Three weeks back, I suddenly couldn't watch any of my StarHub cable TV channels. Checked that all the cables are securely fixed and correct. Tried switching off the power and turning it on again to reset the setup box without success. Tried removing the smart card and reinserting it back and nothing happened. Checked that it's not problem with the TV.
Out of desperation, I called their hotline. While waiting for someone to answer my call, there was a recorded message informing customers to change their setup box. After telling the staff my problem, he tried resetting my connection and it still didn't working. In the end, he said that my equipment is possibly faulty and asked me to bring it down for a one-to-one exchange. I asked the staff was it related to the message I heard earlier and he said no. The next day, I dropped by their shop to get a new setup box. I told the service staff I wanted the same model and was told it's no longer available. He then showed me 3 different models and all are more expensive in monthly rental than the one I was using. In the end, I chose for the cheapest one at $6 monthly rental, which is $2 more than my previous one. Suddenly, I dawned on me that could the company has purposely stopped transmission of programs for users with the old model in order to get them to come in and change to a newer model at a higher cost? After all, every exchange from an old model to a new one effectively boost their revenue by at least 50%. If they had sent letters asking customers to change to a new setup box that costs more, even if it's to upgrade to newer technology, nobody is going to do it especially if the current one is working fine. I'm left with no choice. There's no way to find out if my setup box is faulty. The old setup box is no longer available and the cheapest one is 50% more expensive. I either have to take it or leave it. Of course, you can say I'm paranoid. But this is the kind of thoughts that happen to majority of customers, if not all. No one is remembered for how much money he has in his bank.
No one is forgotten for the positive difference he has made in others' lives. Different photos, slightly different message with same objective published in the same newspaper on the same day.
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AuthorOutrageous Marketing Archives
May 2020
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