On the 11th of April 2006 at around 5:30 pm, I visited Esso
Frankel Petrol Station to fill up petrol for my car. The car was
filled up by the pump attendant. Once done, I proceed to fetch my
daughter from the child care. At the child care, I noticed there is
a curve scratch about 15cm long in between the rear passenger door
and the fuel cover. I was sure it was scratch by the pump nozzle as
before entering the petrol station, it was my habit to check the
entire car everytime before leaving my work place and I found no
scratch whatsoever on my car body. The petrol station was my next
stop.
I went back to the petrol station to clarify with the pump
attendant. Upon seeing me alight from my car, he just looked away
avoiding an eye contact. When I approached him to enquire about the
scratch, he became defensive and agitated.
As the manager was not around, I leave my contact number with the
cashier. The manager called me around 8:00pm the same day asking me
to come down the next day to try to work out on a settlement.
The following day, I went back to the petrol station. Just as I
suspected, they use intimidation by outnumbered me 3 to 1. At the
scene present were the manager and the two bosses of the petrol
station (thats what the manager told me as they did not introduce
or identify themselves). I was speaking to the manager when one of
the bosses interrupts us. The boss just gave a quick look at the
scratch and shouted, yes shouted, that the scratch was not cause by
their pump and walk away. In other words, he treats me like an
idiot just because I drove a Korean car. Wonder if he gave the same
attitude if I drove a BMW.
The manager that spoke to me tried to negotiate with me as Ive
already made up my mind to bring the attention to their higher
authority. The manager assured me that even though I blow up the
matter, it will still be cover up as the manager explained that one
of the bosses had already sent out an email to their general
manager who assured them that the general manager will take the
blame if my complain were to reach their higher authority. In the
manager view it will be pointless for me to complain as they do not
looked into complain seriously. The manager then promised me that
he will split 50-50 the cost for respray explaining that he does
not want a bad record and the pump attendant to be punish
whatsoever.
After I have found a few quotations, trying to get the lowest quote
as possible, the manager just told me he will not be paying as he
was already transferred to a new Esso petrol station at Chua Chu
Kang and he got nothing more to do with it. He even mocked at me
through the telephone to carry on with my complain.
So, on my experience on the above event, are Esso petrol station
owners low educated person as they did not know how to handle a
situation professionally, are rude and snobbish in their behaviour?
Are Esso managers love to make empty promises? Are Esso employees
taught not to apologise if mistake were made?
Finally, is this how Exxonmobil train their staffs?
