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!

Malaysia a Land of Smile?

Malaysians have been asked by Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Donald Lim to play their role in welcoming the world to the country and help promote Visit Malaysia 2007. Another interesting statement by State Tourism Hospitality Committee chairman Cheang Chee Gooi caught my eye. He said the state would not tolerate front line people in the industry who were discourteous to tourists. “We expect these people to be courteous, friendly and helpful,” he said. This directive from the State Government clearly shows Malaysian front liners are not naturally courteous, friendly and helpful. Hence, you need to be ordered by a goverment minister. These acts become part of the job requirements instead of part of our way of life. I think every Malaysian accepted the fact the customer service in Malaysia is 3rd class. (My 1st hand experience was MAS, Litrak and PLUS highways). Malaysia is not a land of smiles. The title belongs to Thailand.

Malaysia’s tagline to tourists is "Truly Asia". Sometimes, I wonder whether what Malaysia offers is truly Asia. As I think hard enough, I found several. In general, Asians don’t smile to strangers (except Thais), public toilets are dirty (except Singapore), taxis drivers con tourists (except Singapore), locals are courteous only to tourists (except tourists from 3rd world countries). I may be accused of being unpatriotic if I highlight only the other (ugly) side of Malaysia. Well, like all sales pitch, if the salesman only tells you all the positive things, you naturally doubt him, right? For the positive side of Malaysia, you can visit Tourism Malaysia's website. For example, the main attraction of Visit Malaysia Year 2007 campaign is the ‘Eye on Malaysia’, a giant ferris wheel. It is built at the cost of RM30 million (complement of the tax payers again) and it will cost an adult RM15 and a child RM8 for a 12 minutes ride.

See you at the ‘Eye on Malaysia’.

Tourists from 3rd world countries, beware!

An article in the Star Newspaper…

“The Penang Tourism Action Council had received a complaint on Tuesday that an immigration officer was rude to two Indonesian women at the Penang International Airport. The two women had claimed that on arrival at the airport, the officer rudely asked them why they planned to stay so long in Penang. When the elderly woman answered that she was here to undergo medical treatment for cancer, she claimed the officer replied ‘Indonesia no doctor ah?’ She was very taken aback with such a question,' he said.”

This incident confirmed my perception regarding the 3rd class treatment towards nationalities from developing countries (eg. Indonesia, Bangladesh) by front line staff such as immigration officers or flight attendants of Malaysia Airlines System (MAS). A Caucasian tourist will never (I repeat, never) receive such treatment. I'm not sure whether the strength of a country’s currency has a direct correlation with the level of customer service provided or is it the master-slave mentality?

Note : Malaysia was colonized by the British, Portugese, Dutch & Japanese once upon a time. Ask any Malaysian student which is their 1st choice of country to pursue their undergraduate study.
Hint : Caucasian.

Official Air Transport of "BolehLand"

In the past few months, I noticed Malaysian Airlines (MAS) has been in the news headlines. Not only did MAS post a surprising profit in the recent quarter, the headlines highlight MAS new partnerships, new rates, revision of routes and investment in IT systems. Specifically, the tangible technology investments received much press coverage. I wonder whether after reading these numerous articles, the Malaysian public is calling MAS call centre or booking flights online in great numbers this coming holiday season. Conversely, do customers flock to an airline because it gives friendly and satisfying customer service a.k.a. world class customer service?

The press coverage of MAS reminded me of an incident I happened to observe in a MAS flight from Kuala Lumpur to Dhaka last year. While preparing for take off, a distraught Bangladeshi asked help from the stewardess. As the stewardess was too busy getting ready to take off, she told the Bangladeshi off. Her facial reaction reaffirmed that point. My colleague and I were shocked by her treatment towards the Bangladeshi. Then, being typical Malaysians, we rationalized that he deserved it because he is a migrant worker. With that observation, I concluded that if you are a migrant worker from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Myammar or third world countries, you will receive 3rd class treatment by MAS. However, if you are migrant worker or rather expatriate, from America, Europe or developed countries, you will receive 1st class treatment (even though you are sitting in economy class). So what if you are a Malaysian. Well you will receive 2nd class treatment (That’s what I call home advantage). Why not 1st class you may ask. Well we Malaysians have an unexplainable tendency to treat people from Europe or America better. I’m not sure it has anything to do with being colonized few decades ago. (Clue : Master – slave relationship).

A proud fact is MAS always win the Skytrax 5 star rating. Yet, I have never experience a 5 star rating service. I can bet no Bangladeshi has ever experience 5 star rating service too (Any Bangladeshi out there who beg to defer with me?). Then it dawn on me when I tried to seek the answers from Skytrax website. The market researchers probably surveyed caucasian passengers from developed countries. A truer and balanced survey would give the following results :

Malaysia Airlines Star Ranking

1. Cabin Staff Service

a. Economy Class - service efficiency
= 4 Stars (for caucasian passengers)
= 3 Stars (for passengers from Malaysia with titles such as Tan Sri, Dato, Datuk, Datin aka VIP)*
= 2 Stars (for passengers from Malaysia without any titles aka not Very Important Person)
= 1 Star (for passengers from 3rd world countries)

b. Economy Class - staff attitude & friendliness
= 5 Stars (for caucasian passengers)
= 3 Stars (for passengers from Malaysia with titles such as Tan Sri, Dato, Datuk, Datin aka VIP)
= 2 Stars (for passengers from Malaysia without any titles aka not Very Important Person)
= 1 Star (for passengers from 3rd world countries)

c. Responding to Passenger Requests
= 5 Stars (for caucasian passengers)
= 3 Stars (for passengers from Malaysia with titles such as Tan Sri, Dato, Datuk, Datin aka VIP)
= 2 Stars (for passengers from Malaysia without any titles aka not Very Important Person)
= 1 Star (for passengers from 3rd world countries)

* Malaysians are a class conscious society. The consciousness is probably due to the remnants (or legacy) of the British colonial masters. These titles are similar to the British tiles such as Sir, Lord, Baron, Knighthood and the list goes on.

Fear not my fellow Malaysians, if you don’t resemble a white man or woman or don’t possess any title of nobility, the way out is get a title. However, before doing that, you may want to read this information.

Good luck on your next flight. Going beyond expectations.