Mom-in-law's LG fridge not cooling stuff as cold as it should. Dutiful daughter worried the food would spoil subtly, so the daughter's husband got a few nudges to "seize the opportunity" to demonstrate his "worthiness".
First problem was when I gave the contact number of the service centre, which incidentally was not far from her place. They couldn't communicate properly in Mandarin and told her to go to their website instead ...
Second problem was when I called them on her behalf. They absolutely die-die 
So I try a combination of 21st century technology and old fashion legwork.
First, took several shots of the front and interior of the fridge. I figured that if their technician can't guess from the appearance, it is not confidence inspiring about their experience and capabilities.
I could have emailed the pictures, but that'd mean waiting for "goodness knows when", and a lot of "ding-dongs" back and forth if they want to follow their "procedure".
So I went down (this is where the old-fashioned legwork comes in) to the service centre myself and told them I'm there for servicing a fridge.
The (slightly taken aback) receptionist looked behind me and (half-expectantly) said, "Did you bring the fridge with you?" (What do I look like? Hercules?)
Of course not, I told her, and explained the problem I had trying to make a booking over the phone. I gave them the prints of the photos I took (so that they could pass it around instead of passing my camera-phone around).
First time they had such an experience I guess, from the reaction of the two receptionists. The two girls asked each other what to do, traded some ideas, but each somehow managed to convince the other why an idea *would not* work ...
One brought the photos in but couldn't find any technician as they were all out on call. They tried their manageress but she was also initially resistant to this unorthodox approaching, trying to explain to me that they got more than 100 models of fridge, no catalogue of past lines etc., and etc.
The best she could do, she said, is narrow from the photo that it's a 4-series, but that's still too many 'cos 4-series fridge just meant it's got 2 doors instead of 1, 3, 4 or other number of doors. Yeah, a customer service manager who knows her stuff ... I thought silently.
Of course, they could send the technician over, and in case he didn't have the right parts, he'd have to make another trip and each trip is S$45, excluding parts.
I raised my brows and explained that I believe their technicians are more capable than that, and I could leave the photos behind. Just make that (silent !@#!$#) appointment.
Finally, she brought the pictures to guy at another counter. He looked at it, and then started reciting some 5-6 character model number. Got it down to 2 possible closely related models.
The 2 receptionists' jaws dropped. One said to the other, "I told you should have asked him." Her colleague replied, "How I know ..."
*tsk* *tsk* young people nowadays ...
Well, the happy ending to the story is the technician came (someone who spoke Mandarin/Hokkien as I requested), found out the fridge just needs a bit of cleaning, identify the model number, and gave my MIL a discount from the usual service call fee.
So, is this something I got to do everytime I need better service?
Sounds like the company isn't really that bad, but need to re-think some of their procedures. Why don't you write in with suggestions? As for level of service, you will get good and bad service from time to time. If you get bad service all the time than maybe there is a problem with the industry...
ReplyDeleteHope you recited this story to your MIL and Snowy Lady... earn extra brownie points :)
ReplyDeleteSuch a good SIL...
ReplyDeleteOk, I will admit I got a few laughs out of your narration...
ReplyDeleteJust a few laughs? ... I got to work harder ... trying to develop a 2nd career ...
ReplyDeleteOn another note, what do you folks think of tipping? I wonder sometimes if this is the only way to get individual service staff to be aware of their performance.
I did get attentive service from one particular waiter during dinner today, but how do I affirm his performance? Will the tip I leave behind go into a common pool or just to him?
Try harder...lol
ReplyDeleteI don't tip. But when I encounter outstanding service, I usually send feedback to that person's superior, praising them for their outstanding work.
Tipping would depend on the environment and culture. Tipping for example is expected in most restaurants in the US and frequently that is how the waiters get a better pay than his otherwise low basic. The trend there these days seem to be tips are a communal affair.
ReplyDeleteAs for Singapore I am not sure what system they have. We do not have a strong tipping culture here and I do not think linking tipping to better service will work. You should give good service regardless. These applies to all industries, I do not think restaurants should be any different.
I first learned to tip in Canada. I was staying with some students in UBC, and many of them worked part-time in some restaurants or other. Most of the time, they don't get paid so all their income is from tips.
ReplyDeleteEven though tipping is more or less mandatory, a poor service will not justify a tip and hence, there's hardly any "bo-chap" staff even among the part-timers.
Culturally, it can't be transplanted into Singapore. Each region has its own history.
It takes 3 to clap for tipping to work - staff, customer, and boss.
As of now, my usual appreciation of good service is shown through repeat business.
The small cafe off Tiong Bahru where CHF had the farewell for Yun ...?
Since change of manager ... food/service wise, they still deliver to the letter, but without the warm personal touch of the previous manager. Hence they see less of me nowadays.
When I read the first lines on the fridge's issue, I immediately knew it had to be the cleaning.. next time if the fridge is not cold again, before calling the technician (unless the fridge is still under warranty), try emptying the fridge and off the power, sometimes the fridge is frosted with ice and needs to be thawed.. let the water flow out of the fridge, then clean it thoroughly.. after that, the fridge should be back in working cooling order..
ReplyDeleteUsually fridge lasts a life time.. I had two good working condition fridges given away because each time we need a bigger one. Now as our boys are growing up and eat more, we had to replace our not very old fridge to this brand new two-door fridge. It doesnt even fit the hole where we put our old fridge.. suddenly my kitchen looks so cramp..
Excuse mua, but I dont tip. I am already so much more on the service and tax charges, so no way. The staff are already paid for their service from their employer, its their employer who should give them incentives and bonuses, not us.
ReplyDeleteAnd what good services? I have never had good services from local restaurants and departmental stores for ages....
The only time I felt my tip were well worth paying to was during the last Korea trip. It was a standard practice to pay a small tip to our tour-guide and we were all high-lighted when we enrolled ourselves for the package trip. At first I was quite unwilling to pay until something unexpectedly happened.
ReplyDeleteIt was then the first overseas trip for our kids to a cold country and thermal suits and down jackets, gloves and everything must be worn to fight the cold. On the first day in the afternoon while having lunch, jon was scratching his body so we found out jon had red rashes all over his body, must be skin allergies from the thermal wool.. our tour-guide was with us then, saw jon's condition, and without a second word more, grab jon's hand and ran off with him to the nearest clinic with my hushand ran after him closely behind. Not long after they came back with medication and cream for the rashes.. we felt so touched by this tour guide's quick reaction, his action spoke a lot not only about himself, but the culture of the country.
It happened to my own fridge too, but first, I didn't know how to clean the coils behind as I wasn't there when Snowylady got the technician to do it, and second, this time it's not my fridge.
ReplyDeleteBased on my past experience, I'd opt for cancelling the 10% service charge since it doesn't go as tips to the staff, and tip the staff.
ReplyDeleteBut again, the culture here is different. Just like how the tradition of dialect was "broken", so was the custom of tipping which used to exist.
I get good service from Isetan (certain department), Robinson and Tangs - one reason I suspect is they retain old staff well. However, their line of apparels doesn't appeal to me much anymore.
ReplyDeleteAs for restaurants, branches of Crystal Jade Kitchen @ Isetan and Imperial Kitchen @ Ngee Ann have good staff - they refilled the drinks in a timely manner, offered to cut the noodles and veges for the kids etc., at their own initiative. My most recent experience was last Sunday.
But one thing I do notice - the good staff are either mature ladies, or guys from Malaysia, not local guys.
Exactly. I got pretty good services when I dine in Malaysia, a Chinese seafood restaurant - their services - attentive and superb! Despite the restaurant were very packed that evening, and a wedding dinner reception was going on, the staff went so far as to hail a cab for us after our food session.. that was good service.
ReplyDeleteAnother Shanghai restaurant has on each and every table a small device with 4 call-buttons where we can just press the relevant button and the waiter will come to us almost immediately. I was looking for cables to the buttons cos I was curious how it works, then realised its wireless. Cool! Yes the waiter offered to cut my hand-made ramen for me too.
;-)