The Woman
After last night’s Let’s Talk iPhone event, I’m open to trying out new mobile phones again! Ever since I got my 3GS, I’ve been rather stubborn that no other phone can replace the iPhone, but having used iPhone for two years now, I’m beginning to get bored of it. Not that I’ll not consider buying the 4GS, just that I think I should give other brands a chance.
My lifestyle for the next one year, in wait for iPhone 5, I’ll need the following features in my phone:
- great camera (8mp and above) to capture shots of kids in action with good lens, light sensitivity and macro shots
- email access
- good UI for access to Facebook, twitter, instagram, flickr, wordpress, google apps, dropbox and whatsapp
- good photo editing apps equivalent to camera+, photoshake and pictureshow on iOS
- at least 16GB storage
- good speakers
Anyone has got a better alternative than the iPhone 4S for my needs? If not I’ll have to join the queue on 28 Oct! -_-”
I’ve been a customer with Standard Chartered Bank for 2 years now, and there hasn’t been much complaints from my end. But our recent encounter with the bank hasn’t been a satisfactory one. Its either a lack of service standard by the staff (a Relationship Manager, Preferred Banking) who served us at Marine Parade branch that day or a lack of support at the backend of the bank. After 3 weeks, we have yet received what we were supposed to 7 working days from the opening of account.
Here’s our experience; anyone else shared the same experience before? Hope not.
It was on Sunday, 14 August 2011, when we visited the Marine Parade Central Standard Chartered Bank. Our intention was to open an account for savings with cheque book service and look at potential investment opportunities. After approximately 15 minutes of waiting, staff returned from their break and we were served by this young lady. After explaining our needs, she recommended us to take up a long term endowment plan (with Prudential) where we were eligible for a special short-term Time Deposits promotion where we get high interests return for a 3-month period. After calculating and discussions, we took up her proposal and signed up for the endowment plan, started two Time Deposits accounts and started an XtraSaver account.
As it was a Sunday, the bank were not able to deposit the cheque and all transactions had to wait till the next working day, which was the NEXT day. We asked when the ATM/Debit card, cheque book, Internet banking details and other documents will reach us, we were told the ATM/Debit card will be sent to us the NEXT working day and the rest of the documents and stuff will come in 7 working days. After all is signed and done, we left.
The first thing that arrived in our mailbox was the cheque book, followed by the bank transaction slip for our cheque deposit. A week passed and that were all we received. Then another week passed, still nothing was sent. We called the Relationship Manager who served us (whom also upgraded us to Preferred Banking status on 14 August 2011), she said she will check and the other documents should be on the way. After couple of days, still nothing received from Standard Chartered Bank. So I tweeted @stanchartbreeze hoping someone can help look into the matter. Private messages were exchanged and a phone call was made to clarify the situation. We were told they will send out the outstanding items the next working day, which was the day after Hari Raya. So by now, we should have received our ATM/Debit card, Pin for the card, Internet Banking information and documents for our endowment plan right? Sadly, only the card was received and it arrived on Friday! Without the pin number, the card is technically useless, except for purchasing it as a debit card; not what we needed.
From a verbal assurance that the card will reach us the NEXT working day, to a delay of more than 14 working days! This is NOT the kind of service standard we’re expecting from a bank, and for a preferred banking customer some more! Throughout this period of time, the only way we can access the money was to go to the branch and do our withdrawal over the counter. Much time would have been saved if the necessary stuff came in time, as mentioned by the Relationship Manager.
Several times we wanted to go straight to the branch to request for a card and the IB token, but was afraid the bank had already mailed out to us. So we waited. When we called the bank and when they called us after the tweet, neither of them suggested for us to have our problems solved at the branch. Wait was what we did.
If we had opened the account on a weekday, would all this have happened? If not, then is it a failure on the bank’s side to have weekend banking hours yet not able to deliver the standard that should have had for weekday banking? Is this considered a weekend banking fail?
We were looking forward to using the other banking services and products by Standard Chartered Bank before this happened, now we are seriously considering otherwise. If such simple transactional standards cannot be met, how can we trust that a long term property loan or even a CDA with Standard Chartered Bank is what we should take up? Hope something can be done about the bank’s service standard and SOPs. No point having a good range of products/services, great internet/mobile banking tools and nice website, but service standard isn’t satisfactory.
Let’s see how long more we’ve got to wait for the card pin, IB details and other documents pending to reach us. Haiz…
Representative from SCB called to provide assistance and someone from the Marine Parade branch contacted us too. Before their call, we had already went to the branch to reset the card pin and that gave us access to the Internet banking.
Thanks to the two representatives for contacting us to check if things are fine, however the point is, why such a long delay in the first place? No answer was given.
Come to our own understanding that firstly, the ATM card wasn’t issued on the day of account opening (a Sunday) was because we banked in a cheque instead of cash. If we had known this at that point of time (representative assisting us didn’t tell us this option), we could have made a deposit in cash in order to have things processed on the spot and prevented all these from happening.
We’ve got most of the stuff settled, and the last thing pending is the documents for the endowment plan. Receipt sent to us from Prudential but not the policy documents. Guess that’ll take more time.
Update: All items are SOLD. Thanks.
Anyone looking for a pre-owned household machines? These MUST go by 10 August! Let me know if you want to buy any of them.
Read MoreWTS: 15″ laptop bag from CÔTE et CIEL
Navy blue CÔTE et CIEL Messenger bag fits 15″ laptop
Used less than 1-week. Bought for 15″ MBP, but got a 13″ MBA instead hence the bag is too big for me. Hope to sell this to get a another bag.
Going at S$200, includes delivery by Ta-Q-bin. (Purchased at $270+ from Cumulus)
Anyone wants to adopt this super durable and wonderful messenger bag?
My memory seems to get worse as I age, now that I’m 30, its better for me to keep my memory safe in this blog in case one day I can’t remember what I want to remember. If you know me well enough, you know how bad my memory is becoming! I think I need to take more brain boosting food or sort.
July is the month I look forward to welcoming every year. I don’t have many friends who will throw me birthday party nor treat me to meals nor shower me with gifts every year, but I do have people who care and those who I love that will always remember. And then with Facebook, all your friends will see your name appearing at the right side of their feed that its your birthday, those who care enough will post a greeting on your wall or send you a private message (so that they don’t get notified whenever someone else posts after him/her). The cutest wish I got was from my ex-student who can’t post on my Facebook wall (cos I disallowed anyone to do so) and sent me a message on Whatsapp instead. Technology sure brings everyone closer don’t you agree?
To all of you-know-who-you-are out there, thank you for your well wishes!
This was how my July started this year…
Read MoreAt 18, I wanted to get married, have a kid and a family by time I hit 24. That of course scare the hell out of my then boyfriend.
At 21, I didn’t know what I want in life and just went with the flow.
At 30 (today), I run my own career, has a cat, married and soon to wear my upgraded status. Though with still many dreams and goals to achieve, I’m a happy woman.
Onto the next decade filled with hopes and more dreams!
Happy Birthday Claudia!
Yes! That’s what we did last weekend. It’s like that when I can’t travel on boat nor plane during this period. So we imagined we were in Hong Kong and went around shop, eat, shop, eat around Marina and Suntec! It was actually quite fun and we did buy lots of stuff can? Imagine 3 days of shopping!
I’m 50% recharged from this and already started working on my dying MBP in bed the moment I got home. Very unhealthy for me, but its like that lah. I’m a hazardous worker.
More on the getaway when I’ve time to get the photos out from my Canon S95. Do have some not so good review about the hotel we stayed at. :(
In short:
- I loveeeee swimming in mineral pool! I want one in our house can?
- Lion King rocks!!
- PC Show at Suntec was crazy as usual! Better human traffic control though. Good job!
- Didn’t get to eat buffet at Melt nor AquaMarine cos I can’t eat as much as I used to.
- I want to do more of these short getaway, even if its in Singapore!
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