How to Excel at Small Talks

Imagine this. You’re walking in a mall alone, shopping. You meet a really old friend and go “HIII ITS BEEN SO LONG!” and she says “I KNOW RIGHT! HOW ARE YOU?” and you go “GOOD AND YOU?” and she says “GOOD TOO, THANKS!” and then ……………………….. *awkward*
Small talks are never easy. I am a proud victim of super awkward moments and have learnt to cope up with weird situations as such. Well, not completely, but much better than the dorky kid staring at her toes. Here are what you can do to save socially-awkward moments:
1. Ask them how have they been, and mean it! Ask where have they studied, where are they working, how are their relatives, and so on. Don’t ask overly personal questions such as “are you single?” unless you want to known as a creepy nosy-body all your life.
2. Talk about yourself. Share about your education, working life, pretty much similar as the above. Be considerate, don’t go on and on about yourself. You may sound like a self-centered person.
3. Find something in common to talk about. For example, if she happens to mention similar interest as you, dig deeper. You never know, you might find out a common interest to talk about ;)
4. If you are with company, introduce that person to your old friend. They might save you a teensy bit from the awkwardness 
5. Be genuine. You don’t have to give them a huge tight hug if you aren’t up for it. You don’t have to compliment her bag if you don’t like it.
6. Compliment them! Say something nice about the person’s weight loss, newly done hair, new family or anything you can find. Remember, be genuine!
7. Still awkward? Time to move on! Tell them it was a pleasure to have met them, exchange contact numbers and respectfully leave. Guess what? You still have your self-respect! ;)

Try them out and you will see how easy and pleasant it is to meet old acquaintances!

How To Make Your Customers Happy

So, as newly-employed individual, I have realized that keeping our customers happy and satisfied with the service we provide is a crucial determinant to ensure you stay on the job for more than a couple months! Where we work will differ from one person to another, but wherever it is, we are bound to make em happy, aren't we? For example, if you work in a travel agent, your customers should be satisfied. I work in a school in the English department and event coordinator, so parents need to see that I am doing my best. Anyway, here are some tips from my personal hands-on experience with the "customers"

1. When handling a complaint, ensure you understand the problem and handle it with meticulousness. Be diplomatic and sure. Always make the customers aware that we are on their side and want to work things out according to their desires.

2. SMILE. This is so simple yet easily forgettable. Try not to panic, keep calm and look cheery while listening to them. No one can ever shout to an amicable person. Trust me on this :p

3.Be patient. If you lose your temper, imagine your customers! If you cannot understand what they want, slowly muster the courage to ask what can you do to make sure they have what they need.

4. Don't be afraid to consult your boss/employer. They will have more experience in this and providing they are as nice as my bosses, they will be more than happy to help you!

5. Never promise something you feel is not possible. There is nothing worst than having promised your customer something and not being able to fulfill them.


I'll end here to keep it simple, but follow the above tips and you are sure to plaster smiles on your customers' faces! Good luck!