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?