Bad Customer Service?

As a Malaysian, I have had bad experiences in Customer Service.  I am not sure if it is the culture, or something yet to be improved in Malaysia, but it is so very difficult to get the treatment you deserve, the answer to your questions.  As far as I am concerned, I haven't experienced anything worth mentioning here!  But I did experience the worst, and yes I will share some of them here.    

My bad customer service experience came mostly from banks.  Yes because I have dealt with many banks before.  One of my recent bad experience is with CIMB Bank through its CIMBCLICK - the online facility.  It was a small amount of money transacted, yes, but that's besides the point.  I reloaded one of my prepaid line using this facility, and the amount transacted had failed.  Being myself who is always cautious with my transaction, I looked back into my CIMBCLIK transaction statement, and the amount had been succesfully deducted from my account.  Yes, a RM10 transaction not worth bragging about but I did anyway. Two emails, several phone calls, and several follow up phone calls.  None worked, I never got my RM10 from CIMB or DIGI.  No one has called me back.  And when I did my follow up call, my previous call record was not found!  Now you do realise that all these activities have definitely cost me more than RM10, right?  But too bad I can't make CIMB realise that.  I am just their small customer as compared to those corporate or multi- millionaire customer they have with them.

My most recent deal with Hong Leong Bank, was when I was trying to make full settlement of my personal loan.  Like CIMB, Hong Leong has the same record of bad customer service and based on my own experience also has the tendency to disseminate wrong information.  CIMB did this to me about a month back when I requested for my bank statement.  Anyway, when I called the customer service centre which has a long IVR, my call was picked up by a new customer service representative (She mentioned it herself).  With no phone etchics, she took down my details and asked me to hold the line.  I believe this girl was not suppose to be answering the phone without much skills in the first place.  After the long awaited moment I was transferred to another officer the line got cut off.  Great!  I called again, and this time I think some senior officer picked up the phone and told me that I should be calling the branch which I had signed the agreement with.  Great, once again I was unable to resolve the issue at first call.  This is a normal thing with banks, I suppose.  I will not even start telling you the story of how I was trying to obtain my statement from CIMB about a month ago, and another incident when I was updating them with my final payment.  A very long story...

I then called the Hartamas branch and spoke to one of the officer who was, very loud, doesn't give out the correct information, and refusing to accept my full settlement.  She kept on mentioning that I am suppose to do it at the branch and that I will be fined a certain amount for making an early settlement.  This lady hadn't given me any other option until I kept repeating "I don't care, as long as I can make full settlemet.  What are my options".  Then she assisted by sending me a service request form which I had to fill in and fax back.  How very complicated.  Other banks had let me do it without much questions asked.  You can see where they're coming from, they don't wanna lose out on their side.  They'll lose on all that interest from my early settlement, you see.  So there you can see that these banks are very selfish.

And finally today, after form faxed back, and double checking on everything (based on previous experience, their facts aren't exactly facts), my husband took the money and went to Hong Leong branch in Taman KIP.  Yes, because the officer from Hartamas mentioned that I can send anyone over.  Can you guess what happened next?  Hubby called saying that he is unable to make the payment, they won't let him, and that he must do it at the 'home branch'.  Bullshit.  They were gonna get it from me, so I asked him to pass the phone.  After explaining the situation to the officer, one again, a very long explanation otherwise these people won't understand you... The girl asked for the Hartamas officer and my phone number, and said she will call me back once she found out the status.  Of course she didn't because 15 minutes after that I called my husband, everything was already sorted out.  Thankfully.  What I will never understand is what kind of bank policy restrict you from accepting customer's money?  The Hong Leong policy is the correct answer.  

There were many others but I am already very exhausted from all the bullshit customer service are giving me.  This morning alone, I faced two shits.  One with Hong Leong Bank above, and another one with TM.  However TM had a much more polite customer service so I managed to cool it off before I started yelling again.  I'd just like to mention my disappointment here and know that many years will come before any improvement is made to their system, or the customer service in general.  Let's just sit, and watch, and bear the frustration, shall we.  I do apologise for mentioning names here which I didn't mean to, but am sure that some would like to know what or who exactly am I talking about.

Diana Abdul Molok @ TRS