AIA Singapore has issued an apology over an incident where one of its agents allegedly took back a balloon given to a young girl at one of its roadshows.
Nazreen Ogisi posted on Facebook about her and her daughter’s experience at an AIA booth at Tampines’ Century Square mall on June 10.
According to Ogisi, an agent approached her daughter and gave the child a penguin balloon.
“Of course, this would delight a two-year-old,” she wrote. “The lady then asked me if she could ask me a few questions, and I knew from the booth she came from. She was from AIA. While standing, she asked me a few questions, and I apparently do not fit the profile for a potential customer, so she said ‘Sorry, I need to take back the balloon’ and she took it from my daughter's hand. Imagine my horror??!!”
Ogisi said that another agent approached them while carrying an elephant balloon, not realising that she had already encountered an agent.
“I immediately told her do not tempt [my daughter] only to take it back because I don’t fit her profile,” Ogisi wrote. “She said, ‘let me ask my manager’ and went to ask someone, only to come back to say she's unable to give the balloon.”
Ogisi described the incident as “absolutely disgusting” and that it was a “low and cheap move to entice children and lure their parents in for a marketing gimmick, only to take back the balloons if the parents don't fit your dumb profile.”
The insurer issued an apology through a statement after the story hit social media and was shared at least 2,500 times.
“We are sorry for the unpleasant experience,” AIA Singapore said. “We have counselled the representatives involved in this incident.”
The company said that it has contacted the individuals involved to address the concerns.
“We have reiterated our roadshow guidelines to all our representatives and are working closely with them to ensure they adhere to the highest standards of professionalism,” AIA said.
