Gripes of the day

Am extremely annoyed today. I have no idea what happened to customer service nowadays, an invisible concept that is either history and eradicated, or it just basically does not exists in Sydney.

After much hassling and chasing, with my calls unreturned to the local moving company (partner of santa fe), my patience and tolerance ran out after a month. I wrote a polite but definitely with a classic tone of dissatisfaction about this neligence of customer service and held santa fe responsible for my undelivered stuff, and most of all, unresponsive service here in sydney. That finally work. one complaint email to HK was more powerful than multiple calls to local office everyday. Within the day, the manager from local moving company called back. Finally things get moving.

An important lesson learnt in sydney. Being nice doesnt work in australia. Nice gets you nowwhere. Nice leaves you hanging at the end of the thread and gets yourself bullied. I do not know if ethnic race is of any role to play here (i hope not), but certainly, I learnt unlike asia, being reasonable and understanding doesnt work here in western culture.

Firstly my stuff packed in santa fe wooden crate was held back by quarantine, because they didnt have any papers to certify its bug free. So they have to undergo quarantine.

First big fight, i was asked to pay for fumingation. I refused. My grounds are perfectly clear. You are responsible for packing, and ensuring its hassle free. So the company's oversight is not my responsibility as a client. No contract, no payment.

Second fight, if i refuse fumingation, there was a disposal fee of wooden crate. Again, i stood firm on my ground and refuse. It is not my fault so I am not paying a cent. I wrote to santa fe in HK and message gotten through.

Third fight, they wanted me to sign some sort of disclaimer if my stuff gets damage during fumingation. No deal. That is not my problem and I paid insurance, why should i sign any disclaimer freeing them of responsibility

Fourth fight, the person who finally sent my stuff told me they aint fixing up the stuff. That really struck a very very bad chord with me. They kept whinging and say its not their job. I broke my silence and said to him tersely. "If you have an issue about your job, either you quit, or you take it up with santa fe in HK about the coverage of services I sign up for. I am your customer. I pay you to assemble my stuff, not listening to you telling me what you do not do. I specifically asked santa fe about this service and they said yes. So if you are unhappy, you take it up with them but i expect you to fix this up before you leave." The other 2 guys kept quiet and the guy who had been complaining kept quiet for a minute before saying "of course we will definitely help you fix up the stuff this time. I have to tell our boss not to cover this next time." I said Fine, that is your internal issue, I am not interested except in ensuring I get the service i paid for." That shut him up proper.

With that, I stare at him and make sure he fixed up everything properly before he left.

I have always try to be understanding to service people because I know they aint paid much and I am not the nasty sort. However, i drew the line today and from now on, I refuse to be pushed over by a minority of white people who thinks they are more superior and asian are some sort of poor illiterate immigrants.