The customer is always right! And some mall staff don't seem to know that.

A very popular mall in my country (Philippines) is well-known (notorious?) for employing most of its employees as contractuals only. Thus every five months or so, it changes its staff to get another batch. Simply put, the family that owns the mall chain saves a lot  from non-regularization of its staff (from not granting regular salary, benefits, etc.) because they are kicked out even before they could reach the number of months of service wherein the labor code stipulates that they automatically become regular staff of any company. 

But I noticed that, sadly, because this mall chain changes often its staff, it seems to have fallen back on educating its salespersons and cashiers on customer service. I've witnessed at least three instances in the grocery section of of two of its mall branches of how the cashiers did not now how to politely treat the customers. And these cashiers did not, or refused to, say the magic word "Sorry" even if just to appease the complaining customer. And, then, after the customer had left, the cashiers had the gall to loudly talk to their fellow cashiers or the baggers in their lane about the irate customer. Even if customers may be on the fault sometimes (too demanding, don't know what to do, etc.), still it lies on a mall's salespersons, cashiers, baggers, etc. (in short, a store's frontliners) to be the more understanding AND HUMBLE part of the exchange. The customers are, after all, the lifeblood of the malling business and, for that matter, the lifeblood of the mall staff's job. 

It's sad that in the name of gaining more profits for mall owners through contractualization of their staff, they have seemingly done away with training the staff on good customer relations.

Missing Person in San Jose, California, USA: Amber Lozano Viado

Amber Lozano Viado (photo above) has been missing since evening of September 16, 2012 in the USA. Her family resides in San Jose, California. For anyone who has information on Amber, please e-mail her aunt Eileen at santoseileen@yahoo.com.

Ted's Oldtimer La Paz Batchoy is worth the trip

When you are at the SM North EDSA mall in Quezon City, Philippines, try out the Ted’s Oldtimer La Paz Batchoy at the Food Center, which is at the mall’s basement.

Whenever I come across food establishments that I feel are worth recommending to other foodies like me, I try my best to promote them. So, Ted’s La Paz Batchoy is worth your trip.

It offers hot La Paz Batchoy (noodles with all sorts of things heheh) and other viands like crispy liempo (a certain part of pork), crispy fried chicken, chicken inasal (or grilled chicken, an upcoming addition to the menu, though), and others.

Ted’s is actually originally a restaurant based in the Visayas region. So, it’s good that it’s easily available now in Metro Manila, which is in the Luzon region of the Philippines. Hope you do try it, so that the SM North EDSA branch will not close because actually I don’t see a lot of customers patronizing it so far (it opened only this year). Must be the location because it’s situated at the far end of the Food Center.

Happy food trip!