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Category: Service

Strange Phone Call
11.03.08 |Service| Permalink | Comments Off

I received a call from a strange guy professing that he is from Nationwide Express courier service. He called me asking for my address. Now if he is from a courier service, how come he does not have my address? Fraud?

Of course I didn’t give him my address but instead I asked him for the company name, parcel ref no and the sender. He said he called me back. Second time he called, asking for my address again. Again I asked him for the details. However this time, he had my address but wrong street number. However I still want the details.

Finally he gave me all the details. I really don’t know what kind of courier company who call the receiver for address?

Beware of phone phishing but the above is a genuine caller from the NE courier service. We have to investigate every call because there are cons out there!

Popularity: 2% [?]
Lousy Courier Service
08.08.08 |Service| Permalink | 3 Comments

The company is Nationwide Express. Last week I discover a yellow receipt in my post box. I am not sure what it was but looking at the company name, I soon discover it is a courier company. I assumed that there is a parcel for me but it wasn’t clearly stated. There is no contact number on the slip.

I decided to wait for them to call me. After a week, no news from them. I decided to search their website and left a feedback, also asking for a local contact number. They email me with a contact number. I called but no one picked up the phone. I tried after a few hours, the phone is engaged. I wrote back to customer service to request them to call me.

The officer called and first thing she asked me, when are you coming to the office to pick up the package? I was stunned by her question. The customers pay them the courier fees to have people collecting the parcel from them. It must be a good business for them

I told her to have the parcel delivered on Friday where I will be at home. She didn’t ask for any other information and I thought everything was settled.

Today, I still haven’t heard from them. I wrote to customer service asking when will my parcel arriving and provided my contact number again. The officer called me asking me when I will be home. I told her to deliver the package today as per instructed previously. She complained to me that she is short staff and that is not even my problem.

She also kept telling me that I wasn’t home when they delivered the parcel. First she could have contacted me before delivering it, my contacts are on her record. Secondly, I asked her when was the last time she delivered the parcel, she couldn’t answer me.

I am impressed with Pos Laju, DHL and ABX because they would call me first before delivering the package. DHL is the best because they route it to my company as there is a station there. It saves lot of petrol this way.

Popularity: 5% [?]
How Optimist Can You Get?
05.20.08 |Scam, Service| Permalink | 1 Comment
Can you be too optimist? The other day I wrote a feedback to a local D telco company, telling them there are too many menu options with their call directories and no direct options to reach an agent. I went through their list of options and no options to report a fraud. Don’t you think a fraud is important?! Or they are aware of it but there is nothing they can do about it.

You see I receive a SMS spam saying I won 20,000 00 from telco. I realized it was a spam and wanted to report it. However after calling their service line, I gave up. I tried their company website instead which was much easier.

I reported a fraud and gave a feedback of their lousy helpdesk service.

The reply of my feedback came back:

“Thank you for your feedback on the Interactive Voice Response(IVR) service. Be rest assured that your compliments will be escalated to the relevant management for review and it will be taken into consideration for future development in line with our continuous effort for customer satisfaction.”

Since when did I compliment them? Hrmm….

A. Are they being too optimist, taking every issues as a compliment?

B. Are they just generating the same message for any customer feedback? Like a robot with no personal touch, just like their Interactive Voice Response.

C. They don’t know the meaning of “compliments”.

D. Just making themselves feel good???!!! If they treat all issues as compliments, that will be a good performance, right…..WRONG!

My advice to any company wants to use an automated receptionist:
1. Always give an option to your customers to get to a human.
2. Always allowed your customer to go back to the previous menu.
3. Only have few options (3 max) to select and do not have no end listings. Imagine how long I have to wait if my option is the last selection (>10). Don’t torture us!!!
4. No advertisement played at any time, customer time is valuable.
5. Do test out your call system with a group of people. Get feedback to improve. The turn around time for your customer to get to what he needs is very important.
Popularity: 3% [?]
Another Bad Service
05.15.08 |Service| Permalink | Comments Off

Me: I am so and so, I would like to engage your legal service for …
Officer: Your file is 9 years ago, let me locate your file in the store. You know, it is so long ago, it takes time to locate it.
Me: How much is your service?
Officer: I need to find your file first.
Me: When can you have that done?
Officer: I don’t know, need to find your file first.
Me: How long does it take?
Officer: I don’t know.
Me: What is the process step of your service, please can I get some info.
Officer: I need to find your file first.
Me: Can you please call me back when you do locate my file?
Officer: I will call you when I locate the file.

Up until now, no calls from her. In fact, I gave a second chance which I call them to follow up. She told me the file has been found and it with the lawyer. She didn’t bother to call me. She also said the lawyer is busy. I guess her company doesn’t want business from me. It is either they have too many customers or the officer is plain lazy.

As compared to:

Me: I am so and so, I would like to engage your legal service for …
Officer: Let me passed you to a senior officer so that she can explain the process to you.
Snr Officer: Bla…bla..bla…
Me: How much is the fees?
Snr Officer: Let me call you back on this, I need to ask my boss.

She called me a couple of times to get my info and provided what I need. She also has a friendlier voice and efficient too. Bottom line, I rather pay more for this type of service.

If I engage the first legal firm, I will probably vomit blood, calling them for follow up. Who knows, they may loose all my files.

Popularity: 2% [?]
Fastest Way To Fix Your Car
04.25.08 |Service| Permalink | Comments Off

I am no good at fixing things, let alone fixing a car. However I have a buddy who can and I can count on this buddy where ever I am. It is just a ring away. Just say you were driving in a highway and your battery or tire went flat. What do you do? Panic? Scream? Yeah you can do that but it is not going to help.

Being a woman, I know nothing about cars. You never know when your car will give up on you. Actually I was faced with the same scenario this morning but I was fortunate that I am in the house. Hubby cannot start the car. Yeap, he cannot fix it either. By the way, this is the second time this happens. I called AAM to help.

We called AAM and they came very fast. Fix it in 10 minutes. I was glad. It only cost RM75 per year for membership. Too bad, I will have to cancel it as I have the same service from my Lonpac Insurance.

Popularity: 2% [?]
Annoying Letter
04.16.08 |Insurance, Service| Permalink | Comments Off

Yesterday, I got back from work, wanted to relax and I got this annoying letter. It is a house protection from HSBC Takaful. I am really frustrated with them and their unprofessionalism. Yes I have a home loan with HSBC but please respect your customer choice of house protection insurance plan. If you want customers, go somewhere else.

Last year Sept I have written to them stating I would like to continue with my current insurance company S&A that they recommended on day 1 I sign the loan. At least last year I was given the option to change or stay.

This year no option, they just shove the insurance certificate to me with payment listed. I was really furious because it was just 6 months ago I wrote to them, rejecting the offer. I call in to enquire. Guess what? The agent asked me to write in to cancel. Why should I when I already written in Sept. Wah every time you shove an insurance cert to me, I have to write in to cancel. You think I EFNTD!!!

Darn, you have given me more paperwork which I don’t need and waste my time too. You know what, if I am in US, I can sue them for causing me stress and poor health.

Anyway I settle it with the bank and fax in my current house protection plan. The bank can worked it out among them. Next month, I will not have such problem as my loan will end. Hooray!

Popularity: 3% [?]
“An Idiotic Assurance” Call Center
04.15.08 |Service| Permalink | 2 Comments

I really wonder whether some companies here know what “Customer Service” is all about or are they trying to frustrate customers? Hoping they will go away.

I was really frustrated calling the customer service line for this company. If you want to know which company I am talking about, refer to the title.

I called the Customer Service Call Center, here is what I got.

Press 1 for Life Insurance
Press 2 for …
Press 3 for …
Press 4 for …

I am not sure which category my MLTA policy falls under and there was no “Other” category or “speak with an agent” option. They expect their customers to know their system in and out.

So I press 1. Wah lah…more options came up until they have to use 01, 02, 03…bla bla bla.

Oh and there is no option to go back to previous menu. If you make a mistake, redial the number again.

After a few try of calling the number again, I got to a point where I can key in the policy number. I enter the number, it wasn’t correct. It allowed me to key in my IC number and I did but failed.

I gave up after 5-6 calls. I went to their website to check to see whether there is an email or web form I can write to.

Guess what? Here is what I got: “Currently AIA Corporate Web does not support web browsers other than Microsoft Internet Explorer.”

It doesn’t work for Safari on my Mac and other browsers. I guess they are only servicing customers with IE. The least they can do is put a support email on that page which they didn’t. Tell how not to get frustrated?!! I am in a dead end with this.

Popularity: 2% [?]
US Service Vs Asian Service
03.20.08 |Service, Shopping| Permalink | 3 Comments

The other day I was in Singapore Changi Airport getting some toys for my children. I picked up a couple of toys and paid at the counter. At the counter, the sales person was scanning the barcode and discovered there was a price difference. She told me that the price of the toy is wrongly tag. It should be a dollar more. I had to pay the extra dollar else no sale.

I encountered a similar situation in US. I was in the Corelle Store and got a dinning set. The tag was wrongly priced. The sales person apologized and gave me the price that was tagged. It is so nice of them.

You can see both have very different way of providing customer service. One is being too profit oriented and the other, customer centric. If the store makes a mistake, they should bear the cost and not frustrate the customers.

The truth I love shopping in US because they are so focus on customers and yet makes a profit. Do you know that there was once, my meal came late and the restaurant manager apologized? He also gave it to me free of charge. This is what I called customer service!

Here in Malaysia we are way below standard. It is no point hiring some phony managers in the restaurant that come around with fake smiles asking how the food is. Half they time they don’t take bad remarks and improve the service. I really think they are pretty annoying especially when they come around and interrupt our dinner and our conversations. Can’t they pick a better timing? By the way, I think they think too highly of themselves and not really serving the customers. Do you agree?

Anyway, back to the wrong price tagging, anyone know any consumer rights in Malaysia that the store have to sell the price that the goods has tagged? They cannot sell any higher than that? If you do, please let me know.

Popularity: 2% [?]
Technorati Blog Claim
03.16.08 |Service| Permalink | Comments Off

I am doing a Technorati Blog Claim here at this new post. All I have to do is to create a new post here and write this code below which is a link.

Technorati Profile

Technorati is good for generating traffic to your blog. It is free.

Popularity: 2% [?]
How To Cancel Voice Mail For Home Phone
02.29.08 |Service| Permalink | Comments Off

It is a nuisance again. Sorry lately I have been having too many problems with the telephone. Do you ever get annoyed when you are napping, suddenly the phone rang and tell you, you have missed calls???!!! I can never sleep in peace.

If you want to provide a service to your customer, don’t let your customers suffer with your so call extra service. Sure the service is free but retrieving the voice mail is 4 sens/minute. In additional to that if you have missed call, your telephone will ring. Can’t they provide phones with voice mail capability like having a red blink if there is voice mail?

Anyway for you who wants to cancel the nuisance, please call 100 and have your voicemail service canceled from TM. Be warn about the lengthy menu virtual operator, please press 1…bla bla bla.

This is a community service.

Popularity: 2% [?]
Online Driving License Renewal
10.31.07 |Service| Permalink | 1 Comment

Today I received an email from my friend stating we can renew our driving license online. This would be so cool. All you have to go is to go to this online JPJ page: http://jpj.myeg.com.my/JPJSERVE/ and fill up the form. You can either pay by credit card or use MYEG Prepaid.

It takes 5 working days for it to deliver the renewal slip. You can choose to collect it from any e-Services centers. Our JPJ is getting high tech. Lets hope they can improve their services by linking their system with the traffic police system. It is time to get those dangerous drivers off the roads.

Popularity: 2% [?]
Happy At Last..
10.08.07 |Service| Permalink | Comments Off

Knowing me, I never give up. I have been loyal to this back for more than 10 years with 1 credit card only. I am also a good pay master meaning I pay on time. However the support staff didn’t pay any attention to my history. *frus*

I called the bank HQ and ask them to channel me to credit card dept manager. Finally I got to speak to someone who give superb service.

Staff: Hello, how can I help you?
Caller: *state the history again…bla bla bla*
Staff: *do verification*
Staff: I will submit a request to waive your admin fees. *This is what I want to hear*
Caller: Can I cancel the supplementary card?
Staff: Yes, I will fax you the cancellation form.
Caller: Great. I spoke to your last 2 staff but they didn’t help me. It was really frustrating talking to them. I have been with your bank for a long time and I don’t really want to loose that relationship.
Staff: Yes, I can tell from your record and you are a good pay master too.
Caller: Thanks.
Staff: Is there anything else?
Caller: Nope and Thanks.

It took me the third call to get everything done. Anyway I will cancel the supplementary card. By the way, if you really want good service from a credit card company, remember to stick with one card, pay on time and have a good history. You be sure that management will waive any fees just to keep you. Otherwise change bank!

Popularity: 1% [?]
Dead End Service
10.03.07 |Service| Permalink | Comments Off

Staff: Hello
Caller: Hello. I have a supplementary credit card when it was offered to me, the staff told me there is NO FEES. Now there is an admin fees on my statement.
Staff: Please may I have your credit card number.
*She did the verification, she asked me 5 questions. My fuse will blow if she asked me another one.*

Staff: Yes, starting this year, all supplementary cards will be charge an admin fee of RM30.
Caller: How come there is no notification send to your customer with regards to this fee? This is not acceptable.
Staff: Sorry madam. Everyone, even the staff gets charged with this fee for supplementary card. *She didn’t answer my question*
Caller: Can I have the fee waive?
Staff: No, you can get the annual fees waive but not the admin fees.
Caller: Can I cancel my supplementary card and cancel the admin fees.
Staff: You can write in to cancel your card.
Caller: Can I talk to your supervisor or manager?
Staff: No one is available right now. *same excuse every time*
Caller: Can you have them call me?

She took down my details but no call back. I called in them again in the late afternoon.

Staff: Hello
Caller: *repeat the history..bla bla ba*
Staff: Sorry, there is nothing I can do, all supplementary card required to pay admin fees.*He didn’t bother to ask for my credit card number or verify my records*
Caller: Can I talk to the manager*
Staff: All managers are in a meeting.

Isn’t this silly? The bank hires so many promoters and sales people to promote their credit cards and attracting them with gifts. Isn’t it a waste of money when they should be spending some money to train their support staff to keep loyal customers. Sad to say that the support frontline people are chasing customers away. It certainly doesn’t make sense. *shake head*

…to be cont…

Popularity: 2% [?]
SIA – Impressive
06.23.07 |Service, Travel| Permalink | 8 Comments

I must applaud Singapore Airlines for their first class service. Every time I travel with them, it has always been pleasant. This is not a sponsored post. Why am I impressed? For one, I always get good seating for long distance flights. When I went to US, I have no one sitting beside me, giving me ample space to sleep. When I went to UK, the same thing happened. It is not just going flight but the return flight too. By the way, you can pick your seat on the Internet and check in electronically. I was too lazy to do that.

However there was an old guy sitting near the aisle and I was at the window seat. This old guy drinks a lot of water and he never move to go to the gents. He never sleeps too. The only time I took opportunity to go to the toilet was when after meal.

The most impressive about SIA was, my London flight that came in late. I had only 30 minutes to rush to the gate of my connecting flight from Singapore back to Penang. The steward allowed me to leave the aircraft ahead of the first class and business class passengers. Ha! I ran and barely made it. All the passengers had board the plane. Phew. Imagine when I board the plane, 10 minutes to takeoff.

Next worry was “Did my check in luggage make it?” If not, the luggage will come in on the next available flight into Penang. It will really spoil the happiness when I cannot show the gift I got for my children, when they come and pick me up. 30 minutes for them to unload and load. I don’t know how they do it, but they did it. I was also the first one who got my check in luggage and I am not even on business class.

Bravo SIA!

Popularity: 1% [?]
IRB Security Issue
04.10.07 |IT, Service| Permalink | 4 Comments

IRB haunts me again. I have completed my e-filing, just one more button to click for submission. Then my colleague sends me this link: http://blog.limkitsiang.com/?p=132 . There seems to be a security flaw in the IRB e-filing system. Someone press the submit button and someone else records pop up. Now do I trust the “gomen” in protecting our P&C data? I better not say anything further, later they ask me to register myself.

Should I send in the physical form or press the submit button?

Popularity: 2% [?]
Mission From IRB
03.30.07 |Myself, Service| Permalink | 4 Comments

I thought I am done with IRB. I have gotten my PIN and even completed my e-filling for 2007. A “mission” letter came from them yesterday asking me to declare my PCB for 1995 & 1996. It was not asking me to fill it in but to request my ex-employer to complete it.

Now it is really a mission, first of all, if you want my ex-employer to fill it in, they should send the letter to my ex-employer directly. Hey, I am not even sure whether they are still around. Secondly, they want record dated 1995, that is 12 years ago. I thought the policy is to keep 5 or 7 years record? I am not sure they even have that record. In IT, most systems survive at most 5 years and later will need to be upgraded or migrated. Imagine, 12 years ago, they were running on first version of Microsoft Windows, not it is going to VISTA. Worst case is the companies all have close shop and where are we going to get the data? My children will say “So Silly!”

Being a “collector”, I do keep everything all the tax documents, just in case something like this happens. Imagine I have all my pay slips from my first job till now. Anyone knows how to write a good letter in Bahasa Malaysia? I will tell them that I cannot get hold of my previous employer and these are the documents I have. By the way, I already settle it in KL tax office before I moved to Penang. IRB oh IRB, when will you improve your service and not give us any paperwork?

Popularity: 2% [?]
Bank Mergers Causing Turmoil
03.23.07 |Finances, Management, Service| Permalink | 6 Comments

The first bank account I had in Penang was Ban Hee Lee Bank. Later it merged with Southern Bank and now it became CIMB. Imagine, how many times I had to change my ATM card and bank book. This is not the major problem, it is when they merge systems between banks. Do you know that the records from the previous bank are all gone? Ok not gone but it is kept some where and at times goes, it will not be retrievable.

What was my headache? The bank sent me a letter stating that on March 16, I will not be able to access my old bank Internet banking. I need to register on March 18 to hop to the new Internet banking. No problem there. I did that and found out that there are no transaction historical records. Sigh. I called up the helpdesk, the agent told me the IT team cannot transfer the data from old to new system. Hey I am from IT, I know it can be done, just the matter whether they want to do it or not.

Worst is the bank manager called me up to say he cannot simply send out account statements. I told him other banks are sending me monthly statements, why is there a problem? I guess not in their process. :snooty:

If you want to change system, please do not create problems for your customers. You can send out statements for that month to all your users. By the way, my account is a passbook account. I cannot change to statement account. Actually I can, I need to close the passbook account and create a new statement account. Sigh.

I tell you, the old Internet banking system has a very terror feature, if you want to transfer money to other banks, you can key in all the info. The back office will actually take that info and generate a bank cheque to send to the other banks. Thumbs down service.

Let’s hope the CIMB Internet banking is good that I don’t have to enter the bank ever again. The queue in the bank is just crazy.

Popularity: 2% [?]
Old Brand New Car
03.22.07 |Car, Service| Permalink | 14 Comments

My hubby decided to spray paint our old car. It is still in good condition after 6 years but there are scratches here and there. Honda is a reliable brand, hardly got any major problem. We do maintain it probably and service it constantly.

A few years back, I was tempted get a Honda Civic, but the trade in price wasn’t very attractive. Later we decided that we do not need a new car but put the extra money into some investments. I kind of like the previous design but not the current one as the back doesn’t look as grand. I heard the new Camry looks better and very spacious. Let see how Honda tops that. If ever I strike a lottery, I may buy a Honda Accord.

I must say the mechanic did a good job of spraying the car. He put a special coat on top and baked it to make it shinier and longer lasting. Another mechanic quoted us cheaper but he is spraying it in his backyard with no garage. We pay a little more so that the color will maintain for another few good years. If you want to spray paint your car in Penang, let me know, I can recommend you my mechanic.

Anyway, my hubby took some pictures of the before and after look.

Popularity: 3% [?]
A Taste of KrisFlyer Bad Service
03.04.07 |Service, Travel| Permalink | 13 Comments

I am so very frustrated with KrisFlyer (SIA Frequent Flyer Program). Here me out and if you are in my shoe, see you will steam up. When I return from my US trip, while I was in Changi Airport, I tried to register my miles. First the SIA agent told me that they are not train to do KrisFlyer, requesting me to call the customer line. I requested them to help me to call. The agent did and she waited for 30 minutes and she didn’t manage to get through to any customer representative. Worst is they tai chi the problem instead of helping, claiming that SIA and KrisFlyer is a different entity. *faint*

I requested to see the manager. He is very helpful, helping me to reach the KrisFlyer staff. On the other line, the KrisFlyer agent told me my card expired and I need to apply for a new membership number. They didn’t send me any notification for cancelling my membership. The agent ended the conversation with “I will put an investigation and call you back”, which she never did.

As I am told, I went online to register for a new account and deposited my miles online. Guess what? I received a notification stating I cannot register my return flights. I called the agent again. First she told me, there is a name mismatched, I told her how come my departure flights had no problem as I have the same names on all the tickets. :think: Then she told me, it was a coach sharing flight which miles are not given. It doesn’t make sense, the price of the tickets were the same. It is like a student who doesn’t know how to answer an exam question and kept guessing (pakai hantam).Finally she ran out of excuses and told me she will investigate further and get in touch with me.

Today, I received a mail stating they have deposited my return flight on my old card. I am back to square 1. Now I have miles on my old and new card. I want to strangle someone already. What kind of system do they have there I wonder? It is just a simple process and they cannot get it right and they represent SIA.

Popularity: 1% [?]
MAS – Mana Ada System
01.19.07 |IT, ProductReview, Service, Travel| Permalink | 5 Comments

I don’t mean to down grade MAS but I think the online booking system needs a revamp to make it more user friendly for their customers. I guess this is one part where they are losing out to their competition the BIG AA.

I went to their website, hoping to see some good deals on flights to KL during CNY. However I came back confused. Look at the pictures.

They offer 2 choices Availability or Low Fares. Of coz, one will choose low fares but only for adult. Anyway, I selected 4 adults. The cost came up to RM1K.

To do a comparison, I chose Availability, selecting the same route, same dates and the same time for 2 adult and 2 children. The cost came up to RM1.6K. Now figure it out, 4 adults are cheaper than 2 adult and 2 children. :sc:

Tell me how am I to book the flights? Choose 2 low fares and 2 availability fare for children? Or choose 4 low adult fares, can children be treated as adult? I think I will drive down. :snooty:

Availability Vs Low Fares:

Low Fares:

Availability Fares:

BreakDown Fares:

Popularity: 3% [?]