Smart Bro Update

So....a few days have passed since the creation of this blog AND the mass-sending of my letter via email. I have been pleasantly suprised that not a few people have expressed extreme dissatisfaction with Smart Bro, along with other companies.

Part of the problem is, I think, not that some employees are just totally rude and ignorant to begin with. Not that they have not been taught the art of customer service. Not that they KNOW the meaning of the word "service".

Part of the problem lies within us, as consumers. Sorry, if I'm about to make a generalization here, but this is my blog and my views. So either read on or exit now. Hehehe. You readers are more than welcome to post comments at the bottom of this post, whether they are supporting me or are against me. They will be there for other readers to peruse.

Anyway, back to my opinion. I was saying that we, as consumers, are also part to blame for this seemingly rampant, pathetically display of DIS-service in the country. Why? It's because we don't speak up. We just take the bull*crap* that is handed to us without batting an eyelash, with nary a whimper.

I mean, come ON, people! If we don't speak out, who will watch out for our interests? Companies who don't bother to invest in training their people on the value of giving customer service will be the winners in this saga.

{SMART BRO UPDATE}

Ok, back to my mini saga. Out of curiousity, how many of you guys think I'm making a mountain out of a molehill?

Anyway, I sent out my email on November 20, or thereabouts. This blog was created to emphasize the issue here: customer DIS-service.

The email has reached lots of people. More importantly, they've reached people who are INSIDE Smart; people who have some (or a lot of) say in what the company does. To that I say, good, good, GOOD!!!

Here's part of the scoop......some I remember, some I will be referencing my email and other notes. Yes, I DOtake NOTES. Apparently, it has done this case good. Hah!

{1} Okay, a lawyer for the company got my email. Apparently, he was dismayed to read my less-than-subtle comments about this service provider. It is said that he forwarded my email to some department (I am assuming Customer Care) with a note saying (I'm paraphrasing and translating here), " this is embarassing to the company/department. Do something about it."

{2) Of course, maybe the letter that I faxed actually reached a Ms. Techico, who is supposedly head of the Operations of Smart Bro's Wireless Department. And she may have instructed an underling in her department to take care of the "matter".

{3} An Arvin Publico, of Customer Care, emailed me:

Dear Ms. Gavino,

Thank you for communicating with us.

SMART Communications has always prioritized the efficiency and reliability of the service we
render to our subscribers. We take pleasure in providing the best communication service and
customer satisfaction at all times. We are saddened to know that your experience shows
otherwise.

Necessary actions are now being carried out to check on this matter. Kindly take note of Service
Request Number (SR#) ######### as reference for follow through purposes. Please accept our
apology for the inconvenience and our assurance that the matter is now being attended to.

If you have other queries, please do not hesitate to write to us.

Sincerely,

Arvin Publico
Customer Care

{4} I have so many thought on this particular letter, I don't even know where to begin! Let's start taking it apart:

a] They take pleasure in providing the best...CUSTOMER SATISFACTION...at all times. ---> Say what??? I for one, was extremely DIS-satisfied, hence the name of this Blog!!! First of all, there was absolutely NO pleasure (!!!) in that time-consuming interaction with their customer service representative. Second, their reps were certainly NOWHERE NEAR equipped with providing ANY service at all! Do you guys recall what the bright Marilou Rillon said to me?

“Ma’am I am only trying to assist our clients. I am NOT authorized to satisfy the customer.” (bold and underline my emphasis)

b] I just LOOOOOVE how he just tagged on his apology at the end. I mean really, if YOU were out to appease an extremely IRATE custome, woudn't you START with an apology?!?!?! Sheesh! Start with an apology and REPEAT the damn apology at the end! Put like this, it totally looks and sounds like an afterthought!

c] Read that last line in Arvin's letter: If I have any other queries, please do not hesitate to write to us. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Heck NO WAY am I going to hesitate! In fact, I'm writing ABOUT his company! Tsk! Tsk! ***shaking head in amusement*** Besides which, why would I write if I have a question? I'd pick up the damn phone! Smart is, after all, a COMMUNICATIONS company, are they not?

d] So technically, this form of "apology" if it was even that, is NOT an apology at all. Unacceptable. It's probably a pro-forma letter at best. Hmp!

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There's more, but will do it tomorrow. I don't want to bore you guys with a too-long post. Best to keep the excitement going eh?

TTFN! Always EXPECT the best Customer Service!