Thursday, May 6, 2010

Queue up!

That is queue as in "Q".  It's everywhere here in Singapore and it simply means line up.  It helps things to be efficient here.  For all the people, at least I can say that people generally follows the rules of lining up and generally you don't have the 'cutters'.  But even when you do, they get called out!  I was at lunch one day and in line at the drink area (drinks are sold from a separate stand than food).  I'm waiting behind someone and in from the right came another lady who proceeded to try and order in front of me.  The person behind the counter said no and pointed to me.  I was so happy :). 

Anyway, the point of my story was a recent visit to the bank.  I get paid here in S$ and it goes to my Singapore bank account.  However I still have some expenses to pay in the U.S. and needed to get cash back home.  Usually I only go to the ATM at the bank.  This day I walk in and wander around like I'm clueless (which I was).  The security guards ask me what I need to do....transfer money.....okay, fill out this form.  Then they bring me a number. 

I fill it out and then get to sit and wait in the comfy sitting area.  Watch some news station and wait for my number to be dinged.  Everyone followed the same process.  This was the same process as when I went for my required physical for starting work.  It works really well.  What I realized that I liked most is that you don't have to play Russian roulette in deciding which line to join.  You don't have to guess who is going to take the longest, who forgot to endorse their checks, who has twenty questions, etc.  Everyone is in the same line and you don't get held up. 

It was SO much easier than I imagined and only S$10 for the transfer.  I was expecting like S$30-40.

1 comment:

  1. Interesting and efficient!! Also interesting that the drinks are sold separate from the food!

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