Paradigm Mall has 'reassigned' the Facebook page administrator who caused a public relations disaster for the newly-opened shopping mall on Monday.
Responding to Yahoo! Malaysia, its management company WCT Berhad said that it had issued an apology on its official Facebook page after its administrator told a customer to use 'magic' to repair its elevators.
"Our customers are our top priority and we ensure they are treated with respect and courtesy. Aside from taking corrective action around this incident, we will review and further improve the customer care training programme and social media etiquette to avoid the recurrence of such events, while also continue to educate our team members to conduct themselves in a professional manner. "
"At this point, the external technicians are working around the clock to make sure the mall’s lifts stay in proper working order."
"We wish to reiterate that the comments were made with no malice," it said in an email response.
Paradigm Mall, which opened on May 23 in Kelana Jaya, received a massive onslaught of negative comments following a sarcastic 'magic' remark made on its page on Monday.
It became the target of 'dislikes' when the administrator suggested that a customer use 'magic' to solve problems with its elevator.
A screenshot of the exchange that went viral.
The original message, posted on Monday by a user called Su Yuen Hsiang, was to inform the mall of malfunctioning lifts that plunged, to which Paradigm Mall replied that they were 'looking into it'.
But when another commentator, Freddie Toh, responded "Again, looking", the page administrator snapped back.
Paradigm Mall: Yes Freddie, Paradigm Mall does not know magic. Cannot snap fingers and make changes. You can? Then we want to hire you!!
Freddie Toh: Well you need to pay me well for it. If you think you can afford it.
Paradigm Mall: Hi Freddie, sure! You know MAGIC wor! However expensive also we can afford!! Then we no longer have to answer "looking into it". Come for an interview NOW (Since you know magic you can appear now right). This is awesome, Paradigm Mall has now Freddie Toh with INSTANT solutions to EVERYTHING! PERFECT MALL now, people! Let's give Freddie Toh a big big hand!!!!
Freddie Toh: You're welcome.. So you are admitting that you aren't prefect. While everyone give positive comment, you take it easy. When the complaints comes you can't even able to handle it. You rather push it back & now even offer me a post to do it. Wonderful isn't.
Paradigm Mall: Hi Freddie, we never said we are perfect. Which is why we are very appreciative to comments and feedbacks from everyone. We handling the complaints by compiling every single feedback (even yours) to be tabled across all the departments. We did not and will never push any blame or whatsoever to anyone. Well, offering you a post which I think every single company in a world would want to offer you. You are the ONLY one in the world who knows magic and solve things instantly.
This exchange drew massive negative comments, accusing the Paradigm Mall Facebook page administrators of being 'unprofessional', 'crumbling under pressure' and 'giving their company a bad name' among others.
The thread drew more than 600 comments from users condemning the social media administrator for bad language, its rude approach to complaints and shoddy maintenance of facilities in the premise which opened on May 23.
The following responses from Paradigm Mall appeared to take on a more subtle tone as they informed irate Facebook users that its lift operators had been contacted and that their maintenance staff were on standby to ensure the lifts worked well.
Here are some of the comments (unedited):
Jason Leong Say Keong: I will like to thank Paradigm Mall for giving us a bit of entertainment today and for bringing all of us strangers together in unity against unprofessionalism. We may have passed each other on the streets, not knowing each other, but at least we shared a moment together. Cheers all!
John Matthew Low: Gosh, this is really bad PR for Paradigm Mall. From what I've heard, Paradigm Mall is a great place. But please look into who you're hiring as your Facebook Admin!
Baharin Jeffri: paradigm mall admin. you are so rude. you need to be fired immediately.
Nora Ismail: Can't you see? Essentially, people are more upset about your unprofessional responses than they are about the shoddy quality of your mall. Things can be fixed, but a tarnished reputation is a lot more difficult to mend.
Shana Low: How can a new mall have plunging lifts in the time and era? Import cheap lifts from China? Never do stress test runs before mall launch? You lost the trust of your potential customers with dangerous facilities and rude replies on facebook.
Donn Donovey: Hie Admin, I'm working as a branding exec, and I suggest a new tagline for you: "Paradigm Mall - Where Magic Never Happens". Suitable to the situation, eh?
Nurlina Hussin: Why did you delete my comment? It is true, you should attend the social media marketing trainings/seminar to be more professional.
In the midst of the virtual bashing, one commentator, Mohd Khairie decided to seize the moment and 'apply' for the position of 'resident magician'. This is what he said:
