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Friday, January 18, 2013

TESCO Malaysia Everyday Offers, Or Not?

Believe it or not but even the best of Malaysia's superchain hypermarkets do screw up, more than once! 

That's why it is always better to check, check and triple-check before you commit to your purchase. Although there is a written code that in established stores such as Tesco for them to honor the price tag on the product, what happens when instead of a tag -- a generic master tag on the shelf and/or bin is used AND WRONG? 

Hypermarkets are fond of saving manpower on price tagging, so they did away with individual item tagging. It made their life so much easier as price changes could be effected with just a simple one tag change per barcode.

Let me quote my personal experience at Tesco:

I am not too fond at times (too many to count) of having to be informed by the Tesco cashier to get a refund from the Tesco Customer Service Counter. More often there is a queue of customers already waiting their turn. Most of the times when I feel that my time is more precious I would just accept having paid extra because on top of the time spent in queue there is also a waiting time for their Customer Service representative to run to wherever the product in question is located to verify the difference!

Why can't anyone or someone please do their pricing changes efficiently?

I do believe that Tesco already has in employ more than sufficient staff at hand (reference: Kepong Village Mall, Tesco HQ - staff parking already spilled over to 2nd level) to manage and overcome the said problem. Perhaps THEY don't see it as a problem, who knows?

So coming back to the picture proof -- quite hilarious, really. I was informed by one of their floor staff who was busy stocking up the bin, that the product referred to by the price tag was not the product displayed below it but actually meant for another product???

Question: If not, why continue stocking up the same product displayed "since" another product was supposed to be in place?

My actual question was one of curiosity as I only wanted to know why the promotional price is higher than the previous normal pricing!

Lesson learned -- always compare pricing and never believe in "promotions". Lastly, do check the expiry too!

P/S Complaining is also futile, the real people in charge who do care are not easily reachable...


Friday, January 11, 2013

MY Malaysian Dream

Food, shelter, clothing and income. Commerce Study teaches us that these are the essentials for survival. Any less would create hardship and an unbearable existence. 

Born post 1957 did not leave me any less appreciative of the struggles of our predecessors to make this country independent of another country's rule and management. It does however make me feel that Malaysia was never a British Colony -- the British never intended to settle down in Malaysia and procreate. The 3 major races at the time - Malays, Chinese and Indians were the ones that did.

In fact, the United States of America was more a British Colony than we ever were -- in that sense. Pocahontas and her likes are greatly outnumbered today, so to say.

However, the good that the British brought with them, i.e. infrastructure and education cannot be denied.

As a 3rd generation Malaysian being born and bred in this wonderful country called Malaysia, just what exactly is the Malaysian Dream about -- more importantly, am I truly living the Malaysian Dream?

Do I have food? Do I have shelter? Do I have clothing? And, do I have income to sustain them all? So what more do I want then? Is this not the Malaysian Dream?

I don't know.

Perhaps the idle mind has time to ponder and give rise to wants. Wants of power, recognition, equality and more. Are these the new and modern needs of society?

Take for example the antics of politicians during their assembly -- the way they verbally abuse one another in so-solemn a meeting and then there are those  who come to blows. Absolutely shameful!

Maybe that's a bit off topic but hey I can't deny that I abhor publicly elected representatives of the people who have questionable motives and act childishly!

Okay so then what is MY Malaysian Dream?

I want the feeling of being safe and secure at all times - not to be worrying about the crime rate and having to look over my shoulder every now and then. I want to be served by locals instead of cheap imported labor who may sometimes be carrying communicable disease(s). 
I want to know how so many Africans can be in Malaysia without visible signs of employment and income -- don't you agree? At one point they even caused sensational news by being rowdy in the Chow Kit area and a tough enforcement issue due to their size (height and build, of course). But that soon died down and now I see them in Petaling Jaya, Bandar Mahkota Cheras and Kepong. They obviously don't look like students least act like one, so how do they sustain having a car, apartment etc.? The Burmese (Myanmarese) can at least be seen working in local eateries - whether legally or otherwise, who knows?
I pray that people in the Government act maturely, responsibly and in the best interest of the public at large. Same goes for news agencies who highlight political antics -- for them to stay on track and unbiased. As far as the public is concerned, I feel that a good government is felt and not always be heard or to be seen. I'm looking forward to the 13th General Elections -- waking up early in the morning, dressing up, going to the voting centre and then standing in a long queue for my turn.

I want straight answers from government agencies that have to be dealt with. I don't want the merry go round treatment.
I don't want the once a year haze party from across  the sea. I HATE HAZE! Even smokers do not appreciate another smoker blowing their cigarette smoke at them -- after all, we do have our own open burners.
I want less traffic jams (as if that would really happen)! I want Traffic enforcers at every street corner to ensure that motorists do not cut queue, speed, go through red traffic lights, throw rubbish, spit and tailgate. There are just so many inconsiderate people on the roads these days that driving out is like going on to a battlefield -- if you don't hit them, they hit you! 
So what do I really want?

I want to wake up every morning and safely enjoy life freely...perhaps then I'll surely be living MY Malaysia Dream.

Car Accident Hassle

Reckless drivers in Malaysia are not a dying breed, although they should be. Instead, they seem to be increasing year on year. When accidents do occur it is already to late to be sorry and yet, these people do know but care little. There is no point in delving deeper into their sorry excuses for recklessness...

Share this story with others.

This writer was most unfortunate of late to be involved in a car accident (no fault of his). It could have been due to Monday blues erratic driving behavior but is that really a reason? Traffic on school days is normally busy with parents sending their kids to school. And, one of these in her Proton Wira unceremoniously rear-ended this writer's car. Apparently, she had decided to be in a rush and cut the long queue of cars; only to rear-end this writer's car when she cut in behind suddenly.

What followed was a bag of lies...

"Oh I'll pay for the repairs, don't you worry about it. Small matter. Don't make a police report", she said. This writer then had her call him on his mobile to register that her given contact number was correct.

It was a tedious process of getting the damage assessed that included numerous attempts to contact this woman.

Finally at his wit's end, this writer gave her the ultimatum of paying for the damage; failing which the accident will be reported to the police. "Oh that is so expensive. Let me contact my insurer for advice and please don't try to rush me, I need time. I'm only a blue collar worker and I stay in an apartment so I don't have that much of money. Don't make a report, I'll be fined by the police", she said. This writer wonders what happened to her earlier statement that she would pay...

She doesn't call back.

Her Third Party Claims contractor calls and informs this writer to proceed to the Balai Polis to lodge the accident report with his assurance that he will "settle" everything.

The report was made speedily. A Lance Corporal lady cop typed the report (is this a new service by the PDRM? If yes, it's a welcomed improvement!). This writer then sees the "Sarjan" and was given a short interview (apparently this new service meant that Sarjan need not view this writer's car as Sarjan kept seated). The photographer traffic policeman then took pictures of the writer's car.

To cut this long story short. 

2 options for the repairs were available. To get it fixed by the writer's car insurance panel repair workshop OR by the earlier mentioned Third Party Claims contractor. Wrong choice if you chose the latter.

Why?

If you are not in the wrong (meaning the police issues a traffic summons to the other party), it is a better option to get the repairs done at your car insurance panel repair workshop. They will process everything from getting the Loss/Claims Adjuster to documentation and repairs. At the end of it all your car insurance company will claim against driver-at-fault's car insurance. Also, you may complain (aided by your car insurance company since it's their panel workshop) if the repairs is unsatisfactory. No brainer really.

A third party claims contractor? He most probably claims the same amount from the driver-at-fault's car insurance and do not replace with new. Their trick to entice you? Zero payment required from you and speedy "repairs".

Lessons learned:

1. Always settle on the spot and never allow the person who is in the wrong get away.
2. Jot down the driver details, i.e. car registration number, name and NRIC number and contact number.
3. Proceed to the nearest police station to lodge a report. Note: All traffic accidents must be reported within 24hours.
4. Never trust any other workshop aside from those on the panel list of your car insurance company.

This writer is currently still waiting for his car to be returned by the third party claims contractor, so to all you reckless Malaysian drivers out there: May the inconvenience you cause to others be multiplied many times over unto you! Grrr....