More about customer service

[Bigjim68]

Mexican Karen: It is one thing to live in an enclave where you feel comfortable. It is another thing to expect me to learn a new language so that I can communicate with non english speaking people in my country. Some companies that I deal with are offering spanish lessons so that their supervisors can communicate with the employees. Wouldn't it be better to conduct lessons in english so that employees could communicate with the supervisors and customers? This carries over to the topic. Any employee dealing with the customer should have good english language skills, know the product, project a good company image, and address ths issue in a timely manner. Anyone who has waited on the phone for an hour for an answer to a question only to get a barely fluent person with no idea what you are talking about, knows what I am talking about

 

[GB]

The problem is that with these nail places at least, there is no reason for the employees to change what they are doing. They give lousy service by not speaking English to their English speaking customers and those same customers go right back and buy their services every week. Why would they change what they are doing when it is working for them?

 

[LEFSElover]

The problem is that with these nail places at least, there is no reason for the employees to change what they are doing. They give lousy service by not speaking English to their English speaking customers and those same customers go right back and buy their services every week. Why would they change what they are doing when it is working for them?

I went in one day to one of those non English nail places simply because I didn't want to go into the shop on my day off nor did I want to stink up my own house. Husband is distainful of that smell and now being away from it, I understand why. So went in, a man said "his wife couldn't 'do' me". He asked what I did for a living, I told him my profession and he asked me if I wanted a pedicure. I said, "Oh heck no, but you may want me to do one on you." [I specialized in peds for many years, they took 2 hours and was paid accordingly]. Anyway, he laughed and proceeded to talk about me to all the gals in the shop, they'd all look at me, talk in their language, laugh some more, and then look at me. It was all very obvious what they were saying. I asked him if he'd watched Seinfeld and he didn't understand what I meant. I said, "bet you don't, but I understand completely what's going on in here." With that I left, never to return. << Plus my nails all lifted which added insult to injury or is it infury?

 

[In the Kitchen]

Well, I can sure tell I am not ALONE when it comes to Customer Service and especially when they speak different language. I truly am sorry to hear all this but someone said they are going to have to learn Spanish? Or did I read it wrong? What is the government trying to do to this country? As long as the ones who are in control do not experience the same anxiety that we do. We have only lived here all our lives! I just got back from grocery shopping for my brother and this woman with older lady maybe her mother started talking about what I had in my basket. How did I know they were pointing at it and commenting. Only way I could tell. I finally asked if they wanted to know something about my groceries? The younger woman shrugged and both of them laughed. What was funny about that? Do they make some kind of agreement that they are going to try to cause us frustration before they come here? They have just as many rights as we do if they are US CITIZENS.

I guess it is very hot today and I can't turn on A/C unless it gets past 90 degrees. Have to think of paying for gas first then the A/C.

 

[Fisher's Mom]

This language thing doesn't bother me much. It does play into my decisions about which businesses to patronize, though. I have always thought that businesses where most of the employees don't speak English are really not marketing to English speakers anyway. I think they are filling what they believe is a market serving non-English speaking patrons. That's OK with me. I'm not obliged to go there if I don't feel comfortable. Rude behavior is rude behavior in any language and I don't go back if I am treated rudely.

I generally won't use the services of a non-English speaker if I feel communication is critical for that service. For example, we have many physicians in San Antonio (since there's a med school here) who have very poor English. I don't choose them or allow them to treat me or my family since communication is critical to treatment. But if it is a service that doesn't require a lot of verbal discussion, it's OK by me if the person I hire doesn't speak English well.

 

[VeraBlue]

The problem is that with these nail places at least, there is no reason for the employees to change what they are doing. They give lousy service by not speaking English to their English speaking customers and those same customers go right back and buy their services every week. Why would they change what they are doing when it is working for them?

I live 10 minutes from NYC in a nice suburb in NJ... I've tried no less than 8 salon near where I live (and there are at least 20 within a 5 mile radius). I encounter the same Korean thing everywhere I go. I'm resigned to pay for the procedure, but not tip for service. You should have seen the manicurist's face when I left last Thursday without giving her a tip. She got it....let's see if it made an impression.

 

[GB]

I am not saying that it is fair or right Vera, but things will not change if patrons continue to go there. I am also not saying you should stop. I patronize places that give me horrible service because I greatly enjoy when they offer and I am willing to put up with the bad to get it. Me and everyone else could boycott the place and they would have no choice, but to change or go out of business, but I am not willing to give up what they offer to do that. I am willing to deal with their bad things to get their good though.

 

[miniman]

On a slightly different note, a lot of UK companies have call centres based in India. My problem with this is that you deal with a person speaking a different variant of English, fairly heavily accented and who does not understand the way the business works in the UK as they have not experienced it.

 

[expatgirl]

ok, speaking about subpar customer service......I'm only in the states twice a year.....requested and filled out an online form for Luthansa's Miles for More card---we give them LOTS of business....supposed to have come in Jan.......did not........requested it again.....been home now for 3 weeks and still no card.........called and made new request which warranted a cancellation of the old request and the issuing of the new card.........5 days later am informed by mail that it will be an additional 6 weeks before I get it.......called rep and complained that I would not be here in 6 weeks and could they expedite it via courier service......no we can't butwe'll send it to K. ----no, I said you can't send it directly to K. ---that's not the address I gave them and I probably wouldn't get it anyway.......well, I'm really sorry but there's nothing I can do about it she said.......oh, contrare........yes, there is something Lufthansa can do about it.....you can FedEX me the card that should have been sent to me in January.......Please, I need to speak with one of your supervisors.....now I'm polite thru all of this grass-fueled you know what.....but I'm getting a bit short on patience......so I'm put on hold......who isn't these days.......have a book and Judge Judge Judy to distract me.....so I patiently waited.......well back comes on the same person (who was a bit difficult to understand in the first place) and she informs me that SHE spoke to the supervisor and like she knew she was right in the first place there was nothing that they could do about it..........now I had lost patience........excuse me but I told you that I wanted to talk to the supervisor myself and resolve this issue.......Lufthansa has a hub in Houston and I know for a fact that they can take care of this via the FedEX or other fast mailing service......they ARE going to send me a card before I leave.....otherwise I will report them to a well-known traveling site that resolves customer's legitimate issues. The girl confirmed the fact that they had received the request back in January. I still have doubts that she even talked to a supervisor in the first place. Thanks for listening.....feel better already......

 

[VeraBlue]

My next nail appointment is this Thursday, same time, 4:30. We'll see if she learned anything when she realized she didn't get her tip. Her work is professional, but that is what the hefty fee is for. I have no problem paying that. But, if she's going keep me waiting without an apology, take another customer during my appointment or take cell phone calls (or make them, as this case was) I won't tip again.
The woman who does the pedicure is of a different ethnic background, not sure that actually means anything....but, english isn't her first language either. However, she tries to engage me in light conversation, inquires about my day, etc....and remembers how I like my nails shaped. She does a professional job, and gives me the extra service that I like. It's a no-brainer, if you ask me.
I'm tired of automatically tipping when all I got was what I paid for, in the first place. It's unfortunate that some salaries are so low that management expects their employees will meet cost of living standards by being tipped. I have no problems tipping. Employees, however, should remember that the tip is extra, not part of the fee.
Perhaps if more people withheld the tip for merely adequate service, then maybe we'd actually get better customer service, again.

 

[In the Kitchen]

Supervisor?

Whenever, which seems like always, I ask to speak to someone who is their boss (hoping I can communicate with the boss) As you said, waiting, waiting, she comes on phone and tells me the supervisor is busy and could they call me later. Okay. Never did get a call. So call again, have record of complaint and response is that they will take care of it. I don't know if it was resolved or not and honestly at this point I do give up. Wanted to tell you the names of the companies so you would be aware but maybe someone would call them and let them know I was unhappy? I relate so much to this problem it really gets me down.

Sorry, you are all such well meaning people and deserve better.

 

[expatgirl]

Better be careful, Verablue, I quit using the nail places in K. cause' I contracted staph infections on two different visits........that's why my toenails were badly in need of a pedicure....hope that you resolve everything and get the service you want.......

 

[buckytom]

how do you say "here come rady with big feet and tiny purse" in korean?

 

[expatgirl]

Whenever, which seems like always, I ask to speak to someone who is their boss (hoping I can communicate with the boss) As you said, waiting, waiting, she comes on phone and tells me the supervisor is busy and could they call me later. Okay. Never did get a call. So call again, have record of complaint and response is that they will take care of it. I don't know if it was resolved or not and honestly at this point I do give up. Wanted to tell you the names of the companies so you would be aware but maybe someone would call them and let them know I was unhappy? I relate so much to this problem it really gets me down.

Sorry, you are all such well meaning people and deserve better.

oh, I hear you and they are going to regret when I sic my rabid hubby on them...........he foams at the mouth over stuff like this.......I tried to take care of it myself and be firm but you really don't want him barking up your tree...and believe me we will get our card




just wished they would have jumped at my bark..........sniff........

 

[VeraBlue]

how do you say "here come rady with big feet and tiny purse" in korean?

size 7, dollface...not rady with big feet. My feet are the foot fetishists' dream... My purse, however, is tight....indeed.

 

[expatgirl]

Whenever, which seems like always, I ask to speak to someone who is their boss (hoping I can communicate with the boss) As you said, waiting, waiting, she comes on phone and tells me the supervisor is busy and could they call me later. Okay. Never did get a call. So call again, have record of complaint and response is that they will take care of it. I don't know if it was resolved or not and honestly at this point I do give up. Wanted to tell you the names of the companies so you would be aware but maybe someone would call them and let them know I was unhappy? I relate so much to this problem it really gets me down.

Sorry, you are all such well meaning people and deserve better.

you want me to sic my hubby, Fido, on them, In the Kitchen.?......he is not a really nice person if he thinks customer service is less than stellar and he's gotten the run around which is definitely what I've gotten.....that's why the Lufthansa rep is going to have their worst day tomorrow......I just wished it was going to be her....she was so snotty and condescending.........the fact that she didn't even hook me up with a supervisor and informed me that he agreed with her spoke a lot about her arrogance.......