Abhorring Aboitiz

I've got a new customer service horrific experience... this time with express delivery services.

I've needed to ship out 2 items in the last 2 months. One item to Baguio City, and another within Metro Manila, but a bit too far for a personal delivery. I've had the misfortune to use only one delivery services for my needs, and they failed my expectations... miserably.

For the Baguio City delivery, I called Aboitiz Express (898-QUIK or 898-7845) sometime between 1030am to 11am. I told them that I had a small-size, non-document QuickPac ready for pickup (I have stock of their QuickPac plastic bags, so I used those) in my office address in Makati City and to be delivered to Baguio City. The lady who took the call asked me till what time I would be in the office, and I told her I'd be around till 5pm. After providing me with the total amount I needed to pay (shipping + VAT + insurance), she gave me my booking number and informed me to expect their people to pick up my item within the day. She also assured me that it would be delivered to my addressee by the next day (overnight).

By 430pm, there was no sign of any Aboitiz guys (I had even checked with reception to make sure they hadn't arrived yet), so I made a followup call. The lady who took the call this time around checked my booking number and assured me that the item will be picked up within the day.

At 530pm, there was still no sign of them. I gave our receptionist the ready-packed item and the total amount to be paid (with the breakdown listed in the sticky-note I used. the breakdown shows shipping + VAT + insurance) to the receptionist, repeated the instructions on the sticky-note verbally, and left my office.

I came in at 1030am next morning, took my receipt with the tracking number and called the person who was expecting to get the package. I was very pleased to know that the person had received the package early that morning. At least Aboitiz was true to their word about delivering it overnight.

Today, I called Aboitiz Express before 10am. I told them that I had a small-size, non-document QuickPac ready for pickup (yup, still have stock of their QuickPac plastic bags) in my office address in Makati City and to be delivered to Muntinlupa. The lady who took the call asked me till what time I would be in the office, and I told her I'd be around till 430pm to make sure that they would come before I left the office at 6pm. She must have not been listening to me, because she said "One QuickBox to be delivered within Metro Manila...". I corrected her, telling her I said "small, non-document QuickPac".

She pauses, apologizes and then she says OK, and asks if the item was document or non-document. I told her "I said non-document already!"

Her voice wavers when she asks me next if it was a small-sized package, at which point I raised my voice and said “Can you hear me properly or not? Because this is the 3rd time I’m telling you that I have a small, non-document QuickPac. If you can’t hear me, just say so!”

Although her voice wavers some more, she completely ignores what I say and goes on “So you have one small-sized QuickBox.”

“QUICKPAC!”

“S-s-sorry, one small-sized QuickPac for delivery to…”

I’m fuming at this point, but I kept my voice stoic and stern.

I didn’t bother asking her how much I needed to pay (incompetent fool!), so I just asked for the booking number then hung-up.

At 3pm, I had to step out of the office for a while, so I once again gave our receptionist the ready-packed item and the total amount to be paid (with the breakdown listed in the sticky-note I used. the breakdown shows shipping + VAT + insurance) to the receptionist, repeated the instructions on the sticky-note verbally, and left my office.

Around 6pm, I came back to the office and asked the receptionist about my package. Yup, it hadn’t been picked up yet. I took my package, went to my seat and called Aboitiz. I was very stern with the lady who took my call (without raising my voice, but you can hear the animosity in my tone) and when she checked my booking number, she told me that the Aboitiz guys are already in my area and if I could just wait a few more minutes.

I had to tell her off: “What’s the point of your company asking me until what time I can be in the office when you can’t arrive at my office on time?”

She has no answer to my question, just gives me an awkward silence.

I tell her to make sure the people arrive before 7pm.

At 7pm, still no sign of the guys in the red, yellow and green suits (hmm… just like a stoplight). I make my 2nd followup call, this time, a lady named Lisa (I made sure to get the name this time) answers. She checks my booking number, and gives me the same line of “the Aboitiz guys are already in my area and if I could just wait a few more minutes.”

So I retort: “That’s the exact same thing that the previous person said when I called you an hour ago! If they are in the area, they should’ve arrived much much less than an hour ago. The time was between 6pm and 7pm. If I was able to leave the office at 6pm instead of waiting for you guys here in the office, I would already be somewhere deep in Quezon City by this time! SO DON’T TELL ME THAT YOUR PEOPLE ARE IN MY AREA WHEN THEY’RE NOT! FIND OUT WHERE THEY ARE AND WHAT TIME THEY’LL ARRIVE!”

She puts me on hold (I’ve been listening to that d*mned “Ocho ocho with Aboitiz” jingle for f*cking ages!) again for maybe 5 to 10 mins while she tries to locate their people. The people monitoring the pickups and deliveries or something can’t be reached, so she asks me if there was anyone I could leave the package with?

Well duh, if I could leave it without worrying that the package will be picked up correctly, would I still be waiting aimlessly here in the office?

Anyway, I leave the office around 730pm, went back to the reception and gave the night shift the ready-packed item and the total amount to be paid (with the breakdown listed in the sticky-note I used. the breakdown shows shipping + VAT + insurance), repeated the instructions on the sticky-note verbally, and left my office.

At 830pm, I have arrived in Quezon City. I call our office reception to check about the package. Well surprise, surprise. It hasn’t been picked up yet! I call Aboitiz again, got Lisa again and went through the whole annoying thing again. I was put on hold for about 10mins, listening to that f*cking dumb jingle.

This time, she gets my cellphone number and tells me she’ll call me as soon as she can confirm the whereabouts of the Aboitiz guys. Ok.

She calls me a little before 9pm, and tells me that the guy is in RCBC (10mins walk away from my building). OK.

At 1030pm, I call our office reception. Aboitiz guys finally got the package, but guess what topped off their spectacularly lousy service for the day?

The delivery guy didn’t understand the instruction to add insurance, and only took P82 from the exact amount of P120 that I left with our office receptionist.

Talk about f*cking stupid. Hello?! These are the people who issue the receipts with the tracking numbers, who get the payments, etc. THEY OUGHT TO KNOW WHAT ADD INSURANCE MEANS!

And for the record, the sticky-note of the breakdown contains my declared value.

First thing tomorrow, I am getting the tracking number and check on the package. If Aboitiz loses that P2000-worth item due to all their incompetence in tonight’s fiasco, I am going to file more than just the formal complaint I am already making…

On an end note, if you want to keep stress-free when using express delivery service pick-ups, don’t use Aboitiz, IMEHO.

I have yet to try others, but right now, I don’t think any of them can top this joke that Aboitiz is. When you go to their website (www.aboitizexpress.com.ph) and highlight “Express”, it says:

2Go stand out with a 97% delivery performance records and unprecedented technological ability to track your packages thru text messaging and the internet.

What they don’t tell you: It also stands out with a 97% late pickup performance and unprecedented incompetence of their employees.


DISCLAIMER: In case you didn't read the title of this blog, let me remind you that all opinions expressed here are based on my personal experience and therefore, all reactions, comments, etc made here are my personal opinions. It is not the intent of this blog to persuade readers into agreeing with the opinions stated here, nor is it the intent of this blog to dissuade readers from using the services of the parties mentioned above.









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What, no apology!?

I didn't even receive an apology (of any sort) from Citibank! Not even follow ups to check if my issue had been cleared up or anything.

Did they even get my letter at all?

I remember seeing a cartoon clip once... it depicted a company's "Feedback and Suggestions" box at a store. A customer placed his comments into the "Feedback" box's slot. On the other side, a company employee receives the paper and feeds it into the shredding bin, without reading it.

I think this is very true.









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Letter to Citibank Sales

December 6, 2005


Gigi Cuevas
Unit Manager
Citibank Sales


Dear Ms. Cuevas,

I would like to express my EXTREME DISAPPOINTMENT with Citibank's Citiphone (9959999) and Telesales Hotline (4233000) services.

Last November 9, I ordered a 4GB iPod nano from your Citibank Paylite Specials Catalog. I had filled out the form online and faxed it to the indicated numbers (9959065) and was able to transmit the fax successfully.

Your "Citibank Paylite Specials Catalog Terms and Conditions", which I read on your website, as well as have a printed copy provided by Citibank states:

Item 11) Cardholder will be contacted upon receipt of the Catalog Order Form should an ordered item be temporarily out of stock. Cardholder will be advised for any changes on product specifications and/or price prior to order processing.

Item 12) Cardholder will receive a system-generated letter within seven (7) working days should the Catalog order request be declined/disapproved by Citibank.

I faxed the completed form last November 9.

On November 17, after no word for a week, I called Telesales (4233000) to ask about the status of my order. They said I have to call Citiphone (9959999) to find out. After calling Citiphone, I was told that the order did not show up on my statement, and that they would try to find out what happened or what is happening to it.

On November 21, I called again to check about this. Both Citiphone and Telesales are unable to tell me what happened to my order, although they were able to see that I had called about this already last November 17. Again, I was told they will try to find out what happened.

On November 29, I called again. Same results: NOTHING.

On December 1, still nothing.

On December 5, I called Citiphone first. Mr. Adam Lazano took my call and asked me what particular item I ordered. I informed him that I had ordered the 4GB iPod nano. Then he tells me that the order could not be processed because Apple has recalled all 4GB iPod nanos. I asked him when was Citiphone informed about the unavailability about the 4GB iPod nano, and he informed me they were told 2 weeks ago.

2 weeks. That means, when I called last November 21, 29 and December 1, SOMEONE SHOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN ABLE TO TELL ME THAT THE ITEM WAS UNAVAILABLE!!!

After that call with Citiphone, I called Telesales (4233000) and Ms Irene was able to confirm that the 4GB iPod nano was unavailable due to the recall. I asked her when they found out about this. She told me Telesales had received the memo last October.
October. Which means, from the time that I ordered the iPod Nano from the very start, someone from Citibank should have had THE DECENCY to inform me that the product was unavailable.

I can understand that the printed catalog cannot be recalled. But your WEBSITE should've been updated! You pride yourselves on being the Philippines' Best Consumer Internet Bank, and you can't even update something as simple as your website. THIS IS REAL-TIME ACCESS, there is ABSOLUTELY NO EXCUSE from Citibank's Marketing team to neglect updating this information!

Nobody can even tell me when the item will be available for purchase via Citibank again. So what am I supposed to do? I waited 1 whole month for nothing?!!?

I called AppleCenter, and they told me: THEY ALREADY HAVE THE NEW 4GB IPOD NANO IN STOCK. All the recalled 4GB ipod nanos have been disposed of already.

Again, I am EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED IN THIS VERY POOR SHOW OF SERVICE.


Citibank VISA GOLD Cardholder









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FINALLY!

I finally got my gift certificates from Standard Chartered sometime mid-February. All I can say is FINALLY!

Case closed for Standard Chartered. I thankfully no longer have to deal with their incompetence anymore!









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