What Customer Service - PLDT and Destiny Cable

I don't know why on earth are the customer service hotlines get so busy.  "Hotline" - misnomer.

Try calling PLDT's 171 and it will take you forever.

Now, I am calling Destiny Cable, 418-0000,  but it's just busy.  Their call center starts at 7AM.  You mean to tell me there is a surge of calls at exactly 7AM? Or they lack the manpower to accommodate the calls they are getting. Or they are blocking calls because they are having technical problems.  I checked the television at around 5:30 AM for my usual tv fares at this time but all channels were not working.

So much time is wasted just calling them.  The sad state of customer service in the Philippines.  Let me edit that out.  It's wrong to generalize.  For one,  Bayantel's customer service is good, not perfect because I've once encountered a rude customer service agent and before,  it also takes forever to answer a call, but they have improved a lot.  Prompt answering of calls and customer service agents are efficient.

It's not just customer service that is an issue but also PLDT's technical service (well, this is also customer service).  We have been in our place since 1994.  Since then our PLDT landline goes dead during brownouts.  Long hours of brownout especially in the night and during storm - these are times when communication is very important but PLDT landline in our area is inaccessible. Yes, there are cell phones but see, the batteries get drained after a few hours if they will be the only means of communication.

I have emailed PLDT several times but they cannot fix the problem.  Of course I also called their 171 about this concern.  They did check but well, still no resolution. Their technical said the battery somewhere in the cable is being stolen.  Huh?  Is that crazy or what? Then find a way for it not to be stolen.  I just gave up sending them this complain.  1994 - 2012, 18 years. Will soon switch to Bayantel.

During the first two weeks of October, our PLDT landline was down for no apparent reason.  PLDT said it was a system error but they cannot provide specifics.  The customer service agents promised me thrice they will give me a call as soon as they get to know from their technical what was wrong. But no return call happened. There was nothing to do but wait.

I also emailed their so-called customer care about it but I only got an automated response that they will get back to me blah blah blah.  But of course, no one got back to me.

I remember when I complained this dead-landline-during-brownouts a year or so ago.  Someone from their customer service called the house and asked me what exactly was my complain. Huh? I just have to repeat what my concern was about.   He asked me to call them back because he will be coordinating with their technical about my concern.   If my memory serves me right, it was because I will be out of the house so if I want to know their update, I should call them.  Huh, again. Anyway, the mere act of asking your irate customer to call you back is just not proper.  This concern is more than a decade old and I have been asked to call back if I want to know the update.  Hello, customer service 101?  I know when an employee is new and he is definitely new and arrogant the way he asked me to call back, like I owe them a lot.  But being new is not an excuse.  There are trainings before one goes on board especially if the job requires customer interaction.  Anyway, he could very well do the effort of calling me through my cell phone. And yes, no one called me back.  Customer service disaster.

Just two days ago our PLDT landline was not functioning.  Nakakadala talaga. My parents call us through our landline almost every night.  They are not techie to use Skype or Viber.  They still choose to use the landline.

How can a big company like PLDT serve their customers like this?

And now, it's Destiny Cable. I know they are already being managed by Sky Cable.  I wish for a better customer service.  If their cable is down and they don't want to be inundated by calls, they can just leave a recorded message apologizing for any inconvenience because their system is down and they are working on it.  Gad! That is better than getting a busy tone - at the start of their office at 7 AM and after endless tries.

Customer service of what I have just posted here - a misnomer.

Quick Dinner at Romulo Cafe

Finally our dinner pushed through. We were supposed to celebrate my husband's special day on the night of his birthday at Romulo Cafe but he received a call, business-related, which he needed to attend to immediately. Work beckoned. I'm not really complaining, work and business are both blessings. I just have to cancel our reservation.

It was raining heavy last night but we proceeded after attending our Thursday church worship service. Our reservation was actually for 9 in the evening, a good way to cap the day is to have dinner together somewhere cozy, to a dining place recommended by friends.

The parking in front of the restaurant was still full but we got a good space. I have been reading a lot about Romulo Cafe, various reviews actually. There were raves and some were saying it's a fine restaurant but nothing really life changing so to speak. Friends suggested that we go here. So what do I think?

I have to agree with some who said it's fine but nothing spectacular. I don't know maybe the function rooms are a lot better because the pictures that I've seen were really good. They have different color motif for the rooms but the black and white ensemble still dominates the whole place. I did not find the dining area cozy but well, functional, like your average good-to-go-to restaurants. The sofa of the waiting area is cozy alright. It's huge and soft.


One of the walls in the dining area decorated with framed pictures of Mr. Carlos P. Romulo

Well that's my daughter. Pretty. :) And look at the flooring. It's nice.
The service attendants were prompt and courteous. What can improve if I am the owner of this restaurant is the "suggestive selling" part or at least mention the best sellers, any new product, ask us for dessert, etc. But that's alright.

We ordered two dishes, beef caldereta with quezo de bola and The General's Chicken. I insisted that husband orders the cucumber drink. He did and said it was good. It tasted like mojito. I didn't take a sip though, haha. And I forgot to take a picture of it.

The food servings were good. This caldereta is good for two to three persons (depending on one's appetite, haha). It think it's because the sauce is really creamy. In fact it can sort of stand alone, partner it with rice even without the beef.


The General's Chiken can be up to four persons. It's baked and smothered with herbs. I think there's more of rosemary in it.


It was a good night. We went home full and satisfied. Oh one more thing, Romulo Cafe offers value for money. The prices are really affordable compared to other restaurants of the same kind. More than the hyped up interior, coziness, spectacular food, these are what I got to love at Romulo Cafe - food tastes good which are reasonably priced. The guard is very attentive too as well as the service attendants. We will be back but maybe not too quick. We will explore other restaurants in the meantime.


The family that eats together, stays forever. :)
Romulo Cafe
Scout Tuason cor. Sct. Dr. Lazcano
Quezon City, Metro Manila
332-7275

KFC Delivery

My daughter has caught the Double Down fever. I have not tried this and I don't have any plans to try. It's just too much for me. I wonder how many calories this food has. I am giving in to my daughter's craving now because it's a novelty for her but it will soon wear off I know. In fact I guess it is starting to wear off after her fourth try. That should be enough.

I was not feeling all too well last night because of my cold. I had no energy to prepare any food. Since it was just me and my daughter at home during dinner last night, I decided for a delivery. More like my daughter decided for a KFC delivery.

I had one piece chicken, removed the skin and just ate the meat, did not touch the rice. You tell me, I might as well had opened a can of meat loaf to serve as my dinner and saved a hundred or so pesos. But delivery is at P200 minimum so I had to order for myself too. My daughter had her Double Down and fries.

One-piece Original Recipe Chicken, Double Down, Large Fries, P245 thereabouts

I wonder why there is no box for the Double Down when I ordered to-go from one of their branches. I asked the cashier where's the box. She said there is no box and that's how they really package DD - inside a wrapper, tucked in a plastic KFC bag. Cutting down paper cost? But it's better if it's in a box not just for delivery but also for to-go orders.


Double Down, P100
What I appreciate about KFC is their 30-minute assurance of food delivery. Unlike other delivery restaurants which give a range of 30-45 minutes, KFC is quite confident for the 30-minutes alloted delivery time. The other food chains have more network/branches compared to KFC but they cannot promise a faster delivery time.

I am just hoping the delivery persons of KFC are not racing against time with their motorcycle. That would be dangerous. Safety is still number one. But anyway, so far, KFC delivery have been on time and true to their 30-minute commitment. Clap, clap, clap.

Basic Customer Service Goes A Long Way

I must say if there is one thing that Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng taught me, it's to be more consciously appreciative of what I have, most especially my relationships with my loved ones and with the people I encounter daily, strangers or not. Be more patient. Know what really matters. These are the things I have developed through the years but now more than ever, I have learned to be consistent in demonstrating them when the situation calls for it.

This attitude manifests even on the simplest, most trivial things. Like my internet connection. My connection for two days now have been intermittent again. Yes, intermittent again. This was the scenario for three weeks last September up to the
first 3 days of October. I almost jumped for joy when it finally stabilized. But barely two weeks the connection is crappy again. The complaint period was longer than the good service I was having. I am paying for this service and being a loyal customer, I deserve a 100% functional DSL at any given time.

I admit the intermittent issue got the better of me for an hour or so. I attributed it to my PMS but right away I felt sorry I was not able to get hold of my temper. There were other productive things to do on a Saturday afternoon than worry myself over an internet connection.

I made an action plan about this, moved on and did not bother myself about the connection. It also helps that the customer service of Bayantel DSL is generally respectful especially the one I've talked to today. I regret I was not able to get his name. His customer service is ideal and worthy of emulation by his peers. Of all the customer tech support reps, he was the most logical I've talked to.

I know that he is protecting their brand, careful of what he was saying but I know too he sincerely empathized with me as a disgruntled, frustrated customer. He did not answer me with scripted, generic phrases. This is his job and he's doing it great. Let me applaud him for that. I will get his name later so I can commend him when I send an email to their department.

I have talked about the intermittent connection of Bayantel DSL twice or thrice in this blog. Let me just say also that the reason why I haven't left Bayantel DSL yet after all the complaints is that there are people who listens from the other end. A few are knowledgeable, some are just okay, tolerable. I just don't know why their technicians cannot pinpoint the cause of the problem. In any case, Bayantel DSL's recurring intermittent connection will be the reason why I will change ISPs, but pray tell, what is a better choice? PLDT DSL so my neighbor said. We'll see if I will get convinced in the next weeks to come.

Good interaction is vital in any transaction no matter how small it is. Simple things mean a lot. These simple things I get to appreciate now more than ever. It does not mean I will be passive about the whole thing but customer service can buy time in some cases. A simple act of sincere customer service goes a long way for me.

Bayantel DSL Recurring Disconnection Issue

I have been experiencing time out and internet disconnection for maybe seven days straight now. I don't really know what is wrong and so do Bayantel DSL technicians.

The intermittent connection is a part of my Bayantel DSL internet since they became my ISP but it was tolerable. I've been very patient. But it's been getting worse the past weeks. I call several times a day and almost everyday Bayantel technicians visit our house to check why we are having disconnection problems. My husband already removed the router to isolate any problem. It's still intermittent.

I appreciate the three Bayantel technicians which visited the house on Sept. 16. Along with their supervisor on the phone, they tried their best to locate the source of the problem and fix it.

They have checked all possible areas where the source of the disconnection was coming from. They have changed the cable inside our house on Sept. 15 because it was bleeding. They have checked the cable in the area where our connection is coming from which they call OPAC. They have changed the cable from the post to our house on Sept 16. We all thought the problem might be coming there since according to one technician, there was a soft part which seemed to have a broken wire.

I was not supposed to agree when they asked me if they can close the job order because for the past days our experience was after the technician leaves, the modem blinks again and the terrible (dis)connection occurs again. But since the technicians were very nice and the problem seemed to have been addressed, I said they can close it.

The connection went well. I was thinking at last, we'll have a disconnection-free internet now. But the following day, the modem blinked again and so I have to call their customer support for the nth time.

Another issue I want to raise to Bayantel DSL is their posting of customer complaints. This happened thrice to me already. The exact time I called was not the time they posted my complaint.

I called on Sept. 17, Thursday, at 9AM but the customer agent told me the complaint was posted at past 12 noon. I asked why. She said maybe they waited for one report to be closed. What?

There were other two similar incidents. One was I called at around 10AM but report was posted an hour after. The second one was worse. I called in the morning but it was posted around 3PM.

As I type this I just reset my modem and it signaled I am connected but when I check the ping, it said "request timed out" again. That was less than a minute.

Bayantel DSL technicians went at the house again yesterday but what else can they do but monitor the connection since they have already exhausted all means to check what could be the problem. They did not bring any modem with them even if I requested through their customer support so they have to leave and go back two hours after which really inconvenienced me because I have a six o'clock appointment.

Anyway, they went back, changed the modem to the one they brought but we still have the same problem. It's still blinking and gets disconnected. The modem even lost its power so we decided to just retain the old modem. Of course I can't let them close the report so they put "for monitoring" in their remark.

I called customer support twice today, Sept. 19, first at 10am and the second time at past 12 noon. Just please address my disconnection problem once and for all. The technicians were saying it could be the distribution port structure which is causing the problem since it's very old. But they don't have the authority to touch it. It's with the Bayantel linemen already.

I don't have the energy anymore to get angry to Bayantel DSL. Either I endure this kind of poor connection service or leave Bayantel after more than two years. I have been asking around which is a better choice. The consensus was to just get PLDT DSL because they have better connection. A neighbor has a PLDT DSL and he said for the past five or six months, they only had one issue but it was resolved immediately. Same feedback with a colleague. They have been using PLDT since January this year and there was only one incident about a disconnection issue and was fixed in no time.

I hope Internet Service Providers will not only focus in generating sales but also on how to cope with the maintenance of their hardware. I do not blame the technicians since they have shown responsibility in addressing the problem. I just don't want to comment on their competence but obviously, this disconnection problem has not been addressed. I do not shoot the messenger as well as most customer agents are very accommodating.

I'm a customer very easy to please you see but my patience is running very low with the terrible connection Bayntel DSL is giving me. Maybe Bayantel's facilities need thorough rehabilitation.

I hope the National Telecommunications Commission and the Department of Trade and Industry also conduct regular audit on the kind of service ISPs provide. Just a thought, who knows, a senate inquiry might do the trick.

All I can do now is wait again for their technician and pray that the problem will be resolved today and I won't get disconnected anymore.

Bayantel DSL, Now What?

I have been a Bayantel DSL subscriber for more than a year now. I was very proud of my connection because unlike other DSL providers, I did not experience problems except for a few lags and disconnection issues. They were very tolerable. A few seconds once or twice a day during the first two weeks and then the performance improved. Their technicians were quick to respond. The customer service number was easy to contact.

But things are messy the past two months or so. See, a number of times we had no connection because their technician (or line men) pulled out our cable thinking ours is an inactive account already. Huh? I thought this is the strangest...or dumbest reason for having a disconnection issue.

Don't they have tags from among those cables up in the post or wherever these are connected? This is the reason why we are apprehensive whenever there are Bayantel line men within our area. They might accidentally pull out our connection again. The last time they said they already marked our cable that it is still active and we are not a delinquent subscriber, meaning we pay on time.

The past months, intermittent connection is a usual scenario. At times too I have just logged on but I cannot connect so I have to restart the modem. Only to be disconnected after a millisecond. That is not an exaggeration.

I went to the Bayantel Forum and checked what's happening. The complaints are the same - lag, disconnection, slow speed, customer service cannot be contacted. I spent my morning today calling their customer service several times to report my intermittent connection. The last call advised me that they already changed my profile end user.

Please, what does that mean. I asked the call center agent to explain to me what it means. She doesn't know either except that it should have improved my connection. I was also asking what the report found out, why am I always getting disconnected. There was no report about the why and wherefore of my DSL's predicament.

I sounded really exasperated but I was still in control as the call center agent was very polite and nice. I understand customer service representatives. I keep my patience when they act and sound nice and professional enough to deal with my feelings. It's the organization's responsibility to feed their front liners enough information to satisfy the customers. Don't treat your front liners like they
are robots that will only say the same things over and over again.

Bayantel DSL is performing badly. They only have one number for their customer service and it's not answered promptly. I don't have an idea what's the alternative to Bayantel because I read about the woes on other DSL providers. What is the lesser evil?

I guess the National Telecommunications Commission should take a very good look at these internet service providers.

The connection is down again as I was about to publish this. Based on my record for the past hours, this is the performance (or non-performance) of Bayantel DSL.

12:10 PM disconnected
12:14 PM reconnected
12:50 PM disconnected
1:05 PM reconnected
1:14 PM disconnected
1:17 PM reconnected
1:18 PM disconnected
1:20 PM reconnected
1:21 PM disconnected
1:43 PM reconnected
1:47 PM disconnected

And then I thought it was already publishing, it hanged. The light went a-blinking again at 1:53 PM.

Reconnected at 2:05 PM. Quick, I have to press the publish button!

My account above is the same pattern as I had from the moment I logged on at around 9:30 this morning. This is worse than being on a prepaid internet card.

Good thing I am used to multi-tasking. I finished The Zahir, have done my cooking on time, had lunch with my daughter, have started the laundry in the middle of all these Bayantel disconnections.

Connection

Finally we were able to secure a Sky DSL connection last December 17. It was doing good until the third day. We were having problems with the intermittent connection plus there are occurences the dialogue box says our password does not match with their record. How can that be? Anyway, I've been a regular caller of their technical support (read: Bayantel's call center) since two days ago. In fairness, the call center agents are courteous and very patient though there are no concrete answers. They should be but I still like to commend them for being that way. In fact two techinicians came in yesterday to check our connection. Unfortunately, there was a 10 hour brownout in our place so they were not able to check.

We were in prepaid card for so many years thinking that we can get by with it. But with our massive use of the computer these days for personal and professional reasons, prepaid really takes a lot of our time just waiting for some sites to upload. That's why we decided to cut one of our telephone lines and have a DSL connection instead. I just hope the problem we are experiencing now regarding our connection will be resolved as soon as possible. It's starting to frustrate me now because for four days, Bayantel only has "we are monitoring the problem" to say. For four days already.