Smart Bro Pocket WiFi Application FAIL!

Another classic example on how mobile services in this country never fails to disappoint me …

Last 08 APR 2011, 21 days ago, I applied for a Smart Bro Pocket WiFi online, and just minutes later a certain Marc Arllan A. Laban-laban (Project Staff, Sales Strategies & System, Smart Communications, Inc.) sent me an email together with the application form. Within minutes, I sent him back the duly accomplished application form, together with all the requirements via facsimile – as instructed in the email he sent.

Upon sending the requirements and the duly accomplished application form to this Marc Arllan Laban-laban, I immediately sent an email asking for confirmation if he did received the documents – no (immediate) response was received. Three (03) days later, 11 APR 2011, I sent a follow-up email asking if this Marc Arllan Laban-laban received the application form, together with documentary requirements I sent via facsimile, and he did called me up on my mobile asking for more documentary requirements – thus, I sent him my latest Smart Gold bill.

Follow-ups from my end had been made daily, until 14 APR 2011 when this Marc Arllan Laban-laban replied to my email (a couple of them, actually) stating: “Hi sir. I apologize for late reply. I’ll follow up your application today. – Marc” – this was the last communication I received from him.

I thought that I will be able to use the Pocket WiFi during the long holiday break, but it was an exercise in futility of imagination.

Today, 29 APR 2011 – some 21 days after the application has been sent to Marc Arllan Laban-laban, I called Smart Bro Hotline to make a follow-up on whatever happened to the documents I submitted. Surprise! Surprise! Smart Bro Hotline cannot find the application form I accomplished and submitted via facsimile to Marc Arllan Laban-laban last 08 APR 2011! What a shame on me tantamount to stupidity?! I am making a follow-up and it seems that this Marc Arllan Laban-laban did not submitted the application form, together with the document requirements to the unit that will handle (will process) my application. Tried calling the number gave to me by this Marc Arllan Laban-laban, and that office (telemarketers, shame on you!) advised me that he was transferred to another department (why didn’t you just kicked him out?!) and they cannot locate my application!

Minutes after I banged the telephone to these telemarketers trying to fool around me, asking me to just drop by a Smart Wireless Center to fill-up an application form, etc. a certain Ryan Jara called my mobile telling me that his guy left an application form at home today. He asked me to accomplish the form and to submit all of the requirements to a Smart Wireless Center. WHAT?! Are you kidding?! Or are you plain STUPID?! I waited for 21 days and now you’re telling me to go back to square one?!

This is really how you treat your loyal subscribers?!

More Smart Communications SIM Toolkit Errors

Remember my blog post related to the activation of my BDO Mobile Banking facility using my new Smart Communications Post-Paid SIM weeks ago? Thank goodness, up to this very minute, it is still NOT resolved!

To make matters worst, I can’t even make a balance inquiry of my running bill using the SIM Toolkit! Here’s the error I am receiving:

The thing is, why don’t you just tell me where the problem is? Is it with my mobile phone unit (a Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini Pro)? Is it with the SIM? Or is it with you Smart Communication CSR’s who always gives me lame excuses and other BS’s?!

SmartPH Mobile Banking Activation Error (Error in Plug-in Data) — Case Closed!

I was trying to activate my BDO mobile banking account with my new Smart Communications postpaid number, but I always get this weird message:

Anybody else who is/had experiencing/ed the same error?

Updates:

[16 Mar 2011] Received an email message from BDO:

This is in reference to your Problem encountered on Smart Mobile Banking with Case ID no. xxxxxxxxx, reported last March 15, 2011.

We wish to inform you that per Smart Communications Co., please retry to access your Smart Mobile Banking account again.

Should you have other inquiries or concerns, please email us at [email protected] or call (02) 631-8000 (for Metro Manila) or at our domestic toll free number 1-800-10-6318000.

~~ I retried accessing the Smart Mobile Banking account, but the same error still persists. Will try to contact BDO again tomorrow.

[18 Mar 2011] Just finished a conversation with a BDO Service Support Agent. The timer in my phone ticked at more than 15 minutes, but actual conversation time was less than 3 minutes (or so; remainder time was that of me being on hold). I am still getting the freaking error message when I tried activating my BDO Mobile Banking. To make matters worst, upon checking my bill, it seems that I am charged for every try that I make!

[29 Mar 2011 AM] Received yet another call from the Smart Support Group (technical team, I suppose) checking if I was able to activate my BDO Mobile Banking already. I told them that I am still receiving the same error. During the course of our discussion, the CSR asked me to insert my SIM card to a “low-end” mobile phone. WTH! I told her that I do not have a “low-end” phone; I only have with me a PalmOne Treo 750 (open line), a BlackBerry Bold 9700 (Globe), and the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini Pro (Smart). According to her, I need to borrow (if not buy) a “low-end” phone so that she may isolate on where the problem is (thinking that the Xperia X10 Mini Pro is the culprit). We ended the discussion with her asking me to pay a visit to any Smart Wireless Center so that they may test my SIM — yet another WTH!

[29 Mar 2011 PM] At around 1700H, out of nowhere, I received an SMS stating that my BDO Mobile Banking is already activated and that my Mobile Banking Menu has been updated! Therefore, I conclude that the problem is with Smart and/or BDO, and that the issue is not related to my SIM card, nor my mobile phone unit.

The Cafe Mediterranean Experience: FAIL

Every once in a while, the boss treats the Management Team to lunch outside the office (we provide free meals to all of our employees and guests at the staff lounge). Today, the group decided to try something different — we went to The Cafe Mediterranean at Resorts World Manila (in front of NAIA Terminal 3 inside what was left of Villamor Air Base, Pasay City).

It was 10 of us in the group; and me, together with the boss went ahead of the pack to reserve seats and place our initial orders: 04 Greca Pizzas — it was around 1130H then. Minutes later, the rest of the team arrived. We were, I think, their first customers for the day (as the waiter told us that they had just opened by 1100H today). The waiter took our individual orders. Since I am not a fan of Greek food and veggies, I opted to have spaghetti bolognese and bottomless iced tea — while the rest of the team settled for salads & other house specialties. The waiter informed me that it will take around 15 minutes for the spaghetti to be served, and I joke that even if it takes 30 minutes, no problem with me — as it is the only thing in their menu that I will eat.

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Red Ribbon Delivery FAIL

A week ago, my wife and I ordered for a cake in time for the 3rd birthday of our son yesterday, 04 Sep 2010. Since Goldilocks do not carry the Ben 10 cartoon design, we had no other choice but to place the order with Red Ribbon Bakeshop at Waltermart Pasong Tamo. I had explicitly instructed the store manager when we placed the birthday cake order to have it delivered at McDonald’s Greenbelt by 1430H of Satuday, 04 Sep 2010 (since the party of my son will start by 1500H; and I do not want the burden of picking-up the cake, and transporting it from Waltermart to Greenbelt without damaging the cake). The delivery charge for cake is not cheap at PHP300 (as taxi fare from Waltermart Pasong Tamo to Greenbelt will just cost at most PHP60) — but talking about convenience of not to worry about the cake before the party starts, I thought to myself, it’s nothing.

Came the birthday of my son. We were at McDonald’s Greenbelt by 1415H, as we are expecting the cake to be delivered in 15 minutes time. Came 1435H and the cake hasn’t arrived yet. I tried calling the delivery hotline of Red Ribbon to make a follow-up, but I was advised that since I ordered the cake at one of their branches, I need to do the follow-up on that particular branch. So I was given a number of Waltermart Pasong Tamo. The problem now is that, when I tried to call the number given to me by their delivery hotline, no one is answering. On my third try, finally I got an answer — a fax tone!

It’s now 1455H, and the cake is still nowhere at sight and the party is about to start, I decided to hail a cab (since I was parked at the 4th level of Greenbelt car park already) and sped off to Waltermart Pasong Tamo — leaving my family at the party venue. I arrived at Red Ribbon Waltermart Pasong Tamo 10 minutes after (traffic is not that cooperative along Pasong Tamo) and I asked where the birthday cake for my son was. To my surprise, the cake is STILL lying at the store — waiting to be picked-up (per the store manager). Are you kidding me?! I paid extra 300 bucks and now you’re telling me that the cake is for pick-up?!

The store manager hurriedly asked one of their staff to go with me and bring the cake to Greenbelt. On the way out of Waltermart, I asked the Red Ribbon staff if they have a vehicle to deliver the cake, and I was told that we shall be hailing a cab. Mama Mia! When we reached Greenbelt, it seems that the Red Ribbon staff is waiting for me to pay the cabbie — hell no! Why would I pay for it?!

In the end, the cake reached the party venue LATE. The bad part — it stressed me out; turned my happy emotions to being furious; I missed the arrival of some of the guests.

Better think thrice of having your birthday cakes delivered by Red Ribbon next time.

Very Bad Service: Automobile Association of the Philippines (AAP)

For the very first time, I had experienced having a flat tire last Sunday, 15 Nov 2009 — happy birthday mom, that day!

My family and I were on our way to church to hear the Sunday mass at around 0930H when I noticed this heavy feeling while driving. As we reached the parking area of our parish, my wife immediately noticed that my rear left tire is flat. Being an AAP (Automobile Association of the Philippines) member, I immediately called their hotline and asked for assistance. Not that I cannot change my flat tire by myself, but a medical condition (back problems) prohibits me from doing such thing. The dispatcher at AAP, by the name of Rodelyn (dunno if the spelling is right) accepted my call and had advised me that she will inform me via my mobile once the two truck is near my place already — this was at 0930H. My family and I then proceeded inside the church to hear the mass.

An hour later — 1030H, I asked the security guard of our parish if the AAP tow truck had arrived already, and he replied that he saw nothing, yet. I made a follow-up at AAP’s hotline, and I was advised that the tow truck is still at Cubao, Quezon City attending to someone else’s vehicle. Wow! Only if the AAP dispatcher had advised me the help will be coming Cubao, when I am at Makati City, I should had accepted the help offered by some of my friends at the church earlier.

Driving to work everyday, the AAP tow truck(s) parked at the foot of the Sales Bridge (Nichols) is quite noticeable. So I asked the AAP dispatcher (Rodelyn) if any of these trucks can be sent to help me change my tire, and she replied NO, those trucks are exclusively to be used inside the Expressways — which I find stupid, since my location is just near Magallanes.

Another hour, I made another follow-up call to ask if the tow truck is already heading my way. The AAP dispatcher was so sorry to advise me that the tow truck will no longer be heading to Makati (from Cubao) since it suffered a breakdown. WT*?! I asked the dispatcher (this time, it was Alma — Rodelyn may had already been pissed off by me) on how many tow trucks do they have, and she gave me something like 37. Of all those 37 AAP tow trucks, 36 were all busy and 01 had died along the way going to Makati?! What a coincidence. Could it be that the drivers were all very busy waiting for the Pacman-Cotto fight on TV?

Instead, Alma promised that AAP will be sending one of their guys using a car to help me change my tire. This time, the AAP car will be coming in from Boni Ave. — this is around 1130H, and by this time, I had sent my wife and child back at home via a cab, and my dad’s team had already arrived to assist me. Hoping to get my AAP membership’s worth, at 1200H (that’s 2.5 hours since my initial call for help to AAP), I made yet another phone call to their hotline, and I was advised that the car is already somewhere in Ortigas, on the way to me. But wait! I though the help will be coming from Boni Ave., and I’m at Makati City, but what the h#*l, why is it at Ortigas?! AAP, I think your dispatchers need a lot of (re)training, or perhaps, they should be provided with an updated road map of Metro Manila, at least. Ortigas Ave. is way too far from Boni Ave., and you won’t have to take the U-turn slot at Ortigas Ave. just to get to Makati City for CheeseWhiz’s sake!

To cut this long story short, my dad’s team helped me in changing the tire (oh, by the way, my dad’s people brought the spare tire to a nearby vulcanizing because it does not have the proper pressure). Some 30 minutes later, that’s around 1230H when a guy wearing a shirt with the AAP logo on it approached me and asked what was my problem. Too late, boy, you’re very much too late!

Did I mentioned that it was the 60th birthday of my mom that Sunday? I was supposed to pick-up her birthday cake at the Glorietta, but thanks to the unreliability of AAP (Automobile Association of the Philippines), the cake was too late for the celebration. I do hope, AAP tow trucks will be as fast as their collection agents when your annual fees are due.

aap-no-good

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