Bad Design

Mr. Bill Moggridge discussed good and bad design in this video. And now that I have a fair idea what's bad design, I will tell you one... Smart Money.It's credit card gone masa or bullish. First, it was appealing, considering that banks did not believe you exist with income if you did not have a minimum of Philippine peso 100K held with them (like time deposit). Previously. With Smart Money, all you need was around 120 bucks, P500 for Banco de Oro deposit (as payment - they have long, nasty, winding, a-mazingly tangled lines and if you weren't sure of the line you queued on, then, you better duct tape your mouth before you get to the front line... just to learn you will need to queue to another).

So, now, after filling up the form, you can either get a Smart Money card instantly, or, in my case, buy another for your spouse, or son, or daughter, for additional 120 something bucks, and wait for eternity... Close. Maybe, around 3 months.

The tragedy about the design that befall me is that it was near the end of the month, and end-of-the-month bills are mounting.

So, I had to withdraw money from Smart... Thing is, the brochure and website says you can use your password (placed during signing up process with the customer service rep) to do all, including online and withdrawals, to receive money via the ATM. Otherwise, it was not stated clearly that it should not have been the case.

But you have their smart money hotline to call... And you cannot call with your smart phone if you only have text loads, or less than 30 bucks. You have to load.

Also, you have to load a minimum of 30 bucks in order to activate the smart money feature.

You need to load to call their hotline, yeah, talk about highway robbery through and through.

In my case (this happened July 28, 2013, to be exact, they say they have a recorded conversation, so, this is verifiable), I loaded with P300 card load. To call their hotline. And I was able to connect, but the first thing I asked was if that call was charged because I was using a smart SIM, and the CSR assured me, no, i was not being charged for that call.

But I'll tell you, I called 3 times more (consecutively) to get my money, and the last call, I was cut, because my P300 bucks is consumed!

I called their hotline - in the first place, AFTER I failed to withdraw from their BDO ATM using smart money card. I learned that afternoon that there was a different (remember this) PIN for ATM smart money, and that there is a DEFAULT PIN for all. Imagine this - if I were a hacker, I'd steal all the smart money card of unwitting thifts!

But since I consumed my 3 allowed attempts, my card was BLOCKED!

But don;t worry, the CSR once again assured me. You can send your money to another smart SIM you know of, and they can withdraw it at the nearest smart money center. Seconds after the transfer.

I did just that and the next day, the spouse queued to "claim" the money.

And yes, he was sold ANOTHER smart money card to claim MY money!

The second question I have for them is: what will a family use a lot of smart money cards for?

The only answer I can rationally think of is - the better of which they sell more.

Lousy answer if you want to know the truth.

So, it took three months to wait for that damned DUMB card.

The other tragedy was that - their CSR cannot do anything to alter the situation. But they will not facilitate your request to hasten their process as well. We've just been populated (don;t you like this microsoft word - populated?) by robots and they rule... God bless humanity.

Smart Communications: No Aleck yet in your Trade Name...

(An Open Letter to Smart Communications, Inc. from a loyal Customer)

In July 28, I tried to withdraw from my Smart Money through ATM (not BDO) but smart load unli-text was not accepted to unlock my account.

So, I loaded P300 from smart load card.

I tried to withdraw in BDO unlocking my card as instructed in your site and the Smart Money User guide. My PIN was not accepted.

So, I called your card hotline  632-8457777 for assistance using my smart sim mobile phone. Since the verification process alone took time (as if you didn't know), I asked the CSR if I am being charged for the call and he said NO. He provided me with advice on how to go about using this card by sending money to another smart number in order to immediately withdraw from smart remittance.

To no avail. So, I called again a little later about the remittance centers.

That night, I transferred  funds to my husband's smart number so he can avail the money ASAP for end-of-the-month bills.

Only to be required to PAY for another smart money card, and to wait TWO (2) weeks to withdraw that money.

I called again your card hotline only to be cut short (I didn't know my load has RUN out just calling up your SMART hotline!).

A few SMS later, and I already RAN out of prepaid loads!

I called your smart money CSR via landline (because I cannot anymore use my smart prepaid) and guess what the message prompt is AFTER I input my SMart Money card number?

SURPRISE: You have insufficient balance to  make this transaction.NOW, if this is not highway robbery, let me know.

But I did not stop going through the maze of your hotline recorded messages. I finally got an operator - Yumi Aquino to tell me Smart cannot do anything to reverse the situation.

What I told her was recorded, but I am putting it here again for the world to know (as if they are clueless):

"If you will check your record, I maintain several Smart accounts and am a loyal customer since 2005. My prepaid load  is only BARYA and you  still want to gain from it?

Your customer SHOULD not be penalized for the mistake of your Smart staff. So return my prepaid LOAD."

Yumi insisted her script so I asked to talk to her manager. She said she will look for her supervisor instead, and could I please hold for say - 3 minutes?

I endured.

Only to be told they will call me up after getting my 2 numbers- within the day.

After an hour, I checked my load and I  was provided for the 2 unli-text I loaded earlier in Sunday to avail their smart money unlock system!

2 days later, no more load balance.

First off, I load using the smart card load because I use it to both call and send SMS. and they only returned the UNUSED unli-text I loaded!

Please guys, do something. You are earning SO MUCH - like some government officials - but it does not mean you have to be as senseless and as idiotic like them. C'mon' people. Live up to your company name - and it has no "aleck" after it.

ps

You should be paying me to test your products, and point our the glitches... and THIS is what you do to me? 

I mean, Yumi, if you are out there reading this... of course we've been had by your family namesake, but, girl...