And the Winner of 3rd Class Service is...

What does it imply when you read such a survey?

“While complaints on the police force are common, PDRM’s Department / Division / Branch that I feel most excellent in discharging their duties is:”

I would interpret it as asking me to choose the best among the worst.

I wonder whether the winner will be rewarded with trophies or incentives for delivering 3rd class service to the public. I rephrase it to being the best 3rd class service.

So, what’s your vote?
1. Patrol
2. Traffic
3. Narcotic
4. Crime investigation
5. Counter / police station

Did Bernama forgot the ‘None of the above’ option? Inclusion of this option may reflect a truer survey results. Do you think you can include this option, Bernama? Boleh,tak?

By the way, don't forget to check out the poll results in Bernama's website! :-)

What's Your Excuse?

See the 7 ‘golden rules’ on how to treat customers well. I said to myself, ‘No way!' The 7 rules may look simple but I have yet to encounter a company that practices it’. Well, maybe one or two rules but not all 7 rules.

Many companies can’t follow all the 7 rules because of these possible reasons.

1) Take the time to listen.

Reason 1 : We are too busy. We have too many customers to attend to and we are short handed.
Reason 2 : If we take time, as call agents, we are considered underperformers because the key performance indicator is to complete the call with a customer within 9 seconds.

2) Respond promptly and accurately to questions and problems.

Reason 1 : Sorry, my department doesn’t handle your problem.
Reason 2 : I can’t help you. I have no clue what you are talking about. Bye.

3) Don't rigidly adhere to company policies when the policies do disservice to a particular customer.

Reason 1 : I must follow. Do you want me to get sacked?
Reason 2 : A policy is there for a reason. (Even though I don’t know the reason).

4) Offer outstanding warranties on products and services and stand behind them.

Reason 1 : It is too expensive.
Reason 2 : We have sales quota to meet. No time or incentives to service our existing customers.
5) Educate the customer about products and services.

Reason 1 : We sell such an obvious product. Customers ain’t that stupid.
Reason 2 : No budget for customer education programs.

6) Go the extra mile when problems arise.

Reason 1 : What for? It is not my own problems.
Reason 2 : I got a backlog of problems to fix.

7) Provide value beyond product.

Reason 1 : Customers are paying for the product. Nothing beyond that.
Reason 2 : Our product is the value.


So, what is your reason (or excuse)?

You surprised me, Litrak

I took a few seconds to be convinced that the male voice at the other end of the line is a Litrak’s customer service officer. I emailed Litrak the day earlier about the ‘coin throwing’ incident. Amazingly, I got a call from Litrak the following day. Though Litrak’s customer service by toll operators is third class or rather, downright rude, I must say Litrak’s service recovery is first class. What made it first class was the customer service officer obtained all the facts from me politely. Then, profusely apologise for that rude treatment by the toll operator. I told him, “You don’t need to because it is not you.” He replied, “I'm apologizing on behalf of Litrak”. I was at awed!

Rarely do companies apologise unless it is Starbucks or Ritz Carlton. The most common reaction is to build up a wall of defense or give lame excuses. Worst of all is to simply ignore the complaint and complainant (regular toll paying motorists).

By emphasizing on service recovery, Litrak is building loyal customers for life. Importantly, it may even reduce the complaints or public protests during the next toll hike.

Well done, Litrak. Keep up the world class service recovery.

Toll phobia

I developed a fear recently. I am in fear when I approach a highway toll. Being in Malaysia, it is difficult to avoid a toll each time I drive. The non-toll roads are ‘designed’ to be so inconvenient or dangerous that you just don’t mind being insulted by the toll operator. I had that experience recently with a Litrak toll operator.

Since the increase of the toll rate by 60% lately, I had to give more coins instead of the usual RM1.00 note. As I was approaching the toll booth one lovely Friday evening, I searched frantically for the additional 60 cents. I stopped to pass the RM1.60 worth of coins to the toll operator. As I was about to drive off, I heard a ‘tuk’ sound. I stepped on the brakes instantaneously to check the cause of the sound. Then it dawn upon me that the toll operator threw a coin at me. The coin hit my car. I turned my head and asked whether she threw the coin at me. She replied sarcastically, “I got extra coins”. I realized that she threw a 1 cent coin because she didn’t want to accept the five 1 cent coins. I kept my cool and asked for her name. She just pointed at the signage with her name on it. I jotted her name and drove off to lodge a complaint at the Litrak office. Sadly, the ‘complaint office’ closed at 5pm.

It has been 3 weeks since the incident. I thought it is more convenient to ‘complain’ through a blog because a blog is open 24 hours, 7 days a week. In the meantime, I need help to overcome my new found phobia. Any good therapist out there?

Psstt...I know Secret Recipe’s secret!

A recent conversation with a friend gave me hope in Malaysian companies. Through her, I discovered a Malaysian company with 1st class customer service. It is none other than the shop with the best cheese cake in town (that’s what I think & what they claim). Secret Recipe Restaurant understands the concept of service recovery. Not only Secret Recipe understood it but they executed it flawlessly. My friend had a rude encounter with a counter staff last week. As a result, she emailed the customer service and the founder of Secret Recipe, Mr Steven of her recent experience. The following day, Karen, the operations manager of the particular store called my friend and apologized profusely for the treatment by her staff. She asked for my friend’s home address because she wanted to post some vouchers to her. Karen made the ultimate service recovery act by telling my friend that she values her patronage and asks my friend to not stop visiting Secret Recipe (the vouchers certainly did help!).

That’s Secret Recipe’s secret of success!

I must say Secret Recipe just converted my friend into a loyal customer. The best thing that came out of that experience was I’m invited to join her when she redeems the Secret Recipe vouchers. (Don't you think the power of the word of mouth is at work?)

This story by my friend reminded me of my personal bad encounter with Blooming, a Malaysian florist, few years ago. My feedback email to the founder, Mr Martin resulted in a call from him the following day with a 1st class service recovery.

Well done, Secret Recipe and Blooming Florist.

I wait for the day where I can congratulate more Malaysian companies. Bolehtak?

We are OFFLINE…for 15 minutes

Last week, I visited the post office to renew my driving license. I was so glad when Pos Malaysia introduced this renewal service few years ago. At last, I don’t need to join the never ending crowd at the counter of the Road Transport Department (Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan, JPJ).

My feeling of 'gladness' sunk last week. While waiting for my turn at the post office in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur, all of a sudden, a sign “JPJ offline” pop up on the service counter window. I was exasperated because I have been waiting for 30 minutes. Now the road transport system is not working. Suddenly it struck me, it was 10.30am and that may be the time government staff takes their tea break! So I sat still and observed. Believe it or not, 15 minutes later, the “JPJ offline” sign was taken off. The two customer service counters reopened. Business resumed as usual. However, the only difference is the customer service staff were chewing while servicing me.

Pos Malaysia charges RM2.00 for providing such service. The experience that day made me wonder the purpose of the RM2.00. Is it for the convenience service (what convenience?) or is it to buy tea and snacks? Hmmm.

I would be a really, really satisfied customer if I was offered some tea and snacks too while waiting! Bolehtak, Pos Malaysia?

You have my loyalty, Toys “R” Us

Not Zara though. I decided to become Toys “R” Us loyal customer after a pleasant encounter with its customer service staff recently. All my future Christmas shopping (gifts for my nieces, cousins & future children) will be with Toys “R” Us. You may ask why I made such a brash decision. Well, simply because the customer service staff gave me 1st class treatment when I dropped by Toys “R” Us in Mid Valley Megamall, Kuala Lumpur to exchange a Christmas gift I bought earlier. The Christmas gift was a Junior Pictionary for my niece but her mum (my sis had bought her one. (Nowadays, kids have everything). As I explained to the customer service staff that I bought the gift wrongly, she simply refunded me 100% on the spot (by filling up and signing a simple form). No questions asked. I was speechless because I didn’t expect her not to question (or interrogate*) me. Truly, she exceeded my expectations. Being so used to Malaysia’s 3rd class customer service, I went there with the hope of at least exchanging it for another item. A full refund was beyond my expectations (Sorry MAS for quoting your tagline).

Zara has trendy clothes. Spanish-inspired design as they say. As my friend casually commented, Zara is so metrosexual. During the recent Christmas shopping, I bought shirts from Zara for the 1st time. (Oh dear! Am I turning into a sensual guy living in a metropolitan city?!). I splurged approximately RM500 on 3 shirts. Does that make me a loyal customer? Clearly the answer is no because it was my one and only purchase. Zara will never be able to convert me into a loyal customer because it doesn’t put the customer’s convenience first as compared to Toys “R” Us. Sale or not sale, Toys “R” Us allows full refund or exchange. In contrast, Zara displays prominent signs during the sale season that reads ‘No refund & No exchange during SALE period’. Is Zara implicitly saying that customers who pay less for a shirt will not enjoy the same privileges as a full price paying customer? I will not vow to buy all my shirts from Zara but I will vow to buy all the toys from Toys "R" Us.

Keep up the good job.

Yours faithfully,
Alan

* Note : I was ‘interrogated’ by the customer service staff at Giant Supermarket, 1Utama Shopping Centre, Petaling Jaya when I wanted to exchange a bottle of spoilt olives. After much debate and prolonged form filling, I got a new bottle of olives. I walked off feeling emotional exhausted. That is a classic 3rd class customer service. Go and experience it yourself!