So, here I was at TM Point in PJ to cancel the Streamyx since I've been a P1 customer for a while now. The problem was that my dear housemate Jen was the one who signed up for the Telekom services. I expected they would say I couldn't cancel it since it wasn't under my name. So I armed myself with documentation that I owned the house, so by default that gives me more right.
Or so I thought.
I get to the counter after waiting for a good 20 minutes, and the officer sets out to be difficult. I explain to her from the beginning what I wanted and that I wasn't the subscriber, but I owned the house so I should be able to cancel the line. No. She says I have to get an authorisation letter from Jen to cancel the line. And then I say, "well Jen is away in Paris and I don't have time to keep coming to the centre just to cancel the line".
R (at the counter): Ask her to email the authorisation letter.
Me: Ok, if you can accept emailed letter, why don't I ask her to email to YOU directly and then you can terminate the line.
R: No, you have to come here with the authorisation letter, then only I can terminate.
Me: You think I got so much time (which is actually true-lah, but why tell her that) to come here so many times ah? Isn't it easier to send the email to you and you can proceed. I have filled the form here.
R goes in presumably to talk to the manager or a ghost supervisor. She comes back and says:
R: Either you get the authorisation letter or you can go to the Commissioner of Oath to stamp on the form that you will take full responsibility.
Me: Huh! You mean I have to pay RM4 (I think that's what it costs) to get some fella to say I will take responsibility! Will you deduct it from my bill?
R: No. Otherwise we cannot do.
I repeat my argument, adding that its very inconvenient for people who travel and work outstation to keep coming back to do a very simple task. And then I say that they should have these services online, saves a lot of people the trouble.
R then looks over to her colleague and asks if email is possible since I don't give up on that solution. He says yes and asks that an IC copy is attached, to which I say, sure thing, no problem. But R is not convinced. She goes back in behind the sliding door with the big TM/Unifi ad to see the ghost supervisor again. It takes a while. I stare into the camera and think (oh, what is the privacy problem here, hmm....anyway, will they think I look like a terrorist? Is there actually a tape in the recorder? How long will they keep the vids? Who looks at them? Will someone ask for my number....) R comes back.
R: Ok, so only if you give all these details and CC the email to me, will I reconnect. She must give all the details...bla...bla......
Me: Yes sure, no problem. So email me and CC you - its done. Thanks.
I walk out. It could have been over in 5 minutes.
The moral of the story?
Its very common in the service sector here that when you have an out of the ordinary situation, the service providers tend to present you with more problems rather than solutions. And often the solutions are acceptable but because their attitudes are bad, I tend to reject their suggestions.
We had a similar experience when Soeren wanted to open a bank account and because he's a foreigner, the customer service officer at the first bank we went to (Standard Chartered) told him to his face they wouldn't open one because of fear of money laundering. Is that how you treat potential customers! So, she said we could only have joint account (which we didn't like) but we decided not to do any business with the bank anyway that throws money laundering as the first thing that comes out of their mouth. It so happened the next bank gave the same solution but in a more respected manner. We took it.
On the flip side, Celcom was better in not only helping me with a situation, they also offered to halve my outstanding payment from 2001 (yes, I've been blacklisted all this while) so I could become a fresh customer for them:) The difference was really in the approach and personality of the customer service officers - they can have the same set of limitations, and choose to deal with the customers better.
But I think a lot of SOPs in the service industry should be challenged and customer service officers be forced to move out of their chairs to think creatively for solutions.
Small story but imagine the thousands of people having to bear with unthinking service providers who are quick to take your money but not to assist you.
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