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!
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?
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?
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.
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.
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.
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:
Today, I took half day leave to do some banking stuff and shop for winter clothing. Of coz I did some paktoring (dating) with my hubby without the children. 😀 I will be going to US for business trip and that place is having winter now, I heard below 0°C. A month ago, I heard some snow storm over there. I am a bit worried.
Anyway, we went to a few shops in Queensbay Mall to survey. One of the shops did sell close to what we wanted. Others have limited choices. The shop is called Universal Traveler, take note. It looked to me all the sales assistant there are new. One of them keep following my hubby closely, he was a bit annoyed. New SA always does that, not sure to scare away their customer or what.
I am trying my luck to ask them to give discount. He replied no discount. Another shop, as I was browsing, the SA came and said this have 10% discount. This is what I called “good customer service”. Never mind, we took the one we wanted and asked him for a new piece. He went to the store and came out with another color. He said the color we chose is the last piece. I attempt again and said “Since it is the last piece, you should give me a discount, it has been displayed. Furthermore, lots of people have tried it.” He replied “No, not many people come in here”. Opps, indirectly telling me business is not that good. :giggles: I asked for the manager but he was no where to be found.
My hubby couldn’t wait anymore, we decided to pay. As the new SA cashier was punching the machine, I kepoh their catalogue. Wow, I think God was helping me. I flipped to the last page and saw a promotion on the one I have selected. It has an offer saying I get a free long john with that piece I am purchasing. I questioned the SA, he kept quiet, as if he didn’t know what I was talking about. I didn’t make a scene, just went and tried out the long john. :snooty: I know what you are thinking off, I could have just walked out. I didn’t want to waste time and petrol mah.
By the way, what do you think of the optician shop out there? Do you think that they charge a fairly exorbitant rate for glasses? Last time I went to this shop, their frame price is always 40-60% above the cost price. The sales person took out the calculator and punched a 40% discount to make you feel good. Or at least he tried to psycho you with a big discount and you will be crazy to reduce it further.
Another shop which my MIL just got her glasses from. She was told that the frame is only RM1. What’s the catch? The lens cost a BOMB.
I know this reliable shop called Intan in Level 1 BJ Complex Penang, the owner gave me a very good price for the above glasses. I didn’t even negotiate with her because she gave me a very good price. It was about 40% less than the broken pair and the new pair is branded too. If any of you is using Biomedics55 contact lens, she is the sole distributor for it. It is really dirt cheap.
Need I say more?
Service still not advancing here. I dragged going the Pos Office. I had no choice, my car insurance reminder didn’t come and I was late in renewing my road tax. Usually, my insurance company will renew my road tax but I need it today. I went to JPJ, bumma, the network was down. I had to resort to Pos Office. Usually I pay all my bills and whatever through Internet. However I cannot pay my road tax through Internet. How I wish I can. Can the government do something about this?
Anyway, while waiting for my turn, I saw many still paying bills through Pos Office. I mean I can setup a counter with Internet connection and process their bills with a fee without the wait. Hahaha..side job for anyone who wants to get a quick buck. The staff there as usual took their own sweet time. By the way, only some Pos Office provides the road tax renewal service, not all. Talk about consistency. Now do you know which Pos Office delivered this service? I don’t know too.