Dear Diana,

The problem began when I responded to Starhub's promotion on 5/11/08 and applied for the digital voice modem to replace Singtel as my current ground line provider.

1st Bad Experience

The appointment was 24/2 between 6.30pm to 8.00pm. On 24/2 (was incorrectly report as 28/2), I was called out from my management meeting at about 1.00pm because my mother informed me that your staff decided to pay us a visit at 2.00pm that day 'because he was near us'. Even after I had contacted 1633 to question the decision to unilaterally change the schedule and asked them to instruct your staff to adhere to the schedule, he appeared at my home at 2.00pm and I had to take both my mother's call and your service staff's, and to manage these calls I was pulled out of the meeting three times.

What is the purpose of having a schedule when it cannot be kept?

2nd Bad Experience

Thinking all was well with the set up, I only began using the Internet on Sunday, 1/3. When I switched on my laptop and attempted to access my email on the Internet, I was kept being directed to your 'pay as you surf' webpage. My default home page points to Google but the IE kept referring me to your 'pay as you surf' page.

I called 1633 and it took me almost 30 minutes to reach your staff. He was unable to help me and told me that he had to check with some other department to find out about what had went wrong with my modem and server. I am unsure if your staff had called me as promised but I had a 'private number' missed call. As I was rushing off for an appointment, I couldn't afford to call back. It costs me about S$8 to take a cab to catch up the lost time because of all the waiting time with Starhub.

Why does it take so long to reach your support staff?

Isn't there another way I could call back for an emergency?

3rd Bad Experience

I came back home at about 9.00pm, 1/3, and made another attempt to reach your customer service staff at 1633. The situation had turned from bad to worse. It took me almost 45 minutes to reach your staff. What is going on with Starhub? If your cost cutting strategy is to cut the number of your staff manning the phone drastically, I suggest that you shut the entire help line down. Maintaining your line open creates expectations, which cannot be met, and your suggestions of using the fax to reach your staff is just madness since how many households keeps a fax machine and when I cannot even get to the Internet, the use of your email is just wishful thinking.

Your night staff was more learned and, unlike your afternoon staff, was able to immediately identify the problem. He had reactivated my old modem and now, after all the costs involved, I could write you this email using my Pacnet account.

However, on thinking this a bit further, why didn't your staff told me that the old modem will be disconnected when the digital voice model has been linked up? There are a lot of things your staff did not tell me when he visited my on the last day of Feb 09.

Diana,

I think something is seriously very wrong with the service your company is providing and I am seriously reconsidering if I want to continue using Starhub.

I need an explanation for all these.

Also, I need you to compensate me for the cost for delays, reaching you and the potential loss of business. The transportation cost and phone bill is not much and a company of your size is capable of repaying me but if I loss my deal, Starhub will be responsible.

I like to know when you will be free this week. I like to suggest a meeting with you on these matters and to discuss the reimbursement of the costs involved.

Do let Tong Hai know of these too. I think your COO does not really know the challenges and frustrations happening at the ground.