“Anand Sonawane” Ji

Disclaimer: All the characters in this blog are fictitious and any person ……..This blog is provoked by the Phone Call that I received today morning. Well!! I have received similar calls lots of times before also. I received them in a meeting, while traveling, while sleeping and many other occasions which are part of my daily routines.Every time it has left me irritated and I never thought it would find some place in my blog. Some of the content here might also touch the technology aspect making it Technology blog or T-Blog as I call it. But let me not worry about it.

So what was the phone call that I received today morning? ….. While I was making up my mind for going to office and fixing the priorities of my office tasks, I received this call and person from the other side spoke …. “Hello Good morning, Mein XYZ bank se baat kar raha hoon, Kya mein Anand Sonawane Ji se baat kar sakta hoon? “. This has been start of all the wrong numbers that I have received from many other financial organizations for past couple of years. Excluding the time, I have been outside India; I get to hear same lines invariably from these financial giants. Initially I disregarded, thinking it’s a wrong number but as the call frequency grew, I made it a point to tell the person on other side that the number they dialed does not belong to Anand Sonawane but belongs to Yogesh Dhond (Me)…but all in vain. Things have not improved from then, I still receive the calls and I put them off saying “wrong number” … well If you can’t change it … get adjusted to it!! You see!! ?

By now I have understood few things about Anand Sonawane. He is the Customer of “XYZ” bank; incidentally it happens to be my bank as well. He has loan amount of few lakhs in another bank as I receive the calls/SMS to make some pending payment. He has also invested in share market. If at all he incarnates in front of me sometimes in future, I would like tell him all his transactions and surprise him.

Some how these calls have created the Fraud image of Anand Sonawane in my mind and I am awaiting his wife/mother or children calling me saying. “Aaj Aloo ki sabji leke aao” or “Papa, ghar aate waqt sketch pen lana mat bhulna”. Of course this is bit of exaggeration now!! I know, whatever I presumed about Mr. Sonwane is not true and he is not fraudulent also. For he may not be aware of my identity itself neither does he know the “wrong number” syndrome, that I am affected with.

This is where technical person in me got me writing this blog. I have passed through the pains of creating an account with bank, or to buy new mobile connection. I have supplied all those document proofs to comply with the requirement. All I know, that it is mandatory for all of them to know their customer well enough before they do any business with him. There are activities like KYC (know your customer) which are carried out even before they start dealing with me. But, When I get the same calls every time, I can’t stop myself ridiculing the whole system. Believe me, all these calls that I have received, are from organizational giants in their own domain. I remember couple of instances, where I have even requested guy on other side, to delete my phone number against Anand Sonawane’s name. At one instance, I got the call from same department of the bank twice. First time they enquired about Anand Sonawane and second time they enquired about me. I am really not exaggerating this.

It’s really funny to see a very pathetic CRM system being employed by these giants. A good Master Data Management would have been solution to avoid such problems. The companies, banks, mobile operators on the other side of the globe are embracing it, to increase the customer satisfaction. But their equivalent counterparts are probably not even looking at it. In fact, my firm belief is that, the programs such as KYC are pursued in mechanical way to abide the norms put forward by the apex bodies. They do not even pay attention to the spirit involved in it. Hundreds of people are employed to handle the customer complaint without the proper rights of executing the complaints. They don’t even understand that a proper planned Master data solution would save the leakage in their accounts books under the sections “Miscellaneous”. What else would you account for when you dialed same number asking for 2 different people?

This is precisely the reason I feel that it is high time for Indian giants from all the sectors to put their thinking hats on to identify the flaws in the way they handle their consumers. A master data solution or good CRM is their choice. A qualitative way or a quantitative method to run KYC is their choice. Getting their ideas mapped into software world or improving their existing system is their choice. But stitch in time will definitely save nine. Otherwise even a good nation wide ID project would loose big time without the required spirit.

And last but not the least, next time “XYZ” bank calls me …I would definitely like to hear … “Kya mein Yogesh Dhond se baat kar raho hoon?”… Is this an unrealistic dream?

The Shift of Respect

“Respected Headmaster, Teacher’s, Parents and my dear friends….. “. Some of us know these lines by heart. They used to be start of our public speaking and elocution competitions in schools. Probably we did not understand the meaning of these words then, but they made good lot of impact on us. Rather it was the single word ….“Respected”. Somewhere, unknowingly it cultured us to respect everybody. Respect elders, respect educated, respect intellect, respect life.

The old lady used to be referred to Aai or Maa ji (Mother) and the elderly man used to be Baba, Kaka or Dada (uncle). And we of course had the respect for them when we used to call them by such names. This was true everywhere in my small village and in cities too. And those who didn’t respect elders were categorized as spoilt brats. Giving respect to people was always considered as good behaviour and any such behaviour was appreciated by all.

But my encounter with this city, Mumbai Nagari (also known as Maya Nagari), the city where people flock to achieve their dreams … was unpleasant. On first day itself, rickshawwala called me “Uncle”. Oh Lord!! Am I an uncle at the age of 26? And how can a 50 year old rickshaw guy call me Uncle? It was not long before I understood that I was one amongst the uncles of my age and even younger to me. And the sad part is that there isn’t any feeling of respect behind those words. Possibly the respect was paid to some bucks in my pocket. Now over a period of time, I have got used to such words. In fact, I do not feel offended as I felt the first day.

Today’s incident was different, when my rickshawala again aged 50-55, shouted at the old lady crossing the road ….. Aye mhatarye ho bajula … #&^%$#... (You old lady …get out of the away…bad words). While shouting that he also manoeuvred his rickshaw in such a way that it looked liked we will hit her. The old lady was almost on the other side of the road when this guy was shouting at her and there was ample space for even a monster truck to pass by. But the same ricksha wala applied sudden brakes when some car crossed at the junction without obeying the signal. There wasn’t any disrespect and not even a “good” bad word and there was no manoeuvring. As if he was anticipating the same. Definitely, hitting the car would have been stupid thing to do. For he knew his life is at risk. Again He can’t take the risk of hitting the car, for his rickshaw would be no more. But somewhere a brushing thought came to my mind … is our respect for a human being is limited to self? How bluntly someone can forget the importance of other’s life but at the same time knows to save him. Or was it the money that he would have spent repairing his rickshaw after hitting car? …… !!!

Suddenly, the word uncle started pinching me. The thought of not respecting the old lady but respecting own life made me uneasy. And then, numerous similar instances which I have seen and heard in this city started to revolve as a movie sequence in front of my eye. The disrespected characters were the old lady, the teacher, the headmaster, Parents and the role played by rickshawala was played by today’s handsome, good looking, educated young generation.

It has started giving me subtle pain as I thought I was part of the rickshawala’s crime. I also fall in this educated category of young generation. I could have asked him, “Can’t you stop for sometime till she crosses the road…” But I kept mum as a nice silent boy in movie theatre. I have refrained from talking during many such instances .I am sure many of us would have already.

Of course there are exceptions to this and will always be. But the set of Brats are more in number in this period of global community. Respecting the life, elders, intellect is now probably seen as old fashioned. I really hate it to the core, when people don’t even obey the traffic signal… but every time I managed to be a nice boy in the Movie Theatre. Most of us know that it’s unethical, unlawful and all wrong, but we have managed to maintain silence as we have conveniently adjusted to the fact that we can’t make any difference.

Today, somewhere my conscience has started pricking me!!... Is life not precious? Aren’t we happy that we are living? Aren’t we happy that others are leaving? Are we so materialistic that we cant respect life but started respecting money alone? Shouldn’t we believe that every act should be done in harmony with others? Is our time more important than the life of others? If we don’t run fast will we miss everything in our life? Will there be a day when I will say “Respected Headmaster, Teacher’s, Parents and my Dear friends ….” With same pride and also mean it at the same time? ...Can I make difference?

Can somebody help me (ethical me) to answer these questions!!! … If you have time!!

Spirit that was .... (?)

The terror attacks are over. The life of those who have suffered will take some time to come to normal, for them its ….. no words. The life of those who have not suffered will also come to a normal, only because they were involved only through media and discussions. One more cricket match or probably one good reality show, that’s enough for them. I belong to later community.

Today, I am planning to go to community meeting to pay homage to all those who have died. I guess, we will be paying homage to our dying spirit. Yes, the dying spirit.
Now I have started seriously looking out for the cause of it.

Slowly, the answers started coming my way. The first immediate answer is that, I am me, myself and few others beloved in my life. “The fire” is in somebody else’s house why should I worry? Well, that’s age old symptom, how can I help it.

Then the interesting one, the idiot box, that was not so idiot when I started watching it some 20 years back. But now the news channel and TV serials run in my blood. I cant live without them, I can’t sleep without looking at some Bossy show, some laughter show, some news that tell me “Yes!! Sita and Ram” they existed and they use to bath their in Sri Lanka. Well, that’s how I eat my dinner. How do you think I have managed to stay healthy otherwise? Then I look at life around me. I look all my friends, acquaintance and other citizens of India. I have started to love them, for their “chalta hai” approach. I have started liking them when they don’t even show up patience at the road signal. I have started liking them because they are much more materialistic them I am and why they should not be, after all it’s their hard (?) earn money.

I am also looking at Tiger and Lions and of course different version of them. I like them when they come out to hit their own people but hid themselves when such terror attacks happen. And when everything is over they don’t even hesitate to put a sign board to salute the martyrs and below prominently putting up their names. I have started liking them. After all, it requires great deal of planning.

I look at TV journalist who is shouting for last 3 days (59 hours, I am sorry), when they ask “How do feel now?” to a person who has just came out of such a deadly attack. I love when they ask close relative of person inside Taj hotel “do you really think your person will come out now?’. I really have started liking them all. Without them my life would be incomplete, I would be unhappy. I will go mad. So what if they are killing my spirit?

But, what is hurting me is one sentence of NSG commando. Who after over powering terrorist said “Humare liye sab kuch aasan hai?”(For us everything is easy). This statement is somehow not allowing me to bid good bye to my spirit. The spirit to stand as Indian, to say I don’t want these TV channels, I don’t want tigers and lions, I don’t want to “chalta hai” approach. I want to be like them, like commando. I want to stand as Indian first and nobody else. Today, that NSG commando is my super hero. Thanks boss, for not letting my spirit die.

To be a Common Man

For the past couple of weeks, I have been reading about the country's largest ever IT scam. Things suddenly exploded which initially looked like just a step of the IT Company’s expansion. I thought of not putting my thoughts on this as I am probably too small to be read. But I guess, the only disclaimer that I would like to put here is that I am just talking from the perspective of the common Indian man. So here I go…

I always wonder how few people sitting at the top can manage such a disaster or even plan to do so? Why their conscience does always comes last after they have managed to screw up so many things and that too after years. I was reading the mail sent by the CEO of the "tainted" company. The 2 points he made there were simply amazing. The first one was “Riding the tiger, not knowing when to get off it”. Well!! If you knew it was a Tiger, then why did you do it in the first place? The second statement is still wonderful. “I am ready to face the law of the land?” My question, are you trying to show respect towards the law? Why did you not respect it previously? Or is it that you are too sure that you will be out of danger if you face the law of this country?

Does he even know that he has not only tainted his own company’s image but India’s corporate image also? I am sure that rest of the Indian corporate world would emerge stronger in this crisis. But what about its employees, I can't think of their mental trauma now. This company claims to have good culture and asks employees to abide by their culture. Do they know that they have ruined so many lives? The youngsters, the family men, women, its unbearable! Because of their “Values (?)” it will become difficult for these people to find jobs elsewhere, to settle down somewhere else. Everybody will look at them and ask them the "Real" story.

The people involved in this scam filled their pockets but what about the people who have some dreams to be fulfilled yet. I definitely know that I am not wrong, when I feel that it’s not just a one man's job to cook the account books. It really requires coordinated effort or may be "Systematic Process”. Not only the CEO, but the people involved in it will get off the Tiger easily but will leave thousands of their employees in front of the hungry Tiger. God save those innocent people from that tiger. I hope God gives them all the strength to face the tide. As always (I am a Common Man), this time also I am sending my good wishes to you guys. All the best!!

Blogger ...Nah!! ....

It sometime needs that one quick(?) second to get into something that you think you will never do in your life. Falling in Love, Fighting ... list goes on. I believe, blogging happened to me that way. Myself I am always convinced that I cant write anything after I finish writing on one thought, but this is my third blog now. For me, this is also creativity....
Now, at this point I have started believing that its not me, but someone within takes me to a journey which I never saw before. To be frank each time, I have enjoyed my writings ...Though you should forgive my English. This also has made me believe that never ever let the burning desire in you to die off. The sole reason is that, sometimes when your desire/dream becomes reality, there is a feeling of ecstasy.
Ok..one more thing, I still don't consider myself as a blogger or there is some quality in me to blog, but I have found a medium to throw my thoughts on the internet (I tried to have diary..but could only draw sketches). I may not draw anybody's attention, but I feel good about myself.
The best thing I did was that, I never gave up thinking on something that have always attracted me. The thoughts have lead me to see other side of every coin. Whole things have come together to help me putting down on new medium ..commonly referred as blog...So all those who read this, please please do not let creativity die in you...do not let your desire to vanish... you never know which apple will discover Newton in you.