An Ecuadorian Process
Once I was back in Guayaquil I got a letter that there is a package at the post office to be picked up by me. It’s some clothes of Liz, my old Australian friend is traveling in South America and asked me to sent me some stuff she had too much over to me. So I took the paper and went to the post office for getting her stuff. After having presented my paper they asked me to take a seat and wait. One hour later I went to ask what’s going on. They didn’t give me a satisfying answer.
After two hours only about 6 customers have been served. I figured that this is gonna take another while and since lunchtime was approaching decided to go out and have lunch. 45min later I was back and only 3 persons less till reaching my number.
More than 4 hours later than I entered the post office I could finally enter where they explained me shit lots of stuff, printed some papers that I had to go and pay to the bank and come back with the papers stamped by the bank. I thought the guy is fkn kidding me but what happens in general is that whatever you have to go and pay at the bank if not it is too risky that the money would be misused for corruption.
So I went to the bank – another que – again waiting for 30min – paying – going back to the post office, without having to do the cue again – thanks God!! – one guy typping all kind of information in the system, done. Another guy going and looking for the package, me finally getting the box about leaving the post office. Have to see another person and pay $ 1.55 so that the package can leave – just smiled and though of course I pay the renovation of the post office if only I can leave. About doing so a security officer wants to write down everything on paper again and I have to sign 3 times… Finally out but downstairs another security guy stopping me asking for some infos again and writing it down with the confirmation of my signature… then, after almost 5 hours I made it, I got the package and was out of the post office. WHAT A RELIEFE, you might imagine!
Well, I thought a lot about process management, efficiency and where the problem could be, how you could speed up the whole thing and so on. My thoughts span around bureaucracy in this country, about security and the patience of the folks and figured that it’s both – damn annoying but really interesting to see a process like that. Imagine, no one got really upset, I had a talk with some other clients waiting and all their explanation was: “This is Ecuador.” Well, with this attitude they’re not going to improve and make the change quickly I thought above all but be it, was an interesting experience…
To all the Swiss, the next time if you grab a number at the post office and have to wait 10minutes, keep cool and think about this story…
After two hours only about 6 customers have been served. I figured that this is gonna take another while and since lunchtime was approaching decided to go out and have lunch. 45min later I was back and only 3 persons less till reaching my number.
More than 4 hours later than I entered the post office I could finally enter where they explained me shit lots of stuff, printed some papers that I had to go and pay to the bank and come back with the papers stamped by the bank. I thought the guy is fkn kidding me but what happens in general is that whatever you have to go and pay at the bank if not it is too risky that the money would be misused for corruption.
So I went to the bank – another que – again waiting for 30min – paying – going back to the post office, without having to do the cue again – thanks God!! – one guy typping all kind of information in the system, done. Another guy going and looking for the package, me finally getting the box about leaving the post office. Have to see another person and pay $ 1.55 so that the package can leave – just smiled and though of course I pay the renovation of the post office if only I can leave. About doing so a security officer wants to write down everything on paper again and I have to sign 3 times… Finally out but downstairs another security guy stopping me asking for some infos again and writing it down with the confirmation of my signature… then, after almost 5 hours I made it, I got the package and was out of the post office. WHAT A RELIEFE, you might imagine!
Well, I thought a lot about process management, efficiency and where the problem could be, how you could speed up the whole thing and so on. My thoughts span around bureaucracy in this country, about security and the patience of the folks and figured that it’s both – damn annoying but really interesting to see a process like that. Imagine, no one got really upset, I had a talk with some other clients waiting and all their explanation was: “This is Ecuador.” Well, with this attitude they’re not going to improve and make the change quickly I thought above all but be it, was an interesting experience…
To all the Swiss, the next time if you grab a number at the post office and have to wait 10minutes, keep cool and think about this story…
posted by giogiovanni @ 11:04 PM
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