The obligatory annual fee waiver

I tried calling my UOB visa signatures hotline last week becos in my latest bill statement, they had automatically waived off half of my annual card fee, which meant they were also charging the other 50% of the annual fee = $100. However by following the voice prompts (“to speak to our officers on fees and charges, plse press 1”), I never got to speak to the customer service officer. Instead, I was asked to key in my contact number for which the customer service officer would contact me within a week (one week? My expectation is 3 days!) So after a few days, I got impatient, and called the hotline again. This time, I pressed 2 (“to speak to our officers on other enquries”), and was told the lines are busy, I could opt for self-help or hold the line. I chose to hold, and was connected almost immediately. (Were the hotlines really busy or was I just lucky?) The customer service officer checked my account and said that the remaining $100 had been waived off as well a few days ago and it would be reflected in next month’s statement. Well, that was certainly efficient. Has the company automated the waiver of annual fees thru phone prompts? Is it due to high volume of such requests? Why not just waive the fees directly in the first place so that the fee waiver step is eliminated? Better still, dun charge annual fees. Must consumers go the ‘extra mile’ to get the fee waiver? Is the bank trying to sneak in annual fees on unsuspecting customers who will obediently pay the annual fee? Are there any non-discerning consumers who do that?

Company website matters!

Been searching around the net for websites of companies who can do corporate video production. Since it’s a video production, the ‘feel’ of the website makes or breaks my decision making in shortlisting them. Those that are slick , comprehensive, market themselves well rank high on my list. Basic info is acceptable as well. Unfortunately , some companies dun seem to realize the importance of their website in portraying the company’s image.

One company’s website was really slow… processing… processing… is that page going to load or not?! Forget it, I’m not waiting..

Another company’s website was ‘screwed’ up. Click on ‘client list’.. new browser launches and opens up to blank page. What, u have no client?

Another company had a ‘dated’ looking website. Outdated design and lackluster colours … will my corporate video turn out this way too? Is the company still in business?

Another company’s site was too ‘avant-garde’ for me to navigate through. Catch no ball… dun even know how to navigate ur website.. how to understand your video?


Isit better to do a proper job or don’t have a website at all?

Delayed and delayed , is this what to expect of NTUC Income?

Wanted to get NTUC Income medishield for my mum. Here’s the timeline:

4 Aug – Submitted online enquiry form thru income.com.sg. Received immediate Auto Response that I would be contacted within one working day.

Wait… wait…

7 Aug – Still no response. Replied to their email to ask why no response. Soon after, a customer service officer called me. She claimed that she did call me that day but I told her I was busy and to call back another time. I have absolutely no recollection of that. And even if I did, why was she taking so long to call me back? She’s still at fault. Why try to sound like its my fault and she’s being gracious about it by saying ‘it’s ok, nevermind.’ That aside, she took down my mailing address and promised the form would be mailed out today. I can expect to receive the letter within 2 working days.

Wait… wait…

14 Aug – One week! I cannot believe our snail mail is this speed. I had to write back to them to ask why is my form not here yet?!!! Their response and apology came within the same day. Promising to ‘expedite’.

Wait… wait…

19 Aug - I received a call from the same customer service officer and after noting that I have yet to receive the form, she emailed it to me instead.

20 Aug - I finally received the form through snail mail as well.

Was the form sitting in their in-tray waiting to be mailed or did Singpost take such a long time? If they need so long to send me a form, can you imagine how much longer it would take to process your claims?

Grouchy CHEERS

I bought a springroll from shop A and walked off. The springroll tasted bland, I should have added chilli sauce. Just nice, there was a Cheers outlet ahead. We went in and bought drinks. While my partner was paying the cashier, I helped myself to the chilli sauce. After the payment was settled, the cashier came over to ask if I had taken food from the hot food counter (where the chilli sauce was). She thought I could have taken food without paying. I replied No, I used the chilli sauce. She then told me off for not ‘asking first’. Come on, its only Chilli sauce. Why do we have to ask you? And so what if we din ask? Did we deserved to be ‘told off’ for something so minor?

Unacceptable Civil Service Standards

I haven been updating this blog, cos I thought I have run out of things to post with regards to bad service and screwed up processes. But I was wrong. Nothing is perfect, so again, I encountered ‘blood vomitting’ stuff.

My 30th birthday is just around the corner and I received a notification slip from SIR/ICA to re-register for my NRIC. Two problems:

1) We can re-register by post, over the counter or through the internet. However, for update by post, there was no return envelope. Very stingy indeed, and makes things inconvenient for the end-user. Obviously, as a youth (we are youths until age 35), they know we are busy people and want to encourage us to go online to submit. Still… no excuses for purposely inconveniencing us.

2) There was no deadline given. So by when do I have to re-register? The notification slip says “Identity Card (IC) Re-registration is required for all Singapore IC holders who have attained 30 years of age on and after 1 Jan 2002 and who have not been issued with a replacement IC within the last 10 years before reaching the age of 30.” Ya.. ok, I understand I have to re-register.. but BY WHEN? I dun want to unknowingly miss the deadline… or is it my English not ‘powderful’ enough that I missed the deadline as ‘specified’ in that chunk of words?

3) Tried calling their hotline.. unfortunately, after pressing numerous options and finally the ‘press O to speak to our operator’.. I was told they were experiencing high call volume, since I din want to wait, I dropped them an email instead.

4) After sending email to them, I received the Auto Reply “We have received your email. Our officer will reply to your email within 5 working days”. FIVE?!! You think this is by post ah? Email still need 5 days to respond! Seriously F*up. Becos by the end of 5 days, my 30th birthday would be over and I may have missed the deadline unknowingly…

updte 30 Apr 08: an enquiry email sent to Singhealth group via their website took one month for them to respond.. freaking slow. As good as throwing a stone into the sea when I submitted that enquiry form.

So ya.. Civil Service has gone a long way to improve, and because of their improvements, our expectations have been raised and hence such ‘small’ issues become glaringly unacceptable.