Harrowing Experience With Hoe Kee

[vex 0]

I would like to narrate my very bad experience of customer service with Hoe Kee.

Few weeks back I bought many items from Hoe Kee, including things like Toilet bowls, basin, shower mixer, accesories, kitchen sink and such, total costing $2.5k. The purchasing experience was good as the china sales man provided many recommendations and we were satisfied with the product and pricing.

Upon delivery of the items, the delivery man told me that one of the item, the mirror, was replaced by another bigger one as the one we bought is out of stock. He said that if it cannot fit then they will exchange foranother one.

As my resale house is undergoing a major renovation, last Friday we started to install all the stuff bought from Hoe Kee. My renovator then told me that one packet of material is missing from the two toilet bowls (needed to fix the bowl). I then brought the one packet down to Hoe Kee at Genting lane yesterday and told them that it was short of one packet. The sales person then gave me one. I also told her the mirrow cannot fit and asked to change, which she agreed. However, she took out a piece of wet table cloth and asked me to clean it as it was dusty, which I obliged. After taking the packet of item and the replaced mirror, I went back.

The next working day, my contractor called to inform me that one of the ceiling lights which I bought from lightings.com.sg, namely the philips ecomood ($250), was faulty as there was a deep chip on the chrome part. I called up lightings.com.sg and informed them, and they steadfastly allow me to go down to do a one to one exchange when their stock comes in from their warehouse. This was good customer service.

Beside this, my contractor told me that one of the ceramic basin the surface was badly chipped off at few areas at the side. Feeling rather frustrated, I called up Hoe Kee and told them, and was told to bring down the basin for them to ascertain. Also, there was another small plastic cover missing from the toilet bowl accessory which was necessary to tighten the bolt.

I carried the basin all the way to Hoe Kee (at Genting lane) and when I reached there, I showed them the basin. A lady who appeared to be the manager or boss then looked at it, then retorted that my contractor must have spoilt it and it is not a fault of theirs. She said that all items are inspected before delivery.

I told them if so, then why is the wrong mirror delivered, and the plastic accessory missing ? Also, one of the accessory had a part missing as well. She then said that these parts are definately given to me. I said look, if I have the item will I want to take the trouble to take time off during my work, to drive to my place to collect and then to bring it to Hoe Kee ? And the invoice clearly proved that the wrong mirrow was delivered ? To which she insisted they did delivered.

I told her, why not she talk to my contractor about this basin issue, but she refused to even speak to him. There and then, I was starting to get upset. I told her, I already went down yesterday once and today I had to bring the basin down again. If this is the case she might as well just tell me through the phone that she wont allow a replacement ? I told her, lightings.com.sg gladly give me a replacement when I told them my lighting is defective.

She was adamant and at this point of deadlock, I knew there is no point arguing anymore. I then said I will forget it and buy a new basin from then. But I told her, Hoe Kee is such a big company but this is no way to do business. I reasoned to her, that her claims of checking everything before delivery is flawed, and also, I am asking for a $90 item replacement out of a $2.5k purchase, and she doesnt even honour the promise that anything wrong or defective they will replace.

In the end, I paid for the basin despite feeling very unsatisfactory. I told them, I am more generous than their big company Hoe Kee. I am willing to lose $80 but this is no way to do business, and asked her to put herself in my shoe as a consumer.

To renotalk friends, these are the bare facts, you judge for yourself. No wonder the lemon law is needed, because the onus will be on the seller to prove it is not a manufacturing fault. If they sell you something faulty and refused to exchange, you stand to lose out.

To me, I feel disappointed a big company like Hoe Kee is so unreasonable and has absolutely no goodwill for customers at all.

Enough said, I am moving on, but I hope fellow forumers wont go through the ordeal as I did.

[hwaa 1]

lol. why did u still buy a basin from them in the end after arguing? shld have just left.. there are still lots of place selling basins. actually i feel that they are not totally wrong in terms of that chipped basin, cos no one knows who chipped it. might be your contractor who chipped it. of cos its best to insepct everything when items arrived on the spot with their delivery.

reject anything on the spot to avoid such things happening. anyway its a $80 item only so just take it as lesson learnt bah. lightings.com.sg is different.. they have 7 days 1 to 1 xchange plus 1yr warranty for their stuffs of cos they have to honour their warranty, theres black and white..

[Guest Shadow222]

Ohoh, it is not a good shopping experience.

[Gymrat76 0]

To be fair, I also feel that all items should be inspected upon delivery. You asked them to put themselves in your shoes, but why don't you put yourself in their shoes?

If even 1 in 10 customers comes back to them claiming that basins or whatever else which was delivered to them was defective AFTER it was delivered and signed for, how to entertain?

[Craig 0]

I visited Hoe Kee at Genting Road in early Feb, just before CNY. The customer service was despicable. The auntie serving me at first seemed interested to serve me. After a while, it seemed that she looked down on our ability to buy - so her answers turned into Yes, No and price. After 10 minutes, she walked away totally. We looked at things by ourselves for the next 30-40 minutes while the sales people gossiped among themselves. Nobody cared to ask whether we needed help. When we finally asked her to write up the items we were interested in, her writing was so horrendous and she sounded like she doesn't want to explain when we asked to clarify.

To prove her assumption, we are certainly not buying from Hoe Kee, purely because Hoe Kee gave us no reason to buy from them. In fact, I'll take the quote elsewhere and purchase from other friendlier suppliers.

Final Verdict:

(a) Product selection : 7 out of 10

(b) Customer service: 1 out of 10

Edited February 18, 2013 by Craig

[TedDibiase 216]

The purchasing experience was good as the china sales man provided many recommendations and we were satisfied with the product and pricing.

Yes listening to PRC sales people have always resulted in good decisions,

The next working day, my contractor called to inform me that one of the ceiling lights which I bought from lightings.com.sg, namely the philips ecomood ($250), was faulty as there was a deep chip on the chrome part. I called up lightings.com.sg and informed them, and they steadfastly allow me to go down to do a one to one exchange when their stock comes in from their warehouse. This was good customer service.

Did you hire a retard for a contractor that does not do his inventory check on the first day or did you just opt for the cheapeast person that quoted you

Beside this, my contractor told me that one of the ceramic basin the surface was badly chipped off at few areas at the side. Feeling rather frustrated, I called up Hoe Kee and told them, and was told to bring down the basin for them to ascertain. Also, there was another small plastic cover missing from the toilet bowl accessory which was necessary to tighten the bolt.

Once again who signed the delivery, who checked the parts? If its you then its your fault not Hoe kee

I carried the basin all the way to Hoe Kee (at Genting lane) and when I reached there, I showed them the basin. A lady who appeared to be the manager or boss then looked at it, then retorted that my contractor must have spoilt it and it is not a fault of theirs.

She could be right

She said that all items are inspected before delivery.

Bingo, this is how things work in the real world

I then said I will forget it and buy a new basin from then. But I told her, Hoe Kee is such a big company but this is no way to do business.

The fault is yours not Hoe Kee, goods were signed for on delivery to be of good condition, just like a money changer

no talking will be entertained later, you have an issue, you don't sign and resolve it.

I told them, I am more generous than their big company Hoe Kee. I am willing to lose $80 but this is no way to do business, and asked her to put herself in my shoe as a consumer.

i have a feeling that either you or your contractor made the chips on the basin and you tried to blame it on hoe kee, but apparaently they were smarter then you.

To renotalk friends, these are the bare facts, you judge for yourself.

if i were the manager i would taken a photo of you and stuck it all Hoe Kee outlets and tell everyone to beware of

such a customer and even pass it to my contractor friends and partners.

The auntie was still kind to you, others would have taken a broomstick and chased you out of the office.

You obviously damaged your own goods and tried to blame Hoe kee