Sharon Chan, Sistic's Senior Executive, Corporate & Marketing Communications, has responded to Irene Hoe's concern with giving her personal data over the Internet in the customer survey.
In an email to Irene, she said: "... we would like to assure you that the survey software we are using offers SSL encryption so your details are encrypted while being transmitted to us.
"The reason why we ask for an ID number is for us to verify that the winner who comes to collect the prize is indeed the person who responded to the survey. We will request for a copy of their ID and check it against the info in the survey. With an attractive prize of iPads, we need to be doubly sure!
"As for birth dates, we use that information to help us understand the
demographics of our respondents."
Unfortunately, Irene was not convinced. She wrote back:
"Dear Sharon,
"To be valid and useful, a market survey does not need such complete and detailed personal ID information, especially that which can be subject to misuse.
"It is well and good that you say you encrypt this. But it is still no guarantee that my personal information will be completely secure in your hands. Moreover, customers have absolutely NO assurance that you will not sell on this information, no matter what you say in an email. An email is not legally binding.
"As I stated, if you asked for the last four digits and alphabet of a customer's IC number instead of the whole thing, you would still be able to verify ID.
"The chances that there would be TWO people with the same name and ICs with exactly the same last four digits AND alphabet are nil.
"Even if I can understand why you want all this information in a form that can be easily hacked - I am unwilling to risk identity theft.
"Besides, I already own an iPad.
"I am a regular if not frequent customer and for that reason, am not ordinarily averse to giving feedback at any time, providing the questions are few and relevant and the format does not insist on so many personal details."
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
It's taking a long time for term insurance to be promoted
Life insurers know that term insurance is the best and most economical way to ensure protection for you and your family. But they do not encourage their agents to promote it actively because the returns are pittance compared to those that have an investment link.
Over the years, the authorities and a few honest financial advisers have been urging the industry to do the right thing but to date their pleas have fallen on deaf ears.
Last month, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong raised the subject again by asking life insurers to put more emphasis on term insurance. He gave good reasons why it should be done, one of which was that it would allow lower-income to be insured.
So far, nothing has been heard from the life insurance industry leaders to say that they support SM Goh's call.
Meanwhile, I was encouraged after reading a commentary in The Sunday Times yesterday (Nov 8) by Christopher Tan, CEO of Providend, a fee-only independent financial advisory firm, advocating the use of term insurance as a form of life protection.
I was sufficiently moved by his piece to write a letter to the newspaper calling for action to be taken. Hopefully, it will be published in the next edition.
Here's letter to The Sunday Times....
After reading last Sunday's Invest commentary, “For good terms, buy term insurance”, by Christopher Tan, CEO of Providend, a fee-only independent financial advisory firm, I must say that his is the most honest and clearest of all the views that have been expressed by industry leaders on this subject.
Although there have been other advocates of term insurance as the best and cheapest way to protect yourself and your family, their voices have somewhat been lost in the insurance jungle out there.
This is because insurers have always been able to counter their argument by appealing to people's natural inclinations towards savings and investments, and encouraging them to buy investment-linked products instead.
But what these insurers have failed in their duty by not informing their customers the indecent amount of commissions that they would make from selling such “with-profits” policies. Policy-holders therefore are not made aware of how much they have been over-paying for protection.
But Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong certainly knows what has been going on when he recently urged insurers to put more emphasis on selling term insurance. The Insurance Commissioner from the Monetary Authority of Singapore has also over the years been encouraging the life insurance industry to do the same.
However, my belief is that change will be slow --- if at all. According to CEO Tan, his firm has been advocating term insurance for the past seven years but not very much has changed.
As I see it, there is really no motivation for these insurers to heed what SM Goh said.. Why should they when a large chunk of their profits is from selling investment-linked products. I dread to think how much mis-selling of policies has taken place.
Many who have been landed with “wrong or inappropriate” policies are now stuck with them. They do not know how to extricate themselves from the situation they have been put into without losing lots of money.
While the government is only doing the urging because it still believes in the “buyers beware” regime, the insurers and their agents meanwhile continue to sit pretty on their awesome profits and commissions.
It is high time someone in authority took action to burst the bubble. Words alone mean nothing to Big Business.
Here's Christopher Tan's commentary in The Sunday Times yesterday:
"For good terms, buy term insurance"
Insurance is for protection only – and term policies offer more value for money than whole life plans
"Since 2003, my wealth management firm Providend has been advocating the use of term insurance as a form of life protection. While many Singaporeans appreciated our belief, the insurance and financial planning industry fought it. We stood out like a sore thumb and were a lone voice.
So it was very encouraging for me when, during NTUC Income’s 40th anniversary dinner two weeks ago, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong supported the use of term insurance and even asked insurers to put more emphasis on it.
So, why our belief in using term insurance?
Some of the biggest risks in life include the loss of income due to death, disability and any medical crisis. When we retire and no longer earn an income, we do not need insurance protection for it. Therefore, buying permanent cover using expensive whole life insurance means paying for something that you do not need and likely cannot afford. So Singaporeans end up being grossly under-covered for their protection needs.
One of the main reasons given by insurance agents to people on why they should not buy term insurance is that when the insurance expires, you will get nothing back. While this is true, it is only half a truth. This is because it is the same for whole life plans too. For every dollar you pay as premium for your whole life plan, a portion of it goes into paying the mortality charge that provides you the cover you need. The rest of it is invested into the insurance company’s life fund. The mortality charge portion is never returned to you.
The only reason you get money back from a whole life plan is that you gave the insurance companies extra money to invest. But when you buy a term plan, you are effectively paying only for the mortality charge. You are just buying pure protection.
For the longest time, we have been told that we can use insurance for protection as well as saving towards our financial goals. The irony of this is that the returns of insurance are insufficient to help us reach our goals and whole life insurance is so expensive that you are likely to have insufficient cover, which means it will not protect you fully as well. So buying whole life insurance achieves neither goal.
When we buy term insurance, we can at least achieve the protection goal, which is the priority and foundation of all good financial plans. Then, with proper advice and coaching, we can use the savings from not buying a whole life plan to invest and reach our goals. We now have a chance to achieve both goals. Even if you are very conservative, there are many other optional instruments. There is no need to use insurance. Insurance is for protection only – the word insurance suggests so.
If the advantages of term plans are so clear, why are they not frequently bought? There are many reasons, but editorial space allows me to highlight only the two main ones. I call them the two ‘lacks’ of salesmen. The first is the lack of knowledge, and the second, the lack of motivation.
When I started out in this profession about 14 years ago, I spent a short time with an insurance company. I can count the number of times we were trained in the use of term insurance on one hand. The emphasis was always on ‘with-profits’ products.
But I think the biggest hindrance to term plans is the salesman’s lack of motivation. It is obvious that the commission payout for a whole life plan is a lot more than that for a term plan. In this commission-hungry industry where salesmen are rewarded for sales more than advice, whole life plans will always be sold. This is not to say there are no good salesmen or advisers out there. Unfortunately, they are in the minority. I know some of them who will insist on recommending term insurance despite earning less. To these people, I salute you. But the fact still remains that for the majority, compensation drives behaviour.
I speak at seminars to thousands of people each year. Every time I ask why they don’t buy term insurance, most will tell me that their agents and advisers will not sell it to them. Even if they do, they will package some whole life plans together with it, on the basis of ‘playing safe’, just in case they need it for their entire life.
About two months ago, I asked an actuary (someone who designs insurance products) who had left an insurance company what he buys for himself. Like many former actuaries I have spoken to, he said he would never buy an investment-linked plan or a whole life plan as it is just too expensive and doesn’t make sense. He has protected his family with term plans. So, if the chef doesn’t eat his own cooking, why should we?
SM Goh pointed out that it is the advisers who wield the greatest influence on the type of plan a person buys. I agree. We have been advocating term insurance for the past seven years and not very much has changed. I believe real change will come when Singaporeans understand what insurance is for and begin to insist on term insurance. Salesmen will then have no choice but to sell it.
It is a shame that clients have to tell this industry the right thing to do. But in the case of term insurance, it is the only way things will change. I look forward to the day when we have an advisory industry and not a sales one."
The writer is the chief executive officer of Providend, a fee-only independent financial advisory firm.
As a parting note, this is what CNBC's financial adviser Suze Orman, who also advocates term insurance, has to say about whole-life policies:
"If your friend advises you to buy a whole-life plan, he is NOT your friend."
Over the years, the authorities and a few honest financial advisers have been urging the industry to do the right thing but to date their pleas have fallen on deaf ears.
Last month, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong raised the subject again by asking life insurers to put more emphasis on term insurance. He gave good reasons why it should be done, one of which was that it would allow lower-income to be insured.
So far, nothing has been heard from the life insurance industry leaders to say that they support SM Goh's call.
Meanwhile, I was encouraged after reading a commentary in The Sunday Times yesterday (Nov 8) by Christopher Tan, CEO of Providend, a fee-only independent financial advisory firm, advocating the use of term insurance as a form of life protection.
I was sufficiently moved by his piece to write a letter to the newspaper calling for action to be taken. Hopefully, it will be published in the next edition.
Here's letter to The Sunday Times....
After reading last Sunday's Invest commentary, “For good terms, buy term insurance”, by Christopher Tan, CEO of Providend, a fee-only independent financial advisory firm, I must say that his is the most honest and clearest of all the views that have been expressed by industry leaders on this subject.
Although there have been other advocates of term insurance as the best and cheapest way to protect yourself and your family, their voices have somewhat been lost in the insurance jungle out there.
This is because insurers have always been able to counter their argument by appealing to people's natural inclinations towards savings and investments, and encouraging them to buy investment-linked products instead.
But what these insurers have failed in their duty by not informing their customers the indecent amount of commissions that they would make from selling such “with-profits” policies. Policy-holders therefore are not made aware of how much they have been over-paying for protection.
But Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong certainly knows what has been going on when he recently urged insurers to put more emphasis on selling term insurance. The Insurance Commissioner from the Monetary Authority of Singapore has also over the years been encouraging the life insurance industry to do the same.
However, my belief is that change will be slow --- if at all. According to CEO Tan, his firm has been advocating term insurance for the past seven years but not very much has changed.
As I see it, there is really no motivation for these insurers to heed what SM Goh said.. Why should they when a large chunk of their profits is from selling investment-linked products. I dread to think how much mis-selling of policies has taken place.
Many who have been landed with “wrong or inappropriate” policies are now stuck with them. They do not know how to extricate themselves from the situation they have been put into without losing lots of money.
While the government is only doing the urging because it still believes in the “buyers beware” regime, the insurers and their agents meanwhile continue to sit pretty on their awesome profits and commissions.
It is high time someone in authority took action to burst the bubble. Words alone mean nothing to Big Business.
Here's Christopher Tan's commentary in The Sunday Times yesterday:
"For good terms, buy term insurance"
Insurance is for protection only – and term policies offer more value for money than whole life plans
"Since 2003, my wealth management firm Providend has been advocating the use of term insurance as a form of life protection. While many Singaporeans appreciated our belief, the insurance and financial planning industry fought it. We stood out like a sore thumb and were a lone voice.
So it was very encouraging for me when, during NTUC Income’s 40th anniversary dinner two weeks ago, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong supported the use of term insurance and even asked insurers to put more emphasis on it.
So, why our belief in using term insurance?
Some of the biggest risks in life include the loss of income due to death, disability and any medical crisis. When we retire and no longer earn an income, we do not need insurance protection for it. Therefore, buying permanent cover using expensive whole life insurance means paying for something that you do not need and likely cannot afford. So Singaporeans end up being grossly under-covered for their protection needs.
One of the main reasons given by insurance agents to people on why they should not buy term insurance is that when the insurance expires, you will get nothing back. While this is true, it is only half a truth. This is because it is the same for whole life plans too. For every dollar you pay as premium for your whole life plan, a portion of it goes into paying the mortality charge that provides you the cover you need. The rest of it is invested into the insurance company’s life fund. The mortality charge portion is never returned to you.
The only reason you get money back from a whole life plan is that you gave the insurance companies extra money to invest. But when you buy a term plan, you are effectively paying only for the mortality charge. You are just buying pure protection.
For the longest time, we have been told that we can use insurance for protection as well as saving towards our financial goals. The irony of this is that the returns of insurance are insufficient to help us reach our goals and whole life insurance is so expensive that you are likely to have insufficient cover, which means it will not protect you fully as well. So buying whole life insurance achieves neither goal.
When we buy term insurance, we can at least achieve the protection goal, which is the priority and foundation of all good financial plans. Then, with proper advice and coaching, we can use the savings from not buying a whole life plan to invest and reach our goals. We now have a chance to achieve both goals. Even if you are very conservative, there are many other optional instruments. There is no need to use insurance. Insurance is for protection only – the word insurance suggests so.
If the advantages of term plans are so clear, why are they not frequently bought? There are many reasons, but editorial space allows me to highlight only the two main ones. I call them the two ‘lacks’ of salesmen. The first is the lack of knowledge, and the second, the lack of motivation.
When I started out in this profession about 14 years ago, I spent a short time with an insurance company. I can count the number of times we were trained in the use of term insurance on one hand. The emphasis was always on ‘with-profits’ products.
But I think the biggest hindrance to term plans is the salesman’s lack of motivation. It is obvious that the commission payout for a whole life plan is a lot more than that for a term plan. In this commission-hungry industry where salesmen are rewarded for sales more than advice, whole life plans will always be sold. This is not to say there are no good salesmen or advisers out there. Unfortunately, they are in the minority. I know some of them who will insist on recommending term insurance despite earning less. To these people, I salute you. But the fact still remains that for the majority, compensation drives behaviour.
I speak at seminars to thousands of people each year. Every time I ask why they don’t buy term insurance, most will tell me that their agents and advisers will not sell it to them. Even if they do, they will package some whole life plans together with it, on the basis of ‘playing safe’, just in case they need it for their entire life.
About two months ago, I asked an actuary (someone who designs insurance products) who had left an insurance company what he buys for himself. Like many former actuaries I have spoken to, he said he would never buy an investment-linked plan or a whole life plan as it is just too expensive and doesn’t make sense. He has protected his family with term plans. So, if the chef doesn’t eat his own cooking, why should we?
SM Goh pointed out that it is the advisers who wield the greatest influence on the type of plan a person buys. I agree. We have been advocating term insurance for the past seven years and not very much has changed. I believe real change will come when Singaporeans understand what insurance is for and begin to insist on term insurance. Salesmen will then have no choice but to sell it.
It is a shame that clients have to tell this industry the right thing to do. But in the case of term insurance, it is the only way things will change. I look forward to the day when we have an advisory industry and not a sales one."
The writer is the chief executive officer of Providend, a fee-only independent financial advisory firm.
As a parting note, this is what CNBC's financial adviser Suze Orman, who also advocates term insurance, has to say about whole-life policies:
"If your friend advises you to buy a whole-life plan, he is NOT your friend."
Thursday, November 4, 2010
DBS makes service recovery
I posted Auntie Lucie's complaint about DBS's customer-unfriendly way of cancelling her Gold Visa card on my blog last month (http://boo-n-bouquet.blogspot.com/2010/10/another-grouse-against-dbs.html).
She emailed today to inform me that the DBS has acted to bring closure to the issue. A woman named Mel rang her to say that the bank was going to upgrade her card to Platinium.
Here's what she wrote in her blog, Food fuels me to talk...
"DBS credit card: service recovery?
Believe it or not, I got a call around sevenish tonight, from a woman who said she was from DBS. When asked for her name, she said she was Mel, no surname, nothing more as “sorry, we are not allowed to give more identification”.
Cool!
She offered to upgrade my DBS Gold Visa card that I had been notified would cease to be valid from Dec 1 — as detailed here – to a Platinum card, at no charge and to port over all existing arrangements and benefits from the gold card to the new card.
She asked for my I/C number and date of birth.
Naturally, after I accepted the offer verbally – although grumbling all the while why such an offer couldn’t have been made together with the notice to invalidate the existing card — I was somewhat suspicious.
Could it all be a hoax?
OK, the caller ID on my mobile showed 68786800 but it’s not a number I’m familiar with, tho that doesn’t necessarily make it a fake number of course!
Hence on hearing Mel say she couldn’t give me a more complete name than M-E-L to help me identify her in future should the need arise, I pressed for other identifying marks.
Which department are you from?
She replied: “Funds transfer department.”
Does that deal with the credit card in question?
She replied: “I’m helping the customer service agent.”
I was about to give up when she added this caveat: “You should receive your platinum card no later than February 2011. Meanwhile, you can continue to use your gold card.”
So, great! The card that was going to be invalid on Dec 1 would remain valid till February 2011, unless the new card arrives earlier.
Again, why couldn’t DBS have thought all this thru before shooting off its termination notice?
Still, I really should be thanking DBS on bended knees for remembering to make me this offer, considering that it ends tomorrow. I should consider myself lucky to have gotten on board be4 it ended, n’est pas?
Such great service recovery this! If I’m ever asked, I shall definitely nominate DBS as Singapore’s best service provider of the year! Only kidding! "
I am glad DBS is listening --- and acting. Hopefully, it is learning, too.
She emailed today to inform me that the DBS has acted to bring closure to the issue. A woman named Mel rang her to say that the bank was going to upgrade her card to Platinium.
Here's what she wrote in her blog, Food fuels me to talk...
"DBS credit card: service recovery?
Believe it or not, I got a call around sevenish tonight, from a woman who said she was from DBS. When asked for her name, she said she was Mel, no surname, nothing more as “sorry, we are not allowed to give more identification”.
Cool!
She offered to upgrade my DBS Gold Visa card that I had been notified would cease to be valid from Dec 1 — as detailed here – to a Platinum card, at no charge and to port over all existing arrangements and benefits from the gold card to the new card.
She asked for my I/C number and date of birth.
Naturally, after I accepted the offer verbally – although grumbling all the while why such an offer couldn’t have been made together with the notice to invalidate the existing card — I was somewhat suspicious.
Could it all be a hoax?
OK, the caller ID on my mobile showed 68786800 but it’s not a number I’m familiar with, tho that doesn’t necessarily make it a fake number of course!
Hence on hearing Mel say she couldn’t give me a more complete name than M-E-L to help me identify her in future should the need arise, I pressed for other identifying marks.
Which department are you from?
She replied: “Funds transfer department.”
Does that deal with the credit card in question?
She replied: “I’m helping the customer service agent.”
I was about to give up when she added this caveat: “You should receive your platinum card no later than February 2011. Meanwhile, you can continue to use your gold card.”
So, great! The card that was going to be invalid on Dec 1 would remain valid till February 2011, unless the new card arrives earlier.
Again, why couldn’t DBS have thought all this thru before shooting off its termination notice?
Still, I really should be thanking DBS on bended knees for remembering to make me this offer, considering that it ends tomorrow. I should consider myself lucky to have gotten on board be4 it ended, n’est pas?
Such great service recovery this! If I’m ever asked, I shall definitely nominate DBS as Singapore’s best service provider of the year! Only kidding! "
I am glad DBS is listening --- and acting. Hopefully, it is learning, too.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Sistic, be more sensitive!
Sistic is doing a survey as it aims to improve its service "to make your ticket buying experience a better one." But it also wants those being surveyed to give their IC numbers and other details which theatre-goer Irene Ho objects to.
She wrote to Sistic: "Do NOT ever require people to give you their IC numbers online when you can offer NO ASSURANCE of the security of our information and NO GUARANTEE that my identity will not be stolen through the carelessness - or worse - of the staff at your office and those who might handle this information.
"I got to the end of the survey and would have been happy to send it in but NOT with my IC number, complete with birthdate and other details that would have allowed someone to use my Sistic account without my knowledge and also do certain financial transactions.
"It should be enough to require the last three or four digits of a customer's IC number. After all, YOU contacted me and you should recognise me as a customer.
"This is just a survey. You are not paying us to complete this survey. Your prize is not worth the risk of compromising the security of my identity."
As an organisation dealing with the public, Sistic ought to be more sensitive about their customers' personal data.
She wrote to Sistic: "Do NOT ever require people to give you their IC numbers online when you can offer NO ASSURANCE of the security of our information and NO GUARANTEE that my identity will not be stolen through the carelessness - or worse - of the staff at your office and those who might handle this information.
"I got to the end of the survey and would have been happy to send it in but NOT with my IC number, complete with birthdate and other details that would have allowed someone to use my Sistic account without my knowledge and also do certain financial transactions.
"It should be enough to require the last three or four digits of a customer's IC number. After all, YOU contacted me and you should recognise me as a customer.
"This is just a survey. You are not paying us to complete this survey. Your prize is not worth the risk of compromising the security of my identity."
As an organisation dealing with the public, Sistic ought to be more sensitive about their customers' personal data.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Holland American Line apologises
Holland America Line has finally replied to feedback (Excellent service on Ms Eurodam? Not in our case ) on my travelling group's experience during our New England cruise in September
The email from Ms Hanna Kielczewska, Special Advisor, Office of the President, says:
"Thank you for the email referring us to your web log concerning your ms Eurodam sailing on September 6, 2010. First and foremost, we are sorry for the disappointment you experienced.
Holland America Line acknowledges the significant personal impact felt by a guest who encounters multiple issues, large or small, on their cruise. The majority of our passengers sail without incident, and our satisfaction ratings remain extremely high.
"We endeavor to prevent problems, and try to remedy difficulties as they arise, but occasionally an unfortunate combination of factors causes an individual to be affected by several matters on the same cruise. The main concerns that you addressed were with regard to the embarkation procedure, the shore operations check-in staff, the laundry services, the price of bottled water as well as the onboard management decisions and follow up.
"Rather than respond to each of these points one by one, we would like to assure you that we take guest input very seriously. In light of your correspondence, we have registered all of your complaints against this sailing and have advised the appropriate senior management for their information and corrective action where necessary.
"Furthermore, we sincerely regret that you were dissatisfied with the itinerary on your cruise. Careful planning goes into choosing our cruise ship routes and port calls. We endeavor to offer fascinating destinations around the world so that our travelers may experience a rich diversity of people, places, and cultures.
"Although the port facilities at some locations may not be in the center of the areas of interest, we strive to offer a variety of optional shore excursions to enhance our guests’ experience and maximize their time ashore.
"Also, we periodically revise and update itineraries to appeal to our many repeat travelers, while maintaining numerous long-standing favorites. We do apologize if you feel that the ports of call on this sailing were not completely satisfactory and we hope that your next cruise itinerary will be more to your liking.
"We understand an apology will not erase the frustration you experienced on board; however, we appreciate your efforts in providing us with specific details on how we may improve. Your feedback is extremely valuable to us, as it is through constructive suggestions that we will be able to maintain the high standards toward which we consistently work.
"Staff will certainly redouble their efforts to meet our goal of consistent excellence. We thank you again for taking the time to provide us with your detailed comments. We hope you will give us another opportunity to welcome you on board again in the near future."
I am glad the cruise management took the trouble to reply at length to our complaints. It is a good example of how service providers should respond when they are faced with unhappy customers.
Many will stay it is so much words and that those promises must be seen to be fulfilled. I agree.
The email from Ms Hanna Kielczewska, Special Advisor, Office of the President, says:
"Thank you for the email referring us to your web log concerning your ms Eurodam sailing on September 6, 2010. First and foremost, we are sorry for the disappointment you experienced.
Holland America Line acknowledges the significant personal impact felt by a guest who encounters multiple issues, large or small, on their cruise. The majority of our passengers sail without incident, and our satisfaction ratings remain extremely high.
"We endeavor to prevent problems, and try to remedy difficulties as they arise, but occasionally an unfortunate combination of factors causes an individual to be affected by several matters on the same cruise. The main concerns that you addressed were with regard to the embarkation procedure, the shore operations check-in staff, the laundry services, the price of bottled water as well as the onboard management decisions and follow up.
"Rather than respond to each of these points one by one, we would like to assure you that we take guest input very seriously. In light of your correspondence, we have registered all of your complaints against this sailing and have advised the appropriate senior management for their information and corrective action where necessary.
"Furthermore, we sincerely regret that you were dissatisfied with the itinerary on your cruise. Careful planning goes into choosing our cruise ship routes and port calls. We endeavor to offer fascinating destinations around the world so that our travelers may experience a rich diversity of people, places, and cultures.
"Although the port facilities at some locations may not be in the center of the areas of interest, we strive to offer a variety of optional shore excursions to enhance our guests’ experience and maximize their time ashore.
"Also, we periodically revise and update itineraries to appeal to our many repeat travelers, while maintaining numerous long-standing favorites. We do apologize if you feel that the ports of call on this sailing were not completely satisfactory and we hope that your next cruise itinerary will be more to your liking.
"We understand an apology will not erase the frustration you experienced on board; however, we appreciate your efforts in providing us with specific details on how we may improve. Your feedback is extremely valuable to us, as it is through constructive suggestions that we will be able to maintain the high standards toward which we consistently work.
"Staff will certainly redouble their efforts to meet our goal of consistent excellence. We thank you again for taking the time to provide us with your detailed comments. We hope you will give us another opportunity to welcome you on board again in the near future."
I am glad the cruise management took the trouble to reply at length to our complaints. It is a good example of how service providers should respond when they are faced with unhappy customers.
Many will stay it is so much words and that those promises must be seen to be fulfilled. I agree.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Another grouse against DBS
My friend Wendy obviously isn't the only one unhappy with DBS for cancelling her Gold Visa card without making it customer-friendly.
The following was what Auntie Lucia wrote about her experience in her blog, Food fuels me to talk...
Credit card nonsense
This post belongs to the “everything must complain” category. I’ve been encouraged to write about my own experience with the sudden notice from DBS Cards to cancel my Gold Visa (among other cards) starting Dec 1, after reading Boo n Bouquet’s version.
I was a bit non-plussed on receiving what seemed like a marketing circular that i almost threw away. Just as well I took a closer look.
The circular advised that “as other DBS/POSB Credit Cards bring you market competitive privileges and benefits”, the bank has taken the unilateral decision to close your ”DBS Affiinity/Charge Gold Visa/Mastercard credit card XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-7066″.
I hold two DBS cards and at first wondered if the bank meant both since one is what I assume is an “affinity” card (being a National University of Singapore Society card) and the other was once an affinity card too (to Raffles Marina, till some where along the way RM broke off its affinity with DBS and the bank without much ado issued me a new gold Visa card).
Then I took heart. Going by the last four digits provided by the circular, only the ID of my gold card ended with 7066.
And shucks, I’ve got a Giro payment for a small health insurance policy that’s been going on for perhaps 20 years linked to it. With the card gone, my policy may laspe and I don’t want that to happen.
I called the bank’s hotline. I waited for ages b4 I got to speak to a customer service officer and after many more minutes of explanation managed to extract a phone number from him, with the helpful tip on where I might find my policy number in my monthly credit card bill.
No, he could not arrange for the Giro charges to be ported over to my other DBS card. No, he couldn’t do anything. I must contact the insurer and make my own arrangements. And to think I had originally signed up for that insurance package because the card issuer made all the arrangements!
More time wasted with the insurers be4 I got the necessary form to instruct the insurer to instruct the bank to deduct.
I’m not the only DBS credit card holder inconvenienced by the bank’s unusual move to delete a whole slate of cards at one stroke.
Perhaps the 7066 cards are cards which are hardly used by their holders.
If so, DBS should have given card holders a choice: use them more often or give them up. And if you give them up, we will help you move your Giro arrangements to other DBS cards you use. We will also help you to consolidate your reward points rather than force you to consume them be4 Dec 1.
That would have been a lot more customer friendly.
But then, when you are Singapore’s biggest bank, who cares about being customer friendly!
The following was what Auntie Lucia wrote about her experience in her blog, Food fuels me to talk...
Credit card nonsense
This post belongs to the “everything must complain” category. I’ve been encouraged to write about my own experience with the sudden notice from DBS Cards to cancel my Gold Visa (among other cards) starting Dec 1, after reading Boo n Bouquet’s version.
I was a bit non-plussed on receiving what seemed like a marketing circular that i almost threw away. Just as well I took a closer look.
The circular advised that “as other DBS/POSB Credit Cards bring you market competitive privileges and benefits”, the bank has taken the unilateral decision to close your ”DBS Affiinity/Charge Gold Visa/Mastercard credit card XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-7066″.
I hold two DBS cards and at first wondered if the bank meant both since one is what I assume is an “affinity” card (being a National University of Singapore Society card) and the other was once an affinity card too (to Raffles Marina, till some where along the way RM broke off its affinity with DBS and the bank without much ado issued me a new gold Visa card).
Then I took heart. Going by the last four digits provided by the circular, only the ID of my gold card ended with 7066.
And shucks, I’ve got a Giro payment for a small health insurance policy that’s been going on for perhaps 20 years linked to it. With the card gone, my policy may laspe and I don’t want that to happen.
I called the bank’s hotline. I waited for ages b4 I got to speak to a customer service officer and after many more minutes of explanation managed to extract a phone number from him, with the helpful tip on where I might find my policy number in my monthly credit card bill.
No, he could not arrange for the Giro charges to be ported over to my other DBS card. No, he couldn’t do anything. I must contact the insurer and make my own arrangements. And to think I had originally signed up for that insurance package because the card issuer made all the arrangements!
More time wasted with the insurers be4 I got the necessary form to instruct the insurer to instruct the bank to deduct.
I’m not the only DBS credit card holder inconvenienced by the bank’s unusual move to delete a whole slate of cards at one stroke.
Perhaps the 7066 cards are cards which are hardly used by their holders.
If so, DBS should have given card holders a choice: use them more often or give them up. And if you give them up, we will help you move your Giro arrangements to other DBS cards you use. We will also help you to consolidate your reward points rather than force you to consume them be4 Dec 1.
That would have been a lot more customer friendly.
But then, when you are Singapore’s biggest bank, who cares about being customer friendly!
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Irene pleased with SQ service
Irene Hoe, back from yet another holiday in Europe, is thoroughly pleased with the service from Singapore Airlines.
"Both flights were very pleasant," she said.
"I was in 35C on SQ324. During the night, I had a coughing fit while in the toilet. Almost immediately, there was a knock on the door and a concerned voice asked: "Is everything all right, ma'am? Are you OK?"
"When I emerged several minutes later, the flight attendant was still there, asking if I was unwell and if she could get me anything. "Tea? Some warm water?" she said.
"I didn't really need anything but she was so kind and sounded so concerned that I said yes to the warm water.
"She made me feel so well looked after.
"On SQ 321, I was in 43C. I declined the breakfast as both of the choices contained chicken, to which I am allergic. Immediately, the flight attendant went to check if there was a vegetarian meal I could have.
"She and the male colleague who brought me the meal both asked if I was travelling again soon and took the trouble to explain how to request a special meal. That was nice, especially as it was a full flight and they'd only just started on the meal service.
"I explained that I just usually carry my own food in case I can't get a non-chicken meal, because it's easier and safer that way.
"Ex-Singapore and HK, I believe that some sauces and gravies in "non-chicken" meals may be seasoned with chicken stock or chicken powder as I've sometimes had allergic reactions after a meal on board. Incidentally, it's never happened with meals ex-US or ex-Europe.
"By the way, I have tried ordering a special meal online in the past but have given up on that as I can't see how it is to be accomplished."
Definitely a BOUQUET for SIA.
"Both flights were very pleasant," she said.
"I was in 35C on SQ324. During the night, I had a coughing fit while in the toilet. Almost immediately, there was a knock on the door and a concerned voice asked: "Is everything all right, ma'am? Are you OK?"
"When I emerged several minutes later, the flight attendant was still there, asking if I was unwell and if she could get me anything. "Tea? Some warm water?" she said.
"I didn't really need anything but she was so kind and sounded so concerned that I said yes to the warm water.
"She made me feel so well looked after.
"On SQ 321, I was in 43C. I declined the breakfast as both of the choices contained chicken, to which I am allergic. Immediately, the flight attendant went to check if there was a vegetarian meal I could have.
"She and the male colleague who brought me the meal both asked if I was travelling again soon and took the trouble to explain how to request a special meal. That was nice, especially as it was a full flight and they'd only just started on the meal service.
"I explained that I just usually carry my own food in case I can't get a non-chicken meal, because it's easier and safer that way.
"Ex-Singapore and HK, I believe that some sauces and gravies in "non-chicken" meals may be seasoned with chicken stock or chicken powder as I've sometimes had allergic reactions after a meal on board. Incidentally, it's never happened with meals ex-US or ex-Europe.
"By the way, I have tried ordering a special meal online in the past but have given up on that as I can't see how it is to be accomplished."
Definitely a BOUQUET for SIA.
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