My Bad Experience with an Airline Brand

You really don't have to be on board an Airline to have a Bad Experience

Last Saturday I had to purchase a ticket for my brother to London, and i was very lazy being in bed and not wanting to get up, anyways i reached for my Netbook and went on the Internet to book and pay through my online banking. I was lying down there on my bed feeling very cool with myself that this makes my life really easy and i wont have to drive all the way to the Airline office..... so i booked the ticket and paid for it.. by the way it was an Emirates ticket.

This was my first direct interaction with services of the Brand Emirate, with obviously very high expectations from this very premium Brand , however, at this moment those expectations were being met. Anyways i paid for the ticket got my receipt sent to my mail box but there was no eticket sent, 1st day, second day no eticket 3rd day no eticket only for me to receive an email from the airline that my booking had been cancelled... for God sake my account had been deducted 4 days ago and someone is telling me that my booking had been cancelled? (that was the begning of my frustration)

I called the Airline, no one is picking up, i go to the Bank, they call the Airline no one is picking up i go to the Emirates office at the Airport and no one can help; they say i have to go to the their Head office in Victoria Island those of you who have no clue where that is... just imagine at least 1 hour minimum in traffic and probably another 2 hours when returning...

Now i am back to where this all started; this was the reason i wanted to avoid going to the Island and pay for the ticket online but now i think that's just what i have to do..

I find my way to the Island yesterday got there and the security guys passes me on to this guy who offers to assist me solve it.. I am standing there waiting, the guy takes my payment receipt and say "i will be with you in a short while" 30mins time he returns to say "they are working on it" i said thank you..

Now its 1hour 30mins and i am still waiting for these guys to just print a ticket i had already paid for .. now i am there for 2 hours and i am getting calls i have to attend to pressing issues at the office.. this guy seems to have forgotten me .. i am angry and no one would even look at me.. the security guys say to me they cant give this guy a call because they don't have his desk phone number (this is an office for Gods sake - how much more can an excuse be so flimsy?) i asked them to go in to remind this guy i am still here but they said no they cant go in ... (who has the responsibility of attending to people at the counter when those who are stationed there don't even know their jobs).. now i am completely over the edge, angry, furious just name it...

Then to my greatest surprise a young lady walks in with her kids and she has the same challenge as i did .. paid for a ticket online and it was never delivered..

I mean why do you have to start an online service when you know you are not ready to provide the services excellently and professionally.. its completely rude to your customers and this is why most brands destroy their perception in the minds of their customers and prospective customers by just simply rendering some shitty services

Well the long and short of this story is that after almost 2hr 30mins a lady comes our that i had to complain to and she asked me in to attend to me .. and you know what .. the ticket had been printed for over 2hrs and that so called guy just forgot about me outside and i had to wait for nothing..

I know some of these brands are built on very strong propositions to their customers/ consumers but then its is very important that when people interact with your brand the kind of experience they get from your people they talk to, the ambiance of your office, leaves a lasting impression that will continue to help reinforce that proposition... but in this situation that wasn't the case.. and i am sure they are thousands of consumers out there that suffer similar from brands they interact with..

Finally key question is are the brand aware of this or what? or there are just not able to properly implement an internal branding exercises that will ensure a structured way of dealing with customer issues... Well if you read this and you have had a bad experience from any brand please share..

More Than Just The King of Pop

"If you want to be a street sweeper then sweep the streets like Beethoven played music..."

Tonight I saw the first time in my whole life the biggest memorial service and it makes me wonder who this man truly is, beyond being Michael Jackson, An Entertainer, The King of Pop

I never knew him beyond his songs but after hearing all the testimonials tonight from people who have experienced him, it felt like I had experienced him from a completely different perspective, I saw not just that legendary Michael Jackson anymore, but a man who was a humanitarian who used his gift to give people hope, direction, love, peace of mind, fulfillment.

I saw a man whom beyond the colours of his skin at different times in his life has been able to unite people, touch people's lives and send a message to the world with words as simply as PEACE & LOVE, with these words he thought the world from young to old, male & female, black & white, Asian, Latino, all races that we are one world and we can live in peace.

The question then for me is does God really care about how you change the colour of your skin or how you use your heart for the goodness of mankind?

I am truly touched, and for me this is both an inspiration, and a further reinforcement that I can be who I want to be by doing it the best, I can change peoples lives, I can put smiles on peoples faces and ultimately I can be there for the good of mankind.

There is a Michael Jackson in every one of us, lets find it and spread the message of LOVE & PEACE amongst our brothers and sisters.

Rest in Peace MJ

Ideas Rule the World…

What happened to the United States of America last week was felt across countries globally and it has kept me thinking about how much more change this world would experience in the coming years, I remembered writing a certain piece over a year ago, which I think just proved me right. So am sharing this one with you as a honour to a man who has demonstrated extreme determination and this display of an ability to achieve if you believe.

Congratulations "Barack Obama"

Ideas Rule the World…. By Kenoma Agbamu (10/22/2007)

Looking through the perspective of how society has been changing and evolving in the last centuries one thing that has been constant is that every change in the society starts with an individual which then is directly linked to the way ideas are being configured by people.

From past to present, from the richest economies to the poorest, from the most peaceful territories to the most disturbed, Ideas have played a crucial role in shaping leadership styles in public, private and civil societies through different times and space.

When you look at the evolution of the world of technology, science and business it is however clear that there is a triggering element that has strongly influenced the core of innovation and creativity in these areas and this element is nothing but the way ideas are configured.

Some of the greatest minds of recent times have leveraged ideas to make different impacts in society; the Google duo Larry Page and Sergey Brin out of curiosity challenged the way search engines work and with an idea to integrate a page ranking formula they have change the way people use the internet, today the word Google is almost taking over the word "search" all you hear is Google this, Google that.

The likes of Mohammed Yunus have changed the way people see poverty alleviation by simply starting a small loans Bank to give micro loans to Women; today this has changed the lives of thousands of women and families in Bangladesh.

All these changes in society; be it in development, technology or businesses simply, find their core in one idea or the other.

Using the concept of leadership and looking at some of the most successful rulers who have shaped the world. They were not followed as leaders because people like the shape or color of their faces but rather because people liked the ideas behind their visions and that was how they built their followership be it good or bad.

When I imagine the influence of ideas in the world, I can as well imagine to what extent the absence of ideas would leave the world in perpetual state of stagnation and in the long run retrogression. Luckily that will never happen because idea creation is a core part of human existence.

In summary there is absolutely no limitation in the argument that ideas rule the world it is has been a constant and will continue to be a constant in the way human being do things.

----------------

"Am now Curious to see how the Obama idea of "Hope and Change" will manifest in the lives of the Americans but non the less the ripple effect on the world...."

Thank You.

The Pregnancy of 2008; My Thanks to 2007

Years have come and gone and yet another, most times people say one year gives birth to the other but this time I see it from a different perspective; 2007 has left 2008 pregnant. When a year comes to an end, it's very amazing to see that this is when most people reflect on the year to capture those moments, experiences, challenges and successes that have shaped them over that year and most times the product of this is always a New Year "Resolution" – but does this really make things different in the coming year? J - Well don't ask me.

Well what this post is about for me that I would like to share with you all is that 2008 is pregnant and this is the handy work of 2007. So many things happened in this last year, it was a year of discoveries and confirmations… everyone I met in this period gave me an opportunity to see something different.

When I capture my moments of 2007 I can't help but smile all the time and say thank you because each different scenario leaves me with an opportunity to find out something new or reconfirm something about my self… and these has been because of the different people I met at different times.

I would like to use this opportunity to say give my NEW YEAR wishes to all those that I have not been able to contact directly.. as you read this message I want you to know you have been a part of my 2007 and my Thanks goes to you for playing a role in making 2008 a pregnant year for me as we step into 2008 we step in to await the beauty, brightness and goodness and warmth that comes with a new Born, May 2008 be a year where our conceivables of 2007 be put to birth.

Being that one of the things that shapes me most is the people that I meet and the different discussions I have with them I also want to say a huge thank you to all those people who have joined me in different times to have different discussions; you have in one way or the other increased my horizon so please celebrate with me.

The beauty about life is not always about how happy you are but about how happy others are because of you so I also want to say a big thank you to those people whom have found relevance in me and whom I have been able to touch their lives positively in any way; You have given my the reassurance that life is beautiful and you have always left me with a smile on my face and I wish you well in the next year.

My special love goes to all Swiss Friends or friends who are not Swiss but Live in Switzerland J you are truly not forgotten thanks for being a huge part of my 2007 and hope to see you somewhere soon – (Happy New year in German, French and Italian)

See you all in 2008 ..

One Love

How it all started©

My Life my Purpose

When I take a deep look into life and try to describe it, I realize that it is an evolution and connection of different chapters that have made up to where and what I am today.

I would love to share a bit of my AIESEC chapter with you, as you might find it a bit useful.

One decision that led to a continous journey of achievements, fulfillments and a future

In year 2000 when I got into the University, you know young, flamboyant and ready to rock and roll, I really didn't know what I wanted in life, it just felt nice being in the university and I just wanted to have fun and that was it. However, one faithful afternoon I met a group of students dancing and really trying to get a lot of attention to themselves... noticed they all wore face caps with a similar logo so I knew they were from an organization and so I tested out my curiosity by going over for a brief probe. Well to cut the long story short... this was how I met AIESEC members who were actually doing a recruitment campaign. When I made the decision to join AIESEC I had no clarity of what I was going into... I just saw it as a place where I can get some fun and that was it.

Precisely 20 months after I had joined AIESEC and already attended close to 8 AIESEC National conferences my highest motivation was still derived from fun and parties, although I learnt a bit but learning wasn't a priority at that time, and to top it up I was from the worst performing LC having over 120 LC Members yet we could not achieve any results. (we didn't really care because we didn't even know what to do).

The turning point came when my LC was closed down in January 2002 (20 months after I had joined AIESEC) at my 8^th National Conference due to non-performance. That was when I realized that I had been in the organization for the wrong reasons and after realizing this and the fact that my LC was however dear to me I said to myself that I will not be part of a failure and I decided not to let go but go further and do what is right to help my LC regain its membership.

I ran as LCP for 2002/2003 term and won. It was my first strategic role ever in my life. I was faced with real challenges of making sustainable decisions in a place where I had so many friends; a lot of people were going to get hurt because a lot of restructuring had to be done, but I was driven by passion and the determination to make a difference than by what people would say. This was where I began to learn the responsibility of leadership. Cutting the story short, my dream was actualized at the end of the year and my LC had realized 7 exchanges from 0 exchanges in the previous 4 years and that year I won the Most Outstanding Leader Award.

This is where the aspirations and ambition of Kenoma became strengthened because I could now feel and see the value of taking an active role in my own learning - and the key secret was "learning by doing"

A lot of things continued to happen after this great achievement, but sorry there is not space to share them in details. In 2004/2005 I became MCVP Exchange, 2005/2006 I became MCP and African Growth Network Chair and I spent this last year here in Switzerland as an External Relations Manager along side with doing an Internship with the United Nations, where I currently work as a consultant.

This is just a summary of a 7-year AIESEC Experience and a lot has not been said… But what I really want to get across is this: What made the difference for me was one single decision that I made – to run for LCP in order to save my LC. And because I paid attention to the principles of self-driven learning (through challenging my world view, increasing my theoretical and practical experiences, creating a network of contact and self reflection) I have now seen so much more and learnt so much more than I could have earlier imagined.

Learning is a continuous process …. AIESEC has a lot to offer you, but that responsibility of what you get out lies only in your hands.

You are privileged to know this now. If I had known earlier I wouldn't have wasted my first 20 months but I am lucky I didn't fall out along the line… because a lot of people did.

Your time is now!!!! Make the best use of it.

 

Still More to come

“Trapped in the Elevator”

Uhmnn … some of you will say what Kenoma was caught doing...? Well it not a similar case of R.Kelly's Trapped in the Closet but just a very silly case of my stubbornness…. As hungry as Lion…I left my apartment to get something to eat from a shop… called COOP (one of the Swiss versions of the TESCO and Sainsbury), and this was how it started... got out of the flat... and realized that the Elevator was sealed with a tap on my floor... I annoyingly dragged myself together with a friend and we took the stairs... (although it's just on the 4^th floor) but the most annoying things was that the Lift was working on all other floors... well what ever... so we got to the shop... and it was damn closed. (mind you shops in Switzerland close at 5pm on Saturdays and during the week at 7pm…hehehe).. option number 2... take the bus and head to the main train station to the Migros Shop (Another big Swiss Brand in Superstores...)... got there... wonderful...we got all what we wanted, and now ready to ganish some awesome and delicious meal...

So we headed back to the flat and guess what? When we arrived... I saw some guys coming out of the lift on the ground floor... and I said hey its working... let's go...moreover am so tired... and we got in, something in my mind told me to get off on the 3^rd floor and then drag myself up the stairs again to the fourth floor, but I dint listen to my mind.. and pushed the button for 4^th floor... and swissssssssssssssssssssssshhhhh up we go … arrived at the fourth floor... and here we are... the door refused to open and the Elevator refused to go back down.

"Ohh my God" I wished I had followed my mind... we kept on ringing the emergency alarm... and hitting the door but no one... 10min…. 20mins… I am getting Hungrier…. Well reached for my Cereals and fruit yoghurt and started eating… and she reached for her Sushi and started eating… 30mins... we done eating... still ringing the emergency alarm .. no one yet to answer... picked out my mobile I wanted to make a call to Ivo to call for help and realized my call credits was below calling allowance.. my friend didn't take her mobile Phone out... However, split seconds after I got an SMS... and guess who it was... the person I just wanted to call (why on earth dint he just call me raather than send an SMS L).. 40mins and finally we heard voices and we started ringing the alarm and hitting the door... until they spoke bac to us and heard us and came to the floor... where we were trapped...

The God sent Neighbors were able to find the Keys to the Elevator door... (I have no clue where that came from) and opened the door... woooowww fresh air of freedom... again ….

And that was how I was "TRAPPED" in the Elevator.

Lessons Learnt: Never will I see a sealed tape on an Elevator door and till try to use the door... and however when I get stubborn sometimes I must first confirm I have a good neighbor that can organize a rescue for meJ, before i use it.... still couldn't use the lift this morning while leaving to work cos.. I don't know if it's been fixed…. J

Peace out…!!!!

Kenoma Is Back!!!!!!

Wow been a while I came here….!!!!.. need to clean up the cobwebs from my blog... ..:-)

It's a lovely sunny Saturday afternoon and life has been excitingly wonderful … living abroad for over one year now…. Has been a very impressive and valuable experience I must confess..

I just felt like writing something.. am just chilling at home. .. have 3 movies to watch .. " The Fountain", "Donnie Darko" and "Next" after watching over 25 movies in the week, now I finally have a company again ..:-) guess for ur self….. what that means… hehehe :-)

Check me out in the next couple of weeks for more updates in my life…. See ya…

Aid Versus Trade (Okonja Iweala Former Minister of Finance of Nigeria)

Your Seduction Style: Au Natural

You rank up there with your seduction skills, though you might not know it. That's because you're a natural at seduction. You don't realize your power! The root of your natural seduction power: your innocence and optimism. You're the type of person who happily plays around and creates a unique little world. Little do you know that your personal paradise is so appealing that it sucks people in. You find joy in everything - so is it any surprise that people find joy in you? You bring back the inner child in everyone you meet with your sincere and spontaneous ways. Your childlike (but not childish) behavior also inspires others to care for you. As a result, those who you befriend and date tend to be incredibly loyal to you.

What Kind of Seducer Are You?

Letter to My Blog

Dear Blog ..

I am so sorry for being such an unfaithful and inconsistent blogger, i know my readers must be fed up and wonder what the hell is wrong with me but i have been so choked up with work and pleasure and i forget to capture those moments on here.. what a guy i am ...

But i will be coming back in full swing to update u guys on what has been happening cos quite alot of water have passed under the bridge since i last blogged... so the question is can i recapture? or i just start again from here?.. well we shall see...

Coming Soon !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Who Am I ?

Its quite absolutely exciting the kind of things we think of sometimes, i was imagining that since i was a Spermatozoa i have demonstrated my thirst for winning by winning that one of a heck race with millions of sperm athletes racing to Ovulation

Living life as a Born Winner is very exciting, because it gives you the capacity to make the best out of loosing. i have tried to define who i am several times in different scenarios but still i have different definitions i have tried to seek definition from people still i find different definitions, its funny how life could be so complicated.. sometimes to think you are this and then you see your self doing that... or thinking that...

I feel very choked up in my current way of life.. i am starving for something new.. my last seven years has been engulfed with same kind of people, same kind of vocabularies, same kind of experiences just the same kind of thinking i feel there is only so much i can give. Life is not supposed to be boring.

Most times i see my self like a soldier on a mission and that mission i call ''Operation Contribute'' where i am just interested in finding fulfillment in Life from supporting people to put at least a smiles on their faces.. i still don't know how i would be able to do this .. but i know i will do it .. cos am a fucking Winner.

Emotional Freedom is the answer it is the internal driving force of the world.....

One decision you make today can change your life and can influence the lives of others for ever.....

King Shaka the Great

I onced played the role of King Shaka at a conference as facilitator for a group of delegates were we formed the Zulu empire.. and here are some real facts of Shaka the great...

Leadership Lessons from Emperor Shaka Zulu the Great:

• Build a Sense of Mission
• Mission is more important than convention
• To be a conqueror, be apprenticed to a conqueror
• Lead the charge (from the front)
• Build a fanatical team
• Go where angels fear to tread (Good old courage is still king)
• Be a good strategist (or get one)
• Know the battlefield (better than the enemy)
• Be obsessed with world-class technologies
• Don't believe your own PR
  

WHO is Shaka Zulu?

Long ago, in 1789, in the rolling green hills of Zululand, a Zulu woman called Nandi gave birth to an unwanted and illegitimate child. The child’s father, Senzangakona, from the clan of Zulu, wanted nothing to do with them and the tribal elders sent a message to Nandi saying "the girl has a beetle (shaka) in her belly". Nandi was relegated to the lowly position of third wife. When Shaka was six years old he allowed a dog to kill one of Senzangakona’s sheep and from that day forth, Shaka and Nandi were cast out by the Zulu clan.

In shame, they were forced to return to the clan of Nandi’s family. Shaka hated living with his mother’s family, they were treated as outcasts and he continuously suffered the cruel, taunting of the other children who referred to him as "the fatherless one." The family were forced to move around from clan to clan until they found a degree of acceptance by the Mtetwa tribe. Shaka grew to young manhood herding sheep and cattle. He showed extraordinary bravery in protecting the animals under his care, and one day killed a leopard single handedly using two throwing spears and a club.

At the age of twenty-one, Shaka became a soldier and distinguished himself in battle under the Mtetwa chieftain Dingiswayo. Shaka proved to be an excellent military strategist and introduced changes in battle methods that were to be a great success. Dingiswayo was a good leader of his people, and under his protection, Shaka grew into a rich and important person. One day Senzangakona came to pay homage to Dingiswayo and was gratified to find that his son had become a great man. He promised Shaka the chieftainship of the Zulu clan after his death. However Senzangakona bowed to the pressure of his wives, and after his death, Shaka’s young half-brother, Sugujana became chief. When Shaka heard the news he broke into a great rage and killed the new chief in battle. Shaka dressed up in his glorious and fearsome battle costume of blue monkey fur and genet tails, and with his own Mtetwa regiment by his side, became king of the Zulu’s.

Shaka set to building a mighty new kraal, it was called Bulawayo, "the place of killing." Nandi was brought to live there in a sumptuous royal kraal of her own. A great feast was held in honour of the new capital and the hills rang out with the roar of the royal salute, "Bayete, Nkosi! Bayete Nkosi!" Shaka marched in revenge on his mother’s Mlangeni clan who had treated them so cruelly in his youth. Victory came easily and Shaka developed a taste for the power of battle.
Shaka continued to revolutionise the Zulu army. He introduced new weapons, new regimental structures and battle formations. He was a cruel and strict disciplinarian. Soldiers caught disobeying his rules were immediately put to death. He forced his regiments to run barefoot over fields of thorns so that their feet became hardened and they could move more quickly in battle. Shaka scored victory after victory. Each clan that was conquered was assimilated into his tribe and the Zulu’s became a great and powerful nation ruling over vast tracts of land in the southern coastal and interior regions of what is today known as KwaZulu Natal.

In 1825 the British arrived at Port Natal. Shaka invited the two British commanders, Fynn and Farewell, to his kraal where he entertained them with a majestic display of his power. Shaka granted the British full possession of Port Natal, and in return the British plied him with gifts of brass bars, beads and blankets. The British at that time were forced to respect the power of the Zulu and there was no trouble in Shaka’s lifetime.

After the death of his mother Nandi in 1827, Shaka became increasingly paranoid and unpredictable. Ironically, unbeknown to him, members of his inner family circle were hatching a plot to destroy him. In September 1828, Shaka was assassinated by his half-brothers Dingaan and Mhlangana who stabbed him to death with their spears. He was buried the following day together with personal possessions and Dingaan become king.

From then on the Zulu Nation began its decline. Shaka may have been an unpredictable and bloodthirsty tyrant but he increased the power and glory of his tribe and will always hold an important place in the history of both the Zulu’s and South Africa.