Tag: United Arab Emirates

Fire! Fire!! (Or the total disregard to partaking in Fire Drills)

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151209 Fire! Fire!

The Fire drill just occurred in my building. This was the second time I had the glorious opportunity to witness the drill in my building. We were given one weeks notice that the drill would be happening today. I wanted to come up with a reason to not be home, but … nothing pulled me away from this!

Anyway the fire drill.

Fire drills are not taken seriously in this side of the world, until one happens and then everyone collapses into a pile of panic!

Today,  I witnessed two incidents which added fuel to the fire (see what I did there?) that we have a serious issue with health and safety in this country. 

  1. The fire evacuation point was in front of the building (in front of the restaurant) – whether this was a drill or not the evacuation point should be away from the building and definitely not in front of the restaurant! If there had been a fire, debris would have fallen on the evacuees or if there was a gas explosion from the restaurant… well I don’t want to think what could happen. 
  2. 3 men came out 20 minutes after the drill started. One was so arrogant he walked back in after asking whether it was a drill (doh!), ignoring the security guard. If there was an actual fire, and they didn’t come out someone such as the security guards or firemen could die trying to save them.  
  3. Another 2 men who do not even live in the building, came out of a flat on my floor straight after the drill had finished; when I asked them why they were in the building they said they didn’t care it was a fire drill and had work to do! They seem flabbergasted that someone would dare point out that a fire drill means that you are not allowed to be in the building. They also didn’t like it that a woman was telling them off (sexism is still rife here with certain nationalities). 

I know a lot of people do not take drills seriously and it has been a common problem for many years, but this is unacceptable and dangerous. There has to be a change in the manner that drills are taken in all the buildings whether big or small. 

I have complained to the Building management suggesting that they not give notice of the drills (like they do in the UK), as it may wake these residents up to actually take the drills seriously. They also need to change the evacuation point. Just because it is sunny doesn’t mean that the residents have to stand in the shade of the building for the drill – it’s a bloody drill!

Update 10 December 2015 – I have had a reply from the Building Management. They advised that the assembly point is as per the drawings approved by the Civil Defence. This must have been approved over 4 years ago when there were no buildings on this site. I am sure they would change the point to be away from the building if they reviewed it now. If.

With regards to the people not participating with the drill, the fire marshal is supposed to ensure everyone leaves the building and stays out (no idea how they can tell if people are still in the apartment but anyway). However as this was a drill there is no way to enforce this. I am sure that this is not the stance in Europe when there are drills.

*sigh*

What else can you suggest should be done to ensure that these drills are taken much more seriously? 

Shelina

 

 

 

 

© 2015 Shelina Jokhiya | All rights reserved – This post is provided for the convenience of Shelo’s Cheeky Rantings readers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited.

 

The DU Top-Up Ordeal

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151119 The DU Top-Up Ordeal

 

Every once in a while we use up data (god knows how) and need to top up during the billing month.

I have 1GB + 300mb as part of my post paid package and very rarely need to top up during the billing month. If I do have to top up it is normally due to too much use of Google Maps or unexplainable and most probably a glitch by my provider (which they will deny).

My provider in the UAE is Du.

In the 3 week of the billing cycle my phone stopped having data. I couldn’t top up as I didn’t know the text message to use to top up and couldn’t get online until i went to a cafe and asked for their password.

Once I got in touch with Du by Twitter (I can’t talk to the du people on the phone they annoy me so much), they told me what to SMS to top up.

Screen Shot 2015-11-19 at 12.11.43

 

 

(Side note – despite so many years requesting for SMS’s to be sent in English only they still persist in sending them to me in Arabic. How hard can it be to allocate me to the English SMS’s!?!?).

Anyway so I sent the message and got this message:

 

2015-11-19 12.07.12

Although self explanatory, I entered that i wanted “300MB o”. I didn’t really need 300MB, but thought I might as well and also it would roll over. Yes I know it says Prepaid customers only but it seemed absurd so tried.

However, I wasn’t allowed to top up 300 MB one off.

I tried 1 GB one off.

Screen Shot 2015-11-19 at 12.19.03

 

Nope.

I tried online when i got home and found I  could only top up 1GB recurring.

I don’t want to have a recurring 1GB top up. It costs 100AED extra and I don’t need that much. I don’t understand how you cannot top up for an amount of data for a one off.  Do any of the data plans allow for one off top ups or am I the only unlucky one to have a plan that doesn’t allow for it???

So I called Du. The long and short of the conversation was that I had to top up 1GB Recurring but that I could cancel before the 17th November.

Screen Shot 2015-11-19 at 12.21.07

 

The man was even nice enough to send me the message to remind me to cancel the top up.

Screen Shot 2015-11-19 at 12.19.41

So of course I tried to deactivate the data bundle. Did it work? Of course not!

I tweeted and got slow replies. I had tooth issues so couldn’t speak, so asked for them to just deal with it and cancel this recurring cost I never wanted.

Today I got a call from a Du service guy. He informed me that I couldn’t cancel until the next  cycle on 17 December. Which means I am forced to have this data package that I never wanted for a month more.

I asked him what my data amount would be after the 17 December. 6 times!

I got the answer eventually. I will now have 100mb and not 300 mb.

So in short:

a. I had 1GB + 300mb

b. I tried to top up 300mb but had to top up 1GB

c. Deactivate the 1GB from 17 December as they wouldn’t let me do it on 17 November despite trying to do it by SMS.

d. I will now have 1GB + 100mb.

So they forced me to cough up money for a bundle I never wanted. Now I have requested to go back to my previous package and stop this ordeal they are deducting 200mb off my package.

Awesome.

I have topped up in the UK with my old O2 account (which was also postpaid) and it used to be so easy doing it on the automated system as soon as my data was gone.

It seems like Du want to ensure that it is an ordeal to top up and also want to force us to pay extra. Of course that is the way to win the hearts of the customers, force them into paying more for something they don’t need or want and then penalising them for wanting to be on their package.

I will be escalating this to TRA as well. I’m sure as with other government companies and bureaucracy requirements, I will be required to complete millions of forms with information including my mothers’ maiden name, Emirates ID and what I last ate before I can file the complaint.

*bangs head on table again*.

If you are on Du and have topped up, what has been your experience. Has it been an easier experience or just as difficult (or worse). Would be interested to hear your answers.

 

Shelina

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

© 2015 Shelina Jokhiya | All rights reserved – This post is provided for the convenience of Shelo’s Cheeky Rantings readers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited.

 

MAC Agonies

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I am a MAC makeup fan. Have been since my early 20’s and I guess I will continue to be one as they have my skin colour shade, good products and I am too lazy to change brand.

However, during the last 10 years living in the UAE, being served at a MAC store or counter has been beyond excruciatingly painful.

Talking to friends, acquaintances and even a manager from a major department store, everyone dislikes going to MAC in the UAE. If they can postpone buying their makeup until they fly out of the country they will.

I am an easy customer for the MAC ladies. I buy the same waterproof liquid eyeliner every 2 months and any waterproof mascara which is black and in stock. In addition I will use my 6 empty containers to get a new Odyssey Lipstick every 2 months. They don’t even have to use the till to process the free lipstick. Asking them to give me my free lipstick in exchange for recycling my containers is the most awful thing to ask the MAC ladies . They will tut, scowl and puff around getting that folder out for me to sign.

Occasionally I go off script. When I have been in London or other countries, I have asked the assistants to randomly choose me a new lipstick or eyeshadow colour to be my new favourite. They always choose amazing shades which I use for ages (Odyssey lipstick came into my life when I asked a lady in MAC London to choose a colour for me). I tried this request a few times in the UAE stores – the response would  usually be “I don’t know what you like, you should choose the colour”. Yep – [sigh]

Most of you ladies may be reading the above thinking, hey that’s normal here. However I recently saw incompetence of such high proportions that I have had to vent in this blog today.

I have been using this tinted foundation for a few years. It’s light, matches my skin colour and covers the blemishes.

Studio moisture tint

I ran out in July. As I wasn’t leaving the country until mid August, I braced myself and went to the MAC store in Mall of Emirates. The store was empty, there was no one there but me. The MAC lady would not serve me until I went and stood next to her (very closely). I showed her the above picture and gave her my colour. The response was as follows:

MAC – “We don’t have this in stock”.

Me – “Can you check your cupboards just in case”

MAC – [Scowl and tut] – “OK” [rummages in one cupboard]
“No it’s out of stock”

Me – “When will you get more in stock?”

MAC – “I don’t know. We get shipments every day.”

Me – “Can you take my details, order the colour and let me know when it arrives so I can collect it”.

MAC – “No. We don’t know what will arrive”.

Me – [sigh]. “OK thanks bye.”

The same situation happened in FOUR out of FIVE other MAC stores. In the Mercato store, the lady asked me for my details (I didn’t suggest it to her as I had lost the will to live so was surprised by the initiative taken) and told me she would call me as soon as it arrived. She was exceptionally helpful. But I never got a call.

I did complain about the attitude at the Mall of Emirates branch to someone not from MAC. A MAC Manager called a few days later but I was just about to watch a movie. I asked her to call me back. She never did.

Anyway I finally gave up until I went to Terminal 3 Dubai Airport in mid August (so 6 weeks later). At the airport, it may be busy, but I always seem to be served (most probably as I know what I want and I ask, pay and leave). I didn’t have much hope for getting my foundation but thought I would ask.

Me – “Hi do you have this foundation [shows photo]

MAC lady – “It’s been discontinued”

Me – “How long ago?”

MAC lady – “About 3 months ago. There are 2 new alternatives. This one (see below) is the closest to what you had and a similar price”.

Prep and Prime BB

Me – “Perfect, I will get that in my colour”

MAC lady – [tests the colour on my hand, finds the foundation and organises for me to pay for it].

Tell me, how did all those other MAC Ladies not know that this item had been discontinued for 1-2 months when I went to see them? Do they not have product updates? Staff meetings? Do they not think it’s weird if one major product (which a lot of my friends use so it can’t be a rare item) has stopped appearing in their store?? Why did it require me to go to the airport to get some clarification on my foundation and get something for me to slap on my face?!!??!

It shouldn’t be an ordeal to get a product. I am a loyal fan (you can see by the number of empty containers I have at home for recycling). But even if i was not a loyal fan all of us should be treated properly as customers. This is a global brand and they must have the same training globally – I would assume.

To put this more into context – when I went back to the UK, I went to the MAC in Selfridges in London. This is one of the most busiest MAC’s I have seen in my travels globally. Usually it is so busy I don’t bother going to the stand and go to Carnaby Street, but I thought as I was there I would brave the crowds. I got served by newbie girl, who needed help from her manager, but who served me quickly. I had smiles from 3 other assistants whilst I was waiting for my products and the lady at the till had a proper conversation with me!! That is 5 assistants at MAC being nice to me. It would be a miracle if even one smiled at me in any of the UAE branches. Plus I got the products I wanted without any attitude and a proper explanation about them.

I have luckily stocked up for a few months to ensure that I do not have to purchase anything from the UAE branches for long time. But I shouldn’t have to do that. I should be able to go into this global brand store and be served properly with knowledgeable assistants who do not give attitude to the customer.

If you have any suggestions on how we can start being treated as customers (paying as well) in their stores, please leave a comment. If you are MAC please please please can you train your staff here to be nice to the customers?

Thanks

Shelina

© 2015 Shelina Jokhiya | All rights reserved – This post is provided for the convenience of Shelo’s Cheeky Rantings readers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited.

Using Public Transport in Dubai (vlog #6)

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Metro Gold Class Entrance

My lovely car was with the car garage for 2 days so I recently had to use public transport. As the petrol prices have gone up in the UAE, the Ministry of Transport has told us to make the most of the public transport. So I did…

Here is my vlog on using the public transport – Careem private taxi, tram, metro, bus (well tried to use the bus) and taxi.

Using the public transport would be great, if you could access it and there was help from the RTA Dubai on using it.

I did complain to RTA and was advised they would look into my complaint. With regards to the bus stop, they told me the bus stop number I had to go to (with no directions), complained again, then they said the road where the bust stop was  and finally gave more directions. Pointless telling me when I was home where the bus stop was. I got more information from the JVC Facebook group on the location of the bus stop (one member gave me a map with an arrow pointing the location of the bus stop!).

The RTA said they would also consider my complaints about lack of air conditioned shelters at the Mall of Emirates main bus stop. I have heard nothing since from them.

What experience have you had using the public transport in Dubai. Is it a better experience for you?
 
Shelina

 

 

 

    

 

© 2015 Shelina Jokhiya | All rights reserved – This post is provided for the convenience of Shelo’s Cheeky Rantings readers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited.

 

The Ordeal Of Going to the Cinema

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Baby 3D Glasses Watching Film On TV, Children Eating Popcorn

I love movies. I love going to the cinema. I love watching art house and blockbuster movies. I love the whole movie watching experience (especially back in the UK).

I just don’t love going to the cinema in the UAE.

In 2005 when I first came here, the problem with going to the cinema was the censoring of movies. The censors would cut the movies so badly that you could see the rips from the scissors on the film. The films would make no sense. The violence would remain but everything else would be cut. Supposedly violence is fine.

Then it progressed to people talking on the phone during the movie – to their families in other countries or mates in the mall waiting for them . Why they couldn’t talk to them outside the cinema screen was always a mystery for me and other cinema goers. And it always has to be loud. On their bloody Nokias!

The recent issue has been with babies and kids. For some reason it is perfectly acceptable for babies and kids under 10 to watch movies which are classified PG13, PG15 and 18+. Yes, that’s right we have had babies screaming at their top of their lungs during an 18+ movie.

I recently complained to one of the cinema chains and have been having daily phone calls with them arguing that these movies are not meant for under 10 year olds or under 17 years old if it is an 18+! . Their argument is that if it has PG on it, and parents take them to the movie, they can watch a PG13 or PG15 movie. It does not matter if there is violence, sexual connotations or rude words in the movie. They are being escorted into the cinema with an adult so they can see the movie.

The cinema chain have told me to complain to the cinema ushers if I have a concern in future during the movie, which means I should disturb the people sitting near me, get up, complain and miss part of the movie. Awesome. So it’s either suffer watching movies

Maybe I am getting old, and admittedly there was no PG12 and PG15 until I was in my teens, but these movies are NOT meant for kids. They are meant for teenagers and adults. Kids should be watching Disney, Pixar and Minon movies.

My bigger concern is allowing babies (under 1) into the cinema. The movies are too loud for us grown adults let alone babies. It cannot be healthy for their ears and no wonder they are screaming if they are hearing the Avengers kill the badies at millions of decibels??? My argument with specific cinema chain was that they should be allowing adults with babies to buy the tickets let alone into the screenings, but I was advised that it was permitted by higher authorities!

I have no idea who the higher authorities are, but if you work for them or do know who they may be, can the issue of allowing kids into the cinema to watch movies not meant for their age be raised?  What is the point of cinema classification if kids of all ages can enter the screening?

Update: As wisely pointed out by some readers, there should be a complete ban on children going to late night/midnight screenings. The children want to sleep and instead are being forced to stay awake and cannot sleep due to the loudness of the movie. Parents should have common sense and be more responsible, but cinemas should put their foot down as well.

Please use #UAECinema to spread the word about this issue in the cinemas here!

Let’s try and make some positive changes to our cinema going experience.

Shelina

The Hassle of Buying Water in Restaurants (Vlog #2)

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water glass

 

Do you ask for local water and get overpriced water instead? How irritating is that! It keeps happening and I am not amused.

Here is my discussion about this rip off water situation.

What do you think about the rip off situation and how do you think we can stop this happening?  Let me know if in the comments box.

Thanks

Shelina

 

 

 

 

 

© 2015 Shelina Jokhiya | All rights reserved – This post is provided for the convenience of Shelo’s Cheeky Rantings readers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited.

The Top 8 Rules for Driving in the UAE in the Fog

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fog abu dhabi

Last night I drove back from the Abu Dhabi Formula One Gran Prix at Yas Marina (after marshalling for 3 days – it was awesome!) exhausted and sweaty. I just wanted to get home and sleep but as soon as I got on the Abu Dhabi – Dubai HIghway the fog enveloped all of us drivers.

The fog was so bad that it you couldn’t see a car in front of you, even if you were touching bumpers. It was so bad, you couldn’t see the lanes on the highway or any road signs even if you got close to them so there was no way to stop for a chill out moment at the services.

Of course being in the UAE that meant that people freaked out and started doing one of the following:

  1. Breaking and driving at 20kph
  2. Putting on their hazard lights
  3. Driving fast as if there was no fog
  4. Driving close to the car in front just so they could see something.

All this made a bad situation exceedingly scary. I love driving and i’m usually resilient but this fog and surrounding idiots freaked the bejeesus out of me. I had to go into the far slow lane (as it was the only lane no one else was in, except my marshal buddies).

A scary moment was seeing buses and minibuses driving their normal manner weaving through lanes, with hazard lights on and close to our bumpers. I had a coach behind me (Desert A..) weaving around me and then driving near my bumper. These bus drivers need an advanced driving test for normal and extreme weather days; they are maniacs.

Based on this frightful experience here are my top tips for the idiots who we encountered last night and the other idiots who start driving ridiculously on fog days in the Winter:

  1. Switch on your fog lights. They are usually a button, located on the left hand side next to your steering wheel.
  2. Drive slowly like 80kph but not 20kph. You might as well not drive at all if you are going to go at that speed.
  3. Keep at least 2 cars distance from the cars in front of you.
  4. DON’T PUT ON YOUR HAZARD LIGHTS AND USE THEM AS FOG LIGHTS. 
  5. Put on your hazard lights for a brief few seconds when there is a hazard in front of you. I did the quick flash twice in succession so that the numpties around me got the idea there was a hazard.
  6. Don’t freak out and suddenly swerve lanes to get off the road.
  7. If you change lanes, USE YOUR INDICATORS.
  8. Use your windscreen wipers to clean the fog/sand concoction every so often.

Luckily there were no crashes on my way home. However, there needs to be a national advertising campaign by the RTA on how to drive in fog, rain and other extreme weather scenarios. Otherwise there will be more chances of there being scary driving situations and horrific car accidents on the AD-DXB highway (such as the one below) or on other roads.

car crash

 

I have heard the Indian speaking radio stations in the UAE tell drivers to put their hazard lights on in previous years. By providing this completely incorrect and unsafe information, they are helping to create more accidents. The authorities need to explain to the media how their listeners should drive safely!

Let’s hope this post can educate a few people.

What other rules do you think we should have for driving in the extreme conditions. Let me know in the comment box.

Shelina

 

 

 

 

(All images from Google Images).

The continuous downfall of customer service

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140221 Businessman Cover His Head With Bag

Customer service, what is that you might ask, if you live in the UAE? Don’t ask me, I am personally fed up of HSBC Middle East and Axa Gulf currently and their customer service.

My gripe with HSBC is for several reasons; most recently

a. they stopped me using my savings account as the internet banking department had not bothered to update their system with my new visa despite giving it to the bank weeks before.

b. This week they rejected a cheque as they said my signature was incorrect.

I was so incensed that I complained until they reversed the charges for a returned cheque. Ranting on Twitter resulted in all their customers complaining of the same issue; every time they wrote a cheque. A company I happened to chat to also said all customers issuing them with an HSBC cheque get rejected. Every time. We can’t all be incredibly stupid and incompetent to sign our cheques incorrectly every time. But HSBC thinks we are and will charge us for this supposed stupidity by us all.

I only had my issues sorted out as I ranted on Twitter. Their social media team straight away called me, listened to my rants and got it sorted out within a few hours. Calling HSBC customer service results in you talking to a robot in India who reads from a script and tells you that you are wrong and will have to go to a branch to sort out the issue.The other issue calling on the phone is that the line is alway crackly, which results in the customer service person hanging up on you and telling you to redial the number.   That means you have to redial and go through their millions of options before you get through to  a crackly voice again. And if you forget your personal banking number..well let’s not start on that nightmare.

With my internet banking issue, I went to the branch they told me to call internet banking. Internet banking did nothing. And don’t even bother contacting them online as they will never reply. Ever.

You might say why not change banks. I would love to but I can’t for now due to various reasons. The main reason is that my car loan is with them. If I change banks, I will have to provide them with cheques, which they will then reject. It’s not worth the hassle.  Also why should I  change? I have been a customer of theirs since I moved here. Should they not be providing their customers with great service being “the local bank” and also the second biggest in the world. Ok, I don’t have millions in the account, but I still put money in their bank for them to gain interest on. I never seemed to get this much crap with the bank in the UK.

I could complain to Central Bank about HSBC, but I fear that as the issue has been sorted they will not be interested.

The issue with AXA was due to two problems:

1. I was advised to obtain one medical insurance, which turned out to be completely useless. It was immediately cancelled by the lovely woman at the Wafi branch, when she realised the issue. I cancelled the incorrect policy in October.

2. A medical claim I made was rejected for a refund as they claimed it was a pre-condition which I had not disclosed. My doctor wrote to them to say it wasn’t a precondition. Still rejected.

c. They kept delivering other peoples cards to my address.

The cancelled policy should have been refunded within 6 weeks. After ranting again on Twitter, their social media manager seeing the complaint, called me (somehow finding my number despite me not providing it on twitter and also I am still wondering how they linked me to my twitter account….), apologised  and got a refund issued within 2 days. It took a Twitter rant to get the refund.

The claim issue has been talked about on the phone and by email. The customer service rep did a great job at stalling with responses for 5 months and when responding would copy and paste why my claim was rejected. I had promises of managers calling me to discuss the matter, but I had nothing. Notwithstanding the medical claim not being a previous condition; I had also been with AXA for 3 years with my previous company. They had made it very clear they had all my medical details so why do you have to disclose them when you renew if they know your history already. Additional administrative burden on the customer and excuse to not pay any claims.

I received an apology only from the social media manager. Nothing from the medical insurance department, until I sent them a sarcastic email asking if they received training on manners.

I have three policies with AXA but all three will be moved to other insurance companies when they expire. It may be easier and also cheaper in some cases to get cover via AXA here, but their behaviour has left me with a sour taste in my mouth. I had an issue with my property insurance a few months ago and it took 5 calls to get that sorted.

They only reason my issues were resolved (or nearly resolved) was because of social media. Conventional methods of trying to sort out the issues resulted in being completely ignored or messed about.

It gets tiring having to lose your temper all the time with companies here. I am at a loss of why so many of them treat us customers so badly. I have had no positive news from using the Ahlan Dubai initiative by the government. One manager in Zara once threw the Ahlan Dubai notice board at me, laughed and told me to call them. This was when Zara wouldn’t refund me for a dress I was returning within the time frame.  He knew he would get away with stealing my money. And he did win.

Customers are laughed at, ignored and treated like idiots. If we could have a meeting with the Ahlan Dubai people or faith that this system works, I believe we could finally start having good service from service providers and shops. But for now we will continue to have our blood pressure rise.

Note: The Dubai Department of Economic Development (DED) has an “Ahlan Dubai” helpline for complaints and suggestions, tel 600-545555 in the UAE. Or email consumerrights@dubaided.gov.ae, or visit one of their offices. Tell  me if it works for you.

If you want to complain about a bank in the UAE you can complete the online form and they call you within 24 hours of submission. The issue is resolved within a week by the bank; if not when Central Bank check up on your issue with you after a week you can tell them the bank are still not sorting out your issue.

2013 – bye bye

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Image

2013 sucked in many ways with tension, stress and other things but it’s also been great as I started Decluttr Me, moved into my lovely apartment, went on lots of holidays in the Middle East, became spot free and got Oreo.

Still no man in my life who doesn’t irritate the hell out of me but I’m sure one day one man will turn up who is not a freakazoid.

Thanks if you were involved in the goods times, you have been blocked if you were involved in the bad times. Roll on 2014.