I have to answer for Singtel's mistake

[Cerano]

I have always been very supportive of Singtel bringing in the Iphone 3GS which I pre-ordered with Singtel as well.

All these years I have been with Singtel as a loyal customer despite its terrible service as compared to Starhub.

 

On the 9th of July 2010 11:10pm I received an email regarding Singtel's Iphone 4 registration of interest.

Being very interested in the Iphone I jumped at this opportunity and immediately registered for the Iphone 4.

 

I then received the email confirming my registration of interest for the Iphone 4. So with great patience I waited and waited.

 

For over 2 weeks i waited patiently.

 

On the 27th of July 11:11pm, 2 days before the official Iphone 4 launch, I received another email from Singtel saying that they would waive my $300 early upgrade fee for the Iphone 4 specifically until the 30th of September 2010.

Seeing this, I was reassured that my name was on the Singtel list for the Iphone 4 despite the lack of information from the 9th till the 27th.

 

I did not receive any invite later on for the Iphone 4 launch at Marina Bay Sands on the 29th of July. I knew it must have been for selected customers only and so I kept waiting.

 

During this time period, I had also registered my interest for an Iphone 4 for my wife from Starhub and they contacted me to collect my Iphone 4 on the 16th of August despite the fact that I registered my interest with them much later than Singtel.

There was also no need for any "reservation" to get this Iphone 4 from Starhub. Starhub handled my request expertly with every need for speed.

 

I finally got tired of waiting and called Singtel on the 18th of August in the evening.To my horror, Singtel informed me that my name was not on the Iphone "reservation" list and that registration of interest

is entirely separate from reservation of the Iphone. So after waiting for over a month, I had nothing to show for it. Singtel did not bother to even send its loyal customer a single sms or email to inform me that I would have to "reserve" an Iphone.

This despite Singtel having ready stock immediately after the launch. Singtel did not have to courtesy to update me and left me waiting for a phone.

 

Despite my evident displeasure, I went down to Westmall on the 19th in the evening to reserve the Iphone 4. Unfortunately, 2 days after on the 21st of August, the heavy downpour left me with a malfunctioning Iphone 3GS and

I needed an Iphone 4 urgently. I rang up Singtel and spoke to their customer service officer Mas on the 23rd of August 2010 at 6.30pm. She reassured me that she would expedite the request for an Iphone 4 and let me know of the result within 2 days.

On the 25th of August evening, having not heard from Mas, I once again called Singtel up and their Customer Service Officer Alena spoke to me promising me that they would give me an answer on whether

they would be able to give me an Iphone 4 immediately through a call-back later that night. I waited and waited for that call but it never did materialise.

 

Finally, today 26th August I called Singtel to enquire as to why they did not give me a call-back. At 6:25pm, a customer service officer named Subra took my call and was unable to give me an adequate answer. He brought me round and round.

He told me that he would have to get back to me regarding as to whether they would be able to provide me with an Iphone 4.I refused because I knew their call-back would either 1) not materialise as before 2) give me an inconclusive answer.

Finally I insisted on speaking to his manager yet he told me his manager was not free and he would arrange for a call-back due to the high-call volume. This is very ridiculous. I was very frustrated and told him I would be willing to hold the line until his manager

can answer the phone. Finally after holding for an additional 10 minutes, his manager Phaya answered the phone at 7.00pm and spoke to me. I explained the situation to him calmly yet he was still unable to provide me with a solution.

 

I quote verbatim "Sir, I can only forward your concerns to the marketing department as unverified feedback." I continued to haggle with him and he said "Sir, why do you keep pushing me? There is nothing I can do." He was unable to provide me with a

satisfactory answer as to why Singtel did not inform me that I would need to reserve the phone. He continually insisted that I should have called multiple times to check on the status on the Iphone.I asked him then what did I register my interest for?

He claimed it is only to gauge the interest level regardless of the line owner. Phaya repeatedly mentioned that it was based on a first come first serve basis and the first few thousand customers to register their interest were notified. So is he saying that within minutes of the email being sent, a few thousand requests were already lodged?

 

So finally I have decided i will write in to Straits Times forum and see what their GM thinks of this. To start with, it is due to Singtel's lapse in judgement that this problem occured to start with.Make no mistake, this is Singtel's fault.

Why was Starhub able to provide on multiple accounts?

 

Singtel, please provide me with a satisfactory answer as to why is it that customers were not kept updated between the 9th of July till the launch on the 29th of July.

Why is it that Singtel failed to follow up on the requests on interest registration. So we registered for fun? Customers who reserved their Iphones on the 5-9th August have already gotten their Iphones and clients who register early dont?

 

Singtel has to seriously consider reviewing its customer service policy. Is it fair that the customer pays for its failings? Why is it that even when given the opportunity to remedy the situation Singtel chooses to disregard its customers concerns?

Has Singtel grown complacent?

Edited August 26, 2010 by Cerano

[Jman888]

If you think the pre-registration can auto 'reserve' a phone for you, you were dead wrong.

 

The launch reservation for the phone at MBS was snap up within half an hour via online. I made an effort to go down to the Hello shop on the launch date to reserve 2 phone and I got them in less than a week. Another friend make reservation 2 days after me waited for 3 weeks.

 

 

[Cerano]

Yet Singtel did not inform us of such information.

 

Yet Singtel left it to the customers to "figure" it out.

 

Interesting policy they have.

 

FYI I have already bought two Iphone 4s from starhub and yes they auto reserve for me.

 

Im not asking that Singtel do the same but at the very least let the customer know. Is a simple email/sms/call so hard?

[RadX]

Eh...can give executive summary in 3 lines anot...i know unker very lohso...spare us [laugh]

[Jman888]

Actually if you have registered interest, you get email and SMS to inform you of the launch and how to go snout reserving the phone. Because it is highly in demand, they can't satisfied every 'registered' customers, only those put in effort to get it.

[RadX]

Actually if you have registered interest, you get email and SMS to inform you of the launch and how to go snout reserving the phone. Because it is highly in demand, they can't satisfied every 'registered' customers, only those put in effort to get it.

 

 

eh, you got 3GS, how come still wan 4....kiasu ah... [shakehead]

[Jman888]

Eh...can give executive summary in 3 lines anot...i know unker very lohso...spare us [laugh]

 

 

In short the phone should drop from sky!

[Jman888]

eh, you got 3GS, how come still wan 4....kiasu ah... [shakehead]

 

 

To sell for pocket money

 

Manage to sell both at $100 more than what you mentioned.... but still less than market

[Cerano]

Actually if you have registered interest, you get email and SMS to inform you of the launch and how to go snout reserving the phone. Because it is highly in demand, they can't satisfied every 'registered' customers, only those put in effort to get it.

 

I never got that email/sms

[macrosszero]

Its just a mobile phone, its not the end of the world?

[Mazdaowner]

Ayiah, I also no need so kang kor, just call my Singtel corporate account manager, "Oi, Chris, you got Iphon4 not? I need to replace mine, got tell me ok, thanks!" 2hrs later, I no stock now, but will let you know when coming in. 3 days later, Ok, fill up form and send back to me, then 15mins later, kana SMS, your Iphone 4 will arrive at XXXX date AND xxx time, which was, the following day.

 

No hassle leh. If reserve and ownself donno how to call and ask who to blame leh> People also can forget mah.

 

Eh...can give executive summary in 3 lines anot...i know unker very lohso...spare us [laugh]

 

[Mazdaowner]

Brand is what? Ti Kong Iphone4?

In short the phone should drop from sky!

 

[Metalbone]

My bro and sis reserve their iphone4 and got it within 2 weeks. Quite fast ler.

[Mazdaowner]

Yeah lor. Siao HP until liddat.

Its just a mobile phone, its not the end of the world?

 

[RadX]

Ayiah, I also no need so kang kor, just call my Singtel corporate account manager, "Oi, Chris, you got Iphon4 not? I need to replace mine, got tell me ok, thanks!" 2hrs later, I no stock now, but will let you know when coming in. 3 days later, Ok, fill up form and send back to me, then 15mins later, kana SMS, your Iphone 4 will arrive at XXXX date AND xxx time, which was, the following day.

 

No hassle leh. If reserve and ownself donno how to call and ask who to blame leh> People also can forget mah.

 

 

you call Chris...i say, eh Ah Yang, lu hab iphone4 anot...send to me l;ater

[Mkl22]

singtel is telling you... want to buy better wait.. or get lost.

[Ladykillerz]

the funny thing is, this iPhone4 got reception problem and yet so many people are getting.

now we got one unhappy customer saying SingTel did not treat him like a King. =x

[Cerano]

Ayiah, I also no need so kang kor, just call my Singtel corporate account manager, "Oi, Chris, you got Iphon4 not? I need to replace mine, got tell me ok, thanks!" 2hrs later, I no stock now, but will let you know when coming in. 3 days later, Ok, fill up form and send back to me, then 15mins later, kana SMS, your Iphone 4 will arrive at XXXX date AND xxx time, which was, the following day.

 

No hassle leh. If reserve and ownself donno how to call and ask who to blame leh> People also can forget mah.

 

sorry la not everyone got corporate account manager