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Negative Encounter Overview Starhub Exclusive Retailer

The impression of Starhub has always been good to me until the day when I subscribe for it
mobile plan. I want to sign up a mobile plan for my younger brother, so I decided to
subscribe Starhub plan as my friends has being telling me that they have good quality service.
I went to the Starhub Exclusive Retailer at Bishan Junction 8 to subscribe it at 9pm which is
their closing time. They was about to close shop, hence there was not a need to queue up. It
was my first time signing up with Starhub and I was unsure of how it plan was like. I asked
the promoter question regarding my doubt, my first question was What is the lowest price
plan for a student plan. The promoter refer me a plan with data bundle which monthly
subscription is $44 per/month and I told the promoter that at the age of my brother he doesnt
need a data plan and I enquired him again if there is mobile plan that doesnt come with data
plan. The promoter simply just tell me NO and he was rather annoyed by me as I asked him
quite a number of question. We purchase Samsung Jet for free with the plan were getting.
My younger brother makes payment for the SIM card and registration fee, the promoter hand
over the item without even saying thank you.

After 2 month of using the line, my cousin who is using Starhub service provider told me that
actually there is mobile plan that does not come with data bundle. I was rather angry as I felt
that I was being cheated by the sale personnel by signing up a much more expensive plan. I
call in to the call center and they asked me to clarify with the promoter that I had spoken to
verified everything. The promoter denied that he had tell me that there is no plan that come
with data bundle and he say that it me who the one who want to sign up for this plan so that I
can get Samsung Jet for free. He also demanded that if I want to change plan I had to make
payment of $40 for the phone for that plan then he will change it for me. He told me this,
you pay the money then I change for you, or else there nothing we could talk about. I told
him that I will spoke to the higher management and complain about it and he just tell me, go
ahead and complain.









My needs and expectations
My need was to sign up a lowest price plan for a student and get a phone for free. I
expected the sales personnel to give me more information that what I had asked and
recommend phone that is good. In addition, when information was given incorrectly, the
sales personnel should apologise and correct it to what the customers wants.

Approach Before Purchase
I wanted to sign up a new line for my younger brother as he does not want to use prepaid
card anymore. Furthermore, he lost his phone and he wanted to get a phone urgently at
relative cheap price.

Approach After Purchase
I felt angry and frustrated that information was given wrongly resulted in signing up for a
plan that I does not want. I wanted Starhubs to change my plan and waived off the 2
month additional subscription on the wrong plan.

Service Provider Situation Before purchase
I was served immediately appoint at the counter as there was no customers. In additional,
even when the shop is about to close, promoter still served me but in a very fast pace.
The staffs all wore a green polo tee, their tone used in communicating with customers are
very rude. Their information system was not good as there is only one computer available
to make transaction when there are 3 sales personnel.

Service Provider Situation After purchase
After I know that I was given the wrong information and decided to call in customer
service centre to clarify the problem. Starhubs automated service was very long and
inefficient; I had to wait more than 20mins before I could finally engage to a service
operator. They did not solve the problem and yet they asked me to call the retailer to
verify this before they could make decision if they could change the plan for me. The
sales personnel at the shop denied everything and accuse me of lying.



Moment of truth
1. Want to sign up mobile plan for younger brother
2. Went to the Starhub shop
3. Ask question regarding mobile plan
4. Promoter was annoyed
5. Subscribe to the mobile plan
6. Promoter give the wrong information
7. Promoter denied that he give wrong information
8. Promoter accuse me that I am the one who want that plan
9. Promoter argue with me
10. Only change plan when I make payment of $40 for the phone
11. Stop signing up service from Starhub Exclusive retailer


















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2
1
Start
End
Expected Service

Perceived Service
R
e
l
i
a
b
i
l
i
t
y

Give information on the
product/service.
Good service with regards to at
the shop or during telephone
Do not overpromise



>
Given the wrong
information
Bad service at the shop and
during telephone
Heterogeneity
R
e
l
i
a
b
i
l
i
t
y

R
e
s
p
o
n
s
i
v
e
n
e
s
s

Not too slow, queue time at
outlet maximum 30 minutes.
Phone should have shorter
waiting time compared to outlet
Always be ready to respond to
customers needs




=
Queue time at outlet
satisfactory
Phone service was very
long and inconvenient
Sales personnel was not
responsive enough

R
e
s
p
o
n
s
i
v
e
n
e
s
s

A
s
s
u
r
a
n
c
e

Sales personnel should more
well informed than customers
Sales personnel should be polite
and showing respect for
customers.



>
Sales personnel are not well
informed.
Sales personnel were
annoyed at the outlet and
argue over the phone.

A
s
s
u
r
a
n
c
e

T
a
n
g
i
b
l
e
s

Facilities to communicate well
with customers
Employees must look confident
Good system for information
flow
Cleanliness of the environment


>
Telephone service and one
to one service are provided
but not utilised fully
Employee dont look
confident in the outlet
Bad information system
The counter is untidy, paper
was all around the counter.
T
a
n
g
i
b
l
e
s

E
m
p
a
t
h
y

Always be approachable
Flexible system, customer
oriented
Employee empowerment



>
Office hours phone service
Still make transaction when
closing
Quarrel with customers
System not flexible, only
one computer was provide
to make transaction
No employee
empowerment, decisions
making have to be handed
to managers
E
m
p
a
t
h
y


For this case is ES<PS, I find that the quality of service was unacceptable. The basic need of
communicating with the customers well was not met. The customer service I made during the
purchase was bad but after I had faced with problems, their responsiveness level started to
drop more. This is a form of heterogeneity that is presented before and after service by
Starhub.
Deadly Factors
Under any circumstances, the company should always avoid over promising
To encourage return business, Starhub should give proper training to the employee
regarding their product/ service so that they wont give the wrong information
Service must be consistent not only throughout the organization, but also during
phases of product usage as well, heterogeneity of service must be minimized.
Employees should have the mindset that customer is always right and should not
argue with the customers.

Gaps
The causes of the gaps between perceived service and expected service are:
Sales personnel does not know what the customer wants
Causes of over promising:
o Guarantee that they only has data plan

Lack in employee empowerment
Failure to capture return business
Failure to set customer-defined service standards














Positive Encounter Overview Starhub Call Centre
This overview is connected with the Negative Encounter overview. However the quality
service they provide varied differently. After knowing that I was given the wrong information,
I called in to the call centre. They told me that they will get the promoter who served me to
give me a call to verify the incident. The promoter denied everything and I made a complaint
against him with a higher management through call centre. They told me that they will give
me a call regarding these matters in 1days time. A call was received by one of the customer
service officer within 3hours and they told me that they will change the plan for me without
paying the $40 for the phone. In additional, they will waived off the additional charger that
they charge me for a wrong plan. Furthermore, they also advise me if I want to Bar the GPRS
for the line so that my brother could not access to the internet which will incur charger if he
went to. During the call, I enquire on my internet bill which I had signed up on other retailer
shop. I asked him why there is a $40 charge on administration fee, what it is about. The
officer asked me if I was informed that there is a activation fee when I make a purchase. I
told him that I was not inform about this when I subscript the internet connection. Without
demanding anything, the person told me this, In this case, I will waive the chargers of $40
for you since you are not inform by the sale personnel over the counter. The officer also
advised that I should make the payment on the bill that charged on the wrong plan first and
they will deduct the waived for my next month bill so that I wont get confuse when I get my
bill next month. Furthermore, the officers also send a message to my phone with regarded to
the total waiver amount using his on cell phone to let me understand it. This which is a added
value service that he did on his own which is beyond the service standard that the company
set.













My needs and expectations
The officer had to solve the problem that I am facing right now as information was given
wrongly by their promoter. I will expect the officer to attend to my matter in the time that
was given by him. Most importantly, he should change the plan and waiver off the charger
for me.
Approach
I would hope that the officer could change the plan and waiver the charger for me as I was
given the wrong information at the first place. In additional, my brother does not need of a
data plan, I will not want to pay for more money for something that is not being use.
Service Provider Situation
Starhubs automated service was very long and inefficient; I had to wait more than 20mins
before I could finally engage to a service operator. The customers service officer is polite
which certainly give me a good impression. A call was receive within 3hours and the officer
solves the problem I am facing. Additional service was provide such as waives of internet bill
and sending message to my phone.














Moment of truth
1. Called the call centre
2. Officer ask promoter to clarify with me
3. Promoter denied, make complaint to the higher management
4. Requested for a change of plan and waiver of additional chargers
5. Promise to give a call within 1 day
6. Receive a call with 3hours
7. Officer change the plan and waive the chargers for me
8. Give advice on GPRS
9. Waived internet bill without demanding it
10. Advice on the bill payment
11. Send message regarding about the waived


















Start
End
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Expected Service

Perceived Service
R
e
l
i
a
b
i
l
i
t
y

Must be always willing to solve
customers problems
Do not overpromise



<
The officer was enthusiastic
in solving our problems
Officer did not
overpromise, he give a
longer duration for making
a call back.
R
e
l
i
a
b
i
l
i
t
y

R
e
s
p
o
n
s
i
v
e
n
e
s
s

I would expect the officer to be
approachable
Responding to our problem
within the time he stated
Answer question that customers
ask
Phone should have shorter
waiting time




=
Personal officer was
provided for us
He responded to our
question immediately
without fail
Additional advise was
given during the call
Phone service was very
long and inconvenient

R
e
s
p
o
n
s
i
v
e
n
e
s
s

A
s
s
u
r
a
n
c
e

Not to have internal conflicts in
the presence of customers
Sales personnel should more
well informed than customers
Sales personnel should be polite
and showing respect for
customers.




<
Professional code of
conduct
Positive attitude
Humble
No internal conflicts and
unnecessary discussion took
place in our presence
Value added service;
message
A
s
s
u
r
a
n
c
e

T
a
n
g
i
b
l
e
s

Facilities to communicate well
with customers
Employees must be confident
Good system for information
flow




<
Telephone service are
provided
Employee is confident
good information system

T
a
n
g
i
b
l
e
s

E
m
p
a
t
h
y

Always be approachable
Flexible system, customer
oriented
Employee empowerment



<
24hours phone service
available.
Flexible system
Officer has employee
empowerment, they do not
need to ask higher
management to waive off
the charger

E
m
p
a
t
h
y



For this case is certainly ES<PS, not only did the service of the officer provide fulfil my
expectations, it provided my with service that goes beyond my expectations like additional
advice on GPRS and bill payment, waived of internet bill without demanding it and sending
message to my phone. With regards to systems, flexibility plays an important role to ensure
the system is customer oriented. And finally, employee empowerment is present which gives
us a professional impression of the officer.
Success Factors
Good first impression of the officer due to politeness
Additional information given to customers
Waiver of internet bill without customer demanding
Provide service beyond the service standard the organisation set.
Employee empowerment in decision making process
Flexible in systems which is customer oriented

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