Service Experience Journal

Dao Tran Phu Thinh

300293415

Encounter # 1
Date: Monday, March. 8th
Time: 9:30am
Location: Wellington
Organization: ANZ Bank
Details: When I first came to New Zealand three years ago, I was confused about which bank I
should choose to open an account to keep my money. I chose ANZ and I have never regretted
that choice. The staffs are extremely professional and helpful with their explanation has
impressed me very well. It was the first time I made a bank account, but everything was done
just around less than 30 minutes, and I already know how to use bank account as well as Visa
debit card.
Comments: ANZ has built a magnificent system in all aspects such as staffs, bank card as well
as their internet banking website. It provides the most comfortable way for the customer so that
they can be assured about everything related to their personal banking. Visa debit cards clear,
convenient to use and make any transactions quickly while Internet banking is offering the
convenience and ease of use with just only a few clicks because everything is clear and complete
in a professional manner. I feel safe and absolute confidence when using the services of ANZ.
Analysis:

Simplicity in everything from bank card to internet banking site as well as professional
staffs could be considered as core service of ANZ because it satisfied what customers
needs when they provide both tangible and intangible products. Therefore, ANZ service
could be recognized as a high-contact service as it distributed many branches so
customers can use their bank card in the most comfortable way and could take any

information from staffs.

ANZ was done very well in serving their particular target market which is foreigners,
like me, easy to get used to with new important thing that apparently regular thing use in
New Zealand thereby formed a continuous customer-service provider relationship
with me.

Future Action Steps by Management:

ANZ should be ongoing to keep and improve their professional attitude and service
operation system thereby increases their value and image.
As they focus on foreigner target market, it would be a very good idea if they have
staffs that can speak many languages so it would be easy for them to communicate with
those foreigners who cannot speak English.
Advertise the create Visa debit card with your picture can attract more customer
especially young target market as they want to have their picture on the bank card.

Encounter # 2
Date: Tuesday, Jan 19th
Time: 1:30 pm
Location: Online
Organization: eBay
Details: It was my first-time purchase online from eBay. I wanted to buy an item from a seller on
Ebay, but when I was at the checkout stage, the system announced that the item could not send to
my address (even though the vendor description said they would ship worldwide). I tried many
times but nothing changed, so I decided to email eBay customer service to ask about that. I
thought that which such a huge corporation like eBay, I would have to wait around one to two
days to get a reply but I was wrong. I had received an answer from their customer service just
after five hours since I sent my question. Moreover, they explained very clearly and details, and
also send more relevant images with marked so that I can easily understand what happened. It
was more than I expected to receive from them that I no longer need to ask for more information.
They are the group has left the deepest impression on me about customer service.
Comments: eBay is one of the biggest corporations in the world in the e-commerce industry.
Therefore, all of their staffs are full of experiences, skills, and knowledge in customer service so
they can provide the best services to please customers. They focused on resolving customer
issues quickly and readily understood. More importantly is the way they use their words very

professional and well trained that could be able to satisfy even the most discerning customer. I
have become a loyalty customer of eBay after this.
Analysis:

This is a high-contact service and categorized in people processing because there the
need to be conversations between sellers and buyers. So it is important that all staffs must

have knowledge about their business so they could solve customer problems quickly.
The way they explain was professional which formed the deepest impression in my mind
which increased their value and tremedous change for me to use words of mouth to
suggest for my friends about their quality.

Future Action Steps by Management:

They should keep the professional and apply this to all employees of the enterprise as a
core competency. This will create a positive experience for the customer to become a
loyalty customer to the brand.
They should always give customer exceed what they are expected to receive from the
brand so they will put the company into their evoked set.'

Encounter # 3
Date: Saturday, Apr 9th
Time: 8:00 a.m
Location: Lambton Quay
Organization: Footlocker
Details: When they published their NMD brand shoes (limited edition), I was lined up to get for
myself a pair. Because it was limited edition so customer just can only buy a pair that fit them,
and employees shall confirm that. My size is 7, but when I tried on, the employee said that it was
too tight for me so I should switch to size 7.5 and I happily agreed with that. However, when I
tried on the shoes size 7.5, the employee one again said that it was too big for me. Therefore, he
was not allowed me to buy it because both sizes were not fit me ( the size next to size 7 is 7.5). I

was furios about that, and all I get was just an apology from the store because it was too crowded
and they could not manage everything.
Comments: The customer service of the store is too low, they should know that customer is
god but they refuse to let the customer buy stuff even though there is no size between 7 and 7.5.
At least, they need to ask the manager how to solve the problem, not just decide by themselves.
Footlocker is a very famous store; they do not lack of customers, so if they mess up with one
customer, it is not a big deal. However, if they keep their staffs with that skills, knowledge and
attitude, they would lose their reputation as well as a huge number of customers in future. They
need to focus on please customer if they want to keep their business running well. I was very
disappointed with service of such a big shoe distributor like Footlocker.
Analysis:

This is a high-contact service as there is direct communication between employees and

customers. Staffs are lack of skills to solve the problem when they have to deal with score

of customer.
The servicescape was mess up because too many people there as the number of people
queuing sprawling, crowded, cheered because lack of lined wire. This can leave a
negative impact on customers mind about the poor service. Moreover, I think that staff
did not value or respect my time as I had camped outside for a night to buy for me a pair
of shoes but they did not allow me to buy it.

Future Action Steps by Management:

Employees should be trained how to deal with a large number of customers to improve
service operation system. It should be made sure that they should ask for idea from
authority from backstage before addressing with the problem but not making a decision

by themselves.
Firing unskills staffs and hiring skills teams with professional behaviors could leave an

impression in the customers mind as it relates to customer-orientated culture.'

Involving in service recovery strategy to manage problems and solve it to eliminate
bad attitude from customers toward brand

Encounter # 4
Date: Wednesday, Apr 20th
Time: 8:30 p.m
Location: Australia
Organization: Gamecardsvn
Details: My friend asks me to buy for him some game cards online, and Google recommended
this sites for me. Everything seems to be easy because all steps were done very fast with no
trouble and system said just need three minutes to receive the game card code. However, I did
not receive any code after five hours and just receive a notification to announced that my order
had been canceled even though I paid for it. I emailed them, and they said that I need to update
pictures of my Visa in front and back (which hide the numbers) to prove that I used my card to
make the purchase. I followed their instruction and the same thing happened again. This time,
they said that something was wrong with their system and suggest me to use Paypal to make the
transaction. Nothing better because it failed one more time and they charged my money all three
times, but I did not receive anything (later they explained that they just can only process order in
Australia).
Comments: This was the worst service I have ever use of all times. They were lack of
responsibility and skills in customer services. They should ask me where I came from and
provide information that transaction outside Australia could not be processed so I would not
waste my money and time.
Analysis:

This is a low-contact service as everything is done just through the system, not people.
However, they generated perceived financial risk and perceived temporal risk as did
not response for customer for a long time (although they state that everything will be

done in 3 minutes)
They lack cognitive control when the frontline employee needs to depend on other
employees from backstage.

Future Action Steps by Management:

They should implement training sections in product and service knowledge as well as
increase their authority to make them feels confident to do the job
Clearly state the important of comprehension of the patterns and determinants demand
in order to generate faith in their customers mind.
Improve equipment to increase working efficiency.
Using blue printing to evaluate problem to avoid it in future

Encounter # 5
Date: Sunday, Dec 7th
Time: 6:00 a.m
Location: Wellington Airport
Organization: Jetstar
Details: I bought a ticket from Wellington to Auckland to apply for my transit Visa. The flight
was 6:00 am so I could arrive at the office around 8:30 am so I could be on time for my
appointment. However, they flight delayed until 8:00 am, so I missed my appointment and had to
wait until 4:00 pm to submit my application.
Comments: It was a bad experience as it ruined all of my plans because I had to wait for my turn
to submit my document again even though I already book an appointment for that. It was
extremely unacceptable. I was planned to travel around Auckland with my friends and buy some
stuff but it all been canceled. I also worried about that they would not accept my application on
that day because I already book the ticket get back Wellington at late night for work. If that
happened, I would have to find a place to sleep, change ticket and miss my work on the next day.
I would switch to use Air NZ on the next time even though it a little bit expensive, but I rather be
on time than change whole plan like this.
Analysis:

This is a high-contact service which offers a standardized value in domestic travel

target market.

Low price offers low-quality service. This has been demonstrated in my case that it
delayed my flight then ruined my plans just because of it.

Future Action Steps by Management:

They should make some market research' in order to determine important attributes
that customer expected to receive from a domestic travel industry.
Making service blueprints to identify problems they are suffering thereby apply service
recovery strategy to fix problems.
Provide meals during the flight or discount voucher to please customers from the delay.

Encounter # 6
Date: Sunday, Apr 10th
Time: 7:00 p.m
Location: Vivian Street
Organization: Mekong Restaurant
Details: Me and my roommate decided to go out and eat something at the weekend after a long
week of study. We went to Mekong Restaurant as it is one of the most famous Vietnamese
restaurants in Wellington so that we can try our hometown taste after a long time. However, I
was not happy with the way they worked because I came and order first but the table that came
after me got their meals first.
Comments: It shows the unprofessional service of the restaurant by the way they serve me.
Because they know that I am Vietnamese like them, so they thought that I would understand for
them as it was golden time. However, I am also a customer, I am same with the other, but they
treat me not like the other, so I rarely get back there because they do not respect me as the other
foreign customers.
Analysis:

This is a high-contact service. The staff did not handle the situation professionally
which leave customer experience negatively.

Even though the existence of other customers are recognized, but the priority is the same
and employees should serve the customer comes first. Although I was a loyalty customer,
this made me feel that they did not give me their respect.

Future Action Steps by Management:

The employees should give their respect to the customer no matter what religion they
are. Employees should pay more attention to service and learn how to serve customer
during the peak period.
Offers some extra meal or drink as compensation for potential pitfalls in the service
delivery may please customers.

Encounter # 7
Date: Tuesday, Dec 15th
Time: 2:00 pm
Location: Cuba Street
Organization: Specsavers Optometrists
Details: I want periodic eye exams, and this is my first time in New Zealand, so I chose
Specsavers as suggestions from my friends. At first, I thought they just do the same exam that I
usually take in my country, but it was more than I what I imagined. They not only check my eyes
vision but also check about how my eyes contact with low light, high light intensity as well as
color blind. They checked my old glasses then give me tried on new one with new myopia
degree. It took around nearly one hour to made sure that everything is ok with my eyes, and my
eyes could adapt new glasses degree. Moreover, they also offered me a special deal for student
and helped me to choose new glasses and lenses that could minimize increase myopia.
Comments: The staffs are very well trained and professional with enthusiasm and their
dedication to customers. They make customers feel secure and confident with the results they get
and worth what they spend. I was impressed by how they meticulously examined my eyes to
make sure that nothing wrong with my eyes. Specsavers is an ideal eyes service that provides the

best outcomes that every customer is looking for to protect their eyes. I am sure that I will put
my trust in Specsavers for a long time.
Analysis:

This is a high-contact service as it provided a functional value because it involved in

an applied concrete action to satisfy my demand, so it is identified as peopleprocessing service. This demonstrates a product flow because it needs a particular

place to deliver the service to customers.

This is a continuous service because health problems are issues that need to form a
relationship so doctors can quickly inspect and track patients health.

Future Action Steps by Management:

Business should provide more attractive deal for the student as this could be considered
as the primary target market client because most student is wearing glasses today.
They should apply some IMC strategy to choose a particular marketing channels which
easily to reach the target market such as internet, media or words of mouth (ask
customer suggest to their friends so they will have a discount for next time). This is seen
as an attractive proposition to entice customers to come back.

Encounter # 8
Date: Sunday, Dec 12th
Time: 4:00 p.m
Location: Willis Street
Organization: Spark internet
Details: My apartment was going to end at the end of the month, so I wanted to stop my internet
connection at the same time. Therefore, I called the internet provider hotline to let them know
about that so they would cut the connection when I leave. However, I still receive an internet bill
after I leave, so I decided to come to store to ask about it, and they said that they did not receive

any call from me to tell them about that. I was angry because I needed to pay for one more
month internet connection as they said it need as least three weeks to stop it.
Comments: They were lack of responsibility when they refused to admit that I called them, but
they were not recorded my request lead to I had to pay one more month internet fee even though
I did not use it. They made me waste my money, so it leave me a bad attitude toward the
company even though their quality was good, and I will consider if I use it in the future or not.
Analysis:

This is a high-contact service as requires direct communication between customers and

employees. So it is necessary that the employee needs to have authority as well as

experience to solve customer issues.

The existence of other customers also affects consumer attitude because if every was
done on the phone, I did not have to was my time to wait for them to finish with other
customers before they can serve me.

Future Action Steps by Management:

They should improve employees ethics by responsibility for what they have done
therefore show their respect to customers. It is one of the most important factors that

customer expected to receive.

Apply service recovery strategy to handle with clients issues to solve it and please
customer. Therefore, avoid leaving negative experience to customer impression.

Encounter # 9
Date: Saturday, March 26th
Time: 9:00 a.m
Location: Lambton Quay
Organization: City Dry Cleaners

Details: I wore my suit to a conference at my University presentation. However, it was rained on

my way home, so my suit gets wet, and I worried that it would ruin my suit because it is a bright
color one and some dirty water could cause stains on it. Therefore, I took it to the nearest dry
cleaners shop in my place (City Dry Cleaners). I just handed to them in the morning, and the
receptionist told me to that I could be able to take it in the afternoon and calm me down with her
confident.
Comments: I highly appreciate the customer service of City Dry Cleaners as it satisfies my
demand. It provides a high-quality service as they minimize the risk could happen during service.
My suit was totally like new after the cleaning process, and no sign of stain was found.
Analysis:

This is a low-contact service because I was not there to use the service but my suit did so

it is categorized in possession processing.

This service provides me a perceived functional risk because I had never used this
service before so I worried if they would not be able to erase stains and ruin my suit.
Also, the effective and high-quality frontline receptionist confident calm my worried

down as she said that she had many clean suits that even worst than mine.
When I received my suit, it looked like new and no sign of stain was found. This
identified the concept of meeting and exceeding expectation.' as the service delivery
process' done more than what I expected from the service which somehow increases their
image and demonstrate what they had advertised in their marketing communication.'

Future Action Steps by Management:

They should apply integrated marketing communications through communication

channels such as newspaper, magazine, media to promote their reputation and gain brand

awareness.
Use pricing strategy as providing voucher or loyalty customer discount card to entice
customer in the surrounding area.

Encounter # 10
Date: Monday, Apr 25th
Time: 7:00 p.m
Location: Courtney Place
Organization: The Grand Wellington
Details: I bought a voucher for four people dinner meal at The Grand Wellington. We did not
book the reservation and just come straight to the restaurant, so we had been told that we need to
book first if we want to use the voucher. However, the manager was right there and said that it
should be ok this time, and we should call for a reservation next time. We had a table for four in
an instant, and the food arrived just around 30 minutes after that.
Comments: We were confusing because of what staff said, but the manager actions made us
happy and grateful. We arrived at Golden time, so the food service made us wait a little bit long,
but we did not pay much attention about that as the servicescape provide a warm background
with fireplace and peaceful music then made us not feel hungry at all.
Analysis:

The restaurant knows how to overcome their weaknesses in primetime as servicescape

help them to make customers forget that they have to wait long for their meal.
When they are selling voucher to advertise for the restaurant, they also need to measure
what segment target will involve into this marketing strategy and is it possible as some

customers will come without booking like us make it unachievable.

They did choose the right marketing channels by opting to promote through a famous
student website, and a lot of students purchased their voucher.

Future Action Steps by Management:

As selling vouchers, they need to predicted high demand because it is a cheap deal and
100 vouchers are all sold out in 2 days, and some would come without booking. Indeed,

they need to prepare more food as well as numbers of staffs so they could serve to

maximize demand they able to do.

Applying service recovery procedure to remove bad attitude from customer considered
as a way to increase value.

Service Experience Journal

Dao Tran Phu Thinh
300293415

Organisation: Gamecardsvn
Experience Analysis:
Last month, my friend asked me to buy him some game cards for his game from Gamecardsvn
website. Even though it charged me three times, I did not receive anything from them. My
attitude toward this site was very bad; then I decided to write an email to complain about my
situation.
At first, when I get into the website I had to register an account and need to pay for the first order
to complete the process (certain service expectations was shaped in my subconscious after this
stage). This is seen as a distinct thing from the aspect of the business to be able to ensure control
order, and from the viewpoint of the customer, it would raise my perceived financial risk.
Moreover, this risk could be consider perceived temporal risk because as their system email me
to announced that (you will receive the game card code after 3 minutes), but I did not receive
anything after five hours, and it confused me a lot. The next day, I received an announced that
my order had ben canceled with no explanation.
After that, I emailed them immediately when I received their announcement, they just replied me
with unclear answer and intermittent, sometimes had to wait almost 5 minutes to get the reply
from them without role and script theory. This made me disappointed on how they serve the
customer.
Besides, the employee acted unprofessionally when responded to me because she had no power
to checked my problem to answer me quickly but need to wait to get information for the other
employees and this can be seen as boundary spanning. Therefore, I had to wait for her to
received information from the other staffs then I could know what was happening (which made
me aware the lack of cognitive control in the company). The response sometimes interrupted,
and I had to wait 5 minutes to get the next answer which the labour capacity problems was
confirmed because they were not enough staffs to respond to multi-complaints.
My experience toward this site is considered to be negative for what a service can bring to their
customers. It frustrated in satisfying my need when delivery nothing but dissatisfaction to me
which decrease their value.
Service Recovery:
After three failure attempts, I needed to wait for around seven to ten days to receive my refund
and a game code as compensation for made me experience negative service from them. All
employees that responded to me lacked responsibility and customer service skills. This generated
a moment of truth that provided for customer their right to have procedural justice and
distributive justice. It seems that my problem was not big enough that made them concentrate
on solving it.

Moreover, after I chat with their online supporter, I also provided my personal email address so it
would be easier for me to update the information because I did not want to log into their website
account. It would waste my time as I was studying for the test and working, so I did not have
much time for that. Notwithstanding, they kept on response me through their online chat system,
and I would never know about that if I did not log in to check it and this reveal their lack of
customer orientation. This formed inside my mind a bad attitude with this company because
they did not pay attention to my problem and missing interactional justice theory was
confirmed by this behavior.
Nearly a month after I sent my complaint letter to the director, they replied me with unclear
answers. Sorry for what happened and late reply is all apology I received from them without
any explanation for what happened and why to delay the time to answer me.
He also blames that because I did not mention that I live in New Zealand, so he thought that I
was live in Australia then he did not provide me the information that their service just only works
in Australia. (he the employee should provide this information from the first time I complained
about them, not until I experienced three failed attempts). It is seen as a way for him to defend
for so he did not have to apology for their mistake and also prevent me from having the benefit
of doubt.
Besides, he provides many things that to prove that they are changing after they had a problem
with me. He stated that they were implementing their system so it could process order from
worldwide as well as improve employees skills and knowledge to serve the customer. However,
he did not provide anything information for me to believe in, so I wondered it was a way as he
uses to defended for their corporation so I would suggest them to my friends in future.
Finally, I think what he said could not be considered as an impact recovery process, so it leaves
me no faith to believe in order to suggest this for my friends. Besides, unclear provided
information as well as no explanation and avoid of apology, lack of interaction with customer
caused a negative impression.
Future Action Steps by Management:
The company should increase employees authority in order for them to feels confident enough
to deal with customer problems. In details, create many training sections in product and
service knowledge, along with enhancing interdepartmental support and communication for
those employees with response customer tasks to achieve better efficiency. Moreover, the
company should clearly state the important of comprehension of the patterns and determinants
demand. To guarantee that they truly own sufficient working ability to run their business well.
Nevertheless, the company better add more modern equipment for employees so that they could
handle customer issues quickly. They need to know how to combine the special factors such as
service recovery tactics of acting fast, apologising, and showing understanding and

acknowledging the customers feelings. Besides, create and use blueprinting and control
charts is such an excellent idea as it would help the company to demonstrate their process to
find flaws in their system in order to improve their efficiency.
Last but now least, response customer with unclear answers can be interpreted as a lack of skills
and knowledge in specialized, and it accidentally generated disappointment in customer mind
thereby creating negative stereotypes about the company. If they had provided to me about the
information that they just only make a transaction within Australia, I would not waste time and
money somehow avoided the problem. Therefore, they have made me experienced three failed
attempts which somehow lose a potential customer is me or probably my friends because of the
word of mouth.

LETTER TO COMPANY
Apr 21st
To whom it may concern,
I am writing you this email to let you know that I was angry about your business service I had
experienced few weeks ago. I was intended to buy a couple of game cards from your company,
and you guys had charged me for that.
After completing the purchase with my Visa debit card, I received an email from the system to
confirm my order and said I just need to wait around three to five minutes to receive my game
card code. After waited for more than five hours, I received an email to inform that my order had
been cancel with the reason that the transaction could not complete because money did not go
through (even though my bank statement showed that the transaction has completed).
I could not understand why and it made me confused because the contrast between my bank
statement and your notification while you did not give me any particular reason for this
cancellation. Therefore, I had to chat with your online supporter to ask about it, and you said I
need to update my account by adding pictures in the front and back of my visa debit card which
hides eight numbers in the front and three CGV number at the back to clarify my identification.
(This is the thing that confused me most because I have never been in this frustrating situation
before).
At first, I thought that it was my fault because I did not provide enough information for you to
process the transaction, so I had followed your instruction by updating my account with pictures
of my Visa debit card and made another transaction. Notwithstanding, the same thing happened
with me this time as I had to wait for more than five hours then get informed that my order had
been canceling one more time even though you had charged my money. This time, I was angry
and contact directly with your online customer care service email, and all I receive is Sorry, we
do not know what has happened, we will review your order and will get back to you soonest.
However, I do not know what kind of systems you are using but took you nearly an hour just to
checked an order to answer customer inquiries, and I would like to know what reason my order
was canceled twice although I had paid for it. After that, you told me that something happened

with your systems so you could not receive my money and offered me to use Paypal instead but
it happened one more time. Finally, the reason for all of these is because your systems just
process the order using Visa debit card within Australia (I live in New Zealand). If I know this
from the start, I would not waste my time and money on this.
Lastly, after undergoing under three failed attempts, I was out of the patient with you, and I
wanted a refund. Nevertheless, I had received another notify that I needed to wait for seven to
ten days to get my refund back. Indeed, you know how to make customers leave that you took
my money three times ($24 and wasted my time), but I did not receive any benefit from you, and
I had to wait for more than a week to get my refund back.
I am emailing you because I am excited to know whats you has done to handle similar scenarios
occurring, and applied any changes to avoid losing customers. I had received my refund and a
free game card code as compensation from you, but I still have a bad impression of you to
suggest it to my relatives when they want to buy anything from you. Therefore, I interested to
know whats improvements you had made then I may think should I suggest you or not.
Have you applied any improvements to change your service experience? What would you do if
the same situations happen?
I think that undergo these problems, received complaints from customers had help you to
enhance your services from systems to employees to minimize these scenarios happen again. As
a customer, I advise you should improve your employees knowledge and skills as well as update
your systems. Therefore, you could avoid bad situation occur in the future.

I am looking forward hearing from you soon.

Best regards,
Thinh Dao

May 17th
Hello Thinh
We are sorry for what happened and late reply.
Thank you for letting us know about your thought so that we can improve our customer service.
After the problem with you, we are implementing a huge change in our systems make the
processes easier and bigger range (not just in Australia like before) and some classes to improve
employees knowledge as well as customer services skills.
We hope that we could continue to do business with you in the future.
Kind regards,
Tim.