Update needed !

Last week, I noticed that I'm not totally disconnected from my job as process manager.

On Thursday, I made the journey to Brussels to apply for a new visa at the Syrian Embassy. On the Internet it said that an application for a visa should be done in person any weekday from 09:00 till 12:00.

So, I got up at 07:15 to get the train 1 hour later and catch a tram until Bois de la Cambre where is situated the Embassy.

At arrival, there was nobody at the counter and highlighted on the information board was mentioned that visa application was possible on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

I rang the bell anyway to get someone to speak. A woman appeared who told me that it was possible to apply for a visa that morning. I had to come back the next day. I explained her how difficult this was for me and that the information on the official website was different.

She could not help me, because she was responsible for financial matters and not for the visa applications. I had to come back another day.

I let her serve someone for a financial matter and then asked her whether it would be possible to leave the filled in application forms and the photos with her and if she would be so kind to give it to her colleague of the visa department the next day. I explained to her that it would be a big help for me, as it would save me half a day.

She asked me to wait and disappeared for 1 minute. Then came back accompanied by her visa department colleague who I recognized immediately, since this is the 3rd time this year that I present myself for a visa.

I apologized once again and explained why I presented myself on the wrong day and how time consuming it is for me to present myself in person at the guichet. Finally, she said : OK for this time... But, next time please come on the indicated days. It is a recent organizational change to better deal with the workload.

Either this recent change is a decision "in the field" without having discussed it with management. Or, the process for change has not been completely documented. Or, the process is documented and not followed through until the end...

We will never know, but such an example proofs how valuable correct information can be.