MT India Digest - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MTID

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Moderated by: Published by:
Amit Chatterjee, SM MT India
amit@... www.MTIndia.org

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Dec 15, 2002 Digest #094
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-=Bidding Wars!=-

~Maj (Dr.) Amit Chatterjee, SM
"old saying about the art of negotiation: "He who throws the first
punch is the first to admit he's run out of ideas".

-=Unreasonable dismissal from HealthScribe=-

~Aldrin Joseph
"There was no professional ethics involved"

-=Hot Zone & Tighten Up America=-

~Ceb
"Shades of the Middle Ages, indeed, let me pull my forelock. Do
you recall that load of trash?"

~Venkatesh
"Who has the time to even look at the patient's name twice after
assuring that we have keyed in correct name, address, etc."

-=Statements made regarding Heartland=-

~Vishal Babu
"would never ever like to listen anything said wrong about
Heartland, just imagine the anger of those who are currently
working in Heartland"

===========BILLBOARD============

-=English might kill you!=-

~Udit Sawhney

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Dear friends,

Let me offer some perspectives on this topic of "bidding wars":

1. The words "bid" and "quote" have a fixed meaning that a seller
can never change (don't even THINK of trying): "Give me your lowest
price so I can shop you around".

2. Bidding (or quoting) is a game played on the buyer's playing
field, where they move the goalposts every few minutes and make the
rules up as they go. They're also the referee and scorer, and they
hold all the concessions, including admission to the game.

It's a no-win for the seller, so don't get into a lose-lose game.
(There's no such thing as win-lose or lose-win -- they're just
lose-lose posing as a win until the loser wakes up to reality and
pulls the plug on the 'relationship' and any possible result.)

In bidding or quoting, the real competition (win-lose by
definition, so really lose-lose) is ultimately between you and the
buyer, not between you and the other bidders -- that's just the
first battle in the bidding war. The endgame only begins once your
bid or quote "wins".

Up to that point, you've just shaved off your hair, drawn a dotted
line with the words "cut here" across the back of your neck and
handed the buyer the blade. Now that you've "won", you get to kneel
and put your head on the chopping block. Nice win.:)

The problem is, that blade you gave them wasn't an axe... it was a
blunt hacksaw blade. It's about to become l-o-n-g, messy and
painful.:(

3. When you're the seller, the ONLY thing dumber than allowing
price to be the deciding factor is MAKING it the deciding factor.
Advertising "free bids/quotes" is the surest way to make price the
issue and get into this no-win game.

Typically, the ONLY reason to buy offered by the bidder is price.
No other meaningful information is provided.

4. The Law of Success says "Do ONLY the right things, for ONLY the
right reasons. Then you can't make a mistake."

Fear of loss is the worst possible reason for doing anything. Not
only does it encourage you to do the wrong things, it invariably
means that you can't succeed because, no matter what you do, right
or wrong, it's for the wrong reason, despite any illusory short
gains.

In bidding/quoting, fear of loss is the reason for BOTH the buyer's
and bidder's behaviour.

5. The Three Criteria of Fulfillment (the all-powerful emotional
pay-off from satisfying a need that impels the beneficiary to share
how they feel with others, thus turning your buyers into your most
productive, profitable sellers) are:

a. SAFETY -- there's no risk involved, on any level of the
transaction.

b. EFFICACY -- the product/service, the seller and their business
all do what they say they'll do. They keep their promises. They
work.

c. VALUE -- the benefits outweigh ALL of the conditions needed to
be
met in order to obtain them, including the price, which is only the
first condition.

Note that nowhere does it say CHEAPEST or LOWEST.

7. There's an old saying about the art of negotiation: "He who
throws the first punch is the first to admit he's run out of
ideas".

In selling, "He who makes the first price cut is the first to admit
-- and pay good money to advertise the fact *doh!* -- that he's
totally ignorant and incompetent when it comes to negotiating a
sale". Advertising "free bids/quotes" pre-empts any real
negotiation. You don't even wait for the win-lose urgers and
cheapskates to find you... you send for them!

8. US astronaut Alan Shepherd, when asked how he felt, seated alone
atop the launch rocket, waiting to become the first American in
space, remarked: "How would YOU feel, knowing that every item
beneath you was supplied by the lowest bidder?"

I don't need to answer that one, do I?

Regards,

Your Striving Moderator,

Maj (Dr.) Amit Chatterjee, SM
www.MTIndia.org
Comment? mailto:MTID@yahoogroups.com

++++ new post - different topic ++++

From: Aldrin Joseph < aldrinjoseph777@... >
Subject: Unreasonable dismissal from HSIL

Respected Sir,

I hereby inform you that I was unfairly treated and
unjustly dismissed as a trainee from Healthscribe India in
Bangalore about 15 days back, on 30th November 2002. When other
trainees are stagnating there for eight to nine! months, I was just
given one month and that one month was the initial month in which I
was beset with teething troubles and it took
time to get used to the software and other procedures. Moreover, I
told them that I am an old person and a slow learner and requested
them to give me atleast one more month, but they just wanted to
oust me, as if it was a hire and fire basis. There was no
professional ethics involved and without giving me an opportunity
to perform they have preclusively concluded that I am
not good enough for Healthscribe. Being an Ex-Serviceman, I am
disciplined and forthright and these people don't like honest and
outspoken individuals. During their pompous induction program,
they exhorted us to be open and honest and I was
rudely expelled for doing the same and voicing my genuine
grievances. I had kept my valuable headphone in the company locker
and when the next day, I came back it was stolen from the locker
and they didn't like my complaint about this. Since, I was poor
and helpless, I was no match for the formidable might of the
Healthscribe administration and management out to
get me, besides they have gravely underestimated my potential as a
medical transcriptionist within just one month of training instead
of the customary six months which we are entitled to have.

As I had joined HSIL, as per your advise, so please let me know if
your goodself can do anything about this and whether I can be
reinstated etc.

Awaiting your valuable reply at the earliest.
Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,

Aldrin Joseph
(Ex-LWTR)
Indian Navy
Comment? mailto:MTID@yahoogroups.com

[MODERATOR COMMENT]

Dear Aldrin,

Two things I can make out objectively from your mail, (correct me
if I am wrong):

1) You did not like the way HSIL treated you.

2) HSIL did not like your performance/behaviour.

Under such circumstances, don't you feel it would be fruitless to
try to patchup at this stage. What has happened maybe a blessing in
disguise and might probably give you a better option in the future.
A good man will always find his level.

If your terms of appointment as a trainee have been not adhered to,
you do have a legal course of redressal. However the hire and fire
policy is an acceptable term of employment in the non-govt sector -
you either accept it, or go out on your own.

Let me know of any other way I can be help of to you or others in
similar predicaments - but you and me are both regulated by legal
constraints - which I definitely have to follow. Within those, let
us see what can be done.

Amit C.
www.MTIndia.org
Comment? mailto:MTID@yahoogroups.com

++++ new post - different topic ++++

From: Ceb <anon@...>
Subject: HotZone

Dear Amit,

Xenophobia anyone?

Your posts are a breath of fresh air. I just had to take a break
from a long weekend of filling in for MTs who exercised their right
not to work on Thanksgiving, and came across the latest blahblah on
the HotZone.

I myself personally rushed home between games and opted out of our
curling banquet to tackle an endless amount of lines assigned this
weekend; here I sit, butt-sore and bleary-eyed, doing my Canadian
best to make sure the reports are turned out in a timely and
grammatically correct manner. Will I work on Christmas and New
Year's--MY holidays, too, as it happens? Of course I will, always
have. Victoria day as well, of course, but that doesn't count as a
holiday in certain parts.

What a bunch of whiners those [posters] are--and then blaming
offshore (and sometimes Canucks) for their lack of MT jobs. MY
mtso advertises and advertises and can't find anyone to hire--or if
she does, they don't last very long, they exercise their right not
to work holidays, not to research, not to correct grammar, not to
format properly, etc. So here I sit, endlessly, taking up the
slack. And I'm taking somebody's job away? What a crock. Their
concerns are more economical than securitarial (if that's a word--I
have caught the dr/mt neologism craze, it seems).

I guess from time to time the isolationist attitude has to hit
HZ--the last time I remember was when that Jay Gould or whatever
his name is formed the Medical Transcriptionist GUILD--shades of
the Middle Ages, indeed, let me pull my forelock. Do you recall
that load of trash? I actually wrote a response, I was so fed up
reading the ethnic slurs. He wrote back something
to the effect that he surely didn't mean we Canadians couldn't
speak or understand the English language. Of course, American
doctors' idiosyncratic turns of phrases are another thing entirely;
aspirinize me, please, my ears hurt. How patronizing of him. Some
things never change, especially with his evangelistic nature.
Drum-banging, arm-waving redneck thinly disguised as intellectual.
What a hoot. I love being the devil's advocate from time to time.
I, too, can speak in words of more than one syllable. Hardehar.

Keep up the 'voice crying in the wilderness' Somebody has to.
bwhahahahahahaha

Ceb
A Canadian MT
Comment? mailto:MTID@yahoogroups.com

[MODERATOR COMMENT]

For those who are lost about what is being discussed - please go to
a thread known as Hot Zone, at the Message Center at www.mtchat.com
and search for a discussion on "Stopping Overseas Outsourcing
Initiative"

http://www.mtchat.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?
ubb=get_topic&f=10&t=002043&p=

I am quoting the URL above, but it tends to keep on getting
changed. If so, this time, please use the search features, for the
above topic - it might yield some food for thought:).

Amit C.
www.MTIndia.org
Comment? mailto:MTID@yahoogroups.com

++++ new post - same topic ++++

From: Venkatesh <sahana_venky@...>
Subject: Tighten Up America

Dear Tighten Up America:

Who has the time to even look at the patient's name
twice after assuring that we have keyed in correct
name, address, etc.

With the high expectations from our employers in terms
of accuracies, line count, attendance, etc., one
patient would be just another document for our line
count.

By the end of the day, we would be like!!!! Wow, I am
going back home at last.

I believe, when you concentrate on getting accuracies
such as AT LEAST 98.5% which includes; medical words,
english, correlation, even spaces, can make you forget
even the gender of the patient after starting on the
second document.

Regards

Venkatesh
One more Indian Medical Transcriptionist.
Comment? mailto:MTID@yahoogroups.com

++++ new post - different topic ++++

From: Vishal Babu V <vishalbabuv@...>
Subject: Statements made regarding Heartland

Dear Amit:

It was good enough to read people praising you, don't know for what
benefits, but here is a bad one for you...... :(

All went fine when I was reading your posting but one thing just
irritated me and that was your statement regarding Heartland.

Your statement goes like this.... "MTs in Heartland are one of
the most disgruntled lots by their own admission, due to
"non-existent management." Now don't grudge them their bonus - they
deserve something at least!:)"

Now you are the so called "the only lighthouse for otherwise
completely unorganized Indian medical transcription industry." How
could you ever make a statement on any company without even knowing
the facts about the it????

I am an ex-employee of Heartland myself and would never ever like
to listen anything said wrong about Heartland, just imagine the
anger of those who are currently working in Heartland!!! Anybody
in Heartland are made to feel that they are all of one family,
which is not the case in any other company in my knowledge (maybe
my knowledge is limited).

If it was for "non-existent management" how do you think that
Heartland today is know throughout the world for its excellence in
the work?? No one in Heartland Management has ever been wrong in
its daily chore and I just don't understand what made you tell this
in any case. Nobody has to grudge about anybody in Heartland
getting a bonus of what he has worked for. Do they??

Heartland has kept their employees at their very best spirits while
working and has never ever stepped back on seeing its employees
getting what they deserve. I had been with Heartland as an MT for
nearly 2 years, and believe me, your statements just irritate and
hurt me to the maximum. There are people who are working with
Heartland for more than 6 years and maybe even more. Do you think
anyone would work in any organization for so long unless they are
happy with the organization and its management???

Whatever an MT earns in Heartland is the reward for his or her hard
work. Tell me who wouldn't be happy to take home the reward of
their true effort.

Anyway, I would appreciate you if you could take back your
statements made on Heartland in particular as early as possibe.
Any clarifications in this regard from your side is always welcome.

I hope you would not make any further statement pointing out on any
company in particular without knowing the fact.

Thanking you in anticipation.

With Regards,

Vishal
Comment? mailto:MTID@yahoogroups.com

[MODERATOR COMMENT]

Vishal,

I am not clear about yout true identity - HICS or otherwise.
Nonetheless, I have given you a complete response on the forum at:
http://www.mtindia.org/forum/display.cfm?mesgno=2363&tid=606&frompa
ge=1

I do not think it needs to be repeated again here. You are most
welcome to read it and comment further.

Amit C.
www.MTIndia.org
Comment? mailto:MTID@yahoogroups.com

===========BILLBOARD============

From: Udit Sawhney <udit78@...>
Subject: A good one ......English might kill you!

It's a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting medical
studies:

The Japanese eat relatively little fat and suffer fewer heart
attacks than the British or Americans.

The French eat a lot of fat and also suffer fewer heart attacks
than the British or Americans.

The Japanese drink relatively little red wine and suffer fewer
heart attacks than the British or Americans.

The Italians drink generous amounts of red wine and also suffer
fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.

The Germans drink a lot of beer and eat lots of sausages and other
fatty foods and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or
Americans.

CONCLUSION: Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is
apparently what kills you. So better BEWARE ITEnablers - maybe you
should shift to Japanese, German, Italian or whatever else
required, to be on the safer side:)

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