Extremely bad customer experience from TWC

Date: Wed, 11 Apr 2007 12:19:03 +0800 (CST)
Subject: Extremely bad customer experience from TWC
To: admin@novenaholdings.com

We wish to write to you to express our greatest disappointment with your delivery of furniture which we have ordered.

We came across one of The White Collection (TWC) branches and were impressed by the furniture that Novena Holdings have to offer. As such we decided to place an order for the dining chairs and later on, the storage bench from your company in good faith.

Nevertheless, we had to delay our delivery for our furniture a few times due to our unexpected delay in renovation. As such, we informed TWC 2 weeks or more before of the delays and rescheduled the delivery day with them. However, somehow the message never got through and we have received calls from the deliveryman that they are already on the way to deliver the furniture on both occasions although we have already informed TCW of the change of date in Dec and Jan. Nevertheless, we feedbacked to TWC on the mixed ups but they never responded to us on why the mixed up has occurred or whether they have done anything to ensure that this will not happen again.

As we target to get the furniture delivered before the Chinese New Year, we called TWC a couple of times to make sure that they will deliver the dining chairs and storage bench on time. On these occasions, the person-in-charge ensured us that the furniture will be delivered as scheduled.

After making arrangements and applied for leave to wait for the furniture to arrive on Feb 03, TWC unbelievably called up at the last moment and said that there is no stock for the dining chairs we ordered! Imagine our shock and horror since they have already called up the day before to confirm with us that the delivery will be from 5-7pm. However, what shocked us the most is that TWC do not know when the shipment is going to be in and they cannot guarantee that we can get our dining chairs before CNY! They promised to get back to us by the next day on this but we waited for 2 days and they never did.

So we have to call and demand for an explanation, as for the last few occasions they kept mixing up the delivery date and now this. They didn’t offer us any solution and we called up Alan Wong the salesman who apologized to us profusely for the mixed up and advised us the get another set of dining chairs. We refused since it will mean topping up more cash and there is also no guarantee that there are stocks for the another model. Nevertheless after calling them chasing them for an explanation as to why there is no stock since the deliveryman even called us in Jan saying that they are already on the way to deliver, TWC finally arranged for another delivery. However they scheduled the storage bench delivery from 12pm-2pm and the dining chairs at 5pm-7pm on the Feb 08. So my husband has to take leave again for the whole day to wait for the furniture to arrive.

Nonetheless, TWC called at the last minute at 3pm to inform him that they cannot deliver the storage bench and will arrange another day instead. My husband wasted the whole afternoon waiting for a storage bench which for whatever reasons cannot make it to our place and furthermore, no reason is given as to why. However we are still relieved that the dining chairs finally arrived.

The whole grueling episodes took place in Jan and Feb this year. This time when TWC called in Mar to finally make arrangements to deliver the storage bench. We informed them that we will not scheduled a delivery date on a weekday again unless they are sure that they have the stock for the right model as we do not want to waste our leave or our time waiting as they have the habit of informing us that they cannot make it at the last minute. Hence I want them to be sure and asked them to get back to me only until after they have ascertained that they have the right model and stock. We even appealed to them that TWC should really do something about their logistic issues. They promised to follow-up on this us but again, they didn’t.

Finally in April, I received a call from TWC but it was not to make arrangements to deliver the storage bench. Instead they asked us to make our payment soon since its long over due.

By then, we were really very upset and explained that TWC haven’t complete their delivery and had promised to get back to us on the rest of the furniture. Why should we pay up since we haven’t gotten our furniture yet? TWC finally made arrangements for the storage bench to arrive this time.

We took another risk and applied for leave on yet another weekday on 9th this week. The storage bench finally arrived but to our horror, we discovered that there were scratches on the side of the bench and at the bottom; there was a big tear. Furthermore, there were 2 long exposed protruding nails in the storage area.

By then, we have finally given up on TWC. The guy informed us to either cut off the long nails by ourselves or we can easily replace them on our own. We refused to do that when we discovered the tears. The lady tired to persuade us to receive the bench in its condition since “its still under warranty” and we can exchange it any time we wanted.

We wondered what is the use of accepting a defective good even if its under warranty. We told her of the numerous problems we had encountered and now this. She offered a discount of $40 for us to accept it in its defective condition although I already informed her what is the use of doing that since I can also get the same “defective goods” but at half of the price. They tried to make a counter offer of $60 discount to remove the nails and repair the tears and said that TWC wouldn’t accept the half price which I offered. We can’t imagine that instead of immediately offer to replace the bench for a brand new one, we would still have to negotiate the price we are going to pay for a delivery gone seriously wrong and we never asked for any of this.

In view of the following, we seriously appeal the management to look into TWC logistic and also relook into the customer experience that it has been rendering to its customers.

Our Invoice no is XX-XXXXXX-H & Alternation order number is XXXXX. We hope to hear from you soon on this.

Many thanks.

Regards,
Name, Contact Number

We finally decided to shoot a letter to the management of Novena Holdings.

However, we do not have much faith in them becoz based from experience, whatever lines we have called to appeal to them of their logistic issues have fallen to nothing but deaf ears. They seriously do not even chap.

Honesly, we would be surprised if they respond.

So far, a whole day had past without any word from them. So, lets see how it goes.

And by the way, those folks who have ordered stuffs from them….

Keep your fingers crossed and say a few more prayers. 😉

7 thoughts on “Extremely bad customer experience from TWC

  1. diva79, i had beri bad experience with novena holdings when my mum bought a 4-door wardrobe fm them. delivery was really late and shoddy workmanship. wrote a long long complaint letter to the management and had them to come over twice to do rectification. worse of all, the wardrobe turned mouldy in a few mths time. cannot tahan anymore and wrote another long long complaint letter. tis time telling them their workmanship is worst than dat of a neighbour furniture shop. can’t believe they got the SuperBrand and many other awards but sells low grade furniture, if no action taken to compensate us den we’ll write to the papers. tis really works and they called within 2days. we got to select a new piece of furniture with the same value as wat my mum paid for the lousy wardrobe. chose a 4-drawers solid chest which they imported in. no problems after tis.

  2. Dear BluBeri, we are still awaiting a reply from them and still no news! What is the email you used?

    My hb is thinking to write to the press too! 😦

  3. diva79, here’s wat i wrote to Novena for my 2nd complaint. beri long winded but effective in getting a repy. i wrote on sat and gotten their reply on the following mon.

    Dear Sir/Mdm,

    It is very unfortunate that once again, I’ve to write a letter of complaint to your company on the above-mentioned order. It has only been 6mths since your people came to rectified the problems on the wardrobe, and now we had more problems again.

    A week ago, my mum was cleaning the wardrobe and discovered that both the interior and exterior of the wardrobe has turned mouldy. This is the first time that I’ve heard of and seen a bedroom wardrobe mouldy. To add to that, the base of the drawers in the wardrobe collapsed today. May I ask what kind of material is the wardrobe made of????? This wardrobe has not even been with us for more than 8 months and already giving us so much problems. Looking at the time period, we’ll not accept wear and tear as an excuse.

    My shoe cabinets and 5-drawers cabinet were both bought from your company more than 5yrs ago and we never had a single problem with them. We bought the wardrobe from your company again expecting good quality products but were greatly disappointed. First of all, by the shoddy workmanship and the time (3 weeks) taken to rectify the problems. Now, the mouldy wardrobe with the collapsed drawer base.

    Wardrobes are supposed to last for a long time, I do not know why we paid $400++ to get all these kind of problems. Moreover, your company was being awarded “SuperBrand” and also other quality awards. BUT somehow the products we’ve got here now is worst than what the neighbourhood furniture shops can offer us!!!!

    To proof what I’ve said in this mail is true, pls see the attached photos taken, total 12. Those small white dots are moulds. Now, my mum is again left without a wardrobe. We demand that a new wardrobe be replaced to us but not of the same model as we do not want to experience same problems again.

    Trust that all is clear on what I’ve said in this e-mail. It would be much appreciated if someone will call me ASAP on my mobile on the solution to our problems. I’ll not hestitate to write to the Straits Time or The Newpaper forum should I not be given a reply within the next week.

    Rdgs,
    Agnes

  4. here’s the reply i’ve gotten straight on mon.

    Dear Ms Agnes,

    CUSTOMER ORDER NO. NHG 28764

    On behalf of the management, we sincerely apologise for the unpleasant incident and inconvenience caused. As per the tele-conversation between your goodself and me, we will allow you to change the wardrobe to other items and if the price is higher that the previous one which you have purchased, you will have to top up the difference. On top of that, we will give you a special discount as a token of appreciation depending on the model of the item you will be changing to.

    Your kind understanding and support is most appreciated. If you need any further clarification or assistance, please do not hesitate to contact any of our Customer Service Co-ordinator or myself at main line: 63688813 (6 lines) or email: custservice@e-novena.com.

    Thank you and we look forward to serve you again.

    Regards,
    Pang Hui Mei
    Customer Service Supervisor
    Novena Furnishing Centre Pte Ltd
    47 Sungei Kadut Avenue Singapore 729670
    Tel : + 65 6763 3233 Fax : +65 6368 2588
    Direct Line : +65 6368 8813
    Direct Fax : +65 6368 8823
    Email : custservice@e-novena.com
    URL : http://www.e-novena.com

  5. Diva79, jus wanted to tell u that i’ve always enjoyed reading ur blog…

    AND ur experience wid TWC is jus plain ridiculous!! u shld take a pic of the storage bench and jus email to STOMP. Jus go to the papers man! cannot believe ur experience wid TWC. Me gonna boycott them liaoz.

  6. i HONESTLY think u should write in to STOMP… Stomp will contact TWC for comments.

    Today I looked at the newspapers. TWC got promo/sales… immediately i tot of your case! No way am I going there man..

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