Oops! Freudian Slipped

Sometimes it's just plain hard to keep something from someone. The truth will almost certainly spill out, one way or another. Keeping the truth away from smart and paranoid individuals is even harder, because they will strive to find out your subconscious preoccupations; like making you commit a Freudian [Froydee an] Slip.

This is what happened:

Being the good cheapskate and shopper that i am, i checked out the office of my sister's financial advisor - Let's call him Mr J. That dude works in this special branch of Phillips Capital: FIN-EXIS Advisory & Associates, located at Parkview Square. [The gothic looking, statue filled building in Bugis that boasts of the highest rental rates in Singapore - whole lot of hot air really.]

I arranged a meeting with a manager on Wednesday, to enquire about the means of remuneration for Financial Advisor Reps like Mr J. Of course i kept this away from Mr J, simply because he might not tell me everything that i need to know. This meeting is purely an act of double-check; a right that a consumer like me has before purchasing anything. Of course, if what the manager and Mr J said tally, my trust in Mr J will be hugely boosted.

So i arrived on 1530h at Parkview Sq. It is indeed an expensive place, but that's not the point. The main focus is on Phillips Capital and its very clandestine operative - FIN-EXIS Advisory & Associates. [I can't find them on the net nor in the phone book, obviously their operations are highly private] I travelled to the eleventh floor and indeed it is there. So far so good, Mr J passed the first round - the existence of a proper office.

Wednesdays are their recruitment day. So when i first walked in, not knowing that fact, the lady at the counter - Ellisa, asked me point blank for a resume. I stared at her blankly and said that i'm here to meet with a manager to find out the company's means of remuneration for reps, not to look for a job. She was rather confused because usually young punks like me are there looking for a manager only for one reason - to look for a job. So she tried again, and i told her the same thing once again. Dumbfounded, she sat me down in an interview room and asked me to fill in a job application form nonetheless. It seems like i have to fill that form up before anyone would see me, so fill the form i did.

The manager came after a short while and he was rather funny 'cos he shook my hand, asked for my name and did not bother to give me his, not even after 2 prompts from me. Naturally i thought he has some hidden agenda and was immediately on the defensive mode.

Once again he asked me whether i'm here for a job. I said no, i'm here to find out the means of remuneration for your company's reps [3rd time]. He frowned and asked me why do i want to know that. That's when i have no choice but to inform him that i'm here because i was approached by a rep. I was extra cautious in not revealing the name of the rep. I didn't want to get Mr J into trouble.

So after a few rounds of Q & A, most of what Mr J told me tallied with the info given by the manager, except for one - the lack of prospectus for the customers to keep. But that one is alright, because there are tonnes of online prospectus and information on the net.

So i happily ended my meeting and went off.

That night, at 0030h, i received a call from Mr J. He did the customary conversation starter, "Hey Cecil, how are you doing?" But it was soon revealed to me that Mr J was approached by his manager today, who was "tremendously" concerned over Mr J's standard of service because, "a customer named Cecil was here to complain about you today."

Now, how in the wide world did the manager know that the Rep who approached me is Mr J? And how can he reveal my name to him? I have not filed a complaint, so why is Mr J claiming that i have made a complaint? There are only 3 explanations to these questions:

1. The manager did a check on me because i wrote my details down on that application form and over-reacted over the whole episode. Maybe Mr J was already black-listed, or maybe Mr J is the star performer of his team? So it's the manager.

2. The manager that i've talked to is not the manager for Jason, so maybe there are some inter-team rivalry that prompted some bad mouthing to occur? So it's the firm.

3. Mr J is over-reacting on his own accord. The manager did approach him, but he did not reveal my name. Mr J thought about which of his most recent customers could be so cheapskate as to double-check on his words, and he thought of me. Subsequently, he called me up and Freudian Slip me by making me acknowledge that the customer was me. [I have no need to lie so of course i told the truth] Perhaps his reputation is far more important than a good, responsible customer. I understand that he was eyeing that manager post for a while now. So my double-check came at a terribly wrong time for him? So it's the rep.

Anyway, i simply apologized for any inconvenience caused, and told Mr J that i will call back that manager that i've spoken to to clarify things; that i did not file a complaint and that he should not have revealed my name.

I thought that should suffice. But no, Mr J called the very next day and spoke to my sis about this issue as well, trying to find out whether we have collaborated to get at him.

What the hell is wrong with him? I was merely there to double-check on his words; a right that i have as a consumer. So why the big hoo-ha? It was not that i did not trust him, it is just that as a responsible shopper of his own money and financial future, i have to double check on the words of sales people; all salespeople, not just him!

Well, maybe he has never met a customer who's as difficult as me. He has had it easy for the past few years - his customers were ignorant, and credulous; always ready to pass their money over to Mr J to handle. But not me bro, i'm a tough shopping nut to crack.

So, even though Mr J had my financial trust after the tally with the manager, he did not sell me his character. He is too emotional, too vengeful and too wily. This is what he said, "As much as you have your right to choose your financial advisor, i have my right in choosing my customers." While he is correct in stating this, he is too lofty! He needs a good lesson in failure so that he can learn that every customer is precious. Even if you do choose, don't whine to a customer!

So now, we have both came out of this as losers. I didn't get a quote from him on my insurance, and he has lost a customer, and a friend, in me. Typical zero-sum game attitude.

Sigh, i should have told him the truth that i'm going up to his office to meet up with a manager. Have him bring me up, and then speak to the manager alone. I'll still have accomplished the same thing. I've handled this whole double-check incident wrongly.

Well, let this be a lesson that the truth and our subconscious preoccupations should not be hidden. The truth always have a way of revealing itself; like this propable Freudian Slip trap that Mr J used on me. Clever move, but totally unnecessary. Why? because DollarDex, here i come.