The Passenger, The Driver, The Owner & The Call Centre

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The Passenger, The Driver, The Owner & The Call Centre

By Ejaz Shah  — 18th December 2020

The Passenger

The Passenger

The Passenger

The wind blew the rain on my face as I stood waiting for my taxi, they had said 5 minutes so I saw no point looking for shelter. The minutes passed by, but no taxi came. I rang the taxi company to enquire why the driver was not here yet but before the operator could answer the phone, a Volkswagen Passat pulled up in front of me. I hung up and got in.

“Aright mate” the driver asked,

“yeah, I’m good, how you doing?” I replied

“all good, Stanley Road?”

“Yeah mate, thank you”

The rest of the journey passed by with no other words uttered aside from Capital FM playing in the background. When we pulled up outside my house, I handed the cash over, tipping the driver an extra few quid and then made a dart for the front door through the now, much heavier, rain.

Ten minutes later, as I finally sat down in some fresh clothes, I realised that I did not have my phone on me. It suddenly dawned on me that I had no recollection of getting out of the taxi with my phone. 

I grabbed the house phone and dialed my mobile number immediately. One ring…two rings…three rings…four rings…five rings and then my own voice asking me to leave a message. ‘Damn it!!!!’

I rang the taxi company office and explained my predicament, the operator put me on hold while he tried to contact the driver. After a short while, he came back to me apologetically saying the driver had finished the shift for the night and he couldn’t get hold of him.

‘Really?!?’ I could feel my temper rising.

“What do you mean you can’t get hold of him?” I demanded

“Please ring back tomorrow, if I manage to get hold of him today, I will ring you back on this number and get the driver to drop it off to you”

I hung up the phone frustrated.

Watching tv the evening slipped away and no phone call from the taxi office came. This is ridiculous, I thought, surely, they have the driver’s personal number?! Thoughts continued to build up in my head, he’s going to keep it, he is going to keep my phone and deny seeing it. It’s my word against his! Aaargh!

Impatiently and getting more and more frustrated, I rang back and explained to the operator once again what happened. Again, I was told to hold whilst they tried to get hold of the driver.

The operator returned having had no luck getting hold of the driver and then repeated to me what the previous operator had. With my patience running very thin and my frustration turning to anger, I demanded to speak to whoever was in charge. After another what seemed an eternity on hold, the manager came onto the line.

“Sir I believe you have left your phone in the back of one of our taxis?”

“Yes, I have” I replied

“Like my colleague explained, the driver has finished for the night and will be back tomorrow, we have tried to reach him but have had no luck. If your phone is still with him, you can pick it up from the office tomorrow or we can get someone to drop it off to you”

I knew it!! A voice in my head screeched. “What do you mean IF my phone is still in the back of the taxi?!”  I bellowed back.

“The driver had another pickup after your job sir, so someone could have picked the phone up, let’s wait until we get hold of the driver”

“This is a joke!? Come on!! I am a regular customer; I have paid so much for your taxis over the years and this is what I get?! This the best you can do?!”

The manager tried to get back into the conversation, but by now, I was completely seeing red.

‘I am disgusted by the way you are treating me. Let me make it very clear to you, IF I do not get my phone back, not only will I never use your taxi firm again, I will make sure everyone hears about this!!’

And with that, I disconnected.

I pulled out my laptop, went onto the companies Facebook page, and started typing away furiously. One negative review down, I turned my attention to google and continued venting my frustration.  

Overnight I had decided I was going to uber it to work the following morning. However, I soon realised Uber was on a surcharge, again. I had no choice. I didn’t mention my phone to the operator when I called in, I was going to wait until I met the driver.

As I hastily finished the last bite of my breakfast, the usual familiar sound of the taxi horn alerted me to its arrival.  

With a stoic look I jumped into the front seat, ready to start the conversation. But before I could say anything, the driver turned to me with my phone in his hand.

“Oh, thank you, thank you”, I gasped, the relief tangible in my voice. The rest of the journey consisted of a big grin across my face and my face in my phone. As I left the taxi, I made sure I tipped the driver a quid or two extra and thanked him once again.

Work was craaaaazy busy. I had lunch at my desk and just managed to meet my deadlines as the clock struck 5pm.  Exhausted at home, I was about to call it a night, when I remembered the bad reviews I had left the taxi company the night before. I quickly logged onto my laptop and then froze at the sight of what greeted me.

My Facebook review had gone viral!!

The Driver

The Driver

The Driver

2020 was to be my year, it’s certainly been a year to remember. The muscles in my neck ache every time I turn my head. My shoulder feels heavy, stiff and heavy. 

What an awful, awful year. I can’t remember the last time I had a day off, 14-hour days, 7 days a week and not a penny to show for it. If it carries on like this, I’ll be paying for the fuel out of my own pocket, fuel to just roam the streets looking for work! 

The virus has scared away all my regular customers. There’s barely anyone to see on the streets. More money, more problems they say, no money and so many problems for me.

Missus isn’t happy either, she barely gets to see me and when she does, I’m zoned out, no help at all with the kids. We’re living on basic rations, hand to mouth stuff. The bills are piling up and I am already behind on my mortgage payments. 

There has been no help from the government, not surprising, although thankfully the taxi company reduced the rent but at the same time, they reduced the fares too!!

It was getting late and I was exhausted. I had only five jobs to show for the whole day. When I spoke to the operator at the office, I asked him to find me something to take me home.

‘Stanley Road, ready for pick up now?’

It wasn’t quite near my home, but it was in the same direction and I wasn’t in a position to decline.

I headed straight for the pickup and as I turned the corner, I could see through the rain the passenger waiting by the side of the road. We exchanged greetings and I started on with the journey. The passenger seemed lost in his thoughts and as experience had taught me, if they don’t instigate the conversation, it means they want to be left alone. So, we continued in silence.  

I felt a pang of guilt as the passenger walked away, after tipping me for the ride. Maybe I should have struck a conversation with him??  Maybe I got the tip for the silence?!? Bless him, either way, it can’t be easy for him either in the current climate.

I was still thinking about it, when I heard the operator call in another job, the drop off was right next to my house. I took it and sped towards it as quick as I could.

A couple got into the car, they seemed friendly and we chatted along the way. As we pulled up near the drop off point, the husband leaned forward:

“Mate, just drop my wife here, we live in that cul-de-sac and can you drop me off around the corner”

“Yeah no worries” I replied, as I pulled over

As the woman went to leave, she whispered to her husband

“Don’t do it Pete, don’t.”

She then turned around to me and softly whispered ‘sorry’.

I smiled back at her, caught up in the situation I didn’t pay attention to what she had said. I drove around the block and pulled up to where I was instructed to. The male passenger got out of the car, reaching in his back pocket as he did, I started rolling my window down in anticipation. 

But as soon as he had shut the door he darted off, jumping over a fence and disappearing into a field. I got out of the car but there was no point, he was long gone. The wife’s ‘sorry’ echoed in my head, as I turned around and drove back to where I had dropped her off. I had been too distracted by the male passenger and hadn’t seen the house she had gone into. Completely downtrodden, I called the office and reported the ’runner’, as per office policy. 

They blacklisted the caller’s number and offered me another job close by, I refused. I was fed up, I switched the system off and drove home.

Just as I got home my phone started ringing, I couldn’t face talking to anyone, I was done for the day, the week, the year. I walked in, went straight to the shower, chomped down some dinner and hit the sack. I heard my wife whisper ‘good night’ as I drifted off, I was too exhausted to reply.  

My eyes awoke to a silent house, my wife nowhere to be seen. I had overslept. Why had my alarm not gone off?! I searched around for my phone and realised when I saw it that the battery had died – I’d forgotten to put it on charge. When I got out of the shower, I could hear my phone ringing, on charge in my bedroom, it was the office;

“Where have you been, we’ve been trying to ring you all night”

“Sorry my battery was dead, I’ll be logged on and ready in a short while, is it busy?”

“Can you come into the office; I need to see you. In the meantime, a driver is headed towards your house, someone left a phone in your car last night, can you give it to the driver, he will pass it on”

I went to look in my car and under the passenger seat there was a phone, it was locked and on silent but had a few missed calls on it. When the other driver turned up, I handed it to him and headed to the office myself, wondering why he wanted to see me. He rarely calls drivers in.

He was fuming. The guy who had left his phone in my car last night had left a bad review on Facebook. Unlucky for us the review had hit a chord with several people and was now doing the rounds on social media.  

“How many times have I said, check the car when you drop a passenger off before heading to your next job”

“I know, I know, I’m sorry. It was just such a long day yesterday man, I usually do but I don’t know, I got another job and it was near my house so I just kind of sped off for it. A waste of time, it was a bloody runner!”

“You’ll get compensated for your dead mileage on that don’t worry, part of the job, but why the hell was your phone turned off all night? We could have rectified this issue straight away if you answered your phone”

“Sorry man, my battery went dead, hence the late start today! Sorry.”

I left the office feeling crap. It wasn’t a telling-off really, the gaffers a good man, but I’d caused a big problem. What a start to the day!? I logged onto the system and was greeted with the news that I was at the back of a 55-car queue. Brilliant, another long day, another day to figure out how to get on top of those bills and keep a roof over my head.  

 

The Owner

The Owner

The Owner

I looked at the accounts, slowly turning the pages of the books, work had been cut by 70% and I had lost about 50% of my fleet. 15 years in the making and I was witnessing all of my hard work, blood, sweat, and tears going down the drain. If it wasn’t for the school runs, we’d have completely folded, however, I don’t know how long they alone could keep us ticking over. The drivers that still remained with us were on a pittance, earning below the bare minimum. 

My hands were tied, I had already offered them reduced rent rates, there was no more I could do. My thoughts were disturbed by the office phone ringing, I answered to the voice of my main dispatcher speaking over me:

“We’ve got an irate customer on the line, wants to speak to a manager but he is on a call, can you deal with it?”

“Yeah, what’s the situation though?” I replied.

“He’s left his phone in one of our cabs and the driver has finished for the night, we can’t get hold of him”

“Ok no worries, put him through”

I tried explaining the situation to the customer, but he wasn’t having any of it, he very abruptly and rudely hung up on me, midway through my explanation. I called the dispatcher into my office and we pulled the customer’s records of the system. I valued all customers, but regular customers were a precious commodity nowadays, we couldn’t afford to upset them.

However, to my surprise and contrary to what the customer had said the cheeky bugger had only used us once before about 6 months ago and then earlier on tonight, so much for being a regular customer! I got the driver details and tried ringing the driver but it went straight to voicemail.

“He’s probably sleeping” the dispatcher said, as I hung up.

“Minor issue”, I replied, “it’s only a phone, the customer should have been more responsible with his belongings, the driver is a good guy he will most likely hand it in tomorrow, he probably doesn’t even know…” the dispatcher interrupted me mid-sentence

“the driver had a runner on his next job, got a funny feeling the phone went with the runner”

“Great!” I sighed

I returned to looking through my accounts when I noticed a notification on one of the tabs. I had my company social accounts opened, it’s an old habit keeping an eye on all the business fronts.

Someone had left us a review, and to my horror, it wasn’t the positive review that I was hoping for

“Useless company made me wait an hour in the rain, rude driver barely uttered a word, ignored me throughout the journey and then drove off with my brand-new phone. To make matters worse when I called the office to report it, they CUT ME OFF!!! ***DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY – UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE TREATED LIKE SHIT AND TAKEN ADVANTAGE OFF***

Our calls are answered by an oversea call centre, we only have a main dispatcher in this office and a manager during office hours. Without thinking I typed an email to the call centre manager asking for an explanation as to why customers were given the wrong time and why they were being hung up on?

I went back to the review to leave a reply apologising and assuring the customer that I would be getting the matter looked into, when I noticed several people had jumped onto the post, the customer had tagged a number of people and had used some popular hashtags, which had led to the high traffic the poster was now getting. Aside from two people sticking up for my company, the rest were going all out tarnishing our name!

I stared at the screen, shocked at what was unfolding in front of my very eyes. The business was going viral but for all the wrong reasons.  I called the office manager in, who walked in red-faced, his laptop in his arms. He had already seen for himself what was happening and turned my attention to our business page on google. The customer had left the same negative review on it.  There was nothing we could do, but report both reviews and then wait and watch the business name being tarnished.

My computer beeped with a notification of a new email. I had been sent both the transcript and call recording of the original call the customer had made to us. As I expected, our operator had been polite, professional and respectful throughout the call, something that could not be said about the customer!

We put a statement out on our Facebook page, clarifying everything that had happened. There was nothing more we could do.

In the morning the office manager alerted me to the fact that the customer had booked another taxi with us, I quickly rang the driver from last night, luckily managing to get through to him. By the time the customer had taken his seat in our taxi he had had his phone returned to him.

I scrolled through our social media. The reviews were still up, both platforms had refused to delete them, I was in despair, I had tried everything, but we had no power. The post was still getting hits and it didn’t look like it would stop anytime soon.  

I was lost in my thoughts when the driver from last night walked through my office door, I looked up and wearily forced a smile on my face. Someone had to try and keep the mood lifted, if not me, who?

The Call Centre

The Call Centre

The Call Centre

Six months that’s all I needed. Six months of hard work, head down and I would pass the probation period. With that came a permanent contract and a pay rise and then, maybe then, I could finally enroll into university and complete my studies. That was me four months ago and I was struggling now. 

Redundancies had taken place, out of the ten of us that had started together, only four of us were left. The business was struggling, it was clear to see, the managers were stressed and the atmosphere was tense. I just tried to remain as focused as I could.

“Believe it or not you can smile through the phone”, that’s what my trainer had told the group on our first day.

That’s what I reminded myself, every time I took a call, smile…smile…smile.

The call last night had caught me off guard. The customer would not let me speak and was absolutely fuming. There was nothing I could say or do to calm him down. He had left his phone in one of our taxis and for the life of me I could not get through to the driver. The customer had hit the roof. I recorded everything as per company procedure and although I went home with an awful headache, I felt I had done everything I should have done.

This morning, the feeling was different. Overnight a negative post left by the customer had gone viral. It was the talk of the office and I had already been pulled into the office, ‘if the customer was so upset why had I not come to one of the managers?!’. I had tried to look for a manager, but everyone was busy, I tried telling them this, but fear stopped me, I could barely get a word out. I just sat and listened. 

They were going to listen to my call and speak to the CEO who was in the UK and then decide on what action needed to be taken. 

We were ahead of U.K time by several hours so it was a waiting game and time seemed to have frozen.

I couldn’t remember if I raised my voice at the customer – did I??

Did I ring the right number?

I don’t think I did, I should have rung his personal number, did I ring his personal number??

My head was filled with thoughts, thoughts of my failures. I pressed print on my letter.

‘Psst…’

I looked over, Asif from two rows down was trying to get my attention.

‘Umer’s gone. They let him go yesterday, something about poor quality’.

Umer had been here for three and a half years, me just over four months. My head throbbed. It had been so difficult to get this job. It was a highly sought-after position. There was no way I would be able to get another job like this if I was dismissed, I could not afford a bad reference. I just couldn’t.

I sealed the envelope and scribbled my manager’s name on top. They were looking to reduce the numbers, so they wouldn’t take my departure to heart. With my resignation letter in hand, I slowly walked over to the manager’s office.

New Era Outsourcing Specialists where every side of the story is understood. With our experience, we are able to handle any problems that arise, you can rest assured, New Era OS is working with you, for you, for your customers.

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Keep Your Head Up

by with No Comment Blog PostsBlog StoriesCustomer Service

Keep your head up

By Ejaz Shah  —  11th November 2020

“What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger”

Friedrich Nietzsche, German philosopher

You got to keep your head up, it’s a sad affair across the world, we are really going through some testing times at the moment and certainly in some respects the light at the end of the tunnel seems to be switched off. I wanted to take some time out of business talk and write something that can – maybe – help us a little as we try and navigate through these troubling times.

As I write this, ‘back home’ in England, a national lockdown has been announced. As you know my family and friends all reside there and it’s a worrying time for them. England is just the latest country to go into another full-blown lockdown, other European countries have already placed their nations in lockdown again.

Surprisingly, and thankfully Pakistan it seems has not faired as badly as some thought it would, I appreciate people have differing views on why this is, I have been involved in many debates on this matter. But regardless of opinions, people here have suffered and are still struggling.

It is very easy and completely understandable during times like this to fall into a dark hole and lose all hope. I have struggled and I still worry. At times like this I turn to others that have been/are going through their own struggles. I try and take inspiration from them, try and understand how it is that they are managing/have managed to get through those tough times.

Below I have noted a few real-life stories I turn to for inspiration, if you have the time, do take the opportunity to find out more about them and be inspired:

Amar Latif

Amar

Latif

Amar is a British entrepreneur, television personality and professional traveller. Amar lost 95% of his sight by the age of 18, due to an incurable eye condition, however, he did not let this hold him back. A keen traveller Amar has travelled the world and when he realised that there wasn’t enough support out there for independent blind travellers, he set up his own travel company.

Traveleyes, works with visually impaired and sighted travellers wanting to explore the world, allowing them to experience the world with all five senses. Amar has made many documentaries and taken part in numerous television shows. When I came across him in one of his documentaries I was in complete awe. The sheer determination and the manner in which he overcome such an adversary, left me completely bowled over. I strongly recommend reading up on him or watching one of his many documentaries/motivational speeches, it really does make you feel like you can go out and conquer the world.

Amar is a British entrepreneur, television personality and professional traveller. Amar lost 95% of his sight by the age of 18, due to an incurable eye condition, however, he did not let this hold him back. A keen traveller Amar has travelled the world and when he realised that there wasn’t enough support out there for independent blind travellers, he set up his own travel company.

Traveleyes, works with visually impaired and sighted travellers wanting to explore the world, allowing them to experience the world with all five senses. Amar has made many documentaries and taken part in numerous television shows. When I came across him in one of his documentaries I was in complete awe. The sheer determination and the manner in which he overcome such an adversary, left me completely bowled over. I strongly recommend reading up on him or watching one of his many documentaries/motivational speeches, it really does make you feel like you can go out and conquer the world.

Oprah Winfrey

Oprah

Winfrey

A household name, Oprah Winfrey is known around the globe. ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ was an iconic programme of its time. Oprah is often described as one of the most influential persons in the world and was for a period of time, the only black billionaire in the world.

However, maybe it was my sheer ignorance, I did not realise the challenges she had come through in her early life, until very recently. Oprah was born into poverty, to a single mother. At the age of nine she was raped; she became pregnant at the age of 14 and lost her child in infancy. I cannot imagine the pain, the dark times, the despair she would have gone through, however, she did make it through all that. For me, her story was shocking but also gave me strength, strength with the knowledge that there is a way through the darkest of times that we face.

A household name, Oprah Winfrey is known around the globe. ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ was an iconic programme of its time. Oprah is often described as one of the most influential persons in the world and was for a period of time, the only black billionaire in the world.

However, maybe it was my sheer ignorance, I did not realise the challenges she had come through in her early life, until very recently. Oprah was born into poverty, to a single mother. At the age of nine she was raped; she became pregnant at the age of 14 and lost her child in infancy. I cannot imagine the pain, the dark times, the despair she would have gone through, however, she did make it through all that. For me, her story was shocking but also gave me strength, strength with the knowledge that there is a way through the darkest of times that we face.

Stephen Hawking

A world-renowned British scientist, professor and author, Stephen Hawkings was also known for his appearance and his computer-generated voice. At the age of 21 whist studying at the University of Cambridge, Stephen was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a disease that causes the nerves that control the muscles to shut down.

At diagnoses, Stephen was given two and a half years to live, he outlived that diagnoses, going on to live until the age 76. Over the years Stephens condition deteriorated, he lost the ability of movement and speech. However, Stephen put all his focus and energy in his passion, completing 15 books in his lifetime on the workings of the Universe. There is a lot to read up on the internet about Stephen Hawkings, that will inspire you to get through the toughest of challenges and to remain focused, however, for me it is his own words that I find the most inspiring.

In one of his last statements, Hawking said, “I hope to inspire people around the world to look up at the stars and not down at their feet.”

At diagnoses, Stephen was given two and a half years to live, he outlived that diagnoses, going on to live until the age 76. Over the years Stephens condition deteriorated, he lost the ability of movement and speech. However, Stephen put all his focus and energy in his passion, completing 15 books in his lifetime on the workings of the Universe. There is a lot to read up on the internet about Stephen Hawkings, that will inspire you to get through the toughest of challenges and to remain focused, however, for me it is his own words that I find the most inspiring.

In one of his last statements, Hawking said, “I hope to inspire people around the world to look up at the stars and not down at their feet.”

A Few Last Words

As I mentioned above, I write this solely as a means of seeking inspiration from others that have got through tough times. I completely understand that we all face our own battles and it is okay to struggle and feel down. However, know that we are all in this together and together we can help each other get through our tough time, be it by inspiration, support or that chocolate cake we baked earlier.

Do what you need to do during these times to make yourselves and your loved one feel happy, secure and well. Remember this will end. There will be a time after this. Keep your head up!

If you need to reach out and talk to me, please feel free to do so. Feel free to share how you are feeling in the comments below, who inspires you and what you are doing to get through these difficult times. Together, we will get through this.

My Life Lessons

by with One Comment Blog PostsBlog StoriesCustomer Service

My Life Lessons

By Ejaz Shah  —  29th September 2020

I have some breaking news.

A couple of weeks old, so not quite ‘breaking news’, but let’s pretend…

Ladies and gentlemen, yours truly has reached a milestone.

No, the extra pounds around the waist have not been shed – I’ve added to them! Not quite a martial arts maestro just yet, I’m still visualising that goal through old Bruce Lee flicks!

However, and this might surprise you, so do take a seat. Although my dashing not-quite-side-profile-but-its-my-best-angle photograph might not show it, my friends, I have reached the golden age of 40!

I know, you’re shocked, I completely understand, stay seated.

Forty is a big age, and although you do not feel it as time rushes you by, looking back now, there is so much that I have experienced, both the good, bad and ugly. Through these experiences I have gained so many lessons, some really painful ones and some really useful ones. Where these personal life lessons have been really beneficial to me and I’m sure will be in time to come, I have also looked at others, to gain wisdom from the lessons they have learned in their lives. 

In this blog I have decided to share some of the most valuable lessons that I have gained, from people that inspire me:

1. “Make your own luck” - Bruce Lee

Bruce Lee for me really was the ultimate, he achieved so much in his short life. His work ethic, his commitment, his focus, everything about him is something we can learn from. His achievements speak for themselves, the biggest achievement being, that he did it all himself.

“You have to create your own luck. You have to be aware of the opportunities around you and take advantage of them”

2. “Do a job you love” - Steve Jobs

I am living proof of this lesson. I tried many other ventures, trying to find something I loved, my purpose. I knew what I wanted, but at the same time, I didn’t know what I wanted – does that make sense?! In the end I worked hard at what I enjoyed; it was what I was good at, and it has led me to where I am today, in a job that I love. Find what you love, you deserve to be happy in what you are doing.

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matter of the heart, you’ll know when you find it”

I am living proof of this lesson. I tried many other ventures, trying to find something I loved, my purpose. I knew what I wanted, but at the same time, I didn’t know what I wanted – does that make sense?! In the end I worked hard at what I enjoyed; it was what I was good at, and it has led me to where I am today, in a job that I love. Find what you love, you deserve to be happy in what you are doing.

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matter of the heart, you’ll know when you find it”

3. “Life isn't a race” - Confucius

In this day and age, we are constantly fed with images, posts and tweets of the amazing lives others around us are living. If we turn our social media off, we get it from our elders, ‘son, have you seen Mr Hussain’s son’s best friends, cousins wife’s, brothers, work colleagues, second cousin? He’s a doctor, your age, soon to be a surgeon, vah vah!’ Don’t compare yourself to others. Your progress in life is personal to your experiences. Just keep at it, don’t give up and you will get there – where you want to be, not necessary where those around you are.

“It does not matter how slowly you go, so long as you do not stop”

4. “Women are leaders” - Muhammad Ali Jinnah

My mother gave birth to me, nurtured me. I grew up with my four sisters, my wife stands by me at each turn, my three daughters give me life daily. I have existed amongst women and I am better for it. No explanation is needed for this. We will only succeed in life with our women standing beside us.

“No struggle can ever succeed without women participating side by side with men”

5. “Be patient” - Bill Gates

 ‘Sabr’. This can be tough to implement. We tend to seek immediate gratification, because we need the satisfaction. But we also know that in time what is meant for us will not forsake us. Keep reaching for those goals, but be patient, your time will come.

“Patience is a key element of success”

6. “Leave your mark on society” - Rosa Parks

All of us will leave a mark on society, in a big or small way, positive or negative. The type of mark we leave is down to us. This has never been more important than it is today. We are living in a world where people are making divisions amongst us, let us instead work for each other, to make a better society, for us, for our children, for the future.

I would like to be remembered as a person who wanted to be free… so other people would be also free.

7. “Educate! Educate! Educate!” - Malcolm X

For me this is the key to everything. I have said this before on my previous blogs, you must educate yourself, in order to be the best version of yourself and achieve your goals. Education is not limited to the classroom; life is a journey and we are constantly learning. Those that will strive ahead, are those that are prepared for tomorrow, by learning for it today.

“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today”

8. “It's not bragging if you can back it up” - Muhammed Ali

The man that amazed the world with his talent and quick wit. His achievements in the ring were what bought him acclaim and worldwide fame, but I say it is his actions and words outside the ring that make him the Greatest. Of. All. Time. Let’s try and emulate the good in him.

“Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth”

9. “Time is of essence” - Anna Wintour

This lesson is similar to that of patience; however, I view the importance of timing as so crucial that I needed to include this. We rush in everything we do; it has become second nature to us. However, I have learnt this lesson, in painful ways. Rather than rushing to achieve something, learn, prepare and execute your plans with precision and at the right time.

“It’s always about timing. If it’s too soon, no one understands. If it’s too late, everyone’s forgotten”

10. “Save for a rainy day” - My Grandfather

This is not a direct quote, this is a piece of advice my father has repeated to me throughout my life, a lesson that was passed on to him by his father. Although, in my youth this piece of advice might have gone over my head, since I have become a father this has been one of the most important and relevant advice I have gained. I always worry about my family’s well-being, like every father does, and I have taken it upon myself to implement this lesson in my life.

“Son, regardless of what you earn, always save something, even if it is the bare minimal amount”

Wrapping it up

There are so many more I could have added to the list above, I am constantly inspired by those around me. I hope the ones that I have included provide you with some inspiration.

At this milestone I am more excited than I have ever been. Life has blessed me in so many ways, for that I am eternally grateful, however, I have so much more I want to achieve. So please friends, raise your glass, your cup of chai, coffee, green juice (really?!), here’s to the next forty years 😊

I receive comments, messages and emails from all you wonderful readers, and I am as inspired by your aspirations, determination, dreams and plans as I am by those individuals I have mentioned above. So please comment below with your life lessons, the lessons that inspire you and I look forward to reading them.

Just before I go...

For those that know me personally will know I have been a fan of Tupac since school days so I could not leave this blog without including a couple of quotes from the legend himself!!

  • “During your life, never stop dreaming. No one can take away your dreams.”
  • “Pay no mind to those who talk behind your back, it simply means that you are 2 steps ahead.”
  • “For every dark night, there’s a brighter day.”

If you want to grow, want to achieve, join us at NewEra, and together we will succeed. Go over to our contact us page for more information.

Imposters Syndrome

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Imposters Syndrome

By Ejaz Shah  —  22nd September 2020

Have you ever felt anxious that you are not good enough? Felt like a fraud? That regardless of all the certificates decorating your walls, the trophies lining your cabinets, the accolades behind your name, you know nothing, and that sooner or later you will be exposed? Well you’re not the only one.

David Bowie, Maya Angelou, Tom Hanks, all leading figures in their industries, have felt the same:

“I really felt so utterly inadequate” – David Bowie

“I have written 11 books, but each time I think, ‘uh oh, they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody, and they’re going to find me out” – Maya Angelou

“How did I get here? When are they going to discover that I am, in fact, a fraud and take everything away from me?” – Tom Hanks

At some point in their celebrated careers, each one of them has/had suffered from ‘imposters syndrome’.

Imposters syndrome is the feeling of constantly doubting yourself, your talents, your abilities and living with the fear that you will be exposed as a ‘fraud’, regardless of your accomplishments. The phenomenon was introduced by psychologists Dr. Pauline R. Clance and Dr. Suzanne A. Imes back in 1978 and I’ve attached a link for you to read up more about this phenomenon if you wish to do so.

Why, when we have the skills, the expertise, the know-how, do we feel this way?!

Me, the Imposter and I

I remember anxiously waiting for my turn in a room full of interviewees as I watched hopeful candidates walk out of the interview room with a long face. I had been working at this well-known call centre for a couple of years and was now going for a more senior role. I knew everything I needed for this new role, because I had been temporarily covering the position for the last six months. But still, deep inside the knots were tightening as each moment passed. By the time I entered the interview room I was 100% confident that they would blow my cover, call out my bluff for what it was. A fluke. I was a phoney, a fake and that by sheer ‘luck’ I had managed to succeed in my roles.

This couldn’t have been more further than the truth. I was good at my job, because I had the expertise, the knowledge and the talent, which combined ensured I succeeded. I couldn’t see this at the time, however – thankfully – the interviewers did, and I got the job.

It wasn’t the first or the last time I felt this feeling of being an imposter in my own success. I recall years later, feeling the same, when I was working as a taxi dispatcher. The firm was going through a tough busy period and I was managing dispatching to a fleet of 100 plus cars. As the most busiest week of the season came upon us, I recall the voice in my head telling me, ‘this is it…you are about to be found out for what you are’, I felt awful, the doubt in my mind was eating away at me.

How do we deal with this? This feeling that most people will feel at some point in their lives/careers and some will constantly be battling it. The first step is crucial.

First Step: TALK

Talk, talk, talk talk! Communicate your feelings. I cannot express how important this is. If you keep this feeling to yourself, it will eat away at you, like it did to me. In my case I turned to my sister, who I have continuously relied on for advice and support. A recent graduate in psychology, she introduced me to the term imposter syndrome. At that time when I was questioning my worth, she was able to talk to me about my many talents, highlight my skills and show me my worth. It is hugely important that you are able to turn the negative thinking into positives, and whilst you nit-pick at all your faults, it is those that surround you that will be able to remind you of your many achievements and successes. Turn to your colleagues, your managers, your mentors, so that they can guide you back onto your path.

Talk, talk, talk talk! Communicate your feelings. I cannot express how important this is. If you keep this feeling to yourself, it will eat away at you, like it did to me. In my case I turned to my sister, who I have continuously relied on for advice and support. A recent graduate in psychology, she introduced me to the term imposter syndrome. At that time when I was questioning my worth, she was able to talk to me about my many talents, highlight my skills and show me my worth.

It is hugely important that you are able to turn the negative thinking into positives, and whilst you nit-pick at all your faults, it is those that surround you that will be able to remind you of your many achievements and successes. Turn to your colleagues, your managers, your mentors, so that they can guide you back onto your path.

Second Step: BELIEF

Believe in yourself. You have come so far, you CAN continue on the same path and fulfil your ambitions. Take the positives that have been highlighted to you by those that you talk to and keep them in mind. Focus all your energy on them and when they fully encompass you, there will be no stopping you. You need that belief in your abilities; and remember those around you see these abilities day in day out, believe what they say. Believe in yourself.

Third Step: CONFIDENCE

Ooze confidence. You’ve doubted yourself, you’ve talked to those around you about your doubts, they have shown you your worth. You have changed your negative thinking into positive, by believing in your talents. Now move forward in confidence. Be confident in your abilities, take pride in your achievements. Remember everyone around you at some point will have had these very feelings that you are experiencing. The people you look up to, the people you aspire to be like, they too have felt the way you are feeling. They expressed their feelings, grasped the positives and took giant strides in confidence – you too can do this!

And if all else fails. Crack open that giant tub of chocolate ice-cream (or whichever flavour takes your fancy), take the biggest spoon you own and make some heavy dents in that giant tub of deliciousness.

I joke – have the ice cream but in proportion and after you’ve taken the above mentioned three steps. You deserve a treat after all 😊

In all seriousness, we all could name at least one or two people in our lives that have doubted our ability, that will revel in our failures. So why do it to ourselves?! Let’s be our own cheerleaders. Recognise that these feelings can occur, this ‘imposters syndrome’ does exist, but we can battle through it and overcome it. Take those steps to rediscovering your worth and hold on to it tight!

I hope this blog has helped you if you are feeling this way. Comment below to share your experiences and your tips? Have you ever felt this way? How did you overcome it? What did you do? Please do share, I look forward to reading your comments.

Do you have the talent, the skills that we are looking for? If so, don’t hold back, we believe in your abilities and will support you to excel yourself further. Come, join the New Era family!

The Joys of Parenting

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The Joys of Parenting

& what we can learn from our Offspring

By Ejaz Shah  —  15 September 2020

Parenthood... Parenting...

The joyous time in your life. A blessing. You nurture them, you give love, watch them grow, you feel love.

Love…Nurture…Grow…Love…Nurture…Grow… who am I kidding…?!

Screaming…Crying…Sleepless nights…Dirty nappies…Vomit on my new shirt…Vomit on my old shirt…Vomit on all my shirts…

I was excited at the thought of being a first-time dad, but when my first daughter was born, I was terrified. Not because she was an ugly baby, oh no, she was the most beautiful baby I had ever set my eyes on. But the thought of being totally responsible for another human being completely terrified me. The feeling wasn’t as daunting when the second one arrived, I was experienced, I had been here, I could do this…surely?! But when the third one arrived, optimism went out the window. Terrified is not the word. PETRIFIED. I was petrified. It was me against a house full of girls!!

Was I being punished here?! I mean daughters are blessings, I 100% agree with that. I am a blessed man but at times I felt like an atoned man. They’re not sweet angels, don’t be fooled, they’re devils in disguise. Take my eldest child, she’s always right, like always right, I’m the parent but she’s always right?! And that sweet smile of hers…ruthless! The middle one, I’m sure I have spent ¾ of my life savings on her alone, but I always say no to her, I don’t know how it happens?! The third one, the less said about her, the better. I am too scared to even talk about her and she’s just turned one!

I mean I love them to the moon and back, which parent doesn’t love their children. But if I made it to the moon, I’d stay there, for a gooooood while. It is not easy being a parent. 

Parenting is a role which you can never be prepared for. Read as many articles as you want, as many parenting books as you want, babysit as often as you want. All the knowledge and experience in the world, cannot prepare you for your own ‘bundle of joy’. I mean I had my fair share of experience with my nieces and nephews, but was I prepared? Oh no! I can clearly remember soon after my first was born, the nurse asking if I wanted to put her clothes on. She was so small and fragile, I graciously declined and watched from afar. 

My Three ‘Angels’

My first born aka ‘always right’, was a very good baby. She slept through the night, ate all her food and kept most of it down! We were constantly reminded of how lucky we were to have such a good baby. Looking back now, she’s nine, and I don’t know where the time has gone. I was apprehensive, scared and in new territory, but time really has flown. If I was to give any advice, it would be to cherish each and every moment you have with your child, because it’s true, they really do grow up fast.

My second child, ‘the big-money-spender’, is six now. To her credit, she was a delightful baby, like her sister. However, two months in and a small rash on her forehead developed into full blown eczema all over her small body. My baby really did suffer. She spent nights awake, itching, bleeding and crying. My wife and I would rotate shifts between us, staying up to look after her.

My first born aka ‘always right’, was a very good baby. She slept through the night, ate all her food and kept most of it down! We were constantly reminded of how lucky we were to have such a good baby. Looking back now, she’s nine, and I don’t know where the time has gone. I was apprehensive, scared and in new territory, but time really has flown. If I was to give any advice, it would be to cherish each and every moment you have with your child, because it’s true, they really do grow up fast.

My second child, ‘the big-money-spender’, is six now. To her credit, she was a delightful baby, like her sister. However, two months in and a small rash on her forehead developed into full blown eczema all over her small body. My baby really did suffer. She spent nights awake, itching, bleeding and crying. My wife and I would rotate shifts between us, staying up to look after her.

It was a testing time for all of us, and one of the main reasons for my move to Pakistan (I’ll explain this more in a future blog). She missed out on a lot in her early years, due to her eczema, but has that held her back – hell no! She’s making up for lost time, in supersonic speed (and cost)!

And finally, the one I fear the most, my youngest.  An angelic baby for the first 6 months of her life, she would lay there watching her sisters like a hawk, entertaining us with her babbling. As soon as she hit the 6 month mark, she stepped it up a gear or two! She causes havoc around the house, nothing remains in its place, the window blinds are her climbing frames, my laptop her personal stomping ground, our phones she uses for her practice catapult shots. It’s not just me, she bullies her sisters, her mother and she doesn’t stop until she gets her way! She runs our house. 

So advanced

Jokes aside, even though they are so similar in so many ways, they all have their own individual little personalities. So, when it came to ‘parenting’ and where something worked with one of them, it didn’t necessarily mean it would work on the other one too. With every child it was like being back at square one again and starting a new trip down the parenthood lane. You have to learn new methods of feeding, bathing and putting them to sleep, it’s all one big learning curve. Though one thing I have noticed, the kids of today are way ahead of where we were when we were their age, they make us look dumb!

I recall an incident when my brother was around 4/5 years old. My dad had recently purchased a VHS player (google this if you do not know, they were big in my day!) and the old VHS cassettes could only be inserted into the video player one way, if you forced it in the wrong way the VHS player would throw it back at you. So, on this particular day we had a room full of relatives gathered, joking and laughing together and I was sitting there watching my brother trying to insert a VHS cassette into the VHS player. He tried every side and seemed to be at it for what seemed like forever! Finally, he succeeded and managed to successfully slot it in. The joy from the elders as a result of him successfully completing this, what now seems like such a mundane simple task, was euphoric. Everyone was clapping, cheering and praising him for simply turning on a VHS player and inserting the cassette. What a smart boy?! I mean my one-year-old uses my mobile phone more efficiently than me! She dives straight into YouTube, skimming through all the videos until she finds one that takes her fancy!

I suppose in our days the VHS player was the equivalent to the iPhone of today, when it comes to latest gadgets. Times have changed, we’ve become so much more advanced than we ever have been, especially in the last 10, 20 years and so have our children, they do today what we will learn to do tomorrow!

‘Wave-gate’

When my first-born was around 4, we headed to our local shopping centre, father and daughter, me in the driving seat, her dressed in her favourite fairy outfit, in her car seat. Shortly into the drive I was cut off by an impatient driver, not wanting to curse in front of my little fairy, I signalled instead with a rude hand gesture, mouthing the curse words out purposefully to the driver. Instantly my eldest turned to me and asked, ‘baba what does this mean?’, as she performed my rude hand gesture back at me. Under pressure, I said the first thing that came to mind ‘oh baba was just waving at an old friend beta’. Thankfully and to my relief that reply seemed to satisfy her and we continued with our journey.

Once in the shopping centre we entered the lift to go to the floor we needed, alongside us was an elderly couple in their eighties. The couple were delighted with my first-born’s fairy dress; her fairy wings attached to her side and the little crown on her head, she soaked up the attention, grinning from ear to ear. The elderly couple were to leave a floor before us, and as they exited the lift, they turned around to wave goodbye to us. The last thing I saw, as the doors closed on them, was the look of sheer horror on their faces. As my gaze dropped down to my little one, I saw why. My first-born was enthusiastically waving back at them, with the same rude gesture she had seen me use earlier.

“But baba, you said that’s how you wave to friends?!”

“No no no darling, baba was angry when he waved like that”

“So that’s an angry wave?”

“Yeh beta angry wave”

Nothing more was said, and we continued with our shopping with ‘wavegate’ put firmly to the back of our minds. This was not a story I wanted to repeat to the missus.

Later that evening when we sat down for our meal, much to the disappointment of my first born, my wife had cooked vegetables. 

via GIPHY

“But baba, you said that’s how you wave to friends?!”

“No no no darling, baba was angry when he waved like that”

“So that’s an angry wave?”

“Yeh beta angry wave”

Nothing more was said, and we continued with our shopping with ‘wavegate’ put firmly to the back of our minds. This was not a story I wanted to repeat to the missus.

via GIPHY

Later that evening when we sat down for our meal, much to the disappointment of my first born, my wife had cooked vegetables. 

Tears, tantrums and much pleading later, my wife stood firm, the food had been served and it was all she was getting. As my wife took her seat, my first-born rose on hers and with the most passionate of moves I’ve ever seen her display, she went into a continuous display of my ‘angry wave’, right in her mother’s face.

via GIPHY

Change is coming

Change is happening all around us whether we like it or not. We are changing, time changes us, it changes our priorities, our way of thinking and our outlook on life. Successful and more at ease are those who learn to adapt and adapt quickly.

So, whilst we struggle to rear our offspring to the best of our capabilities, what can we learn from them? The key thing I say is simplicity. A child is simple, they’re still grasping knowledge and understanding, so they look at everything in the most simplest of ways.  

This as adults we know, is usually the best of ways to tackle matters, especially when faced with a problem or when a key decision has to be made.

 

Change is happening all around us whether we like it or not. We are changing, time changes us, it changes our priorities, our way of thinking and our outlook on life. Successful and more at ease are those who learn to adapt and adapt quickly.

So, whilst we struggle to rear our offspring to the best of our capabilities, what can we learn from them? The key thing I say is simplicity. A child is simple, they’re still grasping knowledge and understanding, so they look at everything in the most simplest of ways.  

 

This as adults we know, is usually the best of ways to tackle matters, especially when faced with a problem or when a key decision has to be made.

 

However, we adults, we like to think and think and think. We are experts at creating mountains out of molehills by overthinking. Let’s just simplify matters and take it easy.

Secondly, have you noticed how children pick up new things? They are constantly observing their surroundings, monitoring everything around them, constantly feeding their imaginations and growing wiser for it. We adults get so consumed with matters at hand, that we adapt a tunnel vision and lose all sight of all the great things we have surrounding us. I have made it a habit to take time out weekly to try something new, explore a different avenue, experience something different. It’s made me grow and helped me switch off from day to day matters. I strongly recommend this.

As I finish this blog, I simply say to all the parents out there, you’re doing great! Don’t be hard on yourself, take each day as it comes, and enjoy as much of it as you can, because time really does fly. And grow with your children, learn to switch off, learn to simplify, learn to observe and take in all the good that is surrounding you.

But before I go, a warning. Children, they observe everything. EVERYTHING. I have lived to tell the tale above, learn from my errors…

Please feel free to use the comment section below to share your parenting tips or disasters! I look forward to hearing all your tales. 

To become a member of the New Era family, register your interest here, I look forward to welcoming you.

The First Step

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The First Step

By Ejaz Shah  —  31st August 2020

If you look up the meaning of ‘apprehension’ in the Oxford dictionary you will find:

Anxiety or fear that something bad or unpleasant will happen.

‘he felt sick with apprehension’

Interestingly, the origins of the word apprehension and its meaning from late Middle English is the ‘learning, acquisition of knowledge’ and from late Latin the word ‘apprehensio(n-)’ comes from apprehendere, as to ‘seize, grasp’, as in ‘apprehend’. 

Was I apprehensive when I decided to take my first step? When I decided to pack my bags and move my young family some 6,091 kilometres (that’s around 3,785 miles!) from a country I had grown up in, from the streets I knew like the back of my hand and from the sounds I danced my daily routines to? I can tell you that every inch of my mind, my body was apprehensive. Of course I was scared of the unknown and possible bad, but alongside this notion of apprehension, was the echo to ‘apprehend’. I had to seize, to grasp this opportunity and make it a success, for me and my young family.

Couple of years in and my girls (yes, I am a proud #girldad) have flourished in their new surroundings, taking everything in their stride. I knew they would, they’re beautiful, confident girls, but I knew I had to provide them the assurance and support for them to settle in their new surroundings. I’ll be the first to admit it wasn’t easy, there were tears, tantrums, and that’s just me (!) but I was confident in both mine and my wife’s perseverance. Together, I knew we had the capabilities and attitude to make this switch a success for our family.

Similarly, when I decided on this new venture, the start of NewEra, I was apprehensive. This was a big risk. However, it was a calculated and well researched risk. I was investing my time, my money into something I was passionate about and experienced about. I knew I had the strength, the capability and know-how to make this venture a success.

The first step...

So how do we deal with this notion of apprehension, this fear that holds us back from taking the first step, from venturing out and making a success of our dreams. I want to share the small pearls of wisdom and knowledge I have picked up whilst venturing out with NewEra:

1. Knowledge

I cannot express the sheer importance of knowing your business, inside out. The area you choose to venture into must be something you are both learned in and constantly learning about.

My father was a taxi driver. At the age of 15 I was helping out at the local taxi business as a part time taxi operator assistance (that title is made up, but I promise you I was there, at that age I had no choice, my father was determined that I was working and off the streets). By the age of 19 I was working part time alongside my studies as a taxi driver and a taxi operator – depending on where they needed me. After my studies I ventured into Business Development as a Manager at one of the biggest call centres in our city. It was an eye-opener and the knowledge I amassed was invaluable. In 2013 I moved back into the area I first started in, the taxi service. I worked as a Project Manager and Team Lead for one of the most successful taxi providers in my old city. 

When I made my big move to Pakistan and joined my previous employer, I came with a wealth of knowledge and experience. From front line taxi drivers, to taxi operators, and back end Project Management and Team Leads in a call centre environment, I knew it all, because I had done it all. This was my passion, my fortress. So, it was not surprising that with me onboard, alongside other talented individuals, we were able to make it into one of the largest taxi oriented outsourcing call centre’s in Pakistan.

Know your product – know it inside out. Breath it, sleep it, dream it; and surround yourself with knowledge. Have people working alongside you that are experts in their fields, so that collectively you are a force of knowledge.

2. Visualise

How do you plan a journey if you do not know where you are going? How do you achieve or work towards a goal, when that goal has not been set? (I could go on, but I am hoping you have got my point – stay with me). Visualise where you want to be, what you want to achieve. Set your goals, your targets and visualise how you will get there.

I knew very early on that I wanted to build my own business, I just needed to find that niche area that I was passionate about. When I realised the time was right for me to put everything I had collated over the years into setting up my own business, I took some time out to plan. I did this backwards. I visualised where I wanted to be, what steps I needed to take to get there and how I would be able to make it work. Slowly I worked backwards to where I was in real time. I had created myself a timeline, a map, a plan to help me achieve my dream.

So, visualise, create vision boards, think backwards, forwards, whatever works for you – but remember, dream big by all means, but plan realistically.

3. Hard work

I’m sorry, I have no magic formula. There are no shortcuts I’m afraid. To achieve anything, you have to put the effort in, the graft, the hard work. Key to this is not to give up when it gets hard, and hard it will get – but persevere. Perseverance, a good attitude and mindset will get you through it. Keep going, because you can succeed, if you put the effort in.

I can’t put a figure on the number of CVs (resumes) I have hand delivered in pursuit of getting a job. The number of miles – yes miles – I have walked, to save money on transport, searching for opportunities. The missed social events, the late nights, the early starts, the working-through-the-day-and-night, I have done it all. Of course, I recommend putting your health first and to look after yourself, however, when I have needed to graft, when I have needed to work hard, I have done so. 

The most reliable person you will ever meet is yourself. You will reliably, on point, every morning, either jump out of bed or press the snooze button. You know yourself. Work to your strengths and work hard.

Nothing is gifted, to achieve, you must work for it.

Comment below with stories of your journeys, your dreams, plans and how you were able to take that first step.

If you have knowledge, if you are eager to learn, if you have a dream and you don’t shy away from hard work, then join us. Let’s achieve our dreams together. NewEra provides a supportive, nurturing environment for all its workers, so if you want a new challenge, go over to our Careers Page