No surprises for many honest bloggers when we read Xiaxue's exposé on the rampant and irresponsible means applied by some bloggers who are lured by benefits. Some of the relatively unheard of bloggers have site statistics that do prompt curiousity.
Doing research before engaging a service or buying any product takes time, and it is such a drain on genuine customers who take the trouble to diligently comb the net for true user opinions, only to land up with fakes reviews that stands in the way of obtaining the solution that one seeks.
Xiaxue's http://xiaxue.blogspot.sg/2015/03/the-big-gushcloud-expose-2_14.html has now moved on to Gushcloud campaign for SingTel that understandably makes M1 and StarHub see red.
Our user experience with M1
We use M1 for our mobile phone lines, and all these years, our interaction with them is very less because their services simply function without incident, except for an odd incident here and there (involving some roaming setting or some add-ons) which they easily rectify.. ..well, without much incident. As long-time M1 mobile customers, we have never come across the degree of foul-ups that the bloggers (they are a.k.a. influencers?) claim are their regular encounters with M1 reception. If true, we are curious what transpired with their calls to M1 Customer Services. Presumably, one don't just put up quietly with foul services and not even bother to call or approach the Telco.
We do get a lot of temptations to switch over to other Telcos. Thus far, M1 has been able to lure us back during their Fairs.
Our user experience with StarHub
We use StarHub for cable TV. They are the best. No experience with their mobile services.
Our user experience with SingTel
We use SingTel for broadband and fibre plan, and there's been loads of disconnect issues, that has by now become routine for us. And yes, we have tons of text and taped conversations via SingTel customer hotline over this issue so this is legit user experience.
The only factor that kept us with them all these years is their good and responsive customer service.
Otherwise, the modem that they provide (which we suspect is the cause of all these years of disconnect issues) needs an upgrade. In fact the internet went down again in the midst of posting this.. ..!?!! We need go reset the ONT & Modem again.. ..!?!!
Thursday, March 19, 2015
Saturday, March 14, 2015
Rude Staff @ Old Chang Kee
Don't companies train their service staff anymore? At least in basic courtesy?
We were at Funan yesterday, and decided to grab some snacks at Old Change Kee outlet near the entrance.
I asked for 2 crab nuggets, and 1 Curry O, which is their regular curry puff. I then recall that they do occasionally carry the new crab curry puff, and proceeded to ask if there is crab curry puff. If there is, I wanted to add in one to my order.
The young punk behind the counter rolled her eyes at me and with an utter look of exasperation, rudely screeched out: "So do you want Curry O or do you want crab puff?"
"I want one each. Why? Is there a policy that says I cannot buy two different types of curry puffs?" I shot back.
She ignored my question, and with a sour face, grabbed one crab puff.
"What a rude service!" I told her.
Instead of apologizing, she turned to the cash machine and counted the change aloud.
She was the only one manning the counter, but we were the only customers till someone else joined in as we were about done, so there wasn't a long queue pressing on her. It wasn't closing time either, so why was she in a hurry to get rid of us? And our order only total up to 4 pieces, not 40 pieces. There wasn't any dragging on our part where she has to wait for us to make decisions, and as a result become impatient.
Perhaps it's due to the shortage of service manpower that creates a situation where the staff thinks everyone else is reliant on them to survive and therefore have to be subservient to his/her moods and attitude.
Or perhaps because she is not local, and doesn't abide by service expectations?
I should have scolded her in Mandarin, since she was pretending not to hear my words in English language.
Old Chang Kee, you are getting lax with your staff!
We were at Funan yesterday, and decided to grab some snacks at Old Change Kee outlet near the entrance.
I asked for 2 crab nuggets, and 1 Curry O, which is their regular curry puff. I then recall that they do occasionally carry the new crab curry puff, and proceeded to ask if there is crab curry puff. If there is, I wanted to add in one to my order.
The young punk behind the counter rolled her eyes at me and with an utter look of exasperation, rudely screeched out: "So do you want Curry O or do you want crab puff?"
"I want one each. Why? Is there a policy that says I cannot buy two different types of curry puffs?" I shot back.
She ignored my question, and with a sour face, grabbed one crab puff.
"What a rude service!" I told her.
Instead of apologizing, she turned to the cash machine and counted the change aloud.
She was the only one manning the counter, but we were the only customers till someone else joined in as we were about done, so there wasn't a long queue pressing on her. It wasn't closing time either, so why was she in a hurry to get rid of us? And our order only total up to 4 pieces, not 40 pieces. There wasn't any dragging on our part where she has to wait for us to make decisions, and as a result become impatient.
Perhaps it's due to the shortage of service manpower that creates a situation where the staff thinks everyone else is reliant on them to survive and therefore have to be subservient to his/her moods and attitude.
Or perhaps because she is not local, and doesn't abide by service expectations?
I should have scolded her in Mandarin, since she was pretending not to hear my words in English language.
Old Chang Kee, you are getting lax with your staff!
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Those Pesky Credit Card Annual Fees
Time is central to everything else in this universe.
We have learnt to respect time a little more this year than in past years.
And when it comes to keeping a lookout for credit card's annual fees, and the subsequent process of reversals that would be involved, the savings in time takes precedent over the savings in monetary rebates from credit cards which do not offer outstanding value benefits.
Because life is busy in every other aspects, it helps too to remove this one bit of hassle.
We keep those cards which do not charge. It's a plus to never have to worry about forgetting to reverse annual fees. Peace!
We have learnt to respect time a little more this year than in past years.
And when it comes to keeping a lookout for credit card's annual fees, and the subsequent process of reversals that would be involved, the savings in time takes precedent over the savings in monetary rebates from credit cards which do not offer outstanding value benefits.
Because life is busy in every other aspects, it helps too to remove this one bit of hassle.
We keep those cards which do not charge. It's a plus to never have to worry about forgetting to reverse annual fees. Peace!
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Citibank Statements
Now that Citibank is no longer tied up with Tangs, we are thinking of giving up their other credit cards. That would leave us with Citibank-M1 card only.
Reason?
Citibank has the most unattractive monthly statement set in monotonous grayscale that's a pain to read. Somehow, the presentation reminds of an accounts ledger, and who likes to be reminded that checking through credit card statements is as much a chore as going through bookkeeping sequences?
It gets worse when you have more than one credit card with them. To make out the head and tail, you have to mark it out on your own.
The other banks are able to produce statements that are way better.
Typically Citibank.
Took us years of feedback to finally see that their log-in no longer has that dreadful on-screen keypad that nobody likes — even if it is for security reasons.
It would probably take us another few years of feedback before we see an improvement in their current statement interface. We kinda run out of steam - and patience - on this one.
Reason?
Citibank has the most unattractive monthly statement set in monotonous grayscale that's a pain to read. Somehow, the presentation reminds of an accounts ledger, and who likes to be reminded that checking through credit card statements is as much a chore as going through bookkeeping sequences?
It gets worse when you have more than one credit card with them. To make out the head and tail, you have to mark it out on your own.
The other banks are able to produce statements that are way better.
Typically Citibank.
Took us years of feedback to finally see that their log-in no longer has that dreadful on-screen keypad that nobody likes — even if it is for security reasons.
It would probably take us another few years of feedback before we see an improvement in their current statement interface. We kinda run out of steam - and patience - on this one.
Friday, February 20, 2015
Taken — Cat vanish into thin air
Kinderella, an outdoor cat that calls the compound of an East Coast private block home, has gone mysteriously missing after the new year.
Docile, playful, furry creature, yet inexplicably, there were a rare few who hate the sight of this cat.
No response to missing posters with reward offers, and with 2 other cats also missing at the same time, it appears to be a coordinated wave of catnapping.
What could have happened?
• Cat hater drove it far off where it could never find its way back.
• Crushed by moving vehicle and body dumped.
• Locked accidentally in a garage or some other holding area.
• Adopted. Unlikely because of the cat's strong outdoor instincts.
• Captured for lab tests or for its fluffy fur. Unlikely.
• Captured by cat-eating homo sapiens? Hopefully not. Horror tales a year ago has died down.
Neutered cat but it has no ID tag. Microchip to reunite the cat with its beloved caretakers has not returned the cat to its favorite spot.
Its tough being an urban cat in Singapore.
Docile, playful, furry creature, yet inexplicably, there were a rare few who hate the sight of this cat.
No response to missing posters with reward offers, and with 2 other cats also missing at the same time, it appears to be a coordinated wave of catnapping.
What could have happened?
• Cat hater drove it far off where it could never find its way back.
• Crushed by moving vehicle and body dumped.
• Locked accidentally in a garage or some other holding area.
• Adopted. Unlikely because of the cat's strong outdoor instincts.
• Captured for lab tests or for its fluffy fur. Unlikely.
• Captured by cat-eating homo sapiens? Hopefully not. Horror tales a year ago has died down.
Neutered cat but it has no ID tag. Microchip to reunite the cat with its beloved caretakers has not returned the cat to its favorite spot.
Its tough being an urban cat in Singapore.
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Why We Return Our Hitachi Fridge
The Hitachi Innovation Forum at Suntec City on 19 November 2014, in conjunction with their 50th anniversary in Singapore, touches on solutions that meets the needs and challenges faced by ASEAN cities and societies.
We have no experience with Hitachi products but through their exhibitions, we have noted that they have some of the best looking products around.
So when our 5-year-old Samsung refrigerator broke down, we selected the R-VG690P3MS Hitachi 2-door fridge due to its mirror-finish.
The promoters assured us that the parts were from Japan.
It was a surprise therefore to find that it emits several tinnitus-like sounds - eeeeeee, wheeeeee, pheeeeeeee - for quite a larger part of the day and night, with volumes ranging from low wind sound to whining to outright nagging.
We followed instructions, and only turned on the fridge after letting it settle down for a day after delivery. We even fill it up with some items in case it helps to moderate the thermostat. After monitoring for another 2 days, and finding that the sound appears to be characteristic of the model, we knew this fridge was unacceptable.
It was then that we combed the forums and realized that the high-pitch sound of Hitachi has been raised enough times by various members across several forums for us to decide on a one-to-one exchange to another brand.
Hitachi tried brand retention by suggesting that a muffler be placed around the compressor. But forum members had already warned against doing that at the risk of shortening the life span of the fridge. Their suggestion to muffle the sound with a foam-like material appears to contra-indicate the suggestion during delivery to leave the fridge 5 - 10 cm away from the way for air circulation purposes.
Folks with tinnitus often spend a fortune to seek a cure. It was ironical to be told that the tinnitus-sound churned out by the compressor was normal. It took quite a load of explanation before our predicament was taken seriously. Gain City, the retailer, finally effected an exchange to another brand, which is serving us well.
High-pitch sound impacts on health, research have shown. Although there are customers who eventually gets used to the sound, far too many people have reported finding the pitch intolerable. Since Hitachi boasts a social innovation unit, they may like to start with solving this mystery of why they are ok with using a compressor that makes a tinnitus-like sound.
We have no experience with Hitachi products but through their exhibitions, we have noted that they have some of the best looking products around.
So when our 5-year-old Samsung refrigerator broke down, we selected the R-VG690P3MS Hitachi 2-door fridge due to its mirror-finish.
The promoters assured us that the parts were from Japan.
It was a surprise therefore to find that it emits several tinnitus-like sounds - eeeeeee, wheeeeee, pheeeeeeee - for quite a larger part of the day and night, with volumes ranging from low wind sound to whining to outright nagging.
We followed instructions, and only turned on the fridge after letting it settle down for a day after delivery. We even fill it up with some items in case it helps to moderate the thermostat. After monitoring for another 2 days, and finding that the sound appears to be characteristic of the model, we knew this fridge was unacceptable.
It was then that we combed the forums and realized that the high-pitch sound of Hitachi has been raised enough times by various members across several forums for us to decide on a one-to-one exchange to another brand.
Hitachi tried brand retention by suggesting that a muffler be placed around the compressor. But forum members had already warned against doing that at the risk of shortening the life span of the fridge. Their suggestion to muffle the sound with a foam-like material appears to contra-indicate the suggestion during delivery to leave the fridge 5 - 10 cm away from the way for air circulation purposes.
Folks with tinnitus often spend a fortune to seek a cure. It was ironical to be told that the tinnitus-sound churned out by the compressor was normal. It took quite a load of explanation before our predicament was taken seriously. Gain City, the retailer, finally effected an exchange to another brand, which is serving us well.
High-pitch sound impacts on health, research have shown. Although there are customers who eventually gets used to the sound, far too many people have reported finding the pitch intolerable. Since Hitachi boasts a social innovation unit, they may like to start with solving this mystery of why they are ok with using a compressor that makes a tinnitus-like sound.
Friday, November 7, 2014
Former China Tour Guide Yang Yin
40-year-old Yang Yin, embroiled in a legal tussle over the assets of Madam Chung Khin Chun, a wealthy 87-year-old widow, has falsified receipts of Young Music and Dance Studio, amounting to over $450,000. Apparently, he wanted his company to reflect a hefty income in order to obtain a Permanent Residence or Citizen status in Singapore.
This is his latest miscreant act among the others he was caught with earlier.
There appears to be a few lessons to be learnt from this case which is why we have been following the case avidly.
Of concern is the well-being of Madam Chung. At her age, and with dementia sometimes affecting a normal lifespan, immediate steps should be taken to allow her or a suitable representative to regain stolen assets and protect her from further loss.
We have first-hand awareness of dementia. Unlike what many thinks, reasonable judgment still resides in persons with dementia at the odd moments when lucidity returns. An experienced doctor or caregiver can easily recognize these moments.
Persons with dementia should be allowed to stay in familiar surroundings. We hope her home is safe enough for her to return to, and good caregivers be by her side.
In the end, life isn't all about money. But you still don't want it to go to the wrong hands!
The hearts of (some) men are desperately wicked. We hope justice will be restored.
This is his latest miscreant act among the others he was caught with earlier.
There appears to be a few lessons to be learnt from this case which is why we have been following the case avidly.
Of concern is the well-being of Madam Chung. At her age, and with dementia sometimes affecting a normal lifespan, immediate steps should be taken to allow her or a suitable representative to regain stolen assets and protect her from further loss.
We have first-hand awareness of dementia. Unlike what many thinks, reasonable judgment still resides in persons with dementia at the odd moments when lucidity returns. An experienced doctor or caregiver can easily recognize these moments.
Persons with dementia should be allowed to stay in familiar surroundings. We hope her home is safe enough for her to return to, and good caregivers be by her side.
In the end, life isn't all about money. But you still don't want it to go to the wrong hands!
The hearts of (some) men are desperately wicked. We hope justice will be restored.
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