Hello? McDo? Ano ba talaga?

Few minutes back, I went to McDonald's (Assumption Road) to buy my lunch. I ordered 1 6-pc Chicken McNuggets (Large). Based on the menu board, the item costs Php160. I handed over a Php500 bill. When the cashier punched my order, the cash register's monitor reads Php162. So I asked the cashier "how come it's Php162 when it's Php160 on your menu board?" She stared at the monitor for a while and asked the cashier next to her what could be wrong. They conversed for a while. I couldn't hear what the other cashier said but after their brief conversation, the cashier who took my order shouted "VOID". The manager came and asked what happened and so, the cashier asked the manager the same question I asked her. The manager stared at the monitor and asked the cashier "ano ba ang pinunch mo?" The cashier answered the question and the manager stared at the monitor for a while then turned to look at the menu board and then back at the monitor. After what seemed like forever, the manager said "baka hindi lang na-update yung nasa board." 

And since I was in a rush, I didn't argue anymore but in my mind I was thinking "how come they are not sure whether there was a change in the price of what they are selling?"

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Who is to blame?

My sister and I booked flights with Air Asia last night.  Because I am not really confident about giving bank account details and the like, I chose to pay through their other payment partners.  Since SM City Baguio is so near our house, I decided to pay through the The SM Store which was one of the choices in their list of payment partners.

So this morning, my sister and I went straight to The SM Customer Welfare Desk.  That is where I usually pay my online bookings.  This time however, it's my first time to pay my booking with Air Asia.

When we reached the counter, my sister handed the printout of our booking details to one of the staff (there were were 2) and she just stared at the paper. After a while, she asked her companion to help her out. Her companion read the document and asked: Ano ito? (what is this?). I told her that it was the booking details sent by Air Asia and I need to pay for our booking to be confirmed. I guess, she was not listening. Or maybe, she did not understand what I said and so she asked: Para saan? (what for?). So I just had to repeat my answer. Then she told me that they are not accepting payments for Air Asia bookings. She probably got the hint with the look on my face so she called their supervisor/manager. After that short talk with the person on the other end of the line, she told me that they are not accepting payments for Air Asia bookings and that she was referring me to a travel agency located on the same floor. It's not my first time to travel and it is not my first time to pay for my bookings so I am not stupid to go to that travel agency knowing that they are not going to process my request anyway! What I did was to show a screen shot of  the list of payment partners and asked: So, mali ito? (So, this is wrong?) and she said, Oo (yes). And so I pointed at the signage they have and asked: So, mali rin yan? (So, is that wrong too?) and she said, Hindi (no) but we do not accept payments for Air Asia Bookings. I knew that the conversation is going nowhere and so my sister and I just left.

Just the other day, I was invited to talk about Customer Service and I got a bad one today. Well, it's not my first time to encounter such lousy service at SM. I always do. If only I had other choices for the other services I avail from them...

I wonder, are they not getting any training related to custmer service? Or they do, but they're just so stupid and they do not know how to apply it!

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(Bad) Customer Service

When I want or need something and I have the money to buy, expect me to visit the store where I intend to make the purchase the soonest possible time I can.  But no matter how much interest and capacity I have to buy a good or service, bad customer service will definitely drive me away.

One of worst experiences I have had is detailed here.

Have you experienced being offended by remarks like "We have bigger sizes" (when looking for clothes) or "There are cheaper models" (when looking for gadgets, etc.)?

Or, while looking at a bag that caught your attention, here comes the sales person telling you "Ma'am/Sir , Bag?"  As if you didn't know that it was a bag. Or, while at the area in the department store where the socks are displayed, here comes the sales person telling you "Ma'am/Sir, Socks?" and while you are busy looking at the white socks, he/she would say "We have other colors too!"

Have you been in a situation where the sales person ignored you even if you know so well that he/she already saw you and that you already have called his/her attention?

Or, was there a time when you were served something totally different from what you ordered and when you tell attendant that that was not your order (with the expectation that they will deliver you what you ordered) he/she just looks at you scratch his/her head and give you the I-am-sorry-just-take-this-because-I-cannot-do-anything-about-it smile.

I have experienced all these several times.

Sometimes I just walked out in disgust.  But if it happened at a time that I was not in good mood, I am sure that I have lashed out at the sales person/s.

I wonder where and how they got such training, if any; it's just so frustrating!

Business owners should know that whether their people treat their customers right or not will definitely have an effect on their sales.  Of course, if the quality of service is good, then you are assured of repeat purchase, more sales and a bigger market share.  But if service is sloppy, do not expect an increase in sales let alone a repeat purchase from present customers.

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