Stop buying from those who don’t care about us
“US” in this case means the consumers or the customers. In Malaysia where consumers’ rights are not well-defined, certain companies tend to take things for granted especially those who control a big share of the existing market. We could try to voice out our disbelief…our griefs and sorrows…..but they just would not listen. Some would be nice to give you a feedback form…a customer service line….an email address….or even a dedicated survey group….but how many actually responded to those things? Those efforts look more like efforts to waste their money.
Ah well, companies which don’t respond to your feedback are still better than companies which don’t even give you the chance to give feedback.
In this age of Information Technology, a blog is a very powerful tool of spreading words…including the words from a concerned customer….a customer who cares about the company he/she is complaining about.
Customer Service (http://atlasapple.wordpress.com)
If the company involved really cares, it can actually try to scan the RSS retrieved from the internet and see if there’s anyone out there who is complaining about the company. For example, recently I’ve been complaining about the lousy customer service by Honda Malaysia – “Honda Msia – inexperienced customer service officer” and “Honda Malaysia Customer Service – does it even exist?“…and if Honda really cares, they can actually trace my blog and drop a comment in my blog. That would be very impressive for a customer service.
But they didn’t…. or maybe they don’t know how to do that…or maybe they just don’t care?
In the end, only customers like us care…because we used to love their products…because we want them to improve… but if they don’t care, there’s really nothing much we could do.
Just look at TMnet Streamyx. There are many outcries about the lousy broadband services which TM is providing us…..yet, they just don’t care. Try calling up their customer service line (which you need to pay for the phone calls), and see what kind of response will they give you.
And look at MAXIS. I’ve tried telling them to stop sending junk SMSes especially those which always come to me at 7 in the morning…or I’ll change my telco. And still…the SMSes came….some from nonsense numbers and some from MAXIS.
It’s not that we don’t give them a chance. We did. It’s just that they don’t care. This shows how weak the customer/consumer is in Malaysia.
The last thing that we could do is to boycott them. For MAXIS, we can always change to another telco (and keep our mobile numbers). For TMnet Streamyx, we’ll wait and see whether WIMAX can make it in Malaysia. For Honda, I’m sure Toyota and Nissan would be glad to replace them as Malaysians’ favourite auto company (sorry Proton, i don’t think we should consider you).
A good post. A parallel thought to this is why do we keep going back to businesses that screw us. In my opinion the answer is simple. They have something we want. This is how ill-mannered hawkers abuse their customers for years and still make enough to buy properties. But the moment we have a viable alternative, we stop going and their business drops. That’s why companies spend as much time killing off their rivals to preserve a “working” formula than actually changing for the better. Its cheaper too.
Damien Tan
1 Sep 08 at 1:11 pm
Eh, i thought Honda has quite a good service already. On the other hand, Toyota really sucks..a RM150k car has more problems than a RM80k car. And the people keep saying they don’t know what to do with it. Or they just simply change here and there and tell you that the problems have solved, which haven’t fixed.
As for streamyx, I don’t know why people are complaining because so far I haven’t experienced any downtime and my speed is pretty fast and satisfying for me…xD
Maxis, I am using postpaid, I don’t know. Nothing much that irritates me.
- c H i E n -s last blog post..What A Chameleon
- c H i E n -
1 Sep 08 at 3:01 pm
@ Damien Tan
They not only have what we want, but they are the only one that have what we want. That’s why we either buy from them or we choose not to have the thing at all. And knowing this, the businesses would bully us around until one fine day, a big enough competitor comes along.
But “killing off” the competitors only exist for large businesses such as Microsoft and Disney (acquired Pixar). Don’t think it’s really applicable for those ill-mannered hawkers.
Mmm but in the end, i think it would be wise for the government to come out with something which promotes competition, though i dont see that happening in Malaysia anytime soon.
@ Chien
Honda service centre, some places are quite good. But the QC for honda cars are pretty poor since the QC and assembly are done in Malaysia. Toyota cars are done in Thailand….not as good as Jpn but surely better than Honda.
So far my friends have no problem with their VIOS (only alarm problem) and ALTIS. But for Honda City, we have a lot of minor yet annoying problems such as the dash board rattling sound. I’ve gone to the repair centre for > 5 times, and the problem is still there. =_=
and my previous experience with tat service centre agent really pissed me off. I think i will surely change service centre next time.
Streamyx? They actually blocked some web sites. Try to access some n u’ll notice it takes extremely long…and sometimes no response. TM has been blocking sites n torrents w/o telling the users.
I’m using postpaid as well. And i always get SMSes from MAXIS in the morning =_=
Alvin Lim
1 Sep 08 at 4:41 pm
Eh, my honda city doesn’t have the dash board rattling sound. Other than that it’s fine. I don’t like Toyota designs lar, they look very old. Honda’s designs are more sporty looking. =P
Oh, i didn’t know about streamyx blocking some websites. Probably sites that only guys will visit? Haha~
I know I do get a lot of advertisements smses from them. But they don’t bother me, i don’t put my phone beside my bed so these messages won’t wake me up..xD
- c H i E n -
1 Sep 08 at 6:17 pm
@ chien
mine is the Z-series wor…the new 1. a lot of honda city owners complaining about it leh. Toyota Altis, new 1, very nice. the rest look cacat. =_= Honda accord n civic da best…but no money lar.
Aiks, CNET ASIA is definitely decent ler. As far as i know, those sites which only guys visit…..they never block wor. AHEM. *cough*. too much coke..*COUGH*
No wonder la. I got annoyed by them quite a lot. always sms me at the wrong time. I thought someone important sms me…aih…but always that someone important = MAXIS =_= argh
Alvin Lim
1 Sep 08 at 6:28 pm
Hawkers don’t kill off their competitors. Some of them just spread stories about competitors using toilet paper in assam laksa, putting slippers in a vat of cendol, you get the picture. Hahaha
Damien Tans last blog post..No debt no stress
Damien Tan
1 Sep 08 at 6:59 pm
@ Damien
Or give “warning letters” to the competitors…like gangsters =_= i still remember last time in SS2, PJ…there was this Bak Kut Teh shop, selling very good n affordable food. And a lot of ppl. Then suddenly, after about 1-2 mths…the shop closed.
Alvin Lim
1 Sep 08 at 7:15 pm