Update from starhub customer service on the digita

Update from starhub customer service on the digital voice, cable TV problem with HD Hubstation:

Perhaps my expectation to Starhub drops to zero. I had not much excitement nor angryness when I received phone call from Starhub agents around 3 hours (not exactly sure) after I left my contact.

The agent spent no more than 2 minutes informing me that the line might take 2 more days or longer to make it work, and would contact me again. Perhaps it’s the standard response to all persons that he was calling! Poor guy.

If the history repeated itself often. The first Starhub agent promised to follow through my case – The one spoke to me on Aug 13 after I waited for 30min. I heard again from Mr. Z on Aug 15 sharing no information, and worst, I had not heard from him anymore. I was asking who I was talking to on Aug 13 (that’s reason I knew he’s Mr. Z), still with high hope that my case would be closely follow. Today, I even not bother to ask who was talking to me… Let see when my Starhub digital voice services will be available!

It seems that pfingo works better than her parent company. Perhaps Starhub should consider giving each of the digital voice customer an additional VoIP number regardless of whether they have existing fix line number starts with 6. Before they fix the number portability issues, as least they can arrange a call forward services to resume the services! If there’s post paid service in pfingo, perhaps I would dropped the so-call digital voice services….

Very frustrated Starhub customer! Not only having problem in the digital voice, based on my humble experience in cable TV network, I strongly believe that there’s some problem between the backend system and the HD settop box that I was seduced to take to replace the existing SD habitation, due to brilliant tactic from Starhub

1. to discontinue any new SD hubstation, if my existing SD Hubstation failed, I’ll need to go for HD anyway for recording, and the promotion package will be 3 months instead of 12 months!
2. hinted (but not committed in any way) that there’ll be more HD channel in basic group. 3. Larger harddisk space for recording more program
4. At least cheaper comparing to the SD Hubstation in first 12 months

HD settop box hung few times just before the schedule recording! The reaction to the remote was slower during the channel switching. And, Yesterday, all the recording schedule and information was all gone with the error message of some sort of initiation (my daughter was looking at screen instead of me, hence the complete error message was not recorded). Luckily, it resumed (seems the update just in time with the cycling mechanisms) before my other family member screamed….

Perhaps MDA should drive for the similar structure as in Japan that all service provider needs to conform with a STB standard such that we as user can choice different package from different service providers without concerning about the settop box or boxes, and we can choice between own the one with required features instead of being hopelessly manipulated by the individual service providers. And perhaps it would also give mediacorp will more flexibility to distribute her content as well as other media value-added service providers for more niche market without the constrain of either require additional settop box or need to go through existing content distributor… Perhaps MDA is doing something that I am not aware of…..

anyhow, I shall definitely postpone my decision for other 2 years to consider switching my mobile phone subscription to Starhub from my current service providers which is throwing me coupon to upgrade my phone when I renew my (whole family) contract, except that they could not be able to supply phones that we wanted – iphone 4 ! Attachment includes the note and its objects

Starhub 1633 call on Aug20 for my VoIP fixed line

Starhub 1633 call on Aug20 for my VoIP fixed line status update, the 7th day out of service

1. Starts the call at 1138am

2. After running through the IVR menu and being rejected for entering the ‘wrong’ postal code – how can it be wrong about my postal code! It’s 1142am before reaching the on-hold music and only first announcement telling you how important you are… But you are on hold and got repeated announcement that “our customer care consultant is still busy, you may continue to hold and we will attend to you shortly”

3. 8 minutes are passed, still on hold. Just wonder how much valuable time Starhub has destroyed everyday.

4. Still on hold after 38 minutes. It costed my time and my airtime too! although I am using bluetooth earpiece and working on my email.

5. Someone picked up at 40minutes, asking what’s my issues. Asked my IC number, ask how to address me (strange, I thought it’s not difficult for the call center software to prompt the family name of the caller as well as the contact number!), then I was asked to leave my contact such that the respective department can return my call.

6. If this is what they want to offer. Why don’t they allow people to talk to the IVR like UA, having option for caller to leave voice mail and asked for callback, or allow SMS or web interface! Lot of e-commerce site in china has web-to-talk but not available in Singapore duopoly telecom service provider… Seems that there’re long way for improving the customer satisfaction level..

7. If the problem was caused by the backend system migration as of they claimed. Would it be more cost effective to proactive update the status of affected users?

Mr. Neil Montefiore, although I did not have a chance to meet with you yet. Nevertheless, my contact who worked for you during your tenure in Hong Kong commented that you were good leader.

Mr. Tan Tong Hai, as we met several time during your leadership in SCS and enjoyed our conversation in lunches in Laguna golf club. I believe that if you are fully aware of what had happened in customer services, you would definitely take the proactive and corrective measures, to resolve the current situation and improve in the future.

I am looking forward for good news soon before completely losing my faith to Starhub.

The 5th day with fix phone services unavailable in the 21st IT city – Singapore!

There was a decision made on July 28, 2010 to commit 2 year contract of Starhub, the Internet services offering through cable system! Indeed, to many people surprises, IT people indeed are more loyal customer and do less switching from service provider, provided that the services are reaching certain expectation.

With the home pack deal, I had finally committed to a contract with Starhub! indeed, the main attraction to me is the mobile Internet with so-call unlimited 1M max downloading speed included without additional charge. Which is a perfect solution for my iPad (without 3G option), together with my Nokia E71 phone. I feel that this combination is a much better option than using iPad with 3G option, which I shall share my thought separately.

I also cut down the cable TV channels to fit into the package, not only cost issue but also those channels are seldom watched. Indeed, if I were starhub, I shall provide a service to show the user about their watching habit! I bet that they did collect such information for internal analysis purpose as well as using this data to show to the AD agencies!

And the package came with the VoIP fixed line, and able to retain my existing fixed line number from singtel. Nevertheless, the switch over could be schedule on Aug 13 due to overwhelming response?! I bet it’s hurting singtel if it is the case! I am paying some S$56 per quarter with almost no usage! Basically, the phone was just a standby mode and seldom used except for kids calling kids and some oversea relative when they were not able to reach us over our handphones. Since Starhub package included the VoIP fixed line services, and VoIP is very mature technology (and commoditized)… More importantly, I am no longer concern any 99.995% reliability at all for home as we have plenty of handphones as alternatives.

Singtel did complete her job on time on Aug 13. Nevertheless, starhub was not! Indeed, it still does not work as of I am writing this BLOG. And the reason given by the customer service agent – they are upgrading their system which caused delay. Worst

1. I was on hold for more than 25 minutes on Aug 13 evening before I could speak with the representative
2. The representative told me that I won’t have my phone service resumed by next 2 days
3. And, it did not mean that I would have the services afterwards, just told me that I definitely wouldn’t have the service in 2 days time!

The customer representative promised to update me on Sunday, which he did call but provided no further useful information! He called and said, sorry sir, your phone service would not be working for other few days but we could not tell you when you would have the service available!

Although the fix lines unavailability seems not affecting much. The problem indeed could be very serious as the caller did not know what had happened! In order word, the damage could be severe, while I just don’t know that happens!

I hope that my phone service will be resumed very soon… Or else, I probably should write other open letter again to the CEO and COO of Starhub.

Indeed, there were more area of improvements Starhub could offer better services… Unfortunately, the market in Singapore was semi-open/semi-closed and lack of serious competition.. Perhaps more value-added service provider should allow to be operate in Singapore in order to enhance the service quality.

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