Christmas Bus

Since becoming a self appointed consumer advocate recently (the toll operators gave me no choice!), bus rides will never be the same again for me. Instead of getting into the bus and force myself to sleep through the entire boring journey, I will take it to task to observe the kind of service extended by Malaysian bus companies.

As Christmas is nearing, I’m heading to Singapore to celebrate Christmas with my sister and family. I’ve chosen the ‘luxury’ Aeroline bus for this trip. The ‘damage’ is RM160 for a return trip. This trip will be my maiden ride with Aeroline. I’ve been a loyal customer of NICE bus (www.parkmayberhad.com/nice.html) for the past few years.

Since Aeroline justified the price by its marketing taglines such as “The Convenient Way to FLY”, “10 daily departures”, “Convenient City-to-City Travel” (check out www.aeroline.com.my), I will certainly have high expectations. Then again, is it fair to expect such high level of customer service from Aeroline since the taglines didn’t mention any promises on customer service? Probably the RM160 excludes world class customer service, it only includes an ever smiling hostess handing me a Styrofoam* pack of vegetarian ‘nasi goreng’ (vegetarian fried rice comes without diced chicken whereas non vegetarian fried rice comes with diced chicken) and diluted coffee (coffee-flavored water) in a Styroforam* cup.

Well, I like to give Aeroline the benefit of doubt. (My motto is never judge until you experience it first hand). With that, I can only tell you my Christmas bus ride next week! So wait for my return and ‘report’.

Selamat Hari Natal (Merry Christmas)!


*Toxic chemicals leach out of these products [include Styrofoam] into the food that they contain (especially when heated in a microwave). These chemicals threaten human health and reproductive systems. Read Article 1 & Article 2.

Enough is Enough!

All these years, I accepted the fact that majority of Malaysian companies provide bad or rather, third class customer service (I prefer not to use the word 'bad'. The word is relative in nature and is determined by one's expectation of the kind of service to be received). Two recent encounters made me say to myself, "Enough is enough! Treat us well because we are paying customers!" These two companies crossed the line! It crossed my personal threshold of acceptable level of customer service. I'm sure other people have a higher tolerance level. (What is your level?) The two companies are the Malaysian toll operators, PLUS (www.plus.com.my) and Litrak (www.litrak.com.my). Have you expected the toll operator to smile, keep eye contact or say thank you? Not me. Yet these companies think that it is what the daily toll paying drivers, like us, desire. What we want or rather, what I want is to be treated with respect. But no. A simple and costless task seems beyond their reach.

In a recent encounter, the toll operator of Litrak voiced her displeasure loudly when coins dropped from my hands during the exchange. In the second encounter, the toll operator of PLUS refused to accept a soiled one Ringgit note (due to wear & tear). I said I didn’t have any other notes. Moreover, it is a legal tender. (Am I being ignorant of what is legal tender? Any Bank Negara Malaysia officers reading this?). Ironically, the soiled RM1 note was given to me as change by a toll operator of Litrak when I was going to work in Cyberjaya the same morning. The PLUS toll operator crossed the line when she threatened me by saying she will record my car's number plate. (What would you do if you walk into a shop and the salesperson threatened you for some reasons? You walk out and promise never to return). Well, in the case of highway tolls in Malaysia, we don’t have much choice. Either take a longer, pothole laden and 'manipulated traffic light' route or the highway toll. So, as daily consumers of toll roads, you are suppose to accept the sad fact that if you want to use the highway, be prepared to queue for several minutes for your turn to pay up, then pray hard that the toll operator won't threaten you.

P/S, To the Management of PLUS & Litrak, are you willing to take up the challenge and rise to the occasion. Can you provide Malaysians, the daily toll paying drivers, world class service? Boleh tak?