Archive for the 'LoadACrap' Category

Experiencing the Elements

Yesterday evening we tried to go to the Elements Mall.  The parkade was full and there was no provision for a line up.  They basically blocked the entrance entirely and didn’t allow any car in despite having cars leaving.  It was around 6pm.  So we when for dinner else where and headed back at at around 7:15pm but to no avail.

This morning, we headed there again.  We were able to get in.   It was around 11am, hardly anyone there.  The restaurant we wanted to go was not opened until noon, so we shopped around a bit while waiting for it to open.  Shops were empty and nothing worth buying except for a couple of magazines and a novel to kill some time.  At 12am we went in.

Inaniwa Udon

asimasen~!

Just like all other Japanese restaurants here in HK, except for the boss of ippei-an of course, none of them could pronounce いらっしゃいませ – irasshaimase properly.  It’s like Stephen Chow’s “ehehehah~笨!”  Absolutely no courtesy.  Utterly destroy the meaning of the word.  Might as well shut the F up is my impression always.

We had ordered 2 appetizers and 3 main courses.  All came quickly except for my mushroom udon.  Well, it doesn’t matter how good the food is, and it was alright, having one main course so late that everything else was done with is simply unacceptable.

When we were ready to leave, it took over 30 min just to get the receipts verified for free parking.  The requirements are, you’d need a total of $180 shopping receipts, in that, in order to be qualified for points, you’d need to make purchases of which where it is less than $200 with cash, more than $200 with credit cards.  Since there is no way you can make $200 for cash purchase, you can have them added up and averaged to the closest $200.  There must be 2 purchases on the same day, one for restaurant one for shopping…  add a couple drops of blood from your mother-in-law, 1 garlic, 2 table spoons of your sons saliva….. what, are we on MacBeth, or somethin’?!

As it turned out, points are collected for redemption of other coupons, not for free parking.

So we were supposed to have 3 points collected but the computer would not print out the 3 points on the membership card despite having it registered in their logs and records.  Well, in order to kill time one must waste some time, I suppose.

Self-destructive Telemarketing

I don’t know why company keep using telemarketing and why would any consumer give out vital personal information over the phone to a complete stranger with or without listing their Caller IDs.

I have made myself very clear to most telemarketers that I do not accept any promos, any new services, or phone sex over the phone. (If you must, show up in person and I’ll stick your phone into your…)!

HGC has been calling my cellphone as well as my company phone, for the longest time I can’t remember when they’ve started, to asked me to switch my landline service provider over to their company . I have tried telling to them nicely not to call again and take me off their contact list, just hangup…. but to no avail. I am not blaming the telemarketers for it is their job but it is the company’s responsibility to comply to the basic Telecommunication Ordinance and to fulfill (potential) customer’s requests.

Last week, when HGC called again. While I tried to tell I do not want them calling me ever again, the nice lady said that I would need to call their hotline to request a form and file the form with HGC. When I told them it is not my responsibility to go through their procedures when it is clearly their violation of my privacy as well as the Telecommunication Ordinance, and that if I need to file anything I’d file a complaint to the OFTA instead, she said nicely that there is, unfortunately, nothing else she could do that would remedy the situation.

I can understand that since most of these telemarketers are not with the said companies. They are with telemarketing companies hired by the said companies to do their own dirty work.

So I filed a formal complaint to the OFTA last week stating that my intention (being a part of the standard online form that I have to fill out) is to have HGC comply with the basic Telecommunication Ordinance and to allow and accept customer requests through their telemarketing should anyone asks to have their contact info removed from their list and to never contact them again. Another part of the standard form was to ask if I want to disclosed my personal info to the said company, to which I denied, since I am not requesting anything special, just for the said company to comply with their ordinance.

Today, I received an email from the OFTA. A standard email, I believe. Saying they have accepted my case and would like permission to disclosed my personal info for the “go ahead”. I denied.

No wonder the telemarketing lady said there is nothing she could do and that many had made such complaint but also to no avail. Nobody cares they have violated the basic Telecommunication Ordinance and privacy of those they are calling!

While I have not gone as far as a friend has to never deal with any of the companies related to the Li’s family, this has reconfirmed my decade long decision to never use HGC or their affiliated companies’ services ever again.

Yes, that includes “3“.

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