Customer (Dis)service<\/p>\n
Recent readers' letters in The Jakarta Post prompted me to
\nwrite this letter. You can add me to the surely long list of
\nunhappy souls who naively expect good customer service when
\ndealing with large, high-profile companies here in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
In 1994, I bought a new Kijang from Astra 2000 in Kalimalang.
\nEverything seemed so well-organized. We chose the car at the
\nshowroom, the salesman called in the credit staff from Astra
\nCredit to discuss financing, and we paid three years insurance
\nwith Astra Insurance to cover the period of the loan. So far, so
\ngood.<\/p>\n
Four and half months later our car was stolen from outside
\nchurch. The nightmare started.<\/p>\n
I called the Astra showroom to ask what to do. Tell the
\ndealer, they said. I did. \"My car has been stolen,\" I said. \"Oh,
\nyour radio?\" he answered. \"No, my whole car.\" \"Oh, well, go to
\nAstra Credit down the road,\" he answered. Thanks for the
\nsympathy; all smiles and charm when selling, but no interest at
\nall outside that sphere.<\/p>\n
I went down the road to Astra Credit. There, I met with a
\nsimilar lack of respect, interest and attention. \"Go to Astra
\nInsurance,\" was the only comment. I asked if I needed to take any
\npaperwork, but they didn't care and only wanted to get on with
\ntheir conversations.<\/p>\n
As Astra Insurance is far away in South Jakarta, I was
\nfortunate to have an Indonesian friend taking me around. We duly
\nstruggled through the traffic jams, and waited to be seen at
\nAstra Insurance. Again I was met with supreme indifference and a
\ntotal lack of respect.<\/p>\n
It turned out that Astra Credit hadn't given me the paperwork
\nAstra Insurance needed. \"Go and get it,\" I was told. Only the
\noriginal was good enough, a fax wouldn't do. \"How am I supposed
\nto go chasing all over Jakarta for you when my car has been
\nstolen?\" I asked, tired of all the problems. Use your husband's
\ncar was the answer.<\/p>\n
Talk about supreme indifference. We only had one car and that
\nwas gone. Had I not been in shock from the theft, the treatment
\nfrom the police and the incredible lack of concern and
\ncoordination from Astra (they are only coordinated taking your
\nmoney), I may have committed murder at this point.<\/p>\n
To cut a long story short, eventually I found all the
\npaperwork. Friends with friends in high places got the signed
\npaperwork out of the police station, and three months later Astra
\nhad finished all the paperwork to process my claim.<\/p>\n
I was so disgusted with the Astra group that I wanted to sever
\nour relationship totally. Unfortunately, it wasn't possible. I
\nplanned to pay off the loan and start fresh somewhere else, only
\nto find that I would have to pay the majority of the interest for
\nthe remaining two and a half years of the original loan, even
\nthough I was paying it off early.<\/p>\n
That would not leave enough money for a down payment for
\nanother car. If I wanted to be mobile again I would have to stick
\nout the loan and replace the car. OK, it could be worse ...<\/p>\n
I went to Astra Insurance to give them the details of the
\nreplacement car. \"Now you must insure it,\" they said. I had
\nalready paid three years insurance when I took out my loan, what
\nwas this for? \"The car you insured no longer exists, so you have
\nto buy more insurance -- and you can't have a rebate on the old
\none, we paid to replace your car.\"<\/p>\n
So, not only was I trapped into the relationship with Astra
\nCredit, I could not replace this rude, incompetent and lazy
\ninsurance company either.<\/p>\n
AMANDA AMOY<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/customer-disservice-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }