For the past few days I've been meeting terrible customer service that really spoils one's day. Often than not, it is caused by an individual who could possibly tarnish the name of the company. Things only gets worse when you see the exactly same behavior in the manager.
Before I begin elaborating, I must first clarify that I am not the unreasonable kind of customer who demands for full money back gaurentee services not first class services the kind you get on airplanes VIP seats. I am the kind who will help the waiter should he spill the drinks on the table (not on me!). What I am talking about is basic manner, innitiative and attention.
Part 1
A fine last saturday, Siong and I choose to have dinner at Xin Wang Cafe. A waiteress came along to serve us after we got our seats and we were flipped through the book looking for the dish we wanted to order. So when we found the location of the dish so that we can point it out to her, we raised our heads from the menu to see her staring blankly to her right. So we called for her attention and she noted down our main course. After which, we flipped to the front of the menu and pointed out the next order, then as a natural course, we looked up to ensure that she has taken down our order. To our astonishment, the waitress is once again staring blankly to her right! We looked at her and kept quiet, testing if she would notice the silence. She did, and she noticed us staring at her, and she went:"anymore? in chinese".
After finishing out ordering, the tried to promote the Xin Wang Peng You card in the most monotonous and uninterested fashion, we caught some of her words while the rest drowned in her own throat. However, we decided it is time we get the card since there is a outlet near my where I live and we have been eating there every now and then. No harm anyway, since we caught the part whereby we have to pay $30 for the card, but more than $30 worth of vouchers will be given to us.
So happily, we dined, while talking about the unattentive waitress and how they should improve their customer service. When we had our fill and left the table to foot the bill, turned out the card entitles us to a free drink on the day of purchase. We were immediately displeased as the waitress serving did not informed us of the drink. Well we figured out that she probably did, in the part where she drowned her own voice. Eve
The waitress should have noticed and pointed it out to us that we have to choose a drink, or that perhaps we can change the dessert into the free drink for the day! She did not and now, being Singaporeans who will not let go of free deals, we carried our full stomachs and returned to the table we sat previously, just to order the free drink and force it down our bellies.
So I casually commented to the manager who took over to serve us that we were not informed of the free drink and now that we have eaten our fill, we do not know what to order for the free drink. She simply looked at us, puzzled, and kept mum. So we ordered and decided that the waitress probably got the attitude from the manager.
Being the ever customer service stressing person I am, I decided that I should fill in a feedback form and hope to bring this incident to light to the management. So I asked a passing by waiter for one and unfortunately, feedbacks can only be done online.
Apparently, this got to the same manager who served us and she came along, asking about the issue. From our point of view, the only reason why she decided to attend to the issue was for the fear of having it raised to the higher management.
So she kept apologizing on her waiter's behalf, till the extent we felt awkward and naggy. We were just eager to leave!
When the matter was brought up at the cashier area, the cahsier should have already informed the manager to ractify the problem, which we see it as easily a voucher stating we can redeem the free drink some other time, even if it is at the same outlet.
Instead of apologizing profusely, the manager could also have simply given another free drink voucher to pacify displease consumers. It may not be deserving since we have already had our free drink, but this goes a long way in building goodwill with consumers. In addition, people do not go to Hong Kong Cafe to drink - it is more of a eating place. Having a free drink draws people back again and food will be accompanied for order. Can't businesses just think for the long run?
The managers just made us feel that they want us to leave asap and hope that we will not louge the complaint. We did not in the end, but the next time round such incident occurs, I will be sure to record the feedback address.
Part 2
For some reasons my handphone is unable to detect any reception at all. So I rushed down to Sembawang Starhub shop (as I discovered from the starhub website), aiming to reach half an hour before it's closing time at 9pm. When it was my turn to be served, I addressed my issue as: ' My phone is not able to detect any reception and I think something is wrong with it or my simcard'
So the customer service went: 'For Sim cards you have to go to Doughby Ghaut. We do not do Sim Cards here.' She simply tried to redirect me without even taking a look at the actual problem of the phone! What if it is a phone problem and nothing's wrong with the sim card?
Totally put off at the unwillingness to serve.
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