A Malaysian Consumer Speaks........

When I was studying Business Planning in University. My lecturer always emphasised that if a business does not have a clear USP (Unique Selling Proposition). It can always fall back to providing good customer service. That could be a USP by itself. Have you ever made a purchase solely because the service was good. In fact, I tend to support businesses who are selling competitive products just because I can get great service on purchase and also after the transaction.

In fact, I go one step further to emphasise that no matter what business you're in, you're effectively in the service industry. No, not only businesses who sell the 'invisible' (non-tangible products). But lets just say you're selling FERN Butter, well, effectively you are not in the butter business but you pull your broad-vision back and you find that you're in the business/service of providing the consumer with a quality product and providing the service of helping the retail outlet make money by moving the product. There you go, win-win-win situation and you make lots of $$$$$$.

This IS THE main basic principle of business and stupid people (yes even large corporations) tend to forget about this. No matter how much technology advances or the economic climate and environment changes, this rule will never ever ever change as long as there are businesses and trading in existence.

How, then could companies large and small fail to put the utmost importance in this department. Yes, billions are spent on the so called advertising budget, operational, manufacturing, marketing, human resource, accounting, administration, and at the end of the day, the consumer pays for all this. When all these departments work in harmony, the business grows and succeed. However, a weakest link in this chain could mean disaster for the business. Yes, just one department fucks-up and thats it.

I believe every great businessman would agree with me that customer feedback is one of the most important aspects as products are created based on market demands. There must be market conversations to shape a business. What I do not understand is how some of the lowest paid employees are the actual people put to the battlefield of dealing with customers.

Well, as I have travelled around the world and lived in Australia for quite some time. I would say that customer service is so much more forward than what we have here in good ol' BOLEHLAND.

In Australia, without fail, I get a friendly smile from the sales assistants, A nice "Hey how's it goin' ? " without fail. Even the janitor greets me. I return a faulty product, and I get an instant "sorry" and no questions asked with a smile.

Now, some of you all may be saying, "Haiya, Australia so developed blah blah blah..."

Let me say that this is not a battle of the developed nations. I would say that the great Kingdom Of Thailand has some of the greatest customer service I have ever encountered. In fact, world class, having been there so many times. From the cinema, to the supermarket, to the retail outlets, to the cab drivers.

In Malaysia, its as if we owe them something. Now don't get me wrong, I am not saying the whole nation is like that. I would give due credit to good businesses by recommending to friends and become a repeat customer myself.

However, businesses that treat consumers badly has gone on for too long. Some customers even gets conned by large businesses. I give a score of a big ' A ' to these bussinesses. Yeah, A for APPALLING .

Having said all that, I would love to establish my mini HALL OF SHAME to businesses who could definitely change for the better and learn to appreciate customers. I hope this could be a regular here in this blog.

Here is the first outlet to enter the AHLOKKOR Customer Service Hall Of Shame:

Notice this guy reading a mag on the job

Now, I am not bitching because business was slow and he was reading a mag. Here is what happened.

Me: (Looking at the Handycam, and MiniDVs right in front of him, he pretended to not notice me) Scuse me

Him: Pretending he did not see me.

Me: Errrrr, Scuse me, hi do you have Mini Disc?

Him: (He kept staring at his mag as if he was looking at some females' boobs or something). No have! No have! (spoke in a rude tone while raising his hand).

Me: I asked you properly (He did not seem to understand, I walked away disgusted).

In fact, I wanted to ask about the Handycams and SLR Cameras. Well, he just lost a possible sale. You may be thinking what kind of shop this is. Is it some SS2 small electrical outlet. Well, no, ironically, its an Australian chain:

Ikano Branch

Well, enough said. Hope to post more in future.