Ansari Information

Updated September 2026: in 2018 I wrote about enjoying two quiet days on a light bid after weekend work, until my manager added a second bid with real work late on a Friday. I have rewritten it into advice on handling two bids at once.

After working weekends to finish a proposal and receiving appreciation from the delivery expert, I had a few relaxed days. My manager put me on a new opportunity where the delivery team only needed to send estimates to the account team, so I had almost nothing to do and spent two days enjoying the quiet. On Friday I logged in expecting the same. By the afternoon, my manager had added a second opportunity that did need work.

Why do bids arrive on Friday afternoons?

Clients often issue requests at the end of their week, and account teams pass them on as soon as they arrive. For offshore teams in India, time zones make Friday afternoon a common hand-off point. It helps to expect it rather than resent it.

How do you run two bids without dropping one?

• List every deadline: including internal reviews, in one place.
• Rank by risk, not size: a small bid with a close deadline comes first.
• Delegate what you can: if one bid only needs estimates, let the delivery team send them directly, with you copied.
• Tell both account managers: that you are on two bids, so neither is surprised.

Is it wrong to enjoy a quiet spell?

No. Recovery after a weekend push is healthy. The useful habit is to spend part of a quiet day preparing for the next bid: updating standard content, tidying templates or reading the account's history.

What should you say if you are overloaded?

Tell your manager what you are working on and the dates, and ask which bid takes priority if they clash. A clear question gets a clear decision, and the decision is then theirs to defend.

Does being kept busy mean you are valued?

Often it does: managers give live bids to people they trust. It is worth noticing, and mentioning at appraisal time.

Keep reading

• Work Handed Over at the End of the Day: How to Respond
• Partial Weekend Support: Setting Clear Limits
• Build a Personal Repository to Finish Work Faster

Updated September 2026: in 2018 I wrote about finally getting a slow delivery expert to review my solution deck, then submitting it for a leadership review I had not prepared for. I have rewritten it into advice on getting a deck ready for senior review.

The delivery expert had promised updates within an hour or by the end of the day, and neither came. I went home frustrated, and she did not respond the next day either. I called and asked for a few minutes, and she finally reviewed the deck and suggested some changes. I was relieved that my draft covered everything the client had asked for. What I did not realise was that it would go to leadership next, and I submitted it for their review without preparing.

What does a leadership review look for?

Different things from a technical review. Leaders ask whether the solution wins the deal, whether the price and risk make sense, and whether the story is clear to a client executive. A deck that answers every requirement can still fail if it does not say why the client should choose you.

How do you prepare a deck for senior review?

• Open with a one-slide summary: the client's problem, your answer, the price range and the main risk.
• State assumptions plainly: leaders will probe them first.
• Know the numbers: effort, team size and how they were estimated.
• Have the expert on the call: so solution questions are answered by the person who owns them.

What should you do after heavy feedback?

Write down every change requested, agree an owner for each, and confirm the list by mail. Re-review with the delivery expert before resubmitting, so the changes do not create new gaps.

Why is it worth asking about the review path early?

Because each organisation has its own gates. Knowing at kick-off that leadership will review, and when, lets you plan the draft for that audience instead of reworking it at the last minute.

Was the frustration worth it?

The deck was submitted and the process worked. The lesson I took was to ask the review path at the start of every bid.

Keep reading

• What Made a Smooth Review With an Offshore Team
• No Feedback on Your Draft? How to Get a Response
• Partial Weekend Support: Setting Clear Limits

Updated September 2026: in 2018 I recalled being stuck in my Chennai apartment for three days during the 2015 floods, working from home while running two laptops on a battery that was about to run out. I have rewritten it into practical advice on working from home during a flood or long power cut.

On the first day of the heavy rain I told my team lead I would work from home and warned that I might not be reachable. Power stayed on until about 11am while the rain kept pouring, and I knew it could be cut at any time. I had little work, so I switched on my office laptop and also my MacBook Pro to watch YouTube, since the satellite TV was out and the office laptop blocked most video. Later I realised how foolish it was to drain both laptops without thinking about three days at home without power.

What should you do first when a flood warning is issued?

• Charge everything: phones, laptops and power banks, to full.
• Tell your manager your plan: including that you may lose contact.
• Download what you need: documents and files for the next few days, in case the network fails.
• Stock basics: water, food that needs no cooking, torches and medicines.

How do you make laptop batteries last?

Use one device at a time, and keep the other fully charged in reserve. Lower screen brightness, close video and turn off Bluetooth. Use the phone for messages and save the laptop for work that cannot be done on a phone. A car charger with an inverter is useful if the car is safely parked above water.

What if mobile networks go down?

During the 2015 Chennai floods, power and mobile networks failed across large parts of the city. Agree in advance with your family and team how you will check in once you can, and keep a written list of important numbers.

Should you try to work at all?

Only if it is safe and your employer expects it. Most companies in Chennai suspended work during the worst days. Your safety and your family's come first, and a clear message to your manager is enough.

Keep reading

• Working From an iPad Without a Laptop: Zip Files and More
• MacBook Battery Swelling: Early Signs and What to Do
• Leaving Google Photos: How to Move Your Library

Updated September 2026: in 2018 I continued weighing whether to switch from my four-year-old iPhone 6 to Android, held back by Android's many settings and worries about updates and longevity. I have rewritten it with how those concerns look today.

Two things kept me from moving to Android. The first was the amount of customisation. I wanted simple ways to turn controls on and off, and Android's settings felt complicated and crowded. The second was updates and longevity. Apart from Google's own Pixel phones, most Android phones got updates late, sometimes after the next version was already out, and I worried that phones would loosen and slow down after long use.

Are Android settings still complicated?

Less than they were. Quick settings panels are easier to use, and most phones let you hide options you do not need. Some brands still add heavy custom skins with duplicate apps and settings, so try the phone in a shop before buying.

Has the update problem improved?

Yes, considerably. Google and Samsung now promise several years of Android version and security updates on recent flagships, and some mid-range phones also come with longer update promises than before. Other brands vary widely. Check the stated update period for the exact model, as it is the best guide to how long the phone will stay safe to use.

What should an iPhone user check before switching?

• Messages and photos: WhatsApp chats can be transferred, and photos can move through Google Photos.
• Paid apps: purchases do not carry across platforms.
• Accessories: an Apple Watch does not work with Android.
• Family: features shared with family members on iPhone will be lost.

How long should a phone last?

Four to five years is a reasonable target for a well-supported phone with one battery replacement. Longevity now depends more on the update promise than on build quality.

Is staying loyal to one platform sensible?

If it works for you, yes. Switching costs time and some money. Switch when there is a clear gain, not because a friend's phone looks faster.

Keep reading

• Will Tesla Make a Phone? What Actually Happened
• Smartphone Prices Jumped 69% in India: Upgrade or Wait?
• Leaving Google Photos: How to Move Your Library

Updated September 2026: in 2018 I wrote about accepting a second, supposedly light bid while working on one where the delivery expert rarely had time, and how "cake walk" bids rarely stay that way. I have rewritten it into advice on saying yes to extra work.

I was assigned an opportunity where most of the work was supposed to be the delivery expert's estimation. Once it started, I had to extend my hours and coordinate with an expert who struggled to spare a few minutes. Between calls I had some free time, and my manager asked whether I could support another bid with little work. I said yes. It looked easy: I only needed to adjust standard content I had prepared earlier, and the delivery contact confirmed that was exactly what was needed while we waited for more information.

Why does "light" work grow?

Because the scope is often unknown when the bid is assigned. Waiting for information can mean the real questions arrive later, all at once, close to the deadline.

What should you ask before accepting extra work?

• The deadline: and whether it overlaps with your current bid.
• What is already known: and what is still expected from the client.
• Who else is on it: and whether they are available.
• Which bid wins if both need you: agree that with your manager at the start.

How does standard content help?

A library of reusable material makes a quick bid possible. Keep it current: service descriptions, team structures, case studies and common assumptions. Update it after each bid, while the details are fresh.

Is it worth saying yes?

Often, yes. Saying yes builds trust with your manager, and quick wins add to your record. The risk is saying yes without the questions above, and finding two deadlines on the same day.

What if the expert has no time for either bid?

Raise it early with your manager and the expert's manager, with the dates. A named backup expert is better than hoping for a few spare minutes.

Keep reading

• No Feedback on Your Draft? How to Get a Response
• Build a Personal Repository to Finish Work Faster
• Covering a Colleague's Work and Handing It Back

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