Monday, September 28, 2009

Interesting Service Recovery

Recently I visited my grandfather who was warded at NUH. It was hot and humid in the C-class wards (no aircon). Hubby went to the nearest vending machine to buy a drink (the kind that is dispensed in small paper cups). Unfortunately, the machine malfunctioned. No cup came out, and the drink squirted onto nowhere, wasted. I was quite upset. The disappointment of not having a cold drink to quench my thirst, the lack of support (no customer service staff at the machine) and the lack of immediate refund contributed to my anger.

Actually it was only a 50cts drink, but as a matter of principles (cannot take my money for nothing), I called the customer hotline (printed on the machine) knowing it might be a lengthy call (consume my talktime). Thankfully it was manned on a Saturday afternoon. I rudely exclaimed to the poor polite guy who answered my call. “Your vending machine is spoilt! I put the money in and no cup was dispensed. Wasted my money. How are you going to give me a refund!”

The guy patiently asked for details and said he would send a Burger King voucher to thank me for the feedback. (I din press for the refund anymore, thinking the voucher cld be $5). So I also gave him my particulars for him to mail the voucher to me.

All was forgotten until one week later, I receive a nicely worded letter from F&N to thank me for my feedback, and to use the letter to redeem a 16oz drink at BK outlets. Well, the letter sure pacify me, though I was disappointed with the drink redemption. Still, it definitely cost more than 50cts. Cant complain.