I came across an amusing thing when I was taking a cab one morning. Attached to the dashboard was a sign “No change for $50 between 7 – 9am! I am not money changer!” I guess there are problems with cabbies running out of change if everyone gives big notes. As a cabbie, I am sure he will appreciate loose change instead of big notes, although at times, when one is in a hurry to get to work, they really may have no smaller change available.
I experienced it a few times too – when I only had a fifty and the cabbie had no change, I would either pay by card or he had to bring me to the nearest ATM to get change. Woe betide if the ATM itself can only give out fifty dollars instead of twenty! I ever had a cabbie who had to bring me to another ATM quite a distance away just to get loose notes, then drive me back again! They have to do that, otherwise the passenger can always threaten not to pay!
By right, if service providers cannot even provide loose change, then the customer does has a right not to pay, as it is on the onus of the service provider to provide good service, including foreseeing circumstances where the customer has only big notes and no small change. The service provider should be the one providing the loose change instead, but then judging from the general attitudes of our local service providers, seems that we as customers are the ones who have to spoil them instead of the other way round.
I was reflecting on this incident when I withdrew a lump sum yesterday, as I intend to change money today. The counter staff at the bank was really good, instead of giving me loose notes of ten or fifty or even hundred, she said in order to make things easier so I would not make it look like I am carrying so much cash around, she actually gave me thousand dollar notes instead.
Wow, first time in my life I ever came across a thousand dollar note, whether in local or other currency! (Countries where the currency goes by thousands do not count.) The lady very kindly gave me in thousand dollar denominations, so I jokingly said I better not get robbed that day, and she scolded me jokingly.
Incidentally, our thousand dollar note is purplish blue in colour, a tad darker than our two dollar note. Five dollars is green, ten dollars pinkish red, fifty dollars blue. Now what is hundred dollars then? I hardly come across a hundred dollar bill as well, so I cannot remember what colour it is already!
Anyway, I was guarding my bag very tightly yesterday, all the way from my office, out to dinner and home. Today when I went out, again I was guarding my bag very tightly. I cannot wait to go down to the money changer after work to change the currency! When that happens, I have to start guarding my wallet very tightly again, because Japanese Yen comes in thousands! Hundred Yen is almost as good as worthless! Which means I can easily have about a six figure sum with me! I really must tighten up on security!
I experienced it a few times too – when I only had a fifty and the cabbie had no change, I would either pay by card or he had to bring me to the nearest ATM to get change. Woe betide if the ATM itself can only give out fifty dollars instead of twenty! I ever had a cabbie who had to bring me to another ATM quite a distance away just to get loose notes, then drive me back again! They have to do that, otherwise the passenger can always threaten not to pay!
By right, if service providers cannot even provide loose change, then the customer does has a right not to pay, as it is on the onus of the service provider to provide good service, including foreseeing circumstances where the customer has only big notes and no small change. The service provider should be the one providing the loose change instead, but then judging from the general attitudes of our local service providers, seems that we as customers are the ones who have to spoil them instead of the other way round.
I was reflecting on this incident when I withdrew a lump sum yesterday, as I intend to change money today. The counter staff at the bank was really good, instead of giving me loose notes of ten or fifty or even hundred, she said in order to make things easier so I would not make it look like I am carrying so much cash around, she actually gave me thousand dollar notes instead.
Wow, first time in my life I ever came across a thousand dollar note, whether in local or other currency! (Countries where the currency goes by thousands do not count.) The lady very kindly gave me in thousand dollar denominations, so I jokingly said I better not get robbed that day, and she scolded me jokingly.
Incidentally, our thousand dollar note is purplish blue in colour, a tad darker than our two dollar note. Five dollars is green, ten dollars pinkish red, fifty dollars blue. Now what is hundred dollars then? I hardly come across a hundred dollar bill as well, so I cannot remember what colour it is already!
Anyway, I was guarding my bag very tightly yesterday, all the way from my office, out to dinner and home. Today when I went out, again I was guarding my bag very tightly. I cannot wait to go down to the money changer after work to change the currency! When that happens, I have to start guarding my wallet very tightly again, because Japanese Yen comes in thousands! Hundred Yen is almost as good as worthless! Which means I can easily have about a six figure sum with me! I really must tighten up on security!
2 comments:
$100 is yellow notes. If you have Citibank Maxisave account (you should.. as it comes with free cheques unlike local banks that charged for cheques used), the ATM always churn $100 notes
Hmmm... is that why Citi was in crisis earlier on? ;-p
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