S$133.80 allegedly deducted off pump attendant's salary after Lexus driver rode off without paying

[Beanoyip]

https://mothership.sg/2020/10/shell-...V1h17lLs9hOBgc

Shell: Committed to resolve matter as soon as possible
Speaking to Mothership, a Shell spokesperson confirmed that such an incident occurred at Shell Upper Bukit Timah PIE on the evening of Sep. 18.

They also said that they are guided by a set of internal procedures to investigate and get in touch with the customer concerned.

Here's their statement in full:

"Instances of unsuccessful payments for refuelling occur from time to time and are mostly accidental by nature. We can confirm that such an incident occurred at Shell Upper Bukit Timah PIE on 18 September 2020, 6.56pm. In cases like this, we are guided by a set of internal procedures to investigate and get in touch with the customer concerned. We are committed to resolve this matter as soon as possible with the parties involved.

To respect the privacy of the customer and the service champion, we will not comment further."

____

https://www.facebook.com/penny.chua.7/posts/10157185008416331

Quote

A Facebook post sharing the plight of a pump attendant was shared on Oct. 5, 2020.


One Penny Chua wrote that she went to a Shell petrol station at Bukit Timah that evening where she saw a dejected-looking pump attendant sitting outside the kiosk.

S$133.80 deducted from salary

When she approached the pump attendant to ask if he has had his dinner, he apparently told her that he just had biscuits and showed her the following piece of cardboard:

Photo from Penny Chua's Facebook page.
Written on the cardboard are a car plate number and "S$133.80".

Here's a summary of what apparently happened to the pump attendant:

In September, a man allegedly driving a Black Lexus had gone to the petrol station to fill up his tank.
The driver apparently swiped up his Shell card at the pump but the payment didn't go through.
However, the pump attendant didn't check as he was chatting with the driver.
As a result, the petrol company allegedly deducted the total amount of S$133.80 from the pump attendant's salary.

 

 

For real? Shell deduct the $ from the attendant, and Shell no CCTV to capture the car plate?? Everyone flock to this station and pump and run?

 

 

[Watwheels]

From what I know Shell kiosks are run by private owners and these owners hire the pump attendants. They are like a petrol re-seller

For our company we also make our monthly payment to a re-seller. It's like a corporate plan as we have a fleet of vehicles running on petrol and diesel. Anyway it's the re-seller who approach us.

I think Shell is no longer dealing direct with fuel buyers. It's like they sub-con out the sales of fuel to other companies. If I'm not wrong they will contact the affected kiosk owner.

For example, where I stay there's a Caltex and Shell stations side by side. The pump attendant told me they are run by the same boss. So I think the kiosks are run by private owners.

Edited October 7, 2020 by Watwheels

[Beregond]

21 minutes ago, Beanoyip said:

 

 

For real? Shell deduct the $ from the attendant, and Shell no CCTV to capture the car plate?? Everyone flock to this station and pump and run?

 

 

i dun really understand. the black lexus pump and run? and the attendant need to cover up for it???

Edited October 7, 2020 by Beregond

[Maxus-MIFA9]

Show the Black Lexus car registration number .....

At the same time, today 4-D draw ...  

Maybe someone know the owner and alert the owner of such incident or...... 

Everybody help to look out for chow owner who want to own a Lexus but cannot pay for petrol ...  

[Beanoyip]

1 minute ago, Beregond said:

i dun really understand. the black lexus pump and run? and the attendant need to cover up for it???

Apparently that's what was reported, not sure how true.. similar to the Caltex case, where the pump attendant had to fork out the difference for the farker who said fuel 10(tank)

[Wt_know]

pump attendant responsibilities including "eyeing" which car is paid or not?

each time when i Q for paying, i notice that there is a "light" indicator at the cashier which pump station has fully pump and not paid 

pump attendant pump already and move on to another car ... how to ensure which car has paid?

i think is the cashier responsibility to eyeing each car ... to see the light .... 

but what can cashier do when car drive off ? i did hear cashier use comm to yell before ... 

aiya ... follow msia standard lo ... pay first pump later ...  

Edited October 7, 2020 by Wt_know

[Watwheels]

7 minutes ago, Beregond said:

i dun really understand. the black lexus pump and run? and the attendant need to cover up for it???

I'm also using the Shell card. The system isnt perfect. Sometimes card reader got issue or their card system got issue. If they are busy talking and never pay attention things like this can happen. Sometimes when I slide the card on the first attempt it might not read. I cant pull out the card too fast or too slow. Maybe that's the problem.

I'm talking about the card reader directly at the pump, not at the cashier counter.

Edited October 7, 2020 by Watwheels

[Beanoyip]

I think petrol theft in SG very rare.. but maybe now times are harder...

[Beregond]

1 minute ago, Beanoyip said:

Apparently that's what was reported, not sure how true.. similar to the Caltex case, where the pump attendant had to fork out the difference for the farker who said fuel 10(tank)

that full tank case still can argue its the attendant mistake.

but if a driver decided to run without paying how to fault the attendant??

 they assist to pump only, they not security, the petrol station should set up a gantry and let the attendant check invoice in this case....

[Beanoyip]

1 minute ago, Watwheels said:

I'm also using the Shell card. The system isnt perfect. Sometimes card reader got issue or their card system got issue. If they are busy talking and never pay attention things like this can happen. Sometimes when I slide the card on the first attempt it might not read. I cant pull out the card too fast or too slow. Maybe that's the problem.

I think need to suggest for it to be contactless..

[Weez911]

I think the Black Lexus owner doesn't know that the deduction failed to happen that instance.

My company also uses the Shell card. Most of the time, after I key in the password and mileage, I will go into the Shell mart to make random purchases. Most of the time, after I'm done with my purchases at the Shell mart, I won't check if the petrol transaction has been successful or not as I don't have the habit of keeping the receipt. 

Sometimes when the petrol attendant is busy, I will pump myself. And when I am done, I won't take the receipt also, I always assume the transaction goes through successfully.

Maybe next time I will double check again to ensure that the deduction takes place, so as not to cause above unfortunate incident from happening. My car is blue by the way, while my wife drives a black non-Lexus, and she pays via credit card.

Not us.

 

Edited October 7, 2020 by Weez911

[Wt_know]

8 minutes ago, Beanoyip said:

I think need to suggest for it to be contactless..

the problem is "discount" and it's calculation ...

isn't each pump station already has credit card slot? reprogramming is a hassle

don't think the pump station can act like POS can calculate the fuel discount (change frequently) + voucher + credit card discount ... yes ... i am a cheapo  

Edited October 7, 2020 by Wt_know

[Jman888]

20 minutes ago, Watwheels said:

From what I know Shell kiosks are run by private owners and these owners hire the pump attendants. They are like a petrol re-seller

For our company we also make our monthly payment to a re-seller. It's like a corporate plan as we have a fleet of vehicles running on petrol and diesel. Anyway it's the re-seller who approach us.

I think Shell is no longer dealing direct with fuel buyers. It's like they sub-con out the sales of fuel to other companies. If I'm not wrong they will contact the affected kiosk owner.

For example, where I stay there's a Caltex and Shell stations side by side. The pump attendant told me they are run by the same boss. So I think the kiosks are run by private owners.

they are so call franchisee, like other franchise system, the petrol company set up the whole things, the owner just have to come out with the money and hire people to operate.

[Jman888]

7 minutes ago, Beanoyip said:

I think need to suggest for it to be contactless..

like ERP gantry better, pass through have to pay 

[Jman888]

16 minutes ago, Beregond said:

i dun really understand. the black lexus pump and run? and the attendant need to cover up for it???

this has been the SOP for almost all retail related post, like cashier, they have to top up any shortage end of the day.

The reason to include this term so that the front line staff won't let their 'friends' take things (goods or petrol in this case) without paying, if no penalty is imposed.

[Beanoyip]

1 minute ago, Jman888 said:

this has been the SOP for almost all retail related post, like cashier, they have to top up any shortage end of the day.

The reason to include this term so that the front line staff won't let their 'friends' take things (goods or petrol in this case) without paying, if no penalty is imposed.

Thanks for the enlightenment.. this is the first time I heard of this..

[Wt_know]

2 minutes ago, Jman888 said:

this has been the SOP for almost all retail related post, like cashier, they have to top up any shortage end of the day.

The reason to include this term so that the front line staff won't let their 'friends' take things (goods or petrol in this case) without paying, if no penalty is imposed.

yes ... even your own little shop you will do so to eradicate fraud and abuse  ... ie: friend friend all come lim kopi jiak roti no need to pay   

[ToyotaShuttle]

26 minutes ago, Watwheels said:

From what I know Shell kiosks are run by private owners and these owners hire the pump attendants. They are like a petrol re-seller

For our company we also make our monthly payment to a re-seller. It's like a corporate plan as we have a fleet of vehicles running on petrol and diesel. Anyway it's the re-seller who approach us.

I think Shell is no longer dealing direct with fuel buyers. It's like they sub-con out the sales of fuel to other companies. If I'm not wrong they will contact the affected kiosk owner.

For example, where I stay there's a Caltex and Shell stations side by side. The pump attendant told me they are run by the same boss. So I think the kiosks are run by private owners.

I don't think it works on a reseller model. Seems all the shell stations price similarly and have similar discounts island wide - can a reseller accept someone else setting the price for you?

I am guessing that the convenience store operations is tendered out and the pump operations ($ collection, pump attendent, etc) is outsourced to the convenience store guy.