THE C CIRCLE

This is probably the happiest birthday I have ever had. The happiness I felt is something I cannot deny.

I was not around in the afternoon because I had an appointment with my ortho. Good thing for the HR staff. I know this is what they wanted … for me to be out so that they could set up the office for the party later at 8PM and to surprise me. I know that they have prepared something for me since this will be my third time to celebrate my birthday with them, so I thought what they will come up with will not be something different anymore…. but I was wrong….

I reached the office past 6PM. It rained hard that’s why I was caught in a heavy traffic. When I entered the office, a big streamer posted on the wall in the call floor immediately caught my attention. It says ‘Happy Birthday Conrado Francisco Jacinto from, i-Elev8 Family!’ (do they really have to indicate my full name?) When I looked around, I saw everybody wearing something blue and black (my favorite colors) with a pin on their shirts that says ‘ ____ loves Sir CJ’. It’s as if I’m one of the presidentiables running for 2010 elections! They even rented a videoke machine to put more fun into the party!

Mac acted as the host and the HR staff helped out in the parlor games like paper dance, catch my egg, etc. While the party is going, gifts came in one after the other. I received gifts from Mac, Albert, CEP team, METime team, HR, Admin, and IT Department, Ms. Lelli, Ms. Fats and the MT team. I was just wondering how did they know that I love pots? Hmmmm…. Mac???? I knew it!

I was asked by Michelle and the others days before what do I want for my birthday so that they won’t have a hard time guessing what to buy for me. I told them, I do not want anything but to see everybody during my birthday. It’s not that I already have everything money can buy. I’m still far from that stage to be frank. However, the happiness that being with the people that you treat as your own children bring is something money cannot buy and is something I would rather feel than to receive material gifts.

I was really touched because I did not think that my i-Elev8 family could come up with something that special and different! They really got me there!

Before I end this post, my deepest gratitude to Sir Ernie for the trust he has afforded me to head i-Elev8 Contact Solutions. With them, I found a second family.

To Mac and Albert, you guys are the best managers one could ever work with. Keep up the good work! This is just the beginning. We still have a long way to go.

To my ‘panganays’ - Ryan, Donna, Anna, Remy, Osel, Joseph, and SM, you guys have been with us right from i-Elev8’s early days. We’ve already been through a lot, and yet you’re still with us. You share our beliefs and faith in the company and that really mean a lot to us. You just don’t know how happy I am seeing you grow with i-Elev8!

To the QA’s - thank you for spending countless days of extending your working hours just to get your tasks done. Your commitment to the company and to your job is immeasurable!

To Myra, you are doing a good job in heading the METime team. Keep it up!

To the utility personnel - Migs, John, and Kim, I know how hard your job is, but I cannot recall a time you guys did complain. The integrity you guys have is something really commendable!

To the METime Team, MT Team, and AHP Team - thank you for the dance numbers. Wow! They were choreographed very well. To the CEP Team - thank you for the song number. I know it took you months to prepare for it (lol)… But seriously I really like that song ‘I can’t smile without you’ and it’s true guys… my i-Elev8 family is among those people who can make me smile.

And lastly, to the CCAs - Thank you for working really hard. You are our front liners. Rest assured that the Management of i-Elev8 Contact Solutions will do its very best to live up to your expectations and to make this company your second home. You could have applied with other call center companies, but you chose to work with us. Let me take this opportunity not to make an appeal but to reiterate to each one of you that all of us have a commitment to i-Elev8 Contact Solutions. To make this company one of the biggest and well managed call center companies in the local arena, if not the best! However, the Management cannot do it alone. We need YOU guys, the CCAs to make this happen. Just like how the saying goes - UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL!

Once again, thanks a ton guys for making this day very meaningful, happy, and memorable! I will forever be grateful!

I would like to greet my friend and office mate, Albert P. Dagnalan, a happy happy happy birthday! Albert and I have known each other sometime in 2000 (I hope my memory serves me right). We have been office mates in a marketing company located at Rufino Tower in Makati City. He was my superior then being our VP for Operations. However, after a while, for some reasons, I left the company.

I have not heard from him since then. We totally lost communication. But as fate would have it, we bumped to each other one time at Robinson’s Galleria. During those times, I was actually looking for somebody who can head our HR/Admin Department. I was putting up i-Elev8 Contact Solutions together with Sir Ernie Lee and Mark Herman then.

Now, it’s been 2 years and 1 month and i-Elev8 Contact Solutions is still going strong. And Albert? Well, this is now his 3rd time to celebrate his birthday with us. And every birthday that we celebrate here is really worth remembering. It’s nice to know that for every year that is being added to our lives, we are celebrating it with our extended family - our i-Elev8 family!

Again, Albert, Happy Birthday to you!