Gotcha, customer!

Gotcha! I got your RM250!

I've never felt so cheated before. Well I guess I didn't expect it from a company with such international status. A brand name that I trusted instantly.

The call center agent declined my request to waive off the credit card annual fee of RM250. I was taken by surprised because the reason I continue the usage of the Standard Chartered credit card for another year was that I was able to receive a waiver of the RM50 government tax. 

A month ago, I called up Standard Chartered to cancel my credit card prior to the annual expiration because  I didn't wish to pay RM50 government tax. The call agent said that the RM50 government tax can be waived with the condition that I use the credit card three times. I thought to myself, 'Ok why not as long as I don't incur any unnecessary fees.' So I diligently use the Standard Chartered credit card three times. 

Recently, I received the credit card statement and saw that I was charged with an annual fee of RM250! So I called up Standard Chartered to request for a waiver and the agent declined my request saying that I'm not qualified for it.

Hmm...then it hit me that I was conned! Standard Chartered enticed me with a waiver of RM50 so that I continue for another year but at the same time, slapped me with a RM250 later. Damn! It was done so slicked and professionally. I got trapped! I've always been wary about deals by companies. I didn't doubt Standard Chartered because I thought I could put my (blind) trust on them. Sigh! 

I instantly requested to terminate my credit card (over the phone) because I don't believe Standard Chartered deserves my business anymore and to avoid any new fees that I'm not qualified to waive it! I've lost RM250 to Standard Chartered but Standard Chartered lost my goodwill and (blind) trust towards them. 

Out of the blue, I realised why I'm still using HSBC credit card for the last 13 years because HSBC knows how to make me happy ie. every year my annual fee is waived when I request for it. Thank you HSBC for being so nice! :-) In return, I will be loyal to you for the next 20-30 years.

cc. Management of Standard Chartered,

Can you be as nice as HSBC? Boleh, tak?

1st update (30Nov2012)
Mr. Max of Standard Chartered called me today and informed me that they will waive of the annual fee of RM250. Thank you Standard Chartered for being nice.
On another note, Standard Chartered could have done a better service recovery by going the extra mile or delighting me. For example, informing me that my annual fee will be waived for the next 2 years or offering something I don't expect. Then again, it's a tough act for companies to emulate Starbucks or Ritz Carlton Hotel. Nonetheless, I'm appreciative that Standard Chartered fulfilled my request eventually.

2nd update (3Dec2012)
Max called me again today to inform me that he can't waive off the annual fee of RM250 because I requested my card to be cancelled the other day. Hmm....I'm speechless.
Nevertheless, I'm glad my unpleasant relationship with Standard Chartered has ended.

Bait a customer (& conned them later)!

'It will be RM25+ if you are a DiGi customer', said the cashier at Lim Tayar, TTDI. The cashier highlighted that DiGi customers enjoy a 50% discount for wheel alignment and balancing (instead of paying RM50+). I grabbed the opportunity because it was cheaper than my usual workshop. My usual workshop charges me the normal price of RM40+.

An hour later, my car wheels were ready! As I was about to pay, the cashier told me the amount was RM64! I said I'm a DiGi customer. She recalculated it and said my discounted price was RM41+! Hmm...when I inquired about this peculiar item in the bill ie. sport rim weight, she said it is for balancing. Then I realised I was conned!

Over the past 10+ years of driving, I've never been billed an item labelled as sport rim weight. I guess it is Lim Tayar's way to manipulate the bill in order to charge more than the earlier quoted RM25.

Uncle Lim, you should keep promises! I agreed to RM25, not RM41. Boleh, tak?

Admit no evil

"Email us for us to consider". That was the response I got from Wan, a call center agent when the Aeroline bus took off to Singapore without my girlfriend and I.

I've been loyally taking Aeroline bus to Singapore for the past 2 years. I switched from NiCE bus because Aeroline was nearer to my home. I've sung praises of their friendly bus steward/stewardess. Even my mum feels safe to travel alone with Aeroline. However, after this recent incident and the way Wan and Mimie handled the situation, it's time to move on....to more humane bus companies! (Anyone out there knows any?)

It was my very first time missing my transport. In this case, a bus. The ironic part of it was I was 15 minutes early (not late). I was waiting at the lounge area, feeling really excited to hop on the bus to Singapore. The next thing I know, the bus left.....on time (without me!).

I realized this when I went to the counter to inquire about the bus at 5 minutes past the departure time. Mimie answered, 'The bus left already'. I stood there shocked! Based on my past experiences, the staff will come to the lobby and inform all passengers that the bus will be leaving in 10 to 15 minutes. But not this time! However, Mimie insisted that she did! Hmm...was she lying or was I just deaf or blind?

After regaining my composure, I suggested few alternatives such as hopping onto the next bus. Mimie replied nonchalantly, 'No, you can't. It's company policy'. Clearly she wasn't interested to help or find a solution to get me to Singapore. Hence I asked for a refund so that I can buy a ticket with the next departing bus from other companies eg. First Coach or Five Stars. Knowing that she has no way out, she asked me to call the Aeroline call centre and speak to Wan.

That suggestion gave me a glimmer of hope! I thought she really care about my predicament. Little did I realize that she just wanted to pass the buck ie. pass the problem to Wan.

Wan responded, "Email us for us to consider. It's our company policy that we don't refund on the spot" when I ask for a refund on the spot. Clearly, he was trying to pass the buck...to an email account! (And probably, he is hoping he can ignore or delete the email and his problem ie. me will go away eventually!)

Few days later, after taking a pleasantly enjoyable and spacious bus ride with Five Stars, this book in Borders Singapore caught my attention. It was entitled, "I love you more than my dog. Five decisions that drive extreme customer loyalty in good times and bad."

I could relate to this sentence in the book..."Your decisions reveal WHO YOU ARE and WHAT YOU VALUE."

Clearly, I understand what Aeroline values are (after my encounter with Wan and Mimie) ie. company policies first, customers' needs last!

Obviously, my next trip to Singapore during the Chinese New Year will be with Five Stars! Or maybe, with First Coach.

The incident with Aeroline seemed to be like a silver lining in the cloud. I wouldn't have check out Five Stars, First Coach or others if it's not because of Wan and Mimie being so unhelpful. The best part is, I discovered that the other buses are better deal!

From today onwards, I will be telling my family and friends to avoid Aeroline at all costs unless they don't mind to 'miss' their bus and left stranded helplessly (because it is Aeroline's company policy to do so!)


cc. Aeroline management,
If your tagline is “The Convenient Way to FLY”, you should deliver similar experiences of an aeroplane eg. make announcements for 'missing' passengers. Boleh, tak?

An 'out of the world' paella experience!

On Saturday, I'd an out of the world dining experience. This restaurant is not in space but it's well grounded at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur. I would expect this kind of experience only in Ritz-Carlton or maybe Singapore Airlines (if the stewardesses are not having mood swings).

It was out of the world not because the bartender took the paella away after I replied him that the paella is too salty. It was extraordinary because the manager offered appetizers while we waited another 20 mins for a newly cooked (less salty) paella.

It was out of the world not because the appetizers were free. It was amazing because he knew I was starving. He has great empathy.

Rarely, I have such 1st class service in Malaysia.

Oh yeah, I'm referring to La Bodega.

cc. La Bodega management,

Maintain the out of the world experience (and keep hiring the right people).

Tweet a Prius

Where is UMW Toyota hiding the Prius?

I have been looking high and low for the Prius since it was launched. The two dealers that I dropped by are clueless on its whereabouts.

UMW Toyota should have a Twitter so that they can tweet tweet on Prius whereabouts and for me to follow the Prius.

Toyota's tagline is 'Moving Forward'. However it seems to be moving backwards (or not moving at all) by not keeping up with the trend. I've embraced social media (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) two years ago. When is UMW Toyota jumping into the bandwagon?

cc, UMW Toyota management,
Please 'move forward', along with the aid of technology. Boleh, tak?

General Motors boleh! Proton also boleh!

My jaw dropped when I read Dr Mahathir's recent statement. He said, "Proton would also contribute towards making Malaysia achieve developed nation status by 2020."

Even though it is not April, it certainly qualify as an April Fool's joke. I think I'm most qualified to disagree with it because I've been driving a Proton (Iswara) since 1997 and I experience the quality of the product first hand day and night.

I relate developed nation as citizens having the right to good quality of life (including quality cars) and affordable living (including fairly priced quality cars).

Anyway, I'm not gonna list my first hand encounters now because I'm more interested to suggest that Proton follows General Motors lastest campaign.

General Motors, in a bid to appeal to consumers upset about decades of poor quality and the carmaker's government bailout, is launching an unusual program: money-back guarantees.

Why should Proton do it? The rationale is both companies share 2 same traits ie. poor quality and government support.

cc. Proton management,

Can you make it as 3 same traits ie. include money back guarantee. Boleh, tak?

Btw, I'm still driving the same old Proton for the past 12 years! Not that I love it, I just can't imagine myself paying so much for a good quality car like Toyota or Volkwagen whereby my counterparts in U.S. pays USD 15,000 for a Honda Civic and I have to pay USD 32,000.

Oh I get it!! Dr. M is implying that the price of Civic will be USD 15,000 once we reach develop nation status in 2020. Yahoooooo! However, I don't see the connection between Proton and Vision 2020.

Almost perfectly useful

GSC cinemas in Mid Valley Megamall has a large directory of restaurants to cater to moviegoers. Based on the categories, it seems to cater to people catching early shows (early birds) and late shows (night owls). The opening and closing hours are prominently displayed.

Would it be more useful for a moviegoer if it is 'redesign' to the following :

How many minutes do you have before your movie starts?

15 mins only >> Carl's Jr, Rotiboy

30 mins only >> Secret Recepi, Sushi King

45 mins only >> Nandos, Chillis

All the time in the world >> Teppanyaki, Pizza Hut

The 'recategorization' applies 3 key design principles :

1. Who is the user (moviegoer)

2. What is the context (i'm hungry but i need to catch a movie too)

3. What is his/her goal (find a place to eat within a limited time period)

cc. GSC management,

Can you put yourself in a moviegoer shoes? The outlets and patrons will thank you for it. Boleh, tak?

Serving customer during recession

How do you manage customer complains during bad times. Learn from Delta Airlines!

Lesson 1 : Don't provide any channels for customer to complain. (I wonder how much does Delta save?).

Malaysian Hospitality in Manglish style!

I was excited when I saw Malaysia Airlines jumped into the social media bandwagon. As I read about the latest ASEAN Pass promotion in their Facebook page, I was appalled with the English!

I tried to rationale with myself that the style of writing may be intentional i.e. talk like a Gen Y! As we know, Gen Y speaks with a dose of letters and symbols such as :-), lol, brb, :-b

Then again, is their grammar and spelling that bad too?

Check it out below (I 'copied and pasted' from MAS's Facebook.)

- Ohh, what wonderful spots you'd be able to visit at a go..
- Don't have a too much time off?
- You can play it by ear,
- is subjected to USB 25 per change.

I hope MAS's level of (English) standard and carelessness are not reflected in the way the pilot maneuver the plane I'm in or the standard of service I'll receive from the stewardess.

cc, MAS management,

Try using a grammar and spell check. Boleh, tak?

Here are the pages (1 and 2) if you can't view it from Facebook.

Warm and cold Lombok guesthouses

During my recent trip to Lombok island, I had contrasting experiences in two guesthouses. The encounters with the two owners shed light on how to ensure a customer will return again and not return again.

I would stay in Martas again because of the following reasons :

1. Trusting. Joanna, the wife of Martas didn't insist on a credit card when I made booking through email. She trusted me. I guess she applies the 'I trust you. I give you the benefit of doubt (until you break it)' policy.

2. Going the extra mile. She offered and booked the other guesthouse on my behalf because I wanted to try out other Balinese styled guesthouses. The other guesthouse refused to accept my booking over the telephone.

3. Pay after you have enjoyed our hospitality. She didn't ask for any deposit when we checked in. Her staff still served us breakfast for 3 days. On the last day, we packed up and walked to her adjacent house cum receptionist to make payment.

4. Treats you as a fellow being, not a paying customer. She chats with us like a fellow traveller. You can feel her warmth and generosity.

I wouldn't stay in Balikana again because of the following reasons :

1. Pay first before you can enjoy our rooms. The owner insisted on a deposit if we want to make a booking (while inquiring about it over the counter when we arrived on the first day). She stated many people are queuing behind and willing to take up the room instantaneously.

2. Treats you like a 'business commodity'. On our last day, we bid farewell to the owner, her response was, "Have you given us the room keys?" You can actually feel the coldness (even though we are in the sunny and hot Lombok).

cc. Guesthouse owners out there,

Be warm to your customers (before they turn cold on you forever!) Boleh, tak?

Watch out! The most customer centric company has arrived!

The headline news "Amazon.com buys Zappos" should send shivers to all businesses. Why all businesses you may ask. The reason is Amazon.com's number one business priority is to create a great customer experience in every product that they sell. Shoe is the latest offering (through Zappos). Will Amazon.com sell the same product as your business? (I bet they will when the timing is right). When they do, they will focus all their energy into one thing, that is, customer experience is great!

"Yes, more and more money will go into making a great customer experience, and less will go into shouting about the service. Word of mouth is becoming more powerful. If you offer a great service, people find out" - Jeff Bezos.

Both companies share similar vision :

Amazon focuses on low prices, vast selection and convenience to make their customers happy, while Zappos does it through developing relationships, creating personal emotional connections, and delivering high touch ("WOW") customer service.

Here’s a story of a wow customer experience by Zappos.

To all companies out there, Amazon.com and Zappos may be eating your lunch one day. Alternatively, you can emulate these two companies’ vision ie. make customers happy. Boleh, tak?

Tweet your customer right

Twitter has reached the corporate mainstream.

Internet savvy startups such as AirAsia has been using Twitter to provide quick and short responses to customers. Today, veteran companies such as Singapore Airlines use it too to reach out to the web savvy customers.

There is a particular group of customers that prefers to communicate through Internet than making a call to the call centre (I'm not sure if their reluctance to call is due to their limited phone budget or level of patient in maneuvering the complicated IVR).

Customer centric companies go to the 'hang out' places of its customers whereas arrogant or ignorant companies force customers to wait eternity on the line or at the counter queue.

How to ensure inconSISTENT service

Instructions :

1. Get the person in charge of the cash deposit machine to call the customer.

2. Make sure she cuts in everytime when a customer speaks.

3. Make sure she doesn't understand active listening.

4. Make sure she doesn't say 'Is there anything else?' and 'Have a nice day'.

The above was the experience I had with a HSBC bank staff from Damansara Uptown recently. This particular staff called me the following day because my cash was stucked in the cash deposit machine. The experience with her made me agree (reluctantly) with a friend's comment, "You never ask the back office employees to talk to the customer". Now I know the reason they are in the back office.

My new "rule of thought" :

Staff who is responsible to manage machines should always manage machines. Nothing else.

Staff who is responsible to manage humans should always manage humans. Anything else, sir? Have a splendid weekend!

cc. HSBC management,

Please spare us, the customers the ordeal of interacting with a 'machine staff'. Boleh, tak?

(My interaction with HSBC customer service has always been positive so far!).

A Novel Way To Complain!

United Airlines has gone so far as to praise the singer and wants to use the video "to help change its culture."

I must learn to play the guitar and sing!

Pinnochio lives among us

The Citibank-Airasia promotional booth at The Curve broke my walking pace to a halt yesterday evening. The free Nokia E63 caught my attention! A RM1,080 phone for free if your credit card application is approved. Unbelievable!

I told Eunice, the Citibank staff, that it was too good to be true. I asked her what was the catch. She said none. I pressed further and she said that you just need to pay RM30 for the delivery of the phone.

For the price of RM30, I filled up the form on the spot. I wanted to select the choice of my phone which was obviously the E63 but I am unable to do so. Hence, I asked Eunice where do I state my preference. Then she revealed the 'catch'. The catch was only the every 50th approved card will receive the E63. The unlucky ones will receive a RM139 Nokia 1208 phone.

At that moment, my trust in Citibank has gone down the drains. Well, I've never really trusted banks 100% but this experience reaffirms my belief that banks don't put your interest first (I'm not refering to the interest that banks understand). Clearly, her commission came first.

Though it is too late, I'm wondering what other 'catch' is there. Maybe I will discover it when I receive the credit card and phone. It may be too late then. Do I have an option to cancel or decline the card and phone? I'm sure I can (but probably with a penalty fee).

Can you be open and transparent with me upfront? Boleh tak, Citibank?

What did I do wrong?

My sister's statement today made me realised that absence of customer complaints do not indicate a customer's satisfaction or happiness towards a company's service. Recently, she was not able to pay her mobile phone bill on DiGi's website due to the website's technical glitch. (For some reasons, she seems eager to pay her bill early whereas most people would pay after the line is barred). 

I told her to call the helpline and lodge a complain. She said she is not bothered to make that effort (to call) because she thinks DiGi will not do anything about it. So why bother? Her thinking, rightly or wrongly, reminded me of Starbucks pledge, "Our Promise". The public display of "Our Promise" at the pick up counter gives assurance to the complainant that a solution is available and known. 

Well, I foresee her inconveniencing herself by driving to a DiGi shop to make payment.

My conversation with her made me realised (again) that a company needs to proactively seek feedback from customers. Reactive approach may cause a company to lose disgruntled yet silent customers. The best part is the company would not even know why customers are abandoning it.

Phew! Thank god I'm not an AIA customer!

Recently, I provided a feedback to AIA. Below was AIA's response. The response was timely because it was still fresh in my mind. However, the response (service recovery) was poor.

Would I waste my time and effort to call another number? Certainly not! What is important is I'm glad I didn't buy AIA insurance. (You have my loyalty, Prudential. Just don't break it by telling me it is not related to service or call another number if I give a feedback in the future).


Dear Mr. Alan,
Good day to you.
Thank you for your e-mail.
We refer to your email and regret to mention that we are unable to attend to your query as it is not related to the service, which we usually provide to our policyholders.
For general enquiry, you can call our Customer Service toll free number 1-300-88-1899/+6 03-2056 2000 (from Overseas) for assistance.
Thank you.
Best regards,
Lynnie
Customer Care Centre

Enjoy the free suntan, sir (like it or not)

"You have to do it 3 days in advance, sir", said the customer service personnel at Aeroline in 1 Utama shopping mall. I walked away dissapointed because I left office early with the hope of changing my bus seat before the counter closes for the day. It was a Friday and I was supposed to depart the following day.

I have to say I disagree with Aeroline's statement, "The Aeroline brand is thus driven by the key thrust of being People Focussed".

The more apt statement should be, "The Aeroline brand is thus driven by the key thrust of being Policy Focussed".

And I am totally fine if Aeroline is policy focussed. At least, I set my expectations upfront ie. my request or needs are not Aeroline's focus (1st priority).

Just in case, Aeroline decides to be people focussed, Zappos is a great company to emulate.

"I listened to one Minnesota customer complain that her boots had begun leaking after almost a year of use. Not only did the rep send out a new pair - in spite of a policy that only unworn shoes are returnable - but she also told the customer to keep the old ones, and mailed a hand-written thank-you.

The bean counters fully support such gestures: "Seventy-five percent of our purchases are from repeat customers," says Zappos chairman, COO, and CFO Alfred Lin. "There are a lot of things we do that seem overly costly. But we have always been focused on the long term when looking at whether something should be cut."
- Jeffrey M. O'Brien, senior editor of Fortune.

Well, I don't expect free shoes or bus ticket, at least allow me to change my seat from the free-suntan seat of 1A to suntan-free seat of 8A (based on my convenience of time, not 72 hours ahead).

cc. Aeroline management,
Hope you will aspire to become Zappos. Boleh,tak?

Remedy to declining profits and share price

At last, Dell is listening to the customers. Sometimes, it takes continuous declining profits and share price to force a company to listen to its customers. It makes me wonder why it is not natural for companies to listen to the customers. Have they not heed Sam Walton's advice? He said "There is only one boss. The customer, and he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else."

Recently, Dell launched several Web2.0 initiatives with the hope of reviving the company, i.e.

1. Self-awareness program

2. A site that lets anyone offer suggestions and vote other people's ideas up or down

3. A self-help site

4."Dear Michael" postcards with the computers he shipped. (A pre-Web2.0 feedback mechanism)

The self awareness program has a squad of 42 employees who spend their workdays engaging with the communities on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media. I wonder which profit-driven company would put 42 people on the payroll to surf and chat from 9am to 5pm.

The self-help site is my favourite because it allows people solve one another’s tech problems. Dell should take it further by allowing the users to rate the ‘helpers’. The 5-star ‘helpers’ become ambassadors of Dell. Every aspiring tech support geek would love to have a badge of honor.

Interestingly, here are the results of these initiatives :

"The latest quarterly figures from the University of Michigan's customer satisfaction index show that Dell is at the top of the rankings again for Windows PC makers, as rivals HP and Gateway sink. According to a study Dell commissioned from measurement firm Visible Technologies, negative sentiment toward the Dell brand has dropped from 48% in 2006 to 23% today. Even some of Dell's harshest critics are softening a bit after the company's recent online moves. Ben Popken, editor of the Consumerist blog, says, "They've been downgraded from evil to bumbling."

Can a Malaysian company emulate Dell? Boleh, tak?

Service us. Listen to us. And in return, I will pledge my loyalty!

Are you a good listener and a better "actor"?

Most companies proclaim in the mission statement that they listen to the customers. The toll free numbers, walk-in counters, dedicated email address, blogs are proof of its commitment towards listening to the customers.

However, not many listen and act on the feedback. Majority of the companies introduce products or services based on their years of working in the industry (I call it gut feel), casual opinions from focus gropus (participants are paid to talk right?) or by suit wearing consultants flow in for the job. Interestingly, Soothe Spa is one company that didn't use those approaches. Proabably because spa owner, London Elist doesn't have any gut feel or money to pay focus group participants or hire consultants. Instead, she uses a simple technology to her advantage. She listens and acts on the feeback.

"After an appointment Genbook sends an e-mail to the customer asking for feedback. One client wrote that Soothe's salon beds were too hard, so Elise added more padding. Another client said the rooms were too cold, so Elise adjusted the thermostat. And after one woman wrote that the wall paint in the salon's bathroom looked shabby, Elise enlisted a painter to give the walls a new coat that same week.

"Our clients are participating," says a giddy Elise. "It's what I always wanted."

This approach enables London Elist to invest in areas (padding, wall paint) that are most relevant to the customers. Sometimes, limited resources eg. money is a good thing.

I can't recall the last time a company I patronises send me an email.

Can a Malaysian company out there take up the challenge (and send me an email or a sms)? Boleh,tak?