And so.. I learn

I have a work profile which has routine calls by the call center, forwarding calls of clients who are just not able to fathom the complex product of home loans.. which neither can I, even though I am one year into this game.. anyway..

The most complex job you can ever have in your life, is understanding what the person in front of you (or on the phone) does not understand. Some will be rather forthcoming, and will let you know "ma'm I cant understand all this interest rate and stuff, what is this "amortization" ", while others will try to beat you with their own knowledge. But the knowledge of the layman, and the enterprise, will, and does, have huge gaps. So what here happens is a divide in the understanding. And then, resentment creeps in.

See, we're living in a hyper, topsy-turvy, super competitive world. No one wants to be taken for a ride in any service. So when resentment creeps in due to a lack in communication or understanding, no one takes it lying down - and then the shouting starts.

If you're new to this, you might take an emotional beating and think "why the hell is this happening?" - but as you grow to learn more how to deal with people, you try to figure out loopholes in the conversation and help him/her in the same...

But 10 such interactions in a day and you're a goner... by the time the day ends, you feel cranky, irritable and washed out. You think why are people so unresponsive, and uncooperative? Why is everyone suspicious of everything? Are we really becoming that farcical a society and community? And at the end of it all.. why does everyone throw their weight around, and shout? How can that make you feel better?

Then you're heading back to home, thoughts pounding in your head. Till the time you reach, your head is almost clear of all the garbage, and you've filtered out the negativities of the day. Or so you think..

After such a day some weeks back, I was heading home, when I was stopped by a rather ragged looking couple, carrying a weak girl - around 5 yrs in age - in their arms. The stopped me and asked "marathi aalya?" I shook my head in the negative. Then in broken hindi, the couple tried to explain how they had traveled from a town called Satara, in Maharashtra, in promise of a job by some agent. The agent disappeared after the token money - a chunk of their savings - and they had been peddling the rude roads of Mumbai since then.. their money had dwindled, so they requested for some petty cash so that they could buy something to eat for their girl. 

As an act of the good Samaritan, I almost reached into my pocket, to dole out some money, when suddenly, a cycnism filled my head... what if they are taking me for a ride? Now here's the reasoning my weary mind gives me.. 20-30 bucks is nothing for me and probably a lot for that couple, but not being able to filter out the negativities of the day, I am seeing everything with the same tinted glasses, with which we, as a service provider, are treated with the whole day..

All that internal battle of "why as a society we're so suspicious" rages storm again in my mind. Should I, or should I not, give them the money? A train of thought starts, suppose, suppose their whole story is a lie - where will that leave me? Short of 30 bucks perhaps, but more than that, I will definitely not be helping a needy person in the future.. 

And if suppose, their story indeed was true (and true bad luck for them) then I would feel really guilty for not having helped out. And what was the money to me anyway? 

I couldn't really work out what to do.. and the couple stood expectantly.. I could imagine them approaching various other people throughout the day, in the heat, and then getting an answer, which I could be arriving at, too. The depressing, monosyllabic answer, "No".

I decided to take the middle way - I didn't give them the money, but I did buy them the vada pav for all 3 of them.. and soon I realized, their story was true after all.. their immense gratitude made me feel ashamed for having doubted them.

The next day, I went to office, having forgotten the incident. As I was working, I got a call... gearing myself up for another heated discussion on the finances of a loan,interest rates, its working, I picked up the phone. It was my favourite call center executive, who (and I really admire that) is always ready with a smile in her voice, no matter how many calls, and hollering she receives. 

She says, "hey I just called to say Hi.." I reply, a bit surprised "Hi to you too!" She continues "wo aapse baat nai hui thi na 2-3 days se.. just wanted to say, you really help us out sometimes by taking the calls.. and you don't complain that the client is irritated, call center should handle it.. so we say thanks"

A simple random thanks just made my day! Probably I could do the same to some of the people I meet...

And I think, are we really that bad at handling each other? Nay! 

Probably, all we need, is a little more patience.