This is crazy!

When my office moved to the current location 3 years ago, I started frequent this Chinese Shop to do my groceries. Since then I hardly shop at hypermarket anymore. I could get butter spread, fresh milk, cheese slice, vitagen, yogurt, baby cereal, jam spread, even those muesli like Dorsett brand one from there. And the price was reasonable too.

However since the shop changed ownership mid of last year, I only buy the fresh milk, vitagen and occasionally yogurt from there. Other products no more available or they are not the usual brand that I used to buy. For example, they only have Mr Potato but no Pringles at all! There are many 3-in-1 drinks available but I could not find Milo powder. And I notice their stock turnover for non-perishable goods are low too. The biscuits that I bought from there were not that crispy and crunchy. Once the snack that I bought from it was already expired! And recently I'm making my own yogurt, so I have stopped buying yogurt totally after they have increased the price. Another reason that I don't like to shop there anymore is unlike the previous owner, the staffs are not friendly. 

The only reason that I still go there is they offer good price on the fresh milk, way cheaper than other place. I used to buy Farmhouse brand for the fresh milk for kids.  However since after changing ownership, the price of Farmhouse fresh milk had increased RM1 per liter to RM7.90, thus I have switched to buy Dutch Lady. They used to sell Dutch Lady Fresh Milk at RM5.50, while Speed99 sell at RM5.75, not too sure the price from hypermarket but I guess close to RM6.

Last week, as usual I went to this shop to replenish the fresh milk supply at home. I was shocked to see the new price is now RM6.20, 70cents more! Straightaway I walked out from the shop and went to the Speed99 near my home and tried my luck there. The new price offered in Speed99 for same fresh milk is RM5.99, from RM5.75. I think this is much more reasonable increment. However the supply of fresh milk in Speed99 is very limited and they don't have new stock coming in as often as compared to that Chinese shop. So it's really has to depend on luck.

I did not survey what's the new price in hypermarket but to me, 70cents increased is too much. My office is going to move soon too, guess no more reason for me to buy anything from that Chinese shop anymore. And I also foresee more fresh milk hunting for me from now on.

I don't want to be rude

Those of you who are living on the same country with me, I'm sure you may also get some phone call, from XXX bank, telling you that "Oh you are very lucky, in conjunction with our promotion bla bla bla you have been chosen to enjoy this special programme only offered to our special customers bla bla bla", right?

To me, I don't really mind getting this kind of phone call. I do understand that they are just doing their job. However lately, I met a person that I really cannot hold back and got myself very rude to him. He was trying to sell the insurance plan to me. Normally they will call up during office hour, and ask if you can talk or not. He said it is about a special program offer to me. And then he started to talk about this special program Apparently is an insurance policy. I tried to be nice and polite, and I waited until he finished explaining everything. I also tried not to be biased, and asked a few questions about it, just to make sure I do understand what he's trying to offer. Alright, now time for him to ask if I am interested on taking the offer. Well, the policy did sound good. I was thinking maybe I should check with my SIL, who is an insurance agent, about this insurance policy that he offered me. In another way, yes I'm considering getting it. So I told him I want to think about it. And that's where the story begins.

He thought maybe I was not too clear about the benefits of the policy, and tried to explain to me again how good it is, how different it is from other policy (apparently all insurance agent will do the same thing too). I told him I have no doubt on how good the policy is, I just want to discuss with my husband about it as it involved additional expenses to the household. He quoted example of Jusco member day, where the offer only valid for one day and I cannot go back few days later to buy the things paying the offer price which is not valid anymore. I then reminded him that, at least I was informed on when is the Member day in advance (Jusco will send mail to all the Jusco members before the event take place) and I can always go with my family and we can decide on the spot whether to buy or not. He continued to say things that trying to convince me to buy on the spot, telling me (again) how good the policy that I need not let it go bla bla bla. What I dislike about him, as if he's right all the time and I was not doing it right, or my action of discussing with husband is unnecessary. While being a consumer and customer, I believe I have my rights of doing thing according to my way and make my own decision about it.

It had been more than 15 minutes on the phone with this guy and I was in the office, early morning. I started get annoyed on his long winded speech and I finally told him that, I am not interested to buy anymore. I just want to hang up and continue with my work. I know I sound very rude. I definitely prefer a better way to end the phone conversation.

One month later, I got another call from XXX bank again on some special offer again. This time I become smarter and I asked is it about insurance policy. He said it is about an special offer to me, for my birthday actually and it will just take me 5 minutes. I recognized is the same annoying guy that I have spoken earlier. Immediately I told him, if it is about insurance, I'm not interested at all. As I do not need a new insurance policy. Well, he did not give up. He insisted I should listen to him first. And then he continued to talk about the insurance policy. I waited until he finished, and repeated to him that I don't need a new policy and I'm not interested. He still keep on asking questions about what insurance that I have etc trying to convince me this is different from my other existing policies and I should get it. Well, I already mentioned that I am not interested, why can't he listen to me? Anyway, I still answered his questions, and insisted to him that, I'm not buying! And I want to hang up because he's disturbing me to work! I know I am rude. But again, I don't want to waste my time on him. And he finally got the message and hang up.

He's not the only tele-marketer who calls me up. I do receive lots of other calls on this special offer thing too. But most of them, when I said I'm not interested, they won't explain more, they will just say Thank you for your time and hang up. I think it is important that in the sales and marketing line, you listen to your customer. Not necessary that even if you are selling the best product in the world, we must buy from you. There are time when we buy a product, not because it is the best, but because the sales person has the right attitude and that make us feel happy to buy from them.

Almost blame the wrong people

The Internet service at home has been down for more than one week. Each time when there is heavy rain, the Internet service most probably will get affected. So after a heavy rain last week, the Internet service was out again. The modem show no signal of the ADSL. We waited for one day (sometimes it gets OK on the following day) still not working before we call TM to lodge a complain. They called up the following day, asking if the Internet service had been fixed. We tried after reaching home, still no signal of the ADSL shown in the modem. We called TM again to tell them the results.

We tried almost every day after coming home from work. Everyday we get disappointed. I was so frustrated that I told hubby, this time we should ask for rebate. It was already one week without the Internet service. What for am I paying for something that I could not use? I was so angry and disappointed with their service and responsiveness.

Yesterday, hubby borrowed a modem from colleague (he got a spare modem) to check if it was our modem giving problem. After fixing the modem from colleague, hey the ADSL signal is on! So means our modem is the one giving problem! After TM had fixed the Internet service, apparently we could not verify it using the faulty modem. We almost wanted to email to TM for complaining for the poor service. Luckily they had changed email address so the email did not get through.

Finally it's fixed

After few phone calling and complains, finally the technician came on Saturday morning to fix the phone and the internet connection. The problem was not from home. So he had to drive to other place to check. In total, he took about half an hour to get the problem fixed. I wonder why they had to take so many days to come. I hope after this, no more phone problem after heavy rain. Later in the afternoon, the customer service from Telekom called to check if everything was OK so that he can closed the case. I feel regretted for not asking any rebate from them since it had been more than 2 weeks the phone line was down and more than 1 week without internet connection. :(

What kind of service is this?

In the past almost 3 weeks, my house phone was not working properly. My mom was complaining whenever she called the house phone, it was engaged. When I pick up the phone, there was no dialing tone. Well, this happen before especially during raining days. Usually after 1 or 2 days the phone line will back to normal. However this time, it seems like after 2 weeks the phone line is still not working properly. There is no problem on the internet access, so I did not realize the phone line is having some problem until my mom was complaining about it (I seldom make phone call at home).

So on 2 days before the Hari Raya break, I called to lodge the house phone problem. They said it will be fixed in 24 hours. The next day the home phone was fixed. However the streamyx was down. Me and hubby was so upset. Hubby later called up the streamyx help line to lodge the complain. They said will be fixed in 2 working days. However the next day was the Hari Raya holiday.

So the 2 rest days at home was without internet access. I had nothing much to do so I took the opportunity to sleep a lot (replacing the insufficient sleeping hours for the previous 2 days before the holidays due to working late till midnight in the office). And also take my own sweet time to clean the floor of the entire house.

Soon after the Hari raya holidays - Guess what? The home phone line was down again! Now both home phone and internet access are not available. What kind of service is this? I'm so upset and disappointed with the service provider.