By: Derek Lim
I called up my insurance customer service recently to upgrade my plan and I got so agitated that I almost wanted to scream at her but I managed to control myself by visualizing that she's a frail little girl who just started work and have already been subjected to lots of verbal abuse.
Here's an abstract of my conversation with her.
(I've removed any information on my insurer because I do not wish to name the agency)
Me: Hi, I would like to upgrade my policy.
CS (Customer Service): No problem, please speak to your servicing agent.
Me: Why can't I go through the phone (thinking that they can just send me some forms to do the upgrade)
CS: Sorry, it can't be done. You have to go through your agent.
Me: Ok, can I go to your branch directly to do the upgrade?
CS: Sorry, it has to be done through your agent.
Me: Fine, what if my agent is not around - overseas etc? (My agent is around but I'll like to query her because I do not wish to trouble my agent for a small matter like this)
CS: In that case, please contact your agent's boss.
*I'm getting a little agitated now.
Me: Fine, how do I know my agent's boss?
CS: Can I have your agent's name?
After verifying my particulars, she proceed to look for my agent's boss number.
CS: Sorry, I cannot provide you with the number because your agent is already the boss.
Me: ...
Me: In that case, how can I upgrade my plan if my agent is not around?
CS: You can call his office number and his secretary or colleague will answer.
Me: What if no one answer?
CS: Don't worry someone will.
Me: But what if no one answered??
CS: In that case, you can look for any of our agents and they will be able to assist you.
She even went as far as asking me to look for my friends who might be their agent. I was really lost for words and I ended the conversation because this is getting no where. This is not an isolated incident. Some months back, I called to check my policy details and to request for termination. I was also told to go through my agent.
I've nothing against going through my agent as he will be in the best position to advice me but being the policy holder, I should be able to make my own decision. For my case, I have discussed with my agent on why I want to cancel my policy and he agree with me. He mention that I can call them up and they can send me the relevant forms or I can go down directly to their branch.
I'm not very comfortable that there is no 'redundancy' (sorry for the IT lingo). I would want to have a direct channel to my insurer without having to go through any agents. On the bright side though, the cusomter service officer informed me that I can contact the claims department without having to go through my agent.
Does anyone have any similar experience to share?
Hi derek,
Seems like you just spoke to a robot that sounds very much like a female. If such things happen, threaten to shout “CTRL-ALT-DEL” and I assure you that the ‘female’ bot will allow your request to go through :)
May I know which company that is?
I have an agent who is my mum’s friend at xxx.
2 months ago I went over to her place to cancel my living policy and got a family living rider policy instead. Spent 45min at her place to do up my Living Policy.
Days later, she called me saying my family living rider policy is done and ask me to go down to any of their branch to cancel my living policy.
*dumbfounded* Why can’t she settle everything for me? Are most agents only concerned about clinching new policy?
Thinking that it was just a small matter, I do not want to raise this up with her.
Hi LP,
Yes you are right. It’s a female robot. I did think about speaking to her supervisor or manager but I’m afraid that they will say the same thing and make my blood pressure higher.
Hee.. I won’t name the company here but I will drop you an email instead. ;)
Hi Collin,
Yours is exactly the opposite of mine. My problem is with the agency and not the agent. Purchasing new policies aside, my agent is willing to do the termination as well. In fact, I terminated one yesterday and my agent came down to let me sign some forms.
I understand that sometimes it may not be ‘nice’ to terminate a policy especially if it’s bought it from my friend, hence I wanted to just inform him and to contact the agency directly to terminate it.
I can understand your frustration. Imagine if you go down to the branch and they tell you to look for your agent instead. I believe you should have already terminated your living policy plan else I suggest you call the branch first.
Its quite interesting that the branch cannot help in terminating the policy. The branch rightfully have more authority to process clients needs on the spot.
An agent typically still have to go to the branch before meeting the client to terminate the policy.
There are quite a number of inexperienced customer service officers from Philippines and India nowadays. They might have given you incorrect info.
Hi Adrian,
The customer service officer doesn’t sound like a foreigner. It could be a tactic to push the responsibility to one another and end up frustrating me so that I will give up in terminating the policy.
thats the problem with these companies…..my friend bought a M company investment and later her agent left. she called the hotline 1 2 surrender her investment and its roughly how it goes:
Friend: i want to surrender my investment, my agent has left.
CRO: you might 1 2 contact your new agent.
Friend: she has not contacted me at all, can you help me check my investment value now?
CRO: i am sorry but you can check via the statements we mailed once a year or twice yearly?
Friend: what? Can i go down to terminate myself?
CRO: yes you can, its at this A location (only 1) and operating hours is Mon-fri, 9am-6pm.
dont you find it ridiculous too? about the you can check the value say 6months later after you receive your statement? *fainted* & the operating hours will means one has to take off day specially to go down to do it. not opened on wkend & close so early too.
Hi M,
I understand your frustrations. The company should offer more alternatives for us to terminate our policies. There are 101 ways to make us sign up a new plan/policy but so little options available to terminate our plan. I can’t help but feel that the limited options is to discourage us from terminating our policies.