Saturday, July 30, 2011

Hel(l)met


Just now returned after visiting my friend of decades in a hospital. The bubbling guy was lying supine in the ICU ward! His sin - not wearing a helmet and driving a mobike, that too on a Sunday morning, when there was hardly any traffic on the road. Yet to know how it happened- skidding or blackout or dizziness, the fact is he was lying with bleeding injuries on the road until a good Samaritan chose to move him to a nearby hospital. As he was driving without a helmet, his pate has taken the brunt and had to be operated on for hours, to pull him back into the world. It is going to be months before he is back on his feet. The family is in a daze at the sudden quirk of fate and are yet to come out of the shock. Even if they come out, the trauma is going to be haunting them for long. If only, he had a helmet, all this could have been avoided ! When are we going we learn? How many more lives are going to be lost, limbs gone and how many more family to suffer !! Again and again, I am only reminded of the poster at the City Police Commissioner's office some years back- Better a broken helmet than a broken skull !


Updated  on 08-Aug-2011:


I would like to add the following statistics released by the Chennai City Traffic Police in Facebook:

Year
2 wheeler victims of Road accidents
No of 2 wheeler victims NOT wearing helmet at the time of accident
2010
255
246
2011 (upto July)
189
181

No more words are required, as the data speak for themselves !

Friday, July 29, 2011

யுத்தம் செய்


I recently visited a leading Nationalized Bank in Chennai to close the educational loan of my nephew. When I went in by around 10:30 AM, an hour after the Bank opening hours, I noticed a sparse crowd, a surprise to me after having worked in a South India based nationalized bank, where the first few hours will always be back braking - office going customers always in a hurry to complete their banking transactions. After accepting the closure cheque, the official concerned coolly asked me to come in the evening or the next day, to collect the closure statement. When I asked, why I could not get it immediately, he replied that he had other work to do !! I controlled my raising anger, quietly questioning within myself as to who I am- I am also a customer and have also other work to do. When I went the next day evening at the time specified, I was told that the concerned official has left for the day and that they are not aware of where the papers have been kept. After a bit of shouting and wanting to meet the Branch Head, the work was done after a wait of 30 minutes!! If I had to wait on the next day, then why was it I was asked to come again ??

With a different bank, when I requested for a Safe Deposit Locker, the Manager did not even have the courtesy to acknowledge my mail- this despite my repeatedly meeting the Manager on different days, as per his instructions. When I escalated to the next level, he called up and asked me as to why I am taking the issue to somebody- he does not even know that this "somebody" was his own boss at the Customer Service Dept. It is a pity that he is not even aware of his higher ups, to whom he is answerable. As for not responding to my mails, the Manager said that he checks his mails only twice a week and that he is not very comfortable with emails. Then, why is the Bank boasting of Internet Banking while its own personnel are not even updated with the technological trends, which have become common place in private banks ! 

Similarly, I had to call up and raise my voice to get a legitimate Interest certificate . The issue here is why is that you force the customer to resort to these means. It's because the organizations does not realize the value of others' time. Are they  aware of how much of a strain is for a Pensioner to come the next day and update his passbook? There are customers , who come on foot and some engage auto rickshaws- who is going to pay for these?  All these because the Institutions do not realize others' extra efforts or does not care about it. It is  time people take others' time seriously. They need to be taught to take each of these activities as an action item, to be completed within a specific period of time.

Since, I have the (un)enviable experience of working both in public and private sector undertakings, I guess my fumes are more. In the private sector, I can never imagine asking my customer across the globe, to call me next day for some of his expectations. There,  you halt on track,  retreat to your office , answer your customer needs and then trek back home !! When I pushed a builder with too many queries, he asked me to withdraw the booking made. I spoke to his apologetic boss that he cannot expect to survive the competition, if he is going to shun the customers and that his front office is undoing all the hard work he is putting in .

Bottom line is , it requires some raised voices, threats to approach customer service or escalation, to get your legitimate expectations fulfilled. All these at places, where you have invested and the guardian angels of your money is doing these nasty tricks. Then i was reminded of the caption ' யுத்தம் செய்" . Here, nothing seem to work , unless you fight for it- be it your country's independence or your own Bank statement !!
My only worry is it should not lead the public to the next famous step of "ரௌத்திரம் பழகு" !!

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

My Tryst with Builders

"Is our family capable of owning a house" - was the ominous voice of my mother when we brothers wanted to embark on a house buying spree some decades back ! With such great encouragement, we decided to pursue our hunt, more to avoid the smiling owner visiting every now and then and increasing the rent as strongly as the coffee which he just now gulped after appreciating my mother for it. கடன் வாங்கி குடும்பம் நடத்தினால் உருப்படமாட்டே - was what my father used to say. But, with none in the kitty and little support from the financiers, we had to go for friends' support, which came in torrents. In fact, with the inherent tax benefits and the solemn commitment in getting a long term housing loan , I would love to change this adage to " இந்தக் காலத்தில் கடன் வாங்காட்டா உருப்படமாட்டே" But, my focus here is not on the then financial hurdle and how we surmounted it.

We thought, handling the financial hurdle would bring in a cozy home for us. But, I had learnt it in my life that my battles are like lover's relationship- it never runs smooth ! Initial project very near to Kodambakkam railway station, with all three apartments for we brothers on the same floor, was too good to believe. But, an enquiry with the Metropolitan Development Authority revealed that a floor or part of it, I don't remember, was not approved. Too shocked to hear and when queried, the builder coolly responded that they know how to manage this. We withdrew the idea as there were demolitions galore happening in Chennai at that time. But even after 25 years the building and its residents remain there firm - sure, the builder knew how to manage the issue !

Then we went for a very dependable and reputed builder in Alwarpet. True to his name, he made all the owners happy, not before introducing a new accounting system- know not for whose convenience- where I was caught between the builders and the financiers. Having learnt a lesson from the previous loss of withdrawal, I decided not to withdraw and fought valiantly, connected the differing parties and the efforts paid rich dividends in getting a nice apartment in a plum locality. The silver lining was this builder was honest, wanted his customers to be happy and continued to support their needs even after many years of purchase!

As the family grew and the wants galloped, the need for a car park forced me to go on the hunt again and that landed me with another builder in Saidapet. Honest and updated in technologies with the latest trend, he served me well in handing over an excellent apartment I still enjoy. No one is perfect and businessmen are no exceptions. But, their exceptions are more on the ignorant side rather than on the integrity part. And with this I thought, my hunt for buildings and builders are complete for my lifetime, before my relative egged me on to support in his search- and he happily went to office (that is different!)

The trends and requirements of the builders have changed drastically over the years, though the quality seem to have taken a ride down the other side. One of the much advertised builder, boasting of years of experience and hundreds of projects, demanded  lakhs in advance even to provide a copy of the documents for legal verification !! The document set could hardly cost couple of thousands and one wonders as to why so much is required when the veracity has not been ascertained. On close examination of the documents by my lawyer and on stern queries, the builder representative lost his temper as to why only this lawyer is asking so much and asked me to withdraw. His impotent rage in not being able to answer legitimate questions of the lawyer lost him a customer but I only wonder how many are being taken in by his statements of so many flats registered and so few left !! Those in the customer oriented industry can decide for themselves as to how an organization can ask the customer to go away and survive. Builders  

should remember that the customers are becoming more knowledgeable and also the laws are becoming stricter and customer oriented that only genuine players can survive the play !! Further, the users should use the Internet as a useful media to communicate to the world about the escapades of such fly by night operators, so that errant builders are wary of indulging in sharp practices. He silently refunded the advance , though I had some anxious moments before the post dated cheque was realized- but I am only worried about the many easy going customers still in the arena waiting to be devoured !


So, what are the lessons I had learnt over the past 25 years indulging in purchase of immovable properties- Let me share my wise thoughts:


  • Insist on getting a legal opinion from your own lawyer
  • Insist on your lawyer to see the original documents and make the lawyer affirm the same in his opinion. Most of the times, you end up realizing that the documents are under mortgage , which a honest builder is expected to inform you upfront !
  • Check with CMDA or relevant authorities, about the availability of required approvals
  • Insist on a minimum of 13 years of encumbrance certificates.
  • Insist on a payment based on stages of construction progress
  • Make sure that the Car parking for which you have paid, is included in the schedule of your sale deed document.
  • You can be as tough with the builder as they are, which normally results in a better relationship in the longer run - my personal experience
  • Never allow yourselves to be overawed by the advertisements, office environments etc., Your focus should be whether they could deliver the place where you are going to spend the rest of your life.
  • Ask for and get a written confirmation that the builder has plans only to build the number of apartments that have been approved now. There are cases , where the builders have come years after completion of the project and build another floor or rooms in the car park area !!
  • Insist on and get a completion certificate of the building! Your Owners association should pitch in here
  • Even though  your financier may be checking the valid points, please make sure that you are satisfied personally on these. The financiers , with their volume and pressure has chances of slipping. Remember, it is your property !!
  • Never have an emotional attachment with a locality or the builder and allow that to cloud your senses
  • If the builder has collected any Corpus amount, make sure that he hands it over to the Owners Association.
  • Insist on the electrical wiring and plumbing documents of the building to be handed over to the Association
  • Get the original documents of the building and keep all documents in a Bank locker under the custody of the Association - Normally it is with the Secretary or the President, which is not advisable.
  • Remember, until you occupy the property, it is not yours.
  • It is better to be restless until the construction completion so that you can take rest for the rest of your life at the new premises