starhub is pure disappointment. i will always remember and give them credit for they were the one who brought competition into the market and first offered free 56k internet access to all, many years back. but my experience with them of late has been less than pleasant.

a week ago, i was at their bpp dealer outlet. due to some paperwork constraints, we were advised that it would be more smooth for us to head down to the core branches of starhub itself to renew our contracts, and subsequently purchase a phone.

this morning starhub really took us for a ride. the plaza sing main branch quote us a price that was 100 bucks more than what the bpp outlet offered, and the guy explained that the starhub dealers are indepedent in their price quotations and often resort to promotions. i was bewildered. the price difference was significant enough for a humble man like me. so we queried the gentleman as to whether we could then renew our contract and purchase the phone from the dealers. and he totally rubbed it in. he said yes.

so my question was why did the dealer at bpp suggested otherwise? but then it wud be silly to lash at the plaza sing guy or make him explain why it costs 100 bucks mre here. pointless.

so the nx nearest starhub main centre was uob plaza. the staff there up our level of amazement. they quote a price that was 40 bucks more than the dealer, but 60 bucks less than their own core centre at plaza sing. its almost like starhub was having a mood swing.

anw the price was clearly stated beside the phone in the cabinet. so the sensible thing was to ask the staff, albeit without much confidence in his answer even before he cud offer i must admit. so he proclaimed with much zest that it is indeed the price stated in the cabinet. i went on to tell him about the price differences around this small little island. he then fumbled abit with his impressing looking computer, before offering that he made a mistake and the price was the same as what plaza sing suggested, which is 60 bucks more than wads appearing in their own cabinet.

i didn't exactly roll my eyes, but it wud b apt then. i just pointed to the cabinet and he obliged with his explanation. he said the price went up and they have yet to update! like seriously? when do phone prices go up? inflation? plus it was a old model that was just shelved aside by a newer model of similar series.

we let it go and left the uob outlet. i mean i understand service staff has a tough job. singaporeans are impossible to serve. but his lack of professionalism, knowledge, and apparently training, makes me feel he is ill eqiupped to handle customers at all. i honestly felt i cud give the same service right away if i put on his ugly polo tee and stand behind the decevingly-bright counter. or perhaps i cud do one better and at least bother to call the plaza sing outlet to clarify.

just as we decided to leave this seemingly impossible task to a better day, or maybe decide its time to walk on sunshine or buy a red umbrella instead, bugis junction saved the day. or at least the starhub dealer there did. it gave the lowest price, processed our renewal contract and we were done.

anw today is day 2. i read her letter this morning. but today's letter has 2 installation! part a and b. heh she mentioned in part a that i can strictly only read b at nite. hmmm. intruiging. and she attached a piece of chocolate to letter a. tink im gng to isolate it in the fridge and share it w her when shes home (:

today is day 2.

i miss her.

p.s. darkened the illustration to make it more visible