I recently had an unpleasant experience dealing with some sales executives at Multimedia Integrated at Funan Mall here in Singapore. I had to get a full refund for a Mac charger that I bought because apparently, my 2+ year old Mac didn't jive with the new Mac Charger (another story).
Last time I was there, I distinctly remember asking the sales executive if it would be easy for me to get a refund and he said yes, he had already taken note of it. I just had to show my receipt, bring back the product and they would automatically be able to pull up the records pertaining to it.
Imagine my dismay upon the cold reception I've gotten from almost ALL of the sales executive working there and the oh so troublesome process of getting a refund.
The sales executives looked like they clearly don't want to be there.
First off, they all looked exasperated. It was 3 more hours before closing time and they all looked so bored and tortured, listening to my refund issue. I was the one who actually looked friendlier and more animated than them (well, probably because I was getting back my money but that's not the point). I think at one point, I saw a girl rolling her eyes at me then gave me a slight frown before turning her back on me to look at her fingernails. I wanted to smack her right there and then challenge her to a boxing match.
The sales executives delivered a broken promise and displayed a lack of knowledge.
Second, they had no clue of what I was talking about. The sales guy I talked to before who promised this would all be finish in a jiffy, I wanted to strangle him. Unfortunately he was nowhere the vicinity and so I repeatedly pointed out my issues, telling them to look at their records as I was promised that I just had to give my receipt, the defect charger and that was it, they'd be able to give me my refund, fast and easy. But no, they were clueless, all of them were quite useless actually. They had to call someone to verify the information which took quite long. They should have called up whoever it is they called minutes after I explained my situation, not a quarter of an hour later.
The sales executives were rude and offensive.
Which didn't help at all as I was feeling quite irritated with the situation. Who wouldn't be when the cashier and some of the staff were talking in a foreign language (Chinese) while they were looking at us and then they'd laugh afterwards? Right in front of our faces, as we were standing right in front of the cashier station. How rude can you get? I have no problems with other races talking in their own language in front of me but could they be more obvious that they're talking about US?! Good thing my friend accompanied me there. I was starting to get mad and loudly kept pointing out that I was promised that this would be all easy, that I'd get my refund with no problems or whatsoever, that's when the cashier (A Chinese girl who was part of the "Talk about Foreigners in a Language they couldn't Understand while Laughing at Them Pointedly" Gang) gave me my refund without even an apology for the inconvenience that they have caused me.
If anything, there were a couple of things I've learned from this experience:
1.) The new models of Mac chargers work even on an old Macnotebook. So don't believe a sales guy from Multimedia Integrated when they say you have to purchase a refurbished, apparently phased out ,old charger model. I had to learn this the hard way.
2.) If you're job involves selling, try to look a bit welcoming and a little helpful. It's quite an effective sales tactic or so I've heard.
3.) If you were the one at fault, apologize. And this applies not only to those who are tin he sales industry but to everyone.
I am never setting foot inside that Multimedia Integrated store in Funan ever again. Well unless they give out a free Macbook Pro that is. Cross your fingers.
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