#womanallaboy

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Pinto Art Museum 1 Sierra Madre St, Grand Heights Subdivision, Antipolo, 1870 Rizal

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Is Audiobook Listening Really Reading?

So, I read with my eyes, yes this article on WIRED and apparently some people out there turn their noses up at audiobooks, claiming it's just a shortcut. I felt attackt because not too long ago, I posted about listening to BooKey book summaries and helping them donate books for African children. 

Get this: those people can't even agree on why audiobooks are an inferior form of reading. Some say that because you can multitask while listening, you won't remember as much. And if you get distracted, it can be tough to find where you left off. Others say that audiobooks take away your responsibility to interpret things like tone and inflection. Honestly, that made sense to me, but I also think that everyone should give audiobooks a chance. They're a great way to experience stories, and who doesn't love being read to?

Are we forgetting that our earliest experiences of literature were aural? We listened to oral traditions like nursery rhymes, riddles, epic songs, legends, myths, poems, even prayers. Oral storytelling has been around for millennia and is deeply ingrained in human culture. 

That feeling of pure joy from listening to someone weave a tale is what audiobooks bring back- you get to hear the rhythm of the words through a human voice, and the dialogue comes alive through the voice actor. Instead of  staying glued to the page, straining your eyes, you can just let your imagination run wild and picture the story unfolding in your mind's eye while you relax or do your mundane chores.

Not convinced that audiobook listening is as productive as reading- if not better? I’ll give you 10 reasons to believe:

Convenience: Audiobooks allow you to listen to books while doing other activities such as driving, exercising, or cooking, making it more convenient to consume literature.

Accessibility: Audiobooks are accessible to people who may have difficulty reading, such as those with visual impairments, dyslexia, or other reading disabilities.

Improved comprehension: Listening to audiobooks can improve comprehension and retention, especially for those who are auditory learners.

Narration: Audiobooks are often narrated by professional actors or voice artists, who can bring the characters and story to life, making it a more engaging and immersive experience.

Multitasking: Audiobooks can be enjoyed while doing other tasks, which allows you to maximize your time and make progress on your reading list.

Cost-effective: Audiobooks are often cheaper than their physical counterparts, and many services offer subscriptions or bundles that can save you money.

Exposure to new authors and genres: Listening to audiobooks can expose you to new authors and genres that you may not have considered before.

Communal listening: Audiobooks can be enjoyed with friends or family, providing a shared listening experience and sparking discussions and conversations.

Portable: Audiobooks are portable and can be listened to on your smartphone, tablet, or other devices, making it easy to take your reading with you wherever you go.

Language learning: Listening to audiobooks in a foreign language can help you improve your language skills and learn new vocabulary and grammar in a more natural way.

Bottom-line is: the mode is not the issue. Audiobooks can be as engaging as physical books. When you listen to an audiobook, you are consuming the same content,  following the same story, learning the same information, and exercising the same parts of your brain. 

As long as you're engaging with the content and using your brain to process the information, Listening to audiobooks can be just as valid as reading physical books, and might even be better in some ways. However, I do admit that listening to audiobooks may not be for everybody, just as physical books may not be for everybody. I mean, have you tried reading Braille? I’m not suggesting audiobooks as a complete tool substitute for Braille but if I were blind, it would be a lot easier for me to listen to audiobooks than to feel the Braille books with my hand.

Really, it shouldn't matter whether you're reading a physical book, an e-book, or listening to an audiobook. What matters is the quality of content and learning you get from these modes. Are you enjoying or learning when listening to audiobooks? If you are, then go on. Forget those literary snobs and happy listening!

[womanlalaboy]

Reflections on the Decline of Customer Service

TW: This post contains rants, and potential pessimism

What happened to customer service? It wasn’t always this ineffective. Having worked in the industry myself, I remember going the extra mile to find solutions or offer workarounds for customers, ensuring that their issues were resolved. Unfortunately, today’s customer service often falls short of even the most basic expectations.

As a knowledge management (KM) enthusiast, I prefer solving my own issues by reading helpdesk articles or consulting resources to avoid unnecessary interactions. I go through these materials to find solutions, and when I reach out to customer service, it’s because my issue truly requires their problem-solving skills. So, it’s frustrating when I encounter representatives who seem incapable of providing any real assistance.

A recent example that left me deeply frustrated was with Grab. Their helpdesk clearly stated that canceled orders are automatically refunded. Yet, after tracing the money trail, I discovered I was not refunded. Despite providing evidence and following up multiple times, I never received a response.

Another unfortunate experience occurred when I ordered drawers from Ace Hardware through Shopee. The items arrived broken, so I initially requested a return or refund, expecting to go through the usual return process. I set the unassembled drawers aside, ready for return if necessary. However, when I checked the status of my request, it indicated "refund only," meaning no return was required. Trusting the system, I spent three hours fixing the broken pieces with superglue.

I had previously gone through a similar situation where I requested a return/refund for clear organizers, but the system told me I would receive only a refund without needing to return the item. Given that, I assumed this case with the drawers would be the same. To my dismay, when I checked the status later, it had changed, instructing me to return the drawers by a certain date—this time at my own expense. I reached out to Shopee, explaining that the drawers had been assembled and superglued together. Their response? They suggested I break the drawers down in order to return them.

Ace Hardware offered to replace the broken parts, but again, only if I paid the shipping fees. I was floored. Why should I, the customer who received broken items, bear the cost of returning them or shipping parts? I had spent my time fixing the problem, only to be asked to undo my efforts and ship the drawers back.

What I had hoped for was a simple partial refund. I even sent videos showing the glued pieces and the damage upon arrival. If I were on the other side of the customer service desk, I would have handled the situation differently. I would have requested a one-time credit if a partial refund wasn’t possible. I’d also flag the issue with the system’s user interface and investigate which parts of the product broke during shipping, so we could improve packaging or file a complaint with the courier. This is how customer service should operate—by actively seeking solutions, not just following rigid protocols.

This lack of initiative raises a larger concern: What will customer service look like in the future? Will we stop solving problems altogether? As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more integrated into customer service roles, we might grow so dependent on it that we lose our problem-solving abilities altogether. AI, after all, still needs to be trained on the data we provide. If we continue with this level of apathy in customer service, AI might become just as indifferent to customer needs.

It’s a cynical view, but it’s not entirely far-fetched. If we don’t address these issues now, we may face a future where neither humans nor machines can solve the simplest of problems.

This whole situation highlights the importance of effective knowledge management (KM) and fostering an innovative mindset within customer service (in all industries, actually). Had there been better communication, clarity, and avenues for flexibility and improvement within the system, this issue could have been avoided. KM allows organizations to efficiently manage and share information, empowering customer service representatives to resolve issues quickly, accurately, and efficiently. More importantly, fostering an innovative mindset means actively seeking solutions beyond standard procedures—whether it's offering a one-time credit, improving packaging, or addressing potential system glitches. One way we used to do this when I was still in customer service was having a clear line of escalation and a database of new issues or use cases.

In the evolving landscape of customer service, adopting these practices is crucial. Not only does it enhance customer satisfaction, but it also ensures that organizations are continuously improving, evolving, and keeping up with modern challenges. This forward-thinking approach will be even more critical as AI becomes integrated into customer service, as innovation will define the difference between effective support and a frustrating customer experience.

AI can complement customer service by handling routine tasks and freeing up human reps to focus on more complex, creative problem-solving. But what if humans are no longer inventive and creative? I'll leave that up to you, dear reader.

[womanlalaboy]

On the way to Sitio Liwliwa, Zambales

March 2020 Oppo A83 VSCOcam

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Mt. Manalmon and Mt. Gola hike

Oppo A83 VSCO Cam

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Mt. Batulao, Feb. 2019 Oppo A83 VSCO Cam