Perhaps I have posted this previously and it was based on the description of my boss. However, it was confirmed today via an appointment letter where for my new role in this new location, my work title had change to Business Development Manager instead of Project Manager previously.
This is a full time sales position and we carry budgets for the year on our shoulders. This year the number is looking pretty high for me and it is in a new country which I will be relocated to.
I hope I am able to deliver as everyone anticipated. It is not easy to carry such a title as normally such title is only for higher ranking or more senior manager as it is not easy to develop business and that title is Business Development Manger or BDM in short.
Cool eh...
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Last Day in the office before CNY Holidays
Today will be the last working day for me before the Chinese New Year Holidays.
Just finalized the trip to Sydney and New Zealand earlier today after one week of trying to get in-touch with the boss, as he was beyond reach for the last few days due to meetings and travelling.
Well, if you as me how many days off I will be taking, I can tell you I will be off from tomorrow until Sunday (21st Feb 2010) and on Sunday night, I will be flying to Sydney arriving there on Monday morning. So technically speaking, I will be starting work on the 8th day of the New Year.
This trip to Sydney will be also making visit to Auckland and New Plymouth, New Zealand to meet some of our colleagues there and some site visits before coming back.
Also, in this trip I will be meeting the Human Resource Manager there to discuss about my relocation or secondment to Australia. I am not sure what to expect and I am sure it will be a good offer.
Well, that is all for now, I think I will be meeting up with my gf and her housemate that is back here for CNY holidays in one of the shopping center for lunch, perhaps I might be very late when I arrived there due to the traffic. Keeping my fingers crossed.
To everyone out there, Happy New Year and Gong Xi Fa Cai!! May the year of the Tiger brings Health, Wealth, Joy and Prosperity to ALL out there and Happy Holidays!!
Just finalized the trip to Sydney and New Zealand earlier today after one week of trying to get in-touch with the boss, as he was beyond reach for the last few days due to meetings and travelling.
Well, if you as me how many days off I will be taking, I can tell you I will be off from tomorrow until Sunday (21st Feb 2010) and on Sunday night, I will be flying to Sydney arriving there on Monday morning. So technically speaking, I will be starting work on the 8th day of the New Year.
This trip to Sydney will be also making visit to Auckland and New Plymouth, New Zealand to meet some of our colleagues there and some site visits before coming back.
Also, in this trip I will be meeting the Human Resource Manager there to discuss about my relocation or secondment to Australia. I am not sure what to expect and I am sure it will be a good offer.
Well, that is all for now, I think I will be meeting up with my gf and her housemate that is back here for CNY holidays in one of the shopping center for lunch, perhaps I might be very late when I arrived there due to the traffic. Keeping my fingers crossed.
To everyone out there, Happy New Year and Gong Xi Fa Cai!! May the year of the Tiger brings Health, Wealth, Joy and Prosperity to ALL out there and Happy Holidays!!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
New Phone
Last Saturday (11th Feb 2010), I bought myself a new phone which I have been eyeing for some time already.
As usual me, for things that is of certain price, I will do all my background checks and read-up all that I can before I am willing to buy it.
This particular phone met all my requirements that I wish a phone could have to date. Firstly, it is in a colour that I kinda like - black. Then, it comes with many other feature e.g. WiFi enable, Bluetooth and the best part is it has a GPS and a Map which I can use it for navigations.
Just before I bought the phone, I had made some enquiry about installing the map on the phone from a reputable map / navigation company where they sell their maps in memory card that can be used on the mobile phone. However, as I bought this phone it comes with the map / navigation function that I need not to pay anything more.
Only after so many days of buying the phone, yesterday I took out the manual and begin to read it. There is one more cool feature that came with the phone which is it had a function that when the phone rings and you want to ringtone to stop without answering the phone, all you need to do is to turn the phone with the screen facing the table and automatically the phone stops ringing without you pressing anything. Cool right??
Overall, I would say this phone manage to meet all my requirements and have all the feature that I needed for a phone. I would say it was a value for money purchase.
As usual me, for things that is of certain price, I will do all my background checks and read-up all that I can before I am willing to buy it.
This particular phone met all my requirements that I wish a phone could have to date. Firstly, it is in a colour that I kinda like - black. Then, it comes with many other feature e.g. WiFi enable, Bluetooth and the best part is it has a GPS and a Map which I can use it for navigations.
Just before I bought the phone, I had made some enquiry about installing the map on the phone from a reputable map / navigation company where they sell their maps in memory card that can be used on the mobile phone. However, as I bought this phone it comes with the map / navigation function that I need not to pay anything more.
Only after so many days of buying the phone, yesterday I took out the manual and begin to read it. There is one more cool feature that came with the phone which is it had a function that when the phone rings and you want to ringtone to stop without answering the phone, all you need to do is to turn the phone with the screen facing the table and automatically the phone stops ringing without you pressing anything. Cool right??
Overall, I would say this phone manage to meet all my requirements and have all the feature that I needed for a phone. I would say it was a value for money purchase.
Pre-CNY Lunch
It is in a Chinese tradition that company normally organise 'Sau Kong Zau" which literally translate to completing work for the year before going for the Chinese New Year Holidays.
As the office I am working in is not a Chinese company, we do not practice this tradition, but in return we will have dinner after everyone comes back from the CNY holidays.
However, among few colleagues we got together to have a the lunch today at a reputable Chinese Restaurant. On normal lunch hour, tables are plentiful but, today, the restaurant is full. You can see that the restaurant have not enough waiters to serve all the customers there.
When we first arrived, we have to wait for 10 minutes just to get a table organised for us. This could have been avoided if my colleague had listened to me earlier to pre-book a table. However, he is not willing to take my advise, he did not book any tables, hence, we walked in as guests and therefore have to wait for a table to be arranged for us.
Then, as we were seated, we have to wait for another 10 minutes before tea is served to us as the restaurant was really short-handed. They did not even offer us peanuts on the table for us to nibble. Even after tea was served, we have to wait another 10 minutes before a Captain finally attended to us for us to order our food.
However, as there were only 7 of us, we ordered only 3 dishes, namely, lotus roots stir fried with celery and black fungus, triple mix roast which have roast duck, roast pork and bar-be-cue pork or "char siew" and a fried noodles. Besides those, we still have the 'Dim Sum' which was served there because we were all very hungry and didn't want to wait too long for the food, at least some prawn dumplings and fish balls to ease our hunger.
Overall, I would say the atmosphere was good, the ones who have attended was kinda of 'friendly' type that can joke and have fun. By the time the bill came, we 'go dutch' and it was only RM35 per person.
Besides the waiting and the lack of service, the main thing is the get together and have a meal before we all go for our holidays which is kinda fun.
Then, in the car, one of the secretary says that our logistic department lady boss wanted to organise a meal at one of a 'high end' seafood restaurant and asking if we want to join. Of course that is after the CNY and before the 15th day as CNY is celebrated for 15 days in the tradition. I told her that I will be flying off to Sydney on the 8th day of CNY for a week, if they can wait, I am happy to join. Lets see how it goes.
As the office I am working in is not a Chinese company, we do not practice this tradition, but in return we will have dinner after everyone comes back from the CNY holidays.
However, among few colleagues we got together to have a the lunch today at a reputable Chinese Restaurant. On normal lunch hour, tables are plentiful but, today, the restaurant is full. You can see that the restaurant have not enough waiters to serve all the customers there.
When we first arrived, we have to wait for 10 minutes just to get a table organised for us. This could have been avoided if my colleague had listened to me earlier to pre-book a table. However, he is not willing to take my advise, he did not book any tables, hence, we walked in as guests and therefore have to wait for a table to be arranged for us.
Then, as we were seated, we have to wait for another 10 minutes before tea is served to us as the restaurant was really short-handed. They did not even offer us peanuts on the table for us to nibble. Even after tea was served, we have to wait another 10 minutes before a Captain finally attended to us for us to order our food.
However, as there were only 7 of us, we ordered only 3 dishes, namely, lotus roots stir fried with celery and black fungus, triple mix roast which have roast duck, roast pork and bar-be-cue pork or "char siew" and a fried noodles. Besides those, we still have the 'Dim Sum' which was served there because we were all very hungry and didn't want to wait too long for the food, at least some prawn dumplings and fish balls to ease our hunger.
Overall, I would say the atmosphere was good, the ones who have attended was kinda of 'friendly' type that can joke and have fun. By the time the bill came, we 'go dutch' and it was only RM35 per person.
Besides the waiting and the lack of service, the main thing is the get together and have a meal before we all go for our holidays which is kinda fun.
Then, in the car, one of the secretary says that our logistic department lady boss wanted to organise a meal at one of a 'high end' seafood restaurant and asking if we want to join. Of course that is after the CNY and before the 15th day as CNY is celebrated for 15 days in the tradition. I told her that I will be flying off to Sydney on the 8th day of CNY for a week, if they can wait, I am happy to join. Lets see how it goes.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Another Great Weekend
Last weekend (6 & 7 Feb 2010) was really a great weekend.
As all usual Saturdays, I woke up about 0630 and at 0700 me and my mom are on the way to the wet market to grab some vegetables and meat to for coming CNY.
On the way back, we drop by a morning stalls to get our self some breakfast and then by 0900, we are again on the go, this time to a hypermarket to buy some can drinks which are on offer. Its only 0900, there were so many people already inside the hypermarket and most of them are there for one reason, which is for the cheap can drinks on a bargain price.
Then, as usual, my weekend date with my gf, but today I did it differently. On my way there to meet her, I drop by a florist to buy 3 stocks of red roses which signifies "I Love You", that is according to the hear say practice.
As I met her, I told her that one of my friend wanted to engrave their wedding band and wanted to see our ring for sample. However, as usual my gf is a very very smart and bright girl, immediately she suspected something is amiss. Then, she know I might be proposing to her.
From the very beginning when we started this relationship, she always wanted "the hill". The Hill she meant here is there is a small hill at the KLCC park. The incident is this, during our very first few dates, once we were having our meal at the KLCC food court, happens it can oversea the park hence, the hill in the park. She immediately says she want to have the proposal done there and all these years, when I ask her about the wedding, she will ask me for "the hill".
Just weeks ago, I told her I will give her better than "the hill". So I took her with her wedding band to KL Tower. We bought the tickets to the observation deck which is 278m above ground. With everything in place, I took the courage to kneel down, presented her with the 3 stock of red roses and the wedding band, I propose to her and she agrees to marry me!!!!
I was on top of the world!! Well, we are 278m above ground anyway. There is it. On the 6th of Feb 2010, I propose to my gf and she is now happy to be my wife. I kept the ticket we bought to accent up the tower as a souvenir piece.
As we decent down, we went for our CNY shopping. Well, actually, I went to do my shopping with her as my fashion consultant. I bought myself a pair of black slack and a new long sleeve shirt. Just this 2 items costed me more than RM300 already. But, I think its value for money.
Then, I finally also bought the phone that I have been eyeing for a long while. Good thing is that the price happens to have came down compare to when it first launch. As we went to the shop, the sales person was really helpful. He started to explain the features of the phone to us and it was a good bargain. It comes with WiFi, a navigation map plus all other features which I am looking for in a phone.
Without much of hesitation I sign up for the 9 months interest free installment plan with the credit card company for the phone and we started to fiddle with the phone as soon as we left the shop. Me and my gf went to a coffee shop where they provide free WiFi service and started to 'check out' the phone. It was good.
Well, perhaps I had talked too much of other happening, this posting is suppose to tell the world that my gf have finally agrees to become my wife. After almost 10 years together as bf and gf, she finally agrees to become my wife. Dear, thanks for your trust all these while, I hope we will be happy ever after like in fairy tales.
I am still very very happy with the proposal and we both very proudly announced to our parents which is also very happy for us.
As all usual Saturdays, I woke up about 0630 and at 0700 me and my mom are on the way to the wet market to grab some vegetables and meat to for coming CNY.
On the way back, we drop by a morning stalls to get our self some breakfast and then by 0900, we are again on the go, this time to a hypermarket to buy some can drinks which are on offer. Its only 0900, there were so many people already inside the hypermarket and most of them are there for one reason, which is for the cheap can drinks on a bargain price.
Then, as usual, my weekend date with my gf, but today I did it differently. On my way there to meet her, I drop by a florist to buy 3 stocks of red roses which signifies "I Love You", that is according to the hear say practice.
As I met her, I told her that one of my friend wanted to engrave their wedding band and wanted to see our ring for sample. However, as usual my gf is a very very smart and bright girl, immediately she suspected something is amiss. Then, she know I might be proposing to her.
From the very beginning when we started this relationship, she always wanted "the hill". The Hill she meant here is there is a small hill at the KLCC park. The incident is this, during our very first few dates, once we were having our meal at the KLCC food court, happens it can oversea the park hence, the hill in the park. She immediately says she want to have the proposal done there and all these years, when I ask her about the wedding, she will ask me for "the hill".
Just weeks ago, I told her I will give her better than "the hill". So I took her with her wedding band to KL Tower. We bought the tickets to the observation deck which is 278m above ground. With everything in place, I took the courage to kneel down, presented her with the 3 stock of red roses and the wedding band, I propose to her and she agrees to marry me!!!!
I was on top of the world!! Well, we are 278m above ground anyway. There is it. On the 6th of Feb 2010, I propose to my gf and she is now happy to be my wife. I kept the ticket we bought to accent up the tower as a souvenir piece.
As we decent down, we went for our CNY shopping. Well, actually, I went to do my shopping with her as my fashion consultant. I bought myself a pair of black slack and a new long sleeve shirt. Just this 2 items costed me more than RM300 already. But, I think its value for money.
Then, I finally also bought the phone that I have been eyeing for a long while. Good thing is that the price happens to have came down compare to when it first launch. As we went to the shop, the sales person was really helpful. He started to explain the features of the phone to us and it was a good bargain. It comes with WiFi, a navigation map plus all other features which I am looking for in a phone.
Without much of hesitation I sign up for the 9 months interest free installment plan with the credit card company for the phone and we started to fiddle with the phone as soon as we left the shop. Me and my gf went to a coffee shop where they provide free WiFi service and started to 'check out' the phone. It was good.
Well, perhaps I had talked too much of other happening, this posting is suppose to tell the world that my gf have finally agrees to become my wife. After almost 10 years together as bf and gf, she finally agrees to become my wife. Dear, thanks for your trust all these while, I hope we will be happy ever after like in fairy tales.
I am still very very happy with the proposal and we both very proudly announced to our parents which is also very happy for us.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Investment Talk
Yesterday I was the privileged few that was "invited" to attend an investment talk on hedge funds. It was organized by a reputable bank and they only invite their "member". The reason I have the "member" words in in-quote is to be a member, you need to have a certain wealth accumulated to be a member.
Anyway, back to the main idea of this posting. The evening started with a Chinese style dinner and we were served with cold dish appetizer, Ginseng Chicken soup, Patin fish, roast chicken, abalone with scallop and Chinese cabbage, fried vege, glutinous rice with waxed duck and Chinese sausage and have red bean soup with jelly and pancake for dessert.
A speaker from a hedge fund company came out after the serving of the roast chicken and started to educate the crowd about the difference between hedge funds and mutual funds. His idea was good... he term it as.. "...if you have an amount in your saving that you do not know what to do, and do not want to take too high risk, then hedge fund is the option". He went on to explain the mechanism of hedge fund and mentioned the stability of the hedge fund as compared to other type of funds. He presented for about 45 minutes or so, then the representative from the bank came out to present the portfolio and details about the hedge fund they are offering.
The starting investment capital is high and is only offered to 'elite' investor, hence those sitting inside the dining room only. This is not a fund that is open to the public as it is govern by our national banking guideline that this funds is only to be sold for the 'elite' investor and the term 'elite' investor is the member of the bank.
After the bank representative presented, one of the slides I noted is the charges to open the hedge fund portfolio, it is at 7% which means at RM100k, the bank charges is already at RM7,000 and I did a little mathematics, since the day this hedge fund was launched in March 2008 until middle of Jan 2009, those that have invested yet to get their return or I would say it is still in the RED.
After all the presentation, the table where me and my gf's family was seated, a bank manager came to explain and I think he was a bit uncomfortable with a few questions I asked.
During the presentation, I took down some notes and exchanged a few words with my gf and her mom and brother, basically, we felt that it is not really worth the investment. Perhaps we were wrong. Perhaps this is a good investment for long term, which will yield approx 8% to 10% pa.
Personally, I think at this current situation where the whole world is just about to recover from the economic crisis back in 2008 and 2009, if you have any amount of spare cash, just simply pick any funds, be it mutual trust fund, or dividend fund etc, put the money in and over the next 2 to 5 years, it will definitely generate some returns.
However, as any investment, there will be risk. If you are the person who is not too keen on risking, then just put it into something more solid e.g. properties and be a landlord and collect rentals or even buy gold coins. Of course, being a landlord comes all the headache of rental collection, finding the right tenant, repair and maintenance of the properties etc. All these comes to the Chinese saying, if you don't work hard, how to find the world wealth?
Overall, the talk yesterday was good. I learn a fair bit of things and enjoyed the dinner. It was so happen that yesterday was also the Chinese "Lap Choon" which means the official beginning of Spring, which is suppose to be Chinese New Year, but the celebrated date of Chinese New Year is not another week or so. It was nice to be able to sit and have dinner with my gf's family member which we are able to talk and interact as a whole family and personally I think the dinner is more like a bank sponsored family dinner where we had some good time enjoying the atmosphere and the good food they prepared.
Anyway, back to the main idea of this posting. The evening started with a Chinese style dinner and we were served with cold dish appetizer, Ginseng Chicken soup, Patin fish, roast chicken, abalone with scallop and Chinese cabbage, fried vege, glutinous rice with waxed duck and Chinese sausage and have red bean soup with jelly and pancake for dessert.
A speaker from a hedge fund company came out after the serving of the roast chicken and started to educate the crowd about the difference between hedge funds and mutual funds. His idea was good... he term it as.. "...if you have an amount in your saving that you do not know what to do, and do not want to take too high risk, then hedge fund is the option". He went on to explain the mechanism of hedge fund and mentioned the stability of the hedge fund as compared to other type of funds. He presented for about 45 minutes or so, then the representative from the bank came out to present the portfolio and details about the hedge fund they are offering.
The starting investment capital is high and is only offered to 'elite' investor, hence those sitting inside the dining room only. This is not a fund that is open to the public as it is govern by our national banking guideline that this funds is only to be sold for the 'elite' investor and the term 'elite' investor is the member of the bank.
After the bank representative presented, one of the slides I noted is the charges to open the hedge fund portfolio, it is at 7% which means at RM100k, the bank charges is already at RM7,000 and I did a little mathematics, since the day this hedge fund was launched in March 2008 until middle of Jan 2009, those that have invested yet to get their return or I would say it is still in the RED.
After all the presentation, the table where me and my gf's family was seated, a bank manager came to explain and I think he was a bit uncomfortable with a few questions I asked.
During the presentation, I took down some notes and exchanged a few words with my gf and her mom and brother, basically, we felt that it is not really worth the investment. Perhaps we were wrong. Perhaps this is a good investment for long term, which will yield approx 8% to 10% pa.
Personally, I think at this current situation where the whole world is just about to recover from the economic crisis back in 2008 and 2009, if you have any amount of spare cash, just simply pick any funds, be it mutual trust fund, or dividend fund etc, put the money in and over the next 2 to 5 years, it will definitely generate some returns.
However, as any investment, there will be risk. If you are the person who is not too keen on risking, then just put it into something more solid e.g. properties and be a landlord and collect rentals or even buy gold coins. Of course, being a landlord comes all the headache of rental collection, finding the right tenant, repair and maintenance of the properties etc. All these comes to the Chinese saying, if you don't work hard, how to find the world wealth?
Overall, the talk yesterday was good. I learn a fair bit of things and enjoyed the dinner. It was so happen that yesterday was also the Chinese "Lap Choon" which means the official beginning of Spring, which is suppose to be Chinese New Year, but the celebrated date of Chinese New Year is not another week or so. It was nice to be able to sit and have dinner with my gf's family member which we are able to talk and interact as a whole family and personally I think the dinner is more like a bank sponsored family dinner where we had some good time enjoying the atmosphere and the good food they prepared.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Expensive things
I am not sure how many people is actually participate in tenders or bidding or proposals / cost estimation. Basically it is all selling process.
Yesterday, I spend nearly the whole 8 hours working on an urgent request tender from our counterpart in Europe which the customer is building a new plant somewhere in South East Asia. I look for supplier's quotation frantically and prepare the proposal, did the costing, prepared the Process & Instrumentation Diagram so that it could be submitted to the customer in time for their consideration.
However, this morning, as I log in to my e-mail, I saw a reply on my mail box, the customer had request us to change the scope of supply, hence, I have to redo the whole proposal and drawing again. I am not complaining this as this is part of tender bidding and we are not given the up-to date information on the project.
After I had submitted the revised proposal, I was caught off guard by a request from the customer... "your price is almost twice as high as other suppliers." I was like, come on, no body ever told you that we are selling high quality stuffs, hence the high price? Or is this a standard statement that you, as a customer sends to all your suppliers?
I use to hear this a lot. Never once in my working experiences all these years, even include the old company I use to work that I hear people saying my company things is cheap. Don't know why. Did all these while, I had joined a high end company that only sell expensive things?
Well, I use to say, hypermarket things are cheap (some stuffs), the electrical component shop things are cheap (again certain things), but I never hear people saying my company things are cheap.
Weird!!
Or is this the negotiation technique that all customers use to bargain? First complain the things is expensive. Then, if still fail to get discount, "die - die" buy from them.
Come to thing of it, if my company things is term as "expensive", how come the company can still sell their goods / product? How come people still buy?
As part of my job is to discuss / negotiate with suppliers, I never use the word 'expensive'. I use to tell the potential suppliers, don't expect me to bargain with you. Give your best price and safe your time and my time. If I think you are offering me a good bargain, then I will buy directly. Else, I will not call for price negotiation at all. So, if you think you can mark up high and I will negotiate with you, you can dream on.
Therefore, from the response of the supplier, I just spoke to my boss, he told me reply to him politely and tell him that's the best offer, if he think we are offering him value, then, we are glad to discuss further, else, if he is only doing price comparison, then we will just be "friends" and nice knowing him.
Yesterday, I spend nearly the whole 8 hours working on an urgent request tender from our counterpart in Europe which the customer is building a new plant somewhere in South East Asia. I look for supplier's quotation frantically and prepare the proposal, did the costing, prepared the Process & Instrumentation Diagram so that it could be submitted to the customer in time for their consideration.
However, this morning, as I log in to my e-mail, I saw a reply on my mail box, the customer had request us to change the scope of supply, hence, I have to redo the whole proposal and drawing again. I am not complaining this as this is part of tender bidding and we are not given the up-to date information on the project.
After I had submitted the revised proposal, I was caught off guard by a request from the customer... "your price is almost twice as high as other suppliers." I was like, come on, no body ever told you that we are selling high quality stuffs, hence the high price? Or is this a standard statement that you, as a customer sends to all your suppliers?
I use to hear this a lot. Never once in my working experiences all these years, even include the old company I use to work that I hear people saying my company things is cheap. Don't know why. Did all these while, I had joined a high end company that only sell expensive things?
Well, I use to say, hypermarket things are cheap (some stuffs), the electrical component shop things are cheap (again certain things), but I never hear people saying my company things are cheap.
Weird!!
Or is this the negotiation technique that all customers use to bargain? First complain the things is expensive. Then, if still fail to get discount, "die - die" buy from them.
Come to thing of it, if my company things is term as "expensive", how come the company can still sell their goods / product? How come people still buy?
As part of my job is to discuss / negotiate with suppliers, I never use the word 'expensive'. I use to tell the potential suppliers, don't expect me to bargain with you. Give your best price and safe your time and my time. If I think you are offering me a good bargain, then I will buy directly. Else, I will not call for price negotiation at all. So, if you think you can mark up high and I will negotiate with you, you can dream on.
Therefore, from the response of the supplier, I just spoke to my boss, he told me reply to him politely and tell him that's the best offer, if he think we are offering him value, then, we are glad to discuss further, else, if he is only doing price comparison, then we will just be "friends" and nice knowing him.
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