Insights into Salesforce

I love reading, those who know me know that I am constantly reading a book, either fiction or something on general topic. Infact there have been times when I read two books side by side, one will be fiction other on travel... And then there are times when I come across a topic during a conversation or chat, and that will spark off a reading session...

So, yes, I am a curious kind! If somebody talks about something I wasn't very aware of, you can be sure I will Google it, and even grab a book on the same pretty soon.. It is one thing I love about me. Recently, during a conversation with a client, they mentioned adopting Salesforce, a cloud based CRM platform for their ops and even though I knew of CRM, I hadn't used Salesforce or heard of it much. This got me digging, and finally led me to a site that seems to be one of the finest places that offer Salesforce training in Chennai.

When I dug up on this topic, I understood that it is the new thing that is helping people deal with customer relationship issues. Before the birth of Salesforce, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solutions were primarily hosted by the company on their own servers. And that infact takes time, effort and manpower as well. Now with changing times and competition, plus the advances in technology, everything has been moved to the cloud, including CRM solutions. Instead of spending months and tonnes of money, one can set up the Salesforce platform within minutes and have it up and running. Everything is online and easily accessible from anywhere.

How cool is that right? Also, understood that the various CRM functions have their own Salesforce arena- sales, ops and so on. So, depending on which department you are working in, you need to focus on the same. The salesforce CRM Training in Chennai is done by this company run by a team of experts who know the system end to end.

Like all new topics I read on, it becomes a sort of a rabbit hole, I just keep going till I realise I have gone too far, or am lost and try to retrace my way back. With the CRM tool- Salesforce too, I discovered a whole world of information, that included some of its key benefits. For what its worth, I shall share some of them here. Hopefully it will help someone who is as curious as I am or is working on this platform.

1. Stay organised and connected... 

The platform allows you to track information related to customers easily, as it is neatly organised into categories.  Since it is all in the cloud, you can access any information pertaining to one particular customer [even things that might not be what you have created]. It makes it that much more easier dealing with multiple clients and thereby helps grow the business. This offers a more complete, holistic approach to managing your growing business. 

Even if you are going to be away, someone else can access the information and take over where you left off.  You can create to do lists, plan the yearly calendar and other activities from this platform. 

You can also keep your other team members updated on what has happened with respect to a customer and let them know what needs to be done. You can chat on the platform and share information/documents etc... 

2. Manage Time better

Since the platform allows you to feed information, events, and schedule meetings/follow ups, you can enable alert systems which means you save a lot of time. It also means you are far more organised and professional in your approach. How easy is that? Am sure you too can achieve all this with a few hours of training and hands on work, that way a new skill gets added to your resume and you grow as an individual as well... 

Well, now that I have shared what I have learnt on the topic, time for you to go do your research and come back with any queries/updates... Time for me to go look up something else, something new and exciting... :-) 

Joy of reading and gifting books..

If I were to rewind time and go back to my childhood, I only remember being outside with friends, playing or at home reading while listening to music [ in our Sharp Cassette player]. I also grew up listening to AC/DC, Van Halen, Phil Collins, Bruce Springsteen, ABBA, Carpenters and so on thanks to my uncles..... Which is probably why even today I love music from the years gone by and need music around me all the time.....

I used to get excited whenever I got news that someone was visiting, for it meant more books to be lost in. Loved reading Enid Blyton to Mystery of 5 find outers and slowly moving to books with bigger words and deeper subjects/plots.. I have over the years discovered new genres, authors as well... plus today, thanks to the whole social media circus, the world has become smaller. I have connected with friends and people from other parts of the country/world who recommend books and authors.. It is almost like going down the rabbit hole, you just get lost and enjoy the adventure.. Infact, the world has become so connected that I have even interacted with a few authors, going beyond just enjoying their books/style of writing. 

Am quite sure if you were to do a survey among those who read [does not matter what kind of books/genre], they will invariably be the ones who also believe in giving books as gifts to others. It does not matter who the recipient is, as in the age or sex or background of the person!  I too belong to that category! For all my friends and their kids, when it comes to visiting them I know what am gonna give.. With a few, we ask each other what they have read, or what they wanna read and gift accordingly, and for some we just go with their Amazon wish list or introduce them to a new author. 

Sometimes the new authors and books are welcomed, sometimes we read and leave it at it. But well, it is an amazing gift option. Infact, I was telling a friend of mine that it would be good for parents to give books as return gifts, instead of some random toy or thing.  Year on year, the budget for birthday parties seems to be growing rapidly, cakes getting bigger but the return gift remains something people pick up in a hurry, but they do spend on it [ atleast 300-500Rs].. 

If only kids of today are introduced to books like Amar Chitra Katha or Malgudi days?!! They would also love to be lost amidst other kids and get hooked to the world of books, instead of the iPad or whatever other gadgets they are into these days. Yes, it does have its consequences.. The child will demand you buy them a book every time you to a mall or bookstore, but then books trump other toys/puzzles, right? :-))  Gift a book, encourage a child /adult to read and that way you will be changing their lives forever... For adults, you can also include a set of bookmarks :-) 

As the kids grow older, introduce them to the world of libraries, that way they can borrow, read and go back for more.. 

Btw, have you read the Malgudi Days? If not, grab your copy today/ place your bulk orders here... 

[Book review] Nisha Mehta, My Tarot- Something Paranormal

Title:My Tarot- Something Else by Nisha Mehta
Format: e-version
Pages :110 pages.
Goodreads link-  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30399534-my-tarot?from_search=true
Amazon- https://www.amazon.in/My-Tarot-Something-Nisha-Mehta-ebook/dp/B01H4SJF06?ie=UTF8&btkr=1&ref_=dp-kindle-redirect

 Well, the author is a Tarot reader herself and so this book makes a lot of sense..  I, on the other hand was introduced to Tarot about a decade or so ago, and since then I have strong belief in it. I have a few friends who are Tarot readers and it always amazes me the things they share.  That apart, I did not know much about Tarot. So reading this book was quite a different experience for me.

For those wondering what Tarot is, Nisha says "Cards act as a bridge between the known and the unknown". How simple and yet complicated right? The best way for you to grasp it all would be to get a reading done~

The book opens with an Introduction that concludes with these words "Tarot tells you what you need to know and not what you want to know". Over the past, I have come to understand the true essence of these words.. Yes, when you go for a Tarot reading, you need to have a few things in mind - belief, and a few *to the point* questions that you ask the reader to help give you clarity in life.

And with reference to the title "Something else", Nisha explains that people are always looking for something more than just a reading. She says this book will be more than just about Tarot cards, it will give people something they can relate to, understand and associate with.

The one thing I understood at the end of it was that it was a well thought out book- the subject was dealt with under different sections, clearing giving an introduction to each chapter. It made it easier for a novice to understand what it was about and how one should approach the same.

For example, this statement Nisha makes in the book “Tarot is not restricted to images and their interpretation only” is so true..  She has explained each deck, the main cards, and how a beginner should approach the tarot cards as well. Not just these, but you gain insight into how to read the cards, almost like a list of top 4 things to follow towards the end of the book.

The best thing about this book was the simple language, clear explanations and even the diagrams to explain how it works. So, if you have been hearing the word "Tarot" from your friends/ if this is  something you have been curious about, do give this book a shot and let Nisha know what you thought of it.

Reach Nisha via her FB page - https://www.facebook.com/nishamehta.tarotreader.author/

[Book] 10 Patients by Dr Wasim Mohideen

" I am OK, my wife. I need information."

"Ok, what information do you want?"

"I am suspect she having AIDS. Want to check her"

Your wife will need to come in person sir. I will need her permission to test her....

"Permission no problem. when I bring her?"
....
.....
.....

What else should we check for?

" I want to know what else blood to check." he said. "For diseases," he said and then looked down and sighed.  "Wife had sex with 5 mans"...

Stumped, right? You are wondering what is going on? Well, this is how one of the pieces in Wasim's book "10 patients" goes..  Each of the pieces are of real life instances that he has come upon, people who will have you wondering "is this for real?" ,"do such things actually happen" and every other possible gaping question will come bursting into your head. 

We all come across weird people, wacko people and then there are crazy people, but those who are featured in this book are none of the above, they are regular people except they have been through a lot or are going through some very troubling times. And then there are those who have you amazed, with their confidence, zest for life and positive attitude. 

All of 149 pages, this book was a pleasure to read.. It is not fiction, it is real, these are real people who came to Dr Wasim for consult/help.... 

When he shared the news of having a book ready to be published we wondered what it would be about. Would it be a piece of fiction, or about food [ he is a foodie] but this was quite a surprise. And I do hope he goes on to write more such books, not only are they interesting to read it gives us a reality check on life as well..

You can buy the ebook here on Amazon
Happy to share that the book was sold out on Flipkart within 3 days :D 

An evening with the Lord

A failed attempt the last time around had me on High Alert. I was at Landmark by 6 pm for an event scheduled for 7 pm. Yes Yes I know I was early, but heck, the event was in a book store. So, what is the harm in being there early? Yes, of course I read.

Why was I in Landmark in the 1st place? To meet the Lord ofcourse. 

Who Lord? Lord Jeffrey Archer... D'oh!! 

<silence> Yes, that was it. 

The third book  in the "The Clifton Chronicles" was to be launched that evening by the author himself.   "Best Kept Secret" is the highly anticipated third installment of "The Clifton Chronicles" and takes the reader on a breakneck journey from Bristol to the US and on to Buenos Aires in the mid-1950s.

He walked in, grabbed the bike , reprimanded the girl who was doing emcee saying he would do all the talking and began. Opened his talk by saying I love this country, wanna know why? Cos England beat you hands down in cricket... And I also love this country for another reason. wanna know why? Cos you are beating Australia to dirt... 

A man in his 70s, the amount of energy, enthusiasm and zeal was just amazing.  He shared with us the 1st ever story he had written, which had to be 100 words only. He read it out, asked us to guess which was that one extra word he added while he was struggling to push the 99 to 100. Thereon, the evening was filled with laughter, enthrallment and fun...

He then went on to speak about The Clifton chronicles, the plan he had and how it looks like it is going to go beyond 4 books spilling over to a 6th maybe.. "Only Time Will Tell" is the first where Harry Clifton's life begins in 1920, and then came the 2nd book "Sins of the Father" that begins from the time before Britain declares war on Germany. And now, here comes the 3rd....

He spoke about how in Bangalore, a 12yr old girl had stumped him. She had a book published already. He mentioned how at the age of 34 was when his 1st book got published. In Chennai, a girl who asked him a question shared that she had recently published a book, and she was all of 22 yrs of age. He shared with us how tough it is to get published, how to sustain and how to write so as to keep the audience engaged.  

During the Q&A session, there were so many of us with our hands raised, alas only a few got the chance to ask their questions. One of the questions put forth was - Will you ever write a book on India? For which he promptly replied "oh no, I am very scared, India overwhelms me"

Before closing the session, when asked about his personal favorite and most popular of his books, he shared that Kane & Abel was in its 94th print. 

When he was done talking and it had been over an hour, he announced that he would now be signing copies of the books. He took on a stern look and said "look her children, I want you all to come in line, behave and get the book signed. I shall sign each and every one, but only 2 per person and no personal requests"... :-))

Yes, I did get a copy, actually 2 copies autographed by the Lord. One for me and other for a friend, dint mind that I had to stand in line for nearly 45mins.. ~!! 

From the Anklets of a Homemaker by Subhashini

"The painter had no colors left to paint the night. He embellished it with dreams...."[via twitter]

"Rhyme in the recipe. Meter in the measured spices. One of those days when one has to cook poetry in the kitchen. Not with paper and pen...."[via twitter]

Such simple words, but they pack a punch, don't you think so? Well, here is the lady behind these wonderful verses- Subhashini. I've known her as @neelavanam and follow her on Twitter. How did I connect with her? One day, a few words strung together singing a song caught my eye and I was hooked.  

"A pencil carries more potential. It is sharp and focussed. A cursor is a distracted being, throbbing to peep into other windows...." [via twitter]

And everyday I along with her many other followers would eagerly look forward to the verse she shared on twitter. I dabble in a bit of poetry and so it was a lovely feeling connecting with another person who liked it as much, if not more. One day last month? or was it few weeks ago? She announced her book was out, it was a collection of her micropoetry.. I knew I had to get my hands on it, and before I knew it I was holding it in my palm. 

"From the Anklets of a Homemaker"
is the name of the book
Subhashini, the one who weaves magic through words

There are poems on rain
There are verses on life
They all come together 
so fine, so beautiful

I wondered about the title
I wondered what she meant
But by the last page, 
I dint really care :D 

Each poem is a story
a tale
an experience
a leaf out of a day

The words
hold within a few hidden secrets
or maybe a yearning 

Every page
I enjoyed
Ever word
I savored

Honestly, the book was such a breeze to read perfect with a cup of filter kaapi or maybe a mojito. Sit by the window, let the breeze tease your senses and you will enjoy this book immensely. The poems within the book are divided into three sections - Reflections of a Summer Rain, Rivers of endless desire, Meditations. Even though I felt some poems could be interchanged, am sure the author had her reasons for placing them where she did. 

Some of my favorites were,

"The eyes can spot a butterfly ~
but not he huge stumbling blocks
The nose can trace cooking food~
not the fears of a weary heart"

"Desire is the 
pulse of life"

"In a steaming cup of morning coffee~
reflections of moving clouds ~delicious"

"That which you get ~
without asking for ~
are blessings"

No, not gonna share any more... ;o) 

You need to read and pick the ones you enjoyed! Since I write the occasional poem, I know that some sound poetic and some very prose. There are sentences that you could rap, and some that read like a story. That is the beauty of poetry- no set rules, just speak your mind and watch the words take their twists & turns. I don't look for rhyme, nor do I look for a pattern, maybe that is why I liked this book a lot!

Curious? Why don't you grab a copy? You can buy this book from Flipkart or Amazon

The Landmark Sale....

The Landmark Sale..

"Books Books and More Books.. all of this at a discounted price!" is the song that plays in my head everytime i read about a Sale or offer. And so with all the eagerness of a child going Toy shopping, i headed to Landmark, Apex Plaza, Nungambakkam Saturday evening...

Landmark is a store i used to frequent, almost daily during my college days. So much so that almost every staff knew/recognised me. And then, i saw the other outlets [Citi center & Ampa Mall] come up, and i began visiting them as well. So, this sale was like opening doors to a Treasure chest....

Was i excited? Yes
Was i eager to grab a few books? Yes

But within minutes of scrounging through the tables and mounts of books across the tables, i was disappointed... to say the least...

I then began browsing through the shelves looking for a few books i had been wanting to pick up/read, but couldnt find any. And the shelves seemed empty, almost, there were very few books, and most of them were old and seemed like they had been left there to be sold during the sale.

I was looking for A Brief history of time by Stephen Hawking, and after much searching, couldnt find it. One of the staff pointed me to the Science section, but alas, there was just one book by Hawking. The same story for almost all the other authors but for the Romance and Humour section. They were full...

I did notice they were selling Sherlock Holmes at Rs199/volume. Which was tempting, but i knew my cousin had the entire collection....

There was also the cool 3 for the price of 2 offer going on. And the good thing about this offer was it wasnt restricted to a particular genre, you could pick any book from across the store that had the 3 for 2 sticker and ta da... you were in for a treat.... 

I spent a few more minutes, picked up a few books- one for me, few for friends' kids and none of them had any offer. It was then off to the stationery section, where i picked up the 2 very sad worn out Stamp albums[albums to store stamps], and quite a few VZ India postcards [ which was the highlight of the visit] and headed over to the billing counter.

Walking out i wondered if this sale should be renamed "Clearance sale" or maybe i should visit one of the other outlets before jumping to conclusions....