Monday, March 19, 2012

Improving customer service

In preparation for the big move back to Singapore, I needed to make arrangements for Internet connection. After looking through Singtel's website, I thought I would choose their exPress 50 plan, but after emailing them, I was told that I would have to sign up on-line. But after signing up on-line (filling in a form, they should then contact me), I didn't manage to link up with Singtel to complete the signing up process. So I decided to give them a call.

Well, I am still in Japan, but once the line got through to Singtel's customer service, I was made to wait for about 10 minutes before someone actually picked up the phone. After explaining my case, I was made to wait another 2-3 minutes while they connected me to sales. After talking to sales, I was told that the earliest they could get my fibre connection up was mid-May. Wow! What am I going to do for two months for my Internet connection? So I had to sign up for ADSL plan instead.

It took me about 30 minutes to sign up for Internet connection... that's an international call, with IDD and roaming charges. Given the advances in information technology nowadays, it is a wonder why such services aren't provided at Singtel's website. As the leading telecommunications provider in Singapore, Singtel doesn't make good use of IT for business (customer service). It would have been convenient and cheap for me if they had on-line chat customer service (like HP). And I really don't think 10 minutes waiting for a service staff to pick up the phone is a reasonable wait.
Customers = Business
If you are going to make customers wait, they are likely to bring their business somewhere else. Saving costs in customer service only makes you loss money (in terms of profit not realised) in the long-term. This isn't the first time Singtel has shown itself to be lacking in customer service.

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