An Open Letter to SM City North EDSA Management

Good day!

We shopped at your department store in North Edsa for some Christmas gifts last thursday, December 3. After paying for the stuff we bought from your store, we thought of checking out if we could find more gift items elsewhere so we went to the department store package counter to leave what we bought and we were declined. They said they do not accept items bought from the department store. We went to the nearby supermarket package counter to leave the items and we were told that some of the items we had were glasswares so they could not keep them. They referred us to customer service. Having worked in the customer service industry myself, my expectations with your customer service people was high. We asked if we could leave our items we brought from your department store and the first question your customer service staff asked was, "May bibilin po ba kayo sa loob?" (Referring to your supermarket). Was that supposed to be your first question? What if we are not buying from your supermarket? We would not get any help? Considering all the paper bags we were holding were from SM Department Store, wasn't that enough reason to get help from your "so-called" customer service? It should not matter whether we go take some coffee or watch a movie. 

Your staff or even managers in charge of customer service should go to the nearby Landmark in Trinoma and observe how they assist their customers. We bought some groceries there and after paying at the counter, the cashier immediately asked if we wanted to leave what we bought first at the package counter or if we wanted to be assisted going to the parking area or taxi bay. We told the cashier that we would eat and check out some shops in the mall first. The cashier called one of the porters/baggers to help us carry our items to the supermarket package counter so we could leave our groceries. And when we came back to the supermarket package counter, the staff noticed that we were carrying a lot of bags so he immediately called one of the porters to assist us carry them. He also assisted us get our groceries that we left earlier at the package counter. That to me is customer service.

It is unfortunate that the biggest mall chain in the country provides such low- or no-quality service to their customers. I am not asking for the moon and stars. All I wanted was basic customer service.

Marlon Quintos

P.S. The the worse part is, I sent an email to customercare@smsupermalls.com and I got this response: The recipient's mailbox is full and can't accept messages now. Please try resending this message later, or contact the recipient directly.

Sitsirya Atbp ng Dekada Otsenta & Beyond

Nung ako ay bata pa, madalas akong lumabas ng bahay na may dalang barya na matagal ko ring inawitan upang ibigay sa akin ng aking ina. May kakaibang hatid ang lamig na dulot ng mga barya sa aking kamay. Lamig na dumadaloy sa aking mga ugat at kalamnan at tila dinidiktahan ang aking buong katauhan na magtungo sa isang lugar. 

Lugar kung saan isa-isang susuyurin ng aking paningin ang mga nakasabit na plastik sa malamig na rehas na gawa sa bakal. Kapagdaka'y titigil ang pag-inog ng aking daigdig sa hatid na kaligayahan ng mga bagay na aking namamasdan. Kaligayahang dagling mapapawi dahil kailangan kong gumawa ng isang malaking desisyon - ang mamili sa pagitan ng Pompoms at Wonder Boy.

Ganun kaespesyal ang mga sitsiryang aking nakagisnan. Kung kaya't magpasahanggang ngayon, aking itong hinahanap hanap at inaasam asam!

Muli nating balikan ang nakaraang dalawampu't higit pang taon at sariwain ang mga sitsirya ng dekada otsenta!

1. Pompoms - Ang all time favorite. Halos araw araw, ito na ang nakagisnan ng aking bituka na meryenda sa umaga, sa hapon at sa gabi! Ito ang pangunahing salarin kung bakit laging kulay orange ang aking daliri. Madalas pa nga, makunat na ang nabibili ko sa tindahan pero okay lang, solb pa rin!  

2. Wonder Boy - Hindi ko alam kung saan sya gawa pero nasa kanya na ang lahat ng aking hinahanap hanap - malutong, maalat at meron syang mamula-mulang pulbos na maalat pa rin.

3. Haw Flakes - Ito ang opisyal na ostiya ng aking kabataan. Madalas, ako ang gumaganap na pari at sinusubuan ko ang aking mga kalaro na tila ba mga nangungumunyon. Maasim asim, maalat alat, manamis namis!

4. La La - Hindi ito yung sitsiryang may malaking isda. Ito yung parang chocolate bar na pinipilit na maging chocolate bar. Bagamat hindi ito ang aking ideya ng chocolate bar, may kakaibang ligaya ang hatid nito sa aking murang panlasa. 

5. Pritos Ring - Barbeque-flavored snack - medyo maanghang, maalat at manamis namis. At syempre, hindi ito basta basta sinusubo lang. Una, ilalagay mo ito sa iyong mga daliri na tila sa isang sing sing at saka mo sya isa isang kakainin! Finger-lickin' good!

6. Pewee - Halos kalasa lang ito ng Pritos Ring, kaso di masyadong nakaka-excite kase isususbo mo lang sya.

7.  Cheeze-It - Kapamilya ito ng Pewee (gawang Nutri Snack). Kagaya ng Pompoms, ito ang pangalawang salarin kung bakit nagkukulay orange ang aking mga daliri. Cheese flavor daw sya pero parang hindi naman pero masarap pa rin.

8. Kending Hubad - Dito ko unang naramdaman ang kapangyarihan ng pera! Singko sentimos lang kase ang isa nito. Para lang syang asukal na tumigas at kinulayan ng water color.

9. Bazooka - Ito yung kulay pink na bubble gum na may comics ang wrapper. Enjoy akong nguya nguyain ito nung bata ako kahit na masakit sa panga.

10. Frostee - Ito ang ice candy ng mayaman. Hindi kase to gawa sa bahay - gawang pabrika. Matigas ang plastik at iba-iba nag kulay. Ang ultimate pampalamig sa tag-init ng batang paslit!

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