The day i discovered something about me

I believe that we will always learn things about ourselves. We think we may know our own self but maybe that is not the case.

Take for an example what happened to me in 2007, during my four-month part time job with a customer call center in Cyberjaya with an overseas budget airline. Picking up calls, take feedback (read: complaints), make bookings and check lost bookings and stuff.

Now, now, I regard people having to talk directly to customers as very strong people because seriously, it takes a lot to be sitting on that chair for long hours where each call can be anything. Maybe it's someone who wants to praise you or just ask a question; it can be anything. On my part, I was always lucky enough to have people ask questions and make bookings.

However, little that I know, a day arrived where I would be learning who I truly am. It was on a weekday and I went live for a few hours only. The short few hours that I don't plan on having it crawl slowly but instead, dash like a road runner. But calls were pouring in at an OK-pace, no complaints.

I remember picking up a call from this lady who sounded exasperated. The moment that I picked up the call, she was already in tears. She was having difficulty putting two words together, mentioning something about tickets.

' I [] made a [] booking. Wrong…esss,' the blanks are for you to insert sniffing.

Apparently, she was crying because she made the wrong booking and paid for the tickets without thoroughly checking at the booking. So, she ended up paying SGD 500++ on a totally wrong date and was asking whether I can help her.

You see, being a customer representative sometimes demand us to 'play' with emotions. Be nice but just so. Show empathy but make it clear that there is nothing that you do. Sadly, I had to assume the role of the latter.

I made her repeat the question and she did so, difficult but she did so slowly. At the same time, she was sniffing but appear to be more in a control.

The thing happened in just a few minutes and I felt it was ok. Well, I thought so too because the next thing I know, the table surface was wet and so were my cheeks.

And that was the day that I discovered, I automatically cry whenever anybody cries. Albeit the fact that we are only talking on the phone.

So, discovered something about yourself that startles you?