My Wedding

We had our civil marriage solemnized by the Registrar of Civil Marriages on 26 December 2001.

Our outdoor shooting session was held at Ottawa Road in Sembawang. The lush greenery and many colonial-style bungalows met our expectation.

Giving away the bride by Florence' eldest brother

Assistant Priest of Church of Our Lady Star of The Sea, Father Augustine Joseph solemnised our marriage on 18 May 2002.

Regrettably, many more shots were archived in my photo album, and could not be made available on the blog as blogging was an after-thought.

Starting A Business

Sometime in April 1996, I left my high-salaried job (in fact, the best in all my careers) as a senior manager with a local major IT retailer; and started making efforts to realise one of my remaining major ambitions - to go into full-time business.

Ever since I was in primary school, I had wanted to be a businessman in my grown-up years. Just never thought of the key word, WHEN ? until then. On reflection, I probably had stayed on working with the retailer if not for harsh working conditions.

My CEO had wanted me to stay on, but I felt that "enough is enough" when I had to repeatedly look at the traffic lights to reassure myself that it was alright to drive on when ever I moved out from the office's car-park.

I was rather comfortable with my lifestyle then, but I felt that it was inevitable to make fundamental changes if I were to move onto a higher plane of achievements in life. Most fundamental of which was to sell my cosy 5-room flat in Ang Mo Kio Central.

With the cash proceeds, I started looking for suitable shop space to set up what I felt was my forte in business venture - twelve years of retailing experience.

From the notice-board at the Commercial Section of Housing and Development Board (HDB), I went on to conduct a feasibility study at a newly-built commercial centre at Woodlands New Town. GREAT ! A foreseeable bustling shopping centre specked in the midst of a vast catchment area of newly-built HDB blocks of potential customers.

The first round of tenders had gone by, and the rentals offered by the successful bidders were exorbitant. But, those were the days when optimism ran high; and every choice location was up for grabs.

The high rental was disturbing, but I was reluctant to let go of this golden opportunity of setting up my retail business; although I was already the Managing Consultant of my other business entity set up a year earlier on.

I thought to myself that if I did not grasp this opportunity to go into active business venture ( my consulting business was rather low-key then ), I probably never dare in the future. The seemingly large cash proceeds were reassuringly adequate to sustain the venture for some time.

Right in my mind, a venture is always a risks-taking effort - never be overly confident of easy succcess. I was never confident that I could have another cash fallout ( from heaven ? ) again.

I considered various options for my retail merchandise mix - groceries, household items, sports goods, etc. My decision - stationery, gifts, books, magazines and sports merchandise as they were not easily perishable, and relatively fast selling too.

I was determined to keep my business format unique (incidentally, that was why the business name was named " D' SIA CONCEPT, ie my concept of retailing although the Mandarin version bore my mum's name), and went on to design my own fixtures, layout and ambiene. Next, I went on to source for my merchandise by visiting the suppliers' showrooms across the island.

Merchandise range was extended as the days passed by. As long as there were repeated demands and enquiries by residents, we would source for the merchandise (Lower left picture shows the subsequent addition of CD-ROMs to meet the craze then).

Mum agreed to help out as I wanted to keep my operational costs as low as possible. Secondly, I believed in giving priority to my family members, relatives, close friends and ex-staff (apologetically in that order of priority) gainfully employed in my business. Could you find my mum's painstakingly helping out in the price-tagging efforts ( there was no electricity supply then ) in the picture ?

Support from known suppliers (from past working relationships) was good. In fact, several of them enquired about the official opening date for sending their Congratulations floral arrangements. I declined their good intentions. Reason: I was not sure of the viability of the business venture, so why bother about celebrations at this juncture. My Buddhist teachings had taught me to be more reticent about one's joy and celebration. The greater the celebration, the deeper the sadness that may follow. On the right: Pictures show the first Chinese New Year's celebration dinner-cum-karaoke session held for staff and invited suppliers at Ngee Ann City.
Some rear space was reserved for office and pantry use.

Contingency plans were made to boost sales in the event that the shopfront could not generate adequate sales to keep the business viable.


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Achieving Service Excellence

Excellence in any area is always an uphill struggle. This is especially so in the area of providing service. Service has so much of the ‘human’ factor that it is almost impossible to define what is good, let alone, excellent service. However, every effort made will, over time, improve the ‘feel’ involved in the giving and receiving of quality service.

Service personnel need to be more sensitive to the different expectations of customers, even though the customers may appear to be asking for some merchandise which could be readily identified and understood such as an evening gown.

The tangible need of the customers is obvious - an attire fits for an evening event or appointment. It is the different expectation or want of each customer that is not that obvious.

An inexperienced service personnel would be easily frustrated by the seemingly difficult customer. Another more discerning colleague might have less difficulty in closing the sales opportunity with the same customer, for instance, by starting a casual conversation with the customer whilst trying to determine the customer's lifestyle and preferences.

A customer's dressing or lifestyle could indicate his/her sense of colour selection, and the service personnel's appropriate recommendations will relieve the customer's anxiety.

Service management must make available a conducive environment for change. Dare to change, be it after formal workshop training or on-the-job training, is instrumental in improving service quality.

Complacency, neglect, disregard, and/or shyness to champion a change for the better will not facilitate any training effort in ensuring improvement in service quality.

Rewards, recognition of excellent service, and the likes are necessary for the cultivation of the right mindset and behaviours.

Persistence and consistency of efforts and rewards by the management will ensure that the desired changes are widely accepted and implemented.

Management must lead by examples, and impress on their sales personnel the differences that their service quality could make to the bottomline of the organisation.

The readiness to SMILE, whilst others cringe; the ability to handle difficult customer, whilst others shy away from; and the desire to try out new experiences/ideas, whilst others sneer at; are some of the daily challenges that offer opportunities for improvement.

Both management and service personnel must constantly and consciously review their work processes. Nurture the 3 E’s – Efficiency, economy and effectiveness.

There is a constant need to strive for optimum solutions in all difficult situations and constraints. Standards must be set and made known to all.

Key standards include customer response time, say three minutes for a complaint to be resolved efficiently, yet effectively; check-out efficiency, say not more than five customers in any queue at any one time, yet economically – without redundant manpower; and sales per unit labour hour to ensure economy and effective use of manhours deployment.
The focus of any one aspect, say efficiency must not be at the undue expense of the others.

In essence, unity of minds and efforts, proper co-ordination and clarity of mission, goals and objectives would lead to an efficient, effective, and profitable organization.

Inculcate the right mindset on costs-saving efforts. Simple routine checks and controls such as turning off lights and air-conditioners when not in use have proven to be very effective in costs-saving efforts.

The savings may pale in comparison with other major cost factors, but the routines could instill in all the constant need to be costs-conscious.

Besides the cost reduction benefits, such "Everybody’s Efforts" mindset leads ultimately to a caring organisation, and along with it the caring mentality and attitude of its component service personnels - key characteristics of service quality.

Promote more effective communication, listening in particular; and teamwork. Participative management techniques and practices would facilitate a conducive and thriving working environment.

Staff’s grouses and complaints offer opportunities for improvement on the working environment, and an alert management could have a well of ideas for consideration even without a formal suggestion scheme.

Any desired change would be well implemented and generally accepted within the working environment, if the rationale and foreseeable impact are well shared and resolved with all parties concerned in advance.

Staff would be in a better position to accept and support the necessary changes ahead if the staff is well informed of the strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats relative to the organization and industry.

Promote mutual respect and trust within the organization. Integrity, sincerity, good leadership, decorum, fair play and practices would earn trust and respect from subordinates and contemporaries.

Impact: Less widespread and frequent gossips, sarcasms, quarrels and other ill-feelings amongst the staff.

High morale and good teamwork boost the mental dimension of a working environment. Higher productivity and lower staff turnover follow naturally - consistency of service quality without unnecessary and costly staff recruitment and training.

My Testimony For Mother Mary

To : Our Lady Of Perpetual Help

A big THANK YOU to you, Heavenly MOTHER for your Intercessions and Prayers !

It is through You that I have found LOVE in my would-be wife, Florence Heng.

I met her about twenty years ago. But, never would I realize that LOVE would kindle and blossom between us ONLY in this Millennium of Jubilee Celebrations.

She didn't know me well then. I, however, had a little insight of her through her sister, Rosalind Heng, my colleague.

On my cousin's, Catherine Seah, prompting, I came to the Novena Church for nine consecutive sessions in the latter part of 1999.

I confided in you, and found joy in praying to you ever since.

Petitions I had, but few. You knew my priorities.

Finding a life-partner was uppermost in my mind.

Soon after, I met Florence again at a Life in the Spirit seminar.

I enquired, and She affirmed that we met many years ago.

A lovely and pretty sweetheart that GOD has, in His own time, planned for me,

but without my realising it.

THANKS BE TO GOD !

With your blessings and God's constant showering of LOVE, our LOVE and understanding for each other is growing from strength to strength

with each passing day.

Come next year, and you'll find another proud Catholic family in your midst.

We count on your blessings and prayers.

THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN !

From : David Sia

Your Non-Catholic Son

October 2001

A Trip Back To Ancestral Home With My Mother

Above photo: My mum (in blue attire) sitting in the living room of my late grandparents' home.

Franking her, sister-in-law (partially hidden on extreme left), my three cousins (children of my mum's late brother who did not recover from a fall at a construction site in the 1970s), my fourth aunt and her husband, my third aunt, my fifth aunt and her husband, and my second aunt. My mum had four sisters and one brother (youngest).

Mum left Guangdong in 1953, after the communists came into power. Her migration was hastily arranged with the help of my second aunt's husband (who is also related to my maternal grandmother), on receiving rumours of the communists' intended isolation of China from the rest of the world (how true from hindsight).

Exit permit application to the local authority was turned down, but mum (always true to her strong character) argued her way through, and subsequent clearance was supported by higher authority, given that my father, and paternal grandparents were already residing in Singapore.

The unpleasant experience sank in, and mum haboured many years of fear of ever visiting China again. I could sense the relief that she exuded when I once explained to her the rights of being a Singapore citizen. Paramount of which would be her entitlement to Singapore governmental intervention in the event that she was denied of her right of returning to Singapore on visiting China.

Incidentally, mum struggled with her Singapore citizenship application over many years without success. Her competency in the National Language (Malay) was appaling, but that was a basic requisite of acquiring citizenship in those days. Mum made several applications, but to no avail.

It was only when I was gazetted as the Assistant Commissioner of National Registration in 1979 when I enquired on the feasibility of asking my mum to resubmit her application. The response from the official was supportive, and mum's application was approved without her turning up for any test or whatever.

To these days, I wonder whether or not my short career in the civil service had helped her citizenship application as my department and the Registry of Citizenship were part of the Ministry of Home Affairs. No irregularity suggested. But, could familiarity with an applicant's family background have helped in a borderline case ?

Mum's visit to her homeland was a question of time. But, a dream in 1996 hastened the decision. I dreamt that mum was growing very weak and sickly.

I took no chance on the reliability of the imminent warning, and hastily made the enquiries and booking with UOB's Travel Planner for mum's trip to China.

I treasured the trip with my mum, and wanted to be mindful in the future of taking precious time off my busy schedule to make this trip together with my mum.
The overland trip by coach from Shantau to Guangzhou was especially memorable.

We left Shantau at about 10.00 pm and reached Guangzhou in the morning (about 7.00 am) to take the flight back home, all along with mum beside me (there was no sleeping berth).

I kept telling myself that I wanted to archive precious memory of this trip forever.

Mum lost one of her kidneys to cancer, and her health started to deteriorate in November 2002 when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

Mum declined doctor's advice of surgery to remove the cancerous ovary. I respected her decision.

Mum passed on, on 3 July 2003 at about 1.30 pm in the comfort of my brother's home.

Before her passing on, mum managed to explain to me on her decline of surgery - she would be too weak to withstand the surgical operation.

Either way, she doubted that she could have survived, and she was contended to leave for eternal life at her earthly age of 74 (lunar age).

MY GREAT MUM, ALWAYS !