs by Vogue Italy), and food bloggers Daniel (danielfooddiary) & Melissa (melicacy.com).”

I’m not going to argue this point further. If you can write a better book, please do. And for the record, Armour Publishing was not paid a single cent by me to publish the book. :) So, will Wendy stop saying that I am an “idiot” who got those books printed only because I have money?

Well, you can call me “ugly” (I reserve all rights to take you to court in future). Wendy has. Her advice to me is to go for “artificial enhancement”. I have never had plastic surgery done before, and I don’t think I even qualify for the Top 100,000 Pretty Bloggers in SG list (if there’s such a list). So yes, if you like surgically-enhanced beauties, I’m sorry to disappoint.

I like heading out without makeup, with messy hair and I wear the same clothes to death. Yes, I even shop at NTUC – I have a Plus card to collect points with! :) [Not an ad; I have to clarify] I am an “auntie”, and I have the nieces and nephews to prove it too!

If you want to call me “ugly”, go ahead. It only reflects on your personality, not my looks. Just don’t insult my character, my work, or my students.

Yes, Wendy called me “ugly”, threatened me with a lawsuit (if I dared to reproduce SMRT’s posts. She threatened me, then laughed and told me they had removed their posts, and she says I have a mental illness?!), and she also wrote some other absolutely horrendous things about me (which I shall not reproduce here), so I decided to file for a Protection Order against her. If she can get a PO against SMRT (Ltd) Feedback, why can’t I get one against her? The defamation suit comes after, for those who are concerned.

What was really hurtful was that people actually support her in her humiliation and defamation of me. Heart-chilling vulgarities aside, she also cast aspersions on my character, my work, and even labelled me with a mental illness three times! I wish she had a physician’s proof before saying these things.

~

The 4 Groups Of People In A Typical Cyber-Bullying Incident:

1: The Bully himself/herself

Someone has asked me to speak with Wendy first, and settle this “petty” spat in a mature and peaceful way.

Remember that time she made a public apology to Dawn Yang and also cursed Dawn with cancer? She may think it’s a joke, but cancer is no laughing matter. I have lost family members and friends to cancer. Have you?

(Screenshot from Xiaxue’s blog)

Well, she is not about to shake hands and make friends with me, ok? Hence the PO. I am sick of someone with rapidly-changing hair color label me with mental illnesses. I AM SICK OF IT! She is harming not just my reputation but affecting my standing in the eyes of advertisers. Should I just turn a blind eye to this?

2: The Victim

I’m not the only victim ever. Read about (just) the Top 10 here: http://alvinology.com/2014/12/31/top-ten-blog-wars-involving-xiaxue-smrt-included/

However, under the Protection from Harassment Act, the offending act has to have taken place after 1 October 2014. Otherwise, the usual non-POHA criminal offences will apply. Sorry, Dawn.

3: The Bystander

Equally sickening are the bystanders who egg people on, and fan the flames, and bring out the popcorn. Sorry, Mr Lee, I mean no offence. To Daryl Wee: got the pictures you wanted?

4: The Supporter

In this case, when I went to file the legal papers in court, I checked the abusive comment she first made about me, and there were 14 supporters:

Yup. The first is Doris, Wendy’s mother. I thought she was really offended by the remarks made about her son when the Gushcloud Whatsapp chat was leaked. I was glad the parties involved apologized. But now… it seems she supports Wendy’s vicious attack on me. You are your son’s mother, I am also my mother’s daughter. How do you think my mom would feel?

What shocked me most were names like “Smith Leong” (my fellow Singapore Blog Award winner, albeit in a later year), “Tan-Thiang Jie Ting” (a blogger I’ve met at an event before) and “Elaine Woo” (a blogger and new mother). And I thought mothers are usually too busy caring for their babies, especially in the first month after delivery!

Also, a Nuffnang blogger Charlene Missuschewy (I hope Zhi Hao and your baby are doing well), and a lot of other people I don’t know have gone on to ‘like’ Wendy’s comment. Of course, the first dozen or so must have been informed of her comments through her.

And oh, Smith referred to me in his blogpost:

Well, Smith, let’s just say that if your wife / sister / mother / friend got called the same names and had the same horrid profanities hurled at them, you won’t be ‘liking’ her comment and blogging so calmly about it. Think about it. And… I know you hate that I am a blogging coach. I used to doubt myself too. Till my student won a blog award in 2014. You know him too – same year as you. :) My success at the blog awards can be replicated, I don’t own shares in SPH, and I think I deserve to make a living by helping others if they also want to win an award or learn to blog. I don’t need permission from you, but I hope I make sense here.

And yes, folks, you are right. Let him who has not sinned cast the first stone. Back in 2014, Xiaxue called me a “bitch”, an “idiot” and a “nobody”. I chose to just… blog about it. No big deal, like my pal told me… a bitch is simply a female dog. I won’t sue her for calling me a “bitch”. I live with it.

What did I call her?

I Am Sorry, Wendy.

[Edited: The lady who left that comment asked for her name and picture to be masked, and we also had a good conversation about her experience of being cyber-bullied.]

The best insult I can come up with is… this.

So, my answer to Smith is this… I can fight fire with fire. I refuse to. All those profanities don’t come out so easily from me. I wish I have a sharp tongue and can use profanities liberally. But I can’t. Read my blogposts and you’ll have a hard time finding me cussing. You won’t find pictures of me showing off my middle finger too. I know Wendy and yourself might be more inclined towards doing so, but not me. I take the legal route if I have to.

So there. I am not doing this for the fame. If you have ever taken out a Protection Order against anyone, you will know you might prefer chopping off your right hand than going through that long, tedious and draining process. This is why many victims have not bothered. It is costly too. Also, has anyone wondered why I didn’t blog about the second Gushcloud-exposed blogpost Wendy did? If I’m traffic-hungry, and coupled with the insider information I have, I would have done so. I did NOT!

And now… I have to deal with jokers like this one:

[Edited: Interesting… so Nicholas is the one who sent out that tweet about how someone should have died for causing a morning traffic jam – https://twitter.com/omySG/status/297189305930113024 – … but honestly…]

I don’t have the time for these things!!!

I would like the bullying to stop. I would like the tarnishing of my reputation to stop. I would like to never hear from her again.

I just want my drama-free life back. I like having nobody Tweet at me, especially if it’s about their orgasms.

I’m proud of my work, I’m proud of my book, and I’m proud of my students.

#SayNoToBullying

Final Note: I know that an adorable boy turns two tomorrow. While I am not fond of his mother, I believe every kid deserves to be especially happy on their birthdays. So if I don’t hear from Wendy, she won’t hear from me either.

Follow me on Facebook (@thegracetan), Twitter (@Grace_Tan) or Instagram (@thegracetan) for updates.

Here’s one short video that can rival those Thai commercials that tug at the heartstrings:

Background and History of the Singapore Kindness Movement

{ from http://kindness.sg/about/ }

In his 1996 New Year Message, then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong highlighted the need for Singapore to become a gracious society by the 21st century. Considerate social behaviour supported by a strong economy and good government will make Singapore the best home for its people. In line with Mr. Goh’s call to build a gracious society, the Singapore Kindness Movement (SKM) was formed in 1997 and aims to encourage Singaporeans to make a positive commitment to gracious living through simple acts of kindness in their daily activities.

A Gracious Singapore, one kind act at a time.

Culture, heritage, education and civic-mindedness make up a gracious society.

One whereby people appreciate spiritual development and the arts – the finer things in life.

One whereby people know their roots and are tolerant of that of the others.

One whereby people have a strong desire for learning and reading, beyond the pursuit of academic qualifications.

One whereby people lend themselves readily to acts of kindness, volunteer work and philanthropy etc for the betterment of society.

It’s the little pieces that form the big picture.

With every small act of kindness, we create a pleasant society with good social behaviour, and make life better for everyone.

So start, show and share kindness today.

Kindness, Bring it on!

[ Giveaway at the end of this blogpost! :D ]

I was sent this book for review and I have to admit that I thought it was just another book from a prolific author. But reading ‘Love Without Limits’ has given me valuable insights into making relationships and marriages work. More importantly, this book also offers hope to singles who are pining for a soulmate – “Never give up on love… because God planted that desire in your heart for a purpose” – and I encourage singles to pick up a copy of this book too.

Nick is not just a motivational speaker. He is also an “anti-bullying activist” and I’d love to follow in his footsteps! But one thing at a time, yes? *wink*

You might ask me who this book is for and I’d say “everyone” because Nick also got his wife, Kanae, involved in the writing of this book for both the ‘male’ and ‘female’ perspectives towards dating and marriage. Why is this important?

Just this week, I turned down a TV show opportunity (no need for added publicity) and had dinner with a JC pal I have not met in a long time. At our last meetup, she was deeply in love with a man three years our senior and was taking great pains to integrate herself into their (snobbish) family culture. Fast forward to our meetup, and she’d already broken up with said guy for over a year.

I asked her why she did not want to work things out with him and had so quickly said goodbye. After all, he did ask to meet her after she’d initiated the breakup. I felt that he had not hurt her so irreparably that she would stop loving him, i.e. he hadn’t actually done anything ‘wrong’. Her reply was that he had hurt her by allowing her to leave, and that if you really love someone, you will not let that person go so easily. [Which goes against that popular saying of “If you really love someone, let him/her go”, no?]

I told her that it is just the female point of view. That when you say to a man that you want a breakup, he hears it as something like “I hate you and I never want to see you again. Go and die.” when what you actually meant was “Prove to me that you love me and will never want to be apart from me”.

My friend told me that things might have turned out differently if she had spoken with me a year ago. Well, then I hafta start charging for such sessions, ya? :D #kidding

~

Because of his lack of limbs, Nick does not quite look like the average man. And I mean no offence by saying this. So I’m curious about what Kanae sees in him. And in her own words:

I was hoping to one day find a mature, godly man who would try to work out our disagreements instead of just letting them stew… [and] make me feel like the priority in his life just as he would be the priority in mine… A man who would care for my dreams as much as I cared for his.

Kanae’s advice for relationship and marital bliss is that “You have to be willing to forgive, to put others first, and to work on your own flaws and failings”.

And I have picked out the top 11 tips I gathered from reading this book – you might be drawn to others when you read ‘Love Without Limits’, but here are those which resonated with me…

Nick Vujicic’s 11 Tips for Relationship & Marital Bliss:

1) Accept that maybe the love of your life won’t exactly fit your perception of the perfect person for you / someone not at all like you had imagined.

2) On page 88: Again, I caution you not to get engaged “because it seems the right thing to do” or because “the timing is right.” Marriage is a long-term commitment. You should only step into that commitment if you truly love the person and want to spend your life with her. You should think hard before marrying someone if you can’t forgive, overlook, accept or deal with issues that you may have with that person.

3) Embrace each other’s families and friends as part of the relationship, as long as they bring you closer.

4) Submit to each other in marriage through loving attentiveness and empathy, rather than setting unreasonable or selfish expectations by demanding that your own needs and desires come first and foremost.

5) Talk about the good and the bad of past relationships.

6) Understand and ease your partner’s insecurities and fears so your relationship will grow stronger. True love is reciprocal in that both people want the best for each other. They don’t worry about who gets more or gives more. There is no keeping score. They simply want to be with each other as much as they possibly can, for as long as they possibly can. The secret isn’t to focus on yourself less, it’s to care about your spouse more

7) “Can you imagine your life without this person?”

8) If you don’t grow together, you grow apart. Don’t take each other for granted.

9) Being right isn’t nearly as important as being together. Keep no record of wrongs. Don’t take conflicts personally. Let go of hurtful feelings and focus on making the marriage better, not bitter. Never go to bed angry. You have to be humble enough to ask God for help, especially when you feel your emotions running away with you, old insecurities reigniting, and hurtful words forming on your lips. God can go to your heart and put out those self-destructive fires.

10) Remember that “It doesn’t matter how nice your home is. You could lose the house and all of your earthly possessions in a very short period. What truly matters is the strength of your faith and the loving bonds you share with those who matter most to you”

11) Daily steps to strengthen your bond: (1) Start The Day Together, (2) Keep The Romance Alive, (3) Date Nights, (4) Mini Trips or Vacations, (5) Be A Friend With Benefits, (6) Go Out With Other Couples Who Really Like Each Other, (7) Live, Love and Laugh

I think Nick and Kanae have got it down pat when they describe a blissful relationship or marriage is when “each considers the other a blessing”. Who are the blessings in YOUR life? What will you say to them today? What will you do for them today? How will you make them feel like they are a priority in your life? :)

{ Giveaway }

To win a copy of ‘Love Without Limits’, leave a comment here and tell me which is your favorite out of the 11 tips above :)

It’s that simple!

*Only for residents of Singapore.

*Giveaway ends 25th April 2015, 23:59hrs.

Intriguing title aside, I really do judge books by their covers, and this one is eye-catching in a flashing-neon-light way. :D And its 329 pages make for a really good read.

I don’t know what possessed Amy to write this book while going through a divorce, but I’m glad she did. Her larger-than-life character leaps out at you from between those pages and her irreverent good humor is a welcome breath of fresh air (e.g. she jokes about wanting to tell prolific authors to tie their many books around their ankles and jump into a lake, simply because she finds writing to be such hard work).

She’s so honest, funny, and irresistibly witty that this book might be close to being labelled “unputdownable” (an honor reserved for only the best page-turners).

And why, you might ask, is this book titled ‘Yes Please’? She explains:

It’s called Yes Please because it is the constant struggle and often the right answer. Saying “yes” doesn’t mean I don’t know how to say no, and saying “please” doesn’t mean I am waiting for permission.

Make of it what you will. Or buy this book and read it ;)

And here’s another example of her good humor… if you get the joke:

I have read (and relished) but have not reviewed Sheryl Sandberg’s ‘Lean In’ here. Perhaps I should do that as many female authors like to refer to Sheryl’s book.

Also, here’s what Amy thinks her 90-year-old self would say:

Sound advice, though…

“Relax and let her win. Who cares?” – Well, yes and no. If something is just a petty squabble, then as that hit song goes… let it go. But if there’s something else at stake, then perhaps it demands to be dealt with more severely. Also, I like that bit about “Forgive your parents for what they never gave you” – your parents may have gotten a divorce (like what Amy is getting) and left you insecure and angry, or perhaps they never gave you the good looks, money or privileges that your friends have, but that’s no reason to become a bitter person. ;)

On Saying Sorry: “…this doesn’t mean I am a pushover. It doesn’t mean I am afraid of conflict or don’t know how to stand up for myself. I am getting to a place right in the middle where I feel good about exactly how much I apologize.”

I agree. In fact, on yesterday’s episode of Talking Point on TV, one interviewee shared that it’s nicer to be the one to apologize first, even if you are the victim of cyber-bullying. Stand on higher moral ground, and see if your bully will follow but don’t hold your breath hoping it will happen soon. :D [You can watch Talking Point on Toggle if you’ve missed the episode]

~

Nuggets of wisdom from people Amy admires:

1) Louis CK: “Divorce is always good news because no good marriage has ever ended in divorce”

2) Gavin de Becker: “no” should be the “end of the discussion, not the beginning of a negotiation”

~

“The only way we will survive is by being kind. The only way we can get by in this world is through the help we receive from others.” – Amy Poehler

Get this hardcover edition at just S$23.32 before GST at your nearest bookstore :)

[This is not an ad. I wasn’t even sent one sponsored Oreo cookie. :P] I’m just intrigued by what the Coconut Delight Oreo would taste like. Hmm. One of my favorite childhood snacks, the Oreo is a yummy treat whether eaten on its own or dunked into milk… or as guilty schoolchildren will tell you, the Oreo Twist-Lick-Dunk is the best. :D

According to the press release sent to me, the 137g pack costs S$1.59 and the 264.6g Multipack costs S$1.95. Honestly, I don’t know how they do the math, but I’m glad the snack is kept affordably priced. :)

But what I am really craving for right now is some Tim Tams :D

[Pic source: timtam-shop.de]

When I was in Melbourne some years ago, my pals Calvin and Mark taught me how to eat tim tams. Apparently, you bite off the ends of a tim tam (diagonally opposite each other) and use the now-bitten tim tam as a straw in warm milk. Then you eat the tim tam, whose center would have gotten all warm, melty and mushy from the milk. Entirely delectable, I tell you!

I don’t have the Coconut Delight Oreos at home, and neither do I have tim tams within reach. :D I DO have Haagen-Dazs’ ice cream though. Bought 3 pints this week ‘cos they are on offer at Sheng Siong till end of the month. The usual price is S$14.50 EACH, but they’re now going for S$28.50 for THREE. Impossible to resist. And I do love the green tea flavor. :)

Sweet weekend, folks!~

l’ve received a couple of emails recently regarding Lee Hwa Jewellery’s new and supposedly innovative collections. First up, there are the Buddha Diamonds.

These Buddha Diamonds are developed by Munich-based Schreiner Fine Jewellery and are shaped to represent a meditating Buddha. Each Buddha Diamond has up to 58 facets and is sculpted from a single rough diamond. This diamond – which is internationally patented – takes ten times longer to cut compared to a normal diamond. The range also includes earrings, bracelets and necklaces. Honestly, I find it lacks the ‘wow’ factor for me:

Buddha Diamond earrings, anyone?

The full range of Buddha Diamonds will be available at the Lee Hwa Diamond Promenade (ION Orchard), while Buddha Diamond In Glass will be available in all other Lee Hwa Jewellery boutiques from end April 2015 onwards.

What IS pretty, though, is the Vanda pendant!  :)

Vanda’s design incorporates Lee Hwa Jewellery’s signature 19k Purple Gold™, accompanied by rose and white gold. Also, there are several dozen round white diamonds, purple amethysts and pink tourmalines combined with a round solitaire diamond on the orchid’s lip. The Vanda pendant probably looks best on the rose gold chain.. The Vanda Pendant is available at Lee Hwa Jewellery boutiques in ION Orchard, Suntec City, and VivoCity from June 2015. Each limited edition Vanda pendant comes with its own individual serial number. If you really like jewellery fashioned to look like orchids, you can also check out Risis’ collection here. Very tempting indeed.

Was browsing YouTube playlists when I chanced upon this one about Tammy Tay. I follow her on Instagram and know that she has lost a lot of weight after her pregnancy, to the envy of many I’m sure.

She’s a single mom to Elroy, and she shares in the video that she weighed 70kg (at her heaviest) and her weight is now below 50kg!

While restoring confidence in front of the camera is one of her motivations for losing weight, she candidly shares that “If I didn’t lose all that weight, I would lose some endorsements”.

Tammy’s Three Tips For Post-Pregnancy Weight Loss:

1) Breastfeeding

She credits breastfeeding for helping her lose over 10kg in 3 months. Impressive.

2) Exercise

Besides jogging for 30mins every alternate day, Tammy does these exercises at home: crunches, planking, squats while carrying the baby, and pushups.

3) Diet

Breakfast: Two slices of wholemeal bread, a cup of yoghurt, milo or green tea

Lunch: Small portion of brown rice, boiled/steamed meat, some vegetable, maybe an egg too (*stay away from processed food!)

Dinner: Same as at lunch but without the carbs, and eaten before 8pm

If she feels hungry after dinner, she’d eat an apple or drink a lot of water.

*Important tips: Never skip your meals, and dieting is all about discipline.

So… I received this email. And I have a few questions:

1) How does just 1,111 uploads crash Instagram?

2) I cannot reconcile “some 9,000 runners said ‘cheese’ and Instagrammed” and “a final count of 1,111″. Some 7000+ runners used the wrong hashtags?

3) Who else is grossed out by the idea of having to “get close and put their heads together” for a photo with other runners?

4) Instagram should have crashed between 3.30-7.30pm when runners are supposed to be uploading Instagram posts. But it seems the reports came in later, as shown in the CNA article: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/instagram-temporarily/1778956.html So… who to believe? ;)

I’ll be sharing the stage with a group of inspiring individuals at the Breakthrough Conference 2015. Yes, including that mysterious masked man – someone who makes a 6-figure sum every year just from dividends. (I can’t wait to find out how he does that stock-picking!)

If you’re the kind of person who wants to cut through all the fluff at seminars, and just get one brilliant idea from each speaker, and put it to good use in your life, then this conference is for you. If you don’t want to pay thousands of dollars for a “life-changing” / “motivational” / “get rich quick” course, then all you need to pay is S$38. Just use this code: ‘grace38‘

See you there! :)

https://www.eventbrite.sg/e/breakthrough-conference-2015-tickets-16166043070

Another finalist for this year’s Singapore Service Excellence Medallion Award (SSEM) is Canon! :) Will the brand whose slogan is ‘Delighting You Always’ win the hearts of the judges and voters like yourself? I popped by their Customer Care Centre in Harbourfront recently to speak with Shyanne Browning from their Customer Delight Management – a 3-man independent team in Canon that reads and responds to all feedback that customers send in.

Sharing a laugh, or two, with Shyanne:

Shyanne’s department is separate from the service centre and various touch points across the island. It reports directly to senior management. I was curious about how a large organization like Canon only requires a 3-man team for handling feedback, and Shyanne explained that they don’t get many complaints, but get quite a number of compliments from happy customers, and there are those who have actually become friends with the service staff at Canon!

Because service is so important at Canon, the company tries to make the feedback-submitting process as easy as possible. Spot a red sticker on the service counter? Scan the QR code and key in your feedback or query! The staff also have KPIs to hit which are based on customer feedback. *Even if you have product feedback (e.g. I want to see a particular camera in pink), write in and the company will compile feedback to send to the R&D department in Tokyo.

I asked Shyanne to share with me a memorable customer service experience and she related this story:

“A customer called us regarding a printer hardware error, and our staff told him that we cannot troubleshoot this particular error over the phone, and to please make his way down to our service centre with the printer.

He drove down on a rainy morning.

Our service centre staff apologized for not having the spare parts to fix his printer and asked if he would like to buy a new printer with a discount. He was yelling and screaming about having to risk his life driving down in the rain.

His printer was already 10 years old. We just didn’t have the spare parts anymore.

Often, we just have to acknowledge that it was not easy for the customer, and that we had made it difficult for them to get things done. We have to empathize with them and really feel what they are feeling.

He eventually bought a new printer, and after he had cooled down, he called me the next day to ask me to help apologize to the staff.”

Knowing this, Canon tries to “make things easy” for customers. For instance, if your camera died while you are on holiday, you’ll usually not have an international warranty. But now, with the recently-launched Asia Traveller Protection Program, the camera that you bought in Singapore can be fixed in any Asian country. You’ll pay first, then claim the service fee when you get back to Singapore. Pretty cool, eh?

Joe Seah, who works at Canon and has won service awards 4 times, also popped by to share with us his experience of working at Canon. Joe has been a Canon staff for over 15 years! And he’s not even the person who has served the longest! Another staff member I got to meet, Melvin, has worked at Canon for 35 years! *gasp* Thus, you’ll likely see the same faces when you visit the service centre every time.

Joe shared that he has over 100 “old customers” who still come by to ‘talk lenses’ for an hour or two, trade product knowledge, and engage in “geeky conversations” as Shyanne terms them. :) Joe is an avid photographer and diver but admits that these hobbies require a “time commitment” outside of work, but it makes him happy to note that customers like his recommendations, e.g. for lenses for a safari trip.

I was under the impression that because Canon treats its staff so well, they cannot help but transfer that love to their customers too. As a customer, I was delighted to hear that they offer on-site service warranty for printers (technicians will pop by your home to repair your printer for you) and there is even a camera courier service (someone will pick up the camera from you, get it repaired, and deliver it back to you!)

You can check out Canon’s Concept Stores at BEST Denki (Takashimaya), Courts Megastore (Tampines) or at Harvey Norman (Kallang Wave Mall). But for all tech conversations, pop by Harbourfront and speak with staff like Joe. He says Canon is like his “second family”, and he welcomes Canon customers to come chat with him.

Key Takeaway: It is often easy to assume that a customer is being “difficult” or “nasty” or “overly demanding”. But if customer service staff put themselves in the shoes of customers, and seek to empathize with them regarding their plight / complaint / frustration, customer service issues can usually be amicably resolved. Even better, they may gain a loyal customer for life, because the customer feels that the staff are sincere in taking the time to understand his/her frustrations, and put in their best effort to help resolve those issues.

Selfie Time: testing out one of Canon’s newest products:

Shyanne and Joe were extremely friendly and I really enjoyed my conversations with them. With that kind of warm service atmosphere, I am sure that Canon’s 135,000 fans will be voting online for Canon to win the Singapore Service Excellence Medallion! *wink*

~ VOTE ~

“The Singapore Service Excellence Medallion was launched to honor organisations and individuals who have inspired a transformation in the local service industry and raised the bar in service excellence. This is quantified not by individual heroes, but by the remarkable performance of the people and organisations that are pushing the envelope to create an environment that delivers phenomenal organisational performance, employee and customer satisfaction.”

To vote for Canon Singapore to win the Singapore Service Excellence Medallion , follow the link below:

www.makingexperiencescount.sg

I have not been back to Universal Studios for a while now. And how I have been missing out! The Park celebrated its 5th birthday last week and I popped by and fell in love again. I was there to find out how Universal Studios Singapore (USS) came to be a finalist for this year’s Singapore Service Excellence Medallion Award. Beyond providing further information on the park, the Universal Studios Singapore staff on the ground demonstrated excellent service. Read to the end of the blogpost to find out who won my heart. :)

Lots of guest-staff interaction at the Park:

Universal Studios Singapore is no stranger to service excellence awards. In 2013, two of their staff took home awards in the Customer Service category – Retail and Visitor Attraction.

~

Ms Lim Miao Ling, age 30, from That’s A Wrap Store at Universal Studios Singapore said: “I always try to ensure guests leave the store smiling, that’s what keeps me going. I definitely did not expect to win this award, now I am even more driven to create more excellent customer service moments.”

Ms Grace Christine M. Jamuna Rani, age 50, a VIP Tour Guide for Universal Studios Singapore, who won the award for Visitor Attraction said: “I am honored, privileged and thankful to have won this service excellence award. Having my efforts recognised at this age is a great encouragement.”

~

The Park is currently decked out in Easter-themed decor. And I am particularly fond of anything to do with the Minions. Are you a fan too? :D

Thanks to the tour led by their Senior Communications Executive, Linette Lin, I got to venture into a place I’ve never been before – the Family Room. Tucked in a corner of the Transformers Ride venue, it is a spacious air-conditioned area for families to hang out – Daddy can sit in here with the young kids while Mommy goes on the ride, and vice versa. There’s a TV, water dispensers of different heights (so thoughtful!), a wash basin, and long benches.

Staff are also trained to identify guests who are not feeling well after the rides, and to usher them to this Family Room. And for anyone who requires medical attention, there is a medical centre within the Park.

The park also provides several value-added services. It has introduced sewing kits and mobile phone charging services across parks and also provides young guests with wrist tags that makes it easier to reunite children who have gotten separated from their parents.

Inside and out, USS has also spared no effort in providing amazing photo opportunities. Against a colorful backdrop with an egg-shaped Universal ‘globe’, I got a picture with the Sesame Street gang. And here’s where the magic happened…

The blue one might easily be mistaken as Cookie Monster. I believe he’s Grover, with bunny ears.

After my photo, another group went up to take pictures with the Sesame Street characters. When coming down those steps, this lady in a pink top and beige shorts took a tumble and fell down awkwardly. She quickly picked herself up, in front of the crowd of people queuing for photos. But what surprised me most was Grover hurrying down and embracing her in a huge hug. I guess all embarrassment she was feeling up to that point must have evaporated. She left with a huge smile on her face.

Thumbs up for Grover! (*Edited pic: I gave the lady some shades to protect her identity)  Looks like the staff at USS are empowered to turn any guest situation into a memorable one!

Universal Studios Singapore looks amazing, the rides are awesome, the merchandise are irresistible, but I guess what will keep guests coming back is that fantastic experience provided by the staff. Be prepared to fall head over heels in love with Universal Studios Singapore the next time you visit. And give Grover a high five for me!

Key Takeaway: From this experience at USS, I think people who visit the Park are not treated so much as ‘customers’ as they are treated as ‘guests’. When a guest visits your home or office, you try to make him/her feel ‘at home’ and go out of your way to accommodate and welcome your guest. Anyone who is involved with client relations, customer service, sales, or any client-facing jobs would do well to view ‘customers’ as ‘guests’. Ultimately, organizations are judged not by fancy brochures they hand out but by the individual customer experiences.

Say Hi to the Minions on your next visit:

~ VOTE ~

“The Singapore Service Excellence Medallion was launched to honor organisations and individuals who have inspired a transformation in the local service industry and raised the bar in service excellence. This is quantified not by individual heroes, but by the remarkable performance of the people and organisations that are pushing the envelope to create an environment that delivers phenomenal organisational performance, employee and customer satisfaction.”

To vote for Universal Studios Singapore to win the Singapore Service Excellence Medallion, follow the link below:

www.makingexperiencescount.sg