Mesra?

The following is a very long complaint letter addressed to the relevant party regarding an incident that occurred on 30th April. I am not sure what will come out of this letter, but at least I have said my piece.

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To whom it may concern,

MESRA service leaves a lot to be desired

I have always believed in supporting local brands. PETRONAS has always been my choice when it comes to petroleum. No doubt this choice is somewhat biased since I was a PETRONAS scholar in the early 1990’s. While I did not join PETRONAS upon completion of my studies, I have never severed my ties with PETRONAS. By filling up at PETRONAS, it is actually a small way for me to show my appreciation to the company that supported my studies for nearly five years. Ever since I owned a car in 2000, PETRONAS is my only choice. And to show further my support to PETRONAS, I have also signed up for the MESRA loyalty programme.

These past couple of years, whenever I fill up at any PETRONAS station, I would use my credit card. As such, there is really no need for me to go to the counter for this transaction as all this can be done at the pump. And as a result, I will not be aware of any notice posted at the counter. On average, I fill up between six (6) to eight (8) times a month, costing me up to RM650.

Last week, one of my staff informed me of a new MESRA loyalty programme, and that applications have to be submitted by the 30th of April. Apparently, there is a notice on the counter (but not at the pumps). If not for the information relayed by my staff, I would not have been aware of it at all. As a loyal MESRA card holder, I picked up a form on the 29th of April. As I was tied up with several things at that point in time, I was only able to return the form the next day (which happened to be the last day).

I went to the Setiawangsa PETRONAS station on the morning of the 30th of April, and I was told that the station has run out of MESRA cards. I was asked to leave my name and phone number, and was duly informed that a new batch of MESRA cards would arrive after 4 p.m. and that I would be contacted once the cards arrive. There were no calls received, and thus, at 8 p.m. I dropped by at the same station simply to inquire further.

I first went to the counter. The staff (whose name I did not get unfortunately) there told me that the cards did not arrive (contrary to what I was told earlier in the morning). I then asked what to do with the MESRA application form, but she was not able to answer. She however was polite enough to direct me to another staff who was at the back, probably at the store.

After waiting for a few minutes, this staff (who was referred to as “Ika”), came out with a sour face. I inquired the same question, what should I do with the MESRA application form? The reply that I got was that the cards were out of stock. Fine, I already have that information as early as that morning, but my question was what was I to do with the MESRA application form. I asked the question again, and instead of getting a direct answer to the question, I got a telling off from this staff. She said that I was late in returning the form.

I tried to explain to her that I was not aware of the notice because I have been filling up using my credit card, but again she stressed that I was late in returning the form. As far as I understand (unless my years of furthering my studied under PETRONAS scholarship dulled my intelligence), the last day to submit the application form to switch to the new MESRA card was on the 30th of April. Had I sent in the form on the 1st of May, then that would be late. By right, as long as the form is sent within the stipulated time frame, then it should never be regarded as late.

I did not get the answer that I was looking for from this staff. She was getting agitated, and I decided to leave things at that. As I was walking out the door, this staff walked up to the counter and in a high voice scolded (from my point of view) the polite staff whom I met earlier. She said, “Why don’t you tell them that we have run out of cards?” I find this situation totally uncalled for. The fact that the polite staff was scolded in front of all the customers was simply unprofessional. And to do this when I was still there was downright rude. I felt like turning back and giving my piece of mind to this stressed out staff, but I refrained.

I purposely wrote this complaint letter today, instead of on the 30th of April, because I had wanted to see if anyone from the station called me up as was promised. To date, no calls were received. When I walked out of the PETRONAS Mesra station that night, I felt that there is nothing mesra about the place. Professionalism was missing, and a simple question failed to be answered. I still have the form with me, but I have lost my interest in renewing my MESRA card. What is the point of joining a loyalty programme, when my loyalty all these years have been rewarded with rudeness and unprofessionalism?

I will still go to a PETRONAS station to fill up, but not at the Setiawangsa station. However, I will no longer use the MESRA card as I have lost faith in the kemesraan of the people manning the stations. The incident taught me an important lesson, and that is the programme is nothing more than a PR exercise that is not translated into action by some of the staff at PETRONAS stations. The number may be small, but it is these few bad apples that spoil the whole lot, leaving the so-called MESRA service a lot to be desired.

Thank you.