Tan Kin Lian's Blog: Do not involve irrelevant people

Monday, August 29, 2005

Do not involve irrelevant people

A policyholder send an angry letter about not being able to use Medisave to pay the premium under the Managed Healthcare Scheme from 2007. He copied his letter to several ministers.

I replied to the policyholder:

quote
It is my policy never to reply to a person who writes to me, with a copy to the media or to important people in the government. I find this attitude to be unacceptable.

I suggest that you withdraw your previous e-mail (and notify the other people). If you write to me separately on this matter, I shall be happy to reply to you at that time.
unquote

He acted on my request and told the other people that he will liaise directly with me. Although this does not amount to a "withdrawal", I agreed to reply to him.

27 comments:

Angie said...: My company (not mine, i work there) is a $100m profit company in Singapore.

My company will reply to angry customers regardless whether letters cc to the press, govt. institute etc.; August 29, 2005 4:25 PM
K.S. said...: When have you ever see an angry customer thinking and acting rationally?

"A customer is always right!".

Now you are telling us that no no no, do it your way, you and you way only. You don't care if he is a customer or a supplier?

Perhaps you really like to sing "My Way"?

Is your way of treating customer a reflection on all government-, Temasek- and union-related companies or is that your habit only, may I ask? Is that a policy of NTUC Income?; August 29, 2005 7:36 PM
tadaxp said...: I think the customer was angry, and he's basically hoping that somebody could attend to the issue, and fearing that NTUC might not take up the case, he cc to the other parties.
I personally find that this is kind of an act of intimidation or blackmail ... "you no reply me? well, the newspaper and ministers oso got one, so they would oso know the problem..."; August 30, 2005 12:19 AM
Tan Kin Lian said...: Even if the customer is angry, the customer does not have the right to behave in an unreasonable manner. The customer has to be considerate as well.

Here is the correct approach:

- write to someone in authority, eg the CEO
- be polite
- give the facts
- no need to involve irrelevant people
- no need to intimidate through te media or important people; August 30, 2005 6:04 AM
Angie said...: hiya, tell u something which i dont want to tell Mr Tan all these while.

I have a bad experience with Big Trumpet shortly after they launch in that year.

Big Trumpet had a big mistake, I can pay M1 bill there with a receipt number. Guest what, M1 NEVER received my money and cannot updated my M1 account.

I wrote, called and no help given to me at all. To date Big Trumpet still own me a bit of money.

I am very angry at that time. But now I am laughing at Mr Tan and his staff's behaviour.

I cannot agreed that there is a so call "correct approach". This is not a science, it is an art. no more 1+1=2.; August 30, 2005 8:00 AM
tadaxp said...: "Even if the customer is angry, the customer does not have the right to behave in an unreasonable manner. The customer has to be considerate as well."...
How many do you see an angry person behaving in a considerate and rational manner? When a person is angry, one has to take a step back, calm down - it's already an achievement to be able to do this - and then ponder over the appropriate actions, and not do something under the angry impulse...; August 31, 2005 9:34 AM
why said...: dear mr tan
i don't think cc letter to the press ,govt or other institute is to involve irrelevant people ? the press or govt .....irrelevant people ? is that a appropriate word to use ?; August 31, 2005 12:40 PM
tadaxp said...: when it comes to being the first course of action, i feel the press, govt and others are not relevant to resolving the issue...the customer has to trash it out with the company first, and escalate to the CEO if need be, and if all these fails, yes, then maybe can approach the MP...
i do not see the benefits of going to the press.
anyway, most ppl does the most stupidiest things when angry, one needs to calm down before any rash/impulsive decisions.
we should aim for a win-win situation.; September 02, 2005 3:25 PM
sharon tay said...: Let’s put this into perspective. Although I can understand the customer’s cause of anger, I feel that it shouldn’t have tantamount to sending copies of his letter to anyone else but the people involved i.e. NTUC Income. We can argue that an angry man’s actions are always unreasonable. But there should be a protocol to be observed even in the midst of his frustrations. This is etiquette. He should have escalated his complaints via the proper channels.

I will give an analogy. If this is the first time an external client complains about my services, and CCs it to the ‘rest of the world’, you will certainly not see the happiest me. Of course, if I had repeatedly refused to acknowledge his complaints, then I would have viewed his actions in a different light. For this case, I think the client should have more trust in NTUC to handle the issue appropriately before circulating copies to people who are outside the channel. I think respect must be applied both ways.; September 02, 2005 6:06 PM
Tan Kin Lian said...: Lee said that he has paid money through Big Trumpet to settle his M1 bill. This is not correct.

Big Trumpet has never received any money to settle the bill.; September 03, 2005 8:46 AM
Freddy said...: By involving irrelevant people, was it the intention of the writer to issue a subtle threat, i.e. telling the recipient that you better accede to whatever I was asking or else?; September 04, 2005 11:01 PM
Angie said...: I am sorry to inform Mr Tan Kian Lian that this is a TRUE CASE that Big Trumpet DID collect my money for payment of my M1 Bill. At that time, i do tried to email and get help. In the end I got help from NCS. Do you still remember NCS ???? Again, my point is that "IT IS A MISTAKE OF BIG TRUMPET" to allow PUBLIC to access the payment page which "BIG TRUMPET IS UNABLE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE" ... I hope MR TAN do tried your best to find out more PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE..... crying now....; September 05, 2005 8:00 AM
Angie said...: Mr Tan, i want to state the TRUE FACTS here, the payment received through ENETS DEBIT. Maybe you can dig through the HISTORY and you can find it.; September 05, 2005 8:02 AM
Tan Kin Lian said...: Dear Lee,

Please send an e-mail to me at tankl@income.com.sg giving the following:

- date and amount that you have paid through eNets

- who did you bring this matter up to before (in Income?).

Let me try to find out how we can pay you back the money.; September 07, 2005 10:04 AM
Angie said...: Mr Tan,

Thank You for your kind offer.

I dont need you to pay me since it already happen years ago.

However, it is a true case and i just wanted to state the truth here. In fact, I pay SingTel and M1 bills. SingTel bills was settled by cheque payment to SingTel by Income's staff. So the only outstanding is M1 bills.

The process I did years back was :
1st call the hotline as stated on the web page. However, the cso give me the answers that "There is no such services offered by Big Trumpet" !!!! I was puzzled.
2nd I emailed with no respond at all.
3rd I called again and demand to speak to Manger or Director but never ask for CEO.
4th I called eNETS and complaint, eNETS as me to call NTUC INCOME.
5th Someone, later call me and ask me how I did the payment, and later, this young man from NCS told me that Big Trumpet Payment is just for TESTING only...... I was angry and demand the money. After, many call to me by Income's Financial staff, they told me to give my SingTel account number and amount as well as M1 account number and amount. They told me that they will sent the cheque to SingTel and M1.; September 07, 2005 11:27 AM
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Monday, August 29, 2005

Do not involve irrelevant people

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