AIA Singapore Apologizes, One Of Its Agents Takes Back A Balloon That Was Given To A Little Girl

JAKARTA - Singaporean insurance company AIA issued an official statement apologizing for the behavior of one of their staff to a young girl at a mall.

It all started with the upload of Nazreen Ogisi's Facebook account, which told a story last Monday, June 13, about the events that happened the previous Friday at the Century Square mall in Tampines.

So an AIA Singapore agent approached her young daughter with a penguin balloon. Then the agent asked the girl if she wanted this balloon.

"Of course, this will please a two-year-old," wrote Nazreen Ogisi in her post as quoted by Channel News Asia, Thursday, June 16.

"The woman then asked me if she could ask me some questions and I knew from the booth she was from (that) AIA."

But somehow the agent later said that Nazreen Ogisi's daughter did not match the profile of the customer she was looking for. It happened after the agent asked.

"She apologized, had to take the balloon back and she took it from my daughter's hands," Nazreen said.

“Imagine my horror??!!”

Nazreen Ogisi added that another agent then approached them with elephant balloons. The agents did not appear to be aware of the unfortunate incident that occurred.

“First, I can afford to buy balloons for my daughter,” says Nazreen.

"Secondly, it's a low-key and cheap move to lure kids and lure their parents for a marketing gimmick only to take the balloon back if the parents don't fit your stupid profile," she criticized.

"Do you think it is appropriate for a child not to understand why something is offered to her and given to her only to be taken?"

“If your customer service is so bad, especially with regards to my child, do you think I would trust you to take care of my money to insure my life or family? Think again!" she said.

In a statement, AIA Singapore also said it had "reaffirmed the roadshow guidelines to all of its representatives" and was working with them to "ensure they adhere to the highest standards of professionalism".

They added that his team had also been in touch with the individuals involved to address their concerns.

"We apologize for the unpleasant experience," AIA Singapore said in a statement.

"We have advised the representatives involved in this incident."