Cebuana Lhullier Rant: Rotten Tomato Award #2&3

I went to a Guadalupe branch this afternoon to claim my first ever pay for my new homebased job. Unfortunately, the sender forgot to include my *other first name so they told me that they can't release the money because of that. I showed them two IDs and explained that I already had the control number and that the sender was from Manila. They suggested that I should tell the sender to go back to the branch she wired the money from and add my other first name. Now, we are working individuals and we surely have more important things to attend to than going back and forth for a Cebuana transaction. Plus, she represents my employer so do I really have to take so much of her time just because my other name was not included as the receiver? A second name is still me! 

If this is because of BSP regulations, then won't Cebuana think of a better process not to inconvenience their customers? After all, you are supposedly great in customer service as what your TV commercials are roaring. Maybe you can set a limit to the amount that you will be very strict on identification. You have to understand our circumstances too, and there's no need to be high and mighty of the rules. How about you POST a GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENT detailing all your requirements before anybody can claim their hard earned money? This is to show that you are serious in helping the public and not project an image of oppressors to your customers, instead. Or better yet, create a TV commercial that includes this very important detail so that adverts will be very useful to us, for once.

And this is not the start of my frustration for Cebuana Lhullier's money transfer service. An Aunt sent money through Xoom last week and I was used to using only one ID to claim it. But lo and behold, another rule has taken effect: 2 IDs should be presented before you can get hold of your money. How do you think should we know in the first place that this is now the requirement? Is Xoom to blame for this? But you are supposedly partners in providing good service to your clients, I'd say Cebuana should also do its part in informing the public about this.

As it turned out, I have to go back and get another ID. Imagine the extra time and effort that this caused just because we were not informed beforehand! But I gave them due consideration at that time. But now, I will do everything in my power not to transact with Cebuana Lhullier ever again. And this post will hopefully convince my friends, family and colleagues to do the same.

*pics fr photobucket

PLDT Rant: 1st Rotten Tomato Award

A mixture of relief and excitement went through me as the modem and telephone were finally set up in our living room for the WiFi package (P990/month) of PLDT. We tested the WiFi connection and it went well on my netbook. The "installers" though did not ensure if it will run well on my desktop upstairs and to my lack of foresight, I did not make it a big deal because I thought I can make it work myself. When I tried to connect the PC that night, it did not work and I quickly regretted why I didn't let them test it beforehand. So the next day/s, I called 172 for their technical support and asked what could be wrong with my connection, given that it is still newly installed. The technical rep on the other end walked me through the PLDT system which can be accessed even without Internet. He was polite and knows what he is doing though but he should have asked first what level are my computer skills so that we would have an easier time with the process. 

So I suggest to the PLDT support team, you can maybe include this as your first spiel: "What level of computer and Internet skills would you rate yourself mam/sir?" From there, the CS rep can then proceed accordingly and will not make his life difficult and that of the customer's as well.

Back to the issue here. After checking my IP address and the WAN, we can't still go through Google and any other sites. The technical guy said it kept reverting to their PLDT IP address and that he will just forward this matter to the persons concerned. I asked him when can I expect a solution and he said he will be calling within the day if it's already fixed. I told him to still inform me even if it's not fixed yet so that I can use SmartBro for the meantime. 24 hours have passed and they still hadn't called me. I tried connecting again, and yes, it did went through. But then, the next time I logged in, there's no connection again. So it was getting clear to me that the PLDT Internet service is not reliable. Then I contemplated on having it disconnected because it is not just worth my hassle. For now, I'm waiting for the month to end so that I can make a final decision.

Venturing into 360 Product Photography

Although I do not really have any special photography skills except for the usual point and shoot, 360 degree photography has captured my fancy lately and I've tried taking some shots last week. The new Alcatel One Touch also added to my resolve to try out some 360 photo apps over at iTunes. But when I tried downloading YouSpin 360, there was an error message and I was not able to go through with it. Because it was my first time, I downloaded it again on my PC and it went well. But then, I encountered another technical glitch- my video cam refused to function! There was a problem on the device driver I guess, so the PC and video cam are conspiring to stop me from making spins. 

So I just settled for getting shots of my shoes to train my eye on what is a good capture or not. 

Too bright.

 Pardon if the angles are bad, I was just playing around while working out.

Still, these would have been awesome if I was able to use 360 degree product photography. I'll definitely get the app moving next time.

Leo Horoscope - May 4

Just want to remind myself with my goal setting plans through this Leo Zodiac sign horoscope last May: 

You have big plans, Leo, and your dreams may be keeping you from paying attention to your work. Don't get too stressed. You've never missed a deadline, so you know that one way or another you will get everything done. In the meantime, begin to make plans for your next getaway. Plaster your office with photos of exotic locations to satisfy your wanderlust for the time being.

Dubai Visa Requirements for Work or Visit

I was chatting with a friend back home on how her two sisters are faring in Dubai. We discussed salaries, companies, Dubai jobs, and the overall working conditions there. We agreed that compared to HongKong and other OFW attracting countries, it is easier to find employment and easier to enter Dubai. As I am also training my sights there for better career opportunities, I might as well post the requirements on how to get a work or visit visa to Dubai for Filipinos.

@ First you need to have a sponsor. It would be better if he/she is a close family member or an immediate relative and he/she needs to be a visa holder that is earning more than AED 4000 monthly.A visa application and a visa fee will be required from your sponsor.

@ If you do not have a relative there, you can get a company to sponsor you. But this will be a tricky process as it will entail fees on the part of the company.

@ A travel agent can also facilitate your visit visa especially if you will be staying in Dubai for less than a month. 

@ Validity for a Dubai visit visa is for 55 days only from the time of entry and can be renewed for another month.

Additional info:

For those who need to file for a residence visa, it can be done through buying a property or with the assistance of an employer.

For addtional details on getting a Dubai visa, you can check out http://www.dnrd.gov.ae. It is best that you use Google Chrome and enable transliteration since the website is in Arabic. 

Good luck to all aspiring job seekers out there!