If you’re a rude customer, you’ll be chased out
Unless you’re rude with a good and solid reason.
I find that most people in Malaysia don’t really know their role as a consumer and customer. Some think they are right all the time, even when they’re expecting the impossible. And some are too timid and don’t want to create problems, thus keeping quiet even after being bullied around by the businesses/companies.
As a matter of fact, there’s no real guideline as to how a consumer should behave. But what I know is…..even if we’re paying for something and even if we are supposed to get good service or product, there’s absolutely no point for us to being rude against those people who are trying to earn a living.
If you're faced with a rude customer, imagine he looks like this
Because at the end of the day, the main culprit behind the lousy service and poor product, is not the one you’re facing. And most of the time, these so-called customer service officer do not have the power to challenge the bosses’ authority. They are just there as….well….canon fodder.
Okay okay…I know some of the customer service officers are very rude and not helpful at all…those are the ones you can scold. But make sure you have your facts right, else you’ll just be making a fool of yourselves.
The reason I’m writing this is because just now, few hours ago, I went to a clinic to get some medicines. I’m a regular there (not something to be proud of) and there were a lot of patients. One of them was a guy in shirt (he looked rich) and jeans. He was arguing with one of the nurses but it was pretty much one-sided.
Guy: How many patients in front of me in the queue?
Nurse: 4 of them.
Guy: But why do I have to wait? I thought I’ve made an appointment last night?
Nurse: Sorry sir, our clinic is first come first serve.
Guy: I came last night, there were a lot of people and one of your nurses told me to come early today. So here I am, and you’re telling me I have to wait so long? (it was 12pm…not very ‘early’ to me)
Nurse: Sorry but these patients came very early.
Guy: Gosh, I don’t have the time to wait so long.
Nurse: Sir, maybe you can come later? Or maybe you can just take the medicines?
Guy: You’re asking me to come later AGAIN? I want to see the doctor and I’m telling you I don’t have time to wait so long.
Nurse kept apologizing.
To be honest, I nearly interrupted. He was the only patient who has the energy to argue for so long and yet, he wanted to jump queue. And his attitude was very very bad. If he’s not happy with the clinic, then go to another one which is just 2 minutes walk away.
Ahem, this post is becoming a ranting post.
Anyway, what I want to say here is, one should always try to remain calm and polite to these customer service officers. I must admit some of them are idiots but most of them are innocent people just trying to do their job. If you’re not happy with them or the business, feel free to change. You have the right to do so. But if you’re still sticking with them and relunctant to change…….then just keep quiet.
Seriously, if I were the owner of the clinic, I would’ve asked the patient to come later or not to come at all, and say it aloud that the patients who came earlier than him were my priority (chase away 1, but gain the hearts of many…not a bad deal).
well, unless a clinic has this book for appointment practice then perhaps he has the ‘right’ to make noises
but if it is 1st come 1st serve basis….. he just got to come as early as possible to be the 1st then
Lisalicious
5 Mar 09 at 10:48 am
@ Lisa
The clinic doesn’t have that kind of policy
Alvin Lim
5 Mar 09 at 11:02 am
agree with lisa,
well i frequent a sinseh who requires booking like 1 week in advance (biz 2 good). since they shud have planned the schedule 1 week ago, the long wait of 1-2hrs SHUD NOT happen, UNLESS they take in a lot of walk in.
on another hand, my dentist apply 1st come 1st serve, strictly NO booking allowed, im happy eventhough have to wait for 1 hr.
anyway, u may find 2 out of 10 annoying customer in msia, try singapore n c!
kanabuli
5 Mar 09 at 11:18 am
Some customers are impossible to please. Its a fact. In some cases its good business sense to refuse service if a request is unfair to other customers. A clear customer policy is important to lay the rules. Don’t worry, an unreasonable customer will come back if he wants your product bad enough.
Damien Tan
5 Mar 09 at 12:37 pm
Agree with Damien.
Some customers are really hard to please and the customer service officer really needs to keep their cool. For these patient folks, I really respect them. For those rude customer service officer, I’m sorry to say that if you’re rude for no reason, you’ll lose my business.
Perhaps this patient mistaken the clinic for a specialist center in a private hospital, where you can make appointments and etc. Even then, at the specialist center, you may need to wait if the patient in front of you has to spend more time with the doctor.
Angie Tans last blog post..Check Your ATM Transaction Print Outs…
Angie Tan
5 Mar 09 at 1:20 pm
@ kanabuli
Wa, nice nick.
Different businesses hv different models. Sometimes, appointment-based businesses can be quite bothersome.
And clinics, in my opinion, should not have appointment-based model because…how can you know that you’re going to be sick? o_o unless it’s for checkup or something. Outpatient treatment shouldn’t be appointment based.
@ Damien
That’s why they will behave as if they are the elite or gold-status customers 
Some customers think their RM 10 is like RM 10000
But yeah, people will still go back to the service if we want it bad enough or if we don’t have any other choice. TM is famous for having very very lousy service….but well, not many of us can escape from them since we still have to use Streamyx.
@ Angie
Unless….that clinic is owned by you 
Even if you do make an appointment, it will still be first come first serve at that time.
Alvin Lim
6 Mar 09 at 9:36 am
There’s no way a doctor can predict if a patient needs 5 minutes of 30 minutes of his time and to think he can actually keep appointments on the dot is laughable. But he takes appointments anyway because his customers demand it, even though both sides know it can’t be kept.
Damien Tan
6 Mar 09 at 10:47 am
@ Damien
That’s why there are certain type of businesses which cannot follow such business model, no matter how much the customers demand it.
Alvin Lim
6 Mar 09 at 5:02 pm