Monday, February 25, 2008
Is a customer still a king?
This topic seems never to be off-topic!!! I wrote about it already years ago, other LiP columnists do it also from time to time here.
Anyway, without further ado and on the spot I am always connected to the Big Boss after innumerable complaints and follow ups without success.
Two weeks ago I went to a very known pharmacy top get some important medical stuff subscribed by a doctor. After several explanations (and waiting ten minutes) I was informed, that the branch is not available this time. When? No answer. “But we will give you a ring, if it’s available”. My calling card let two staff member smile: “We know you from your LiP-blog”. Great. Thanks. The end of the story: no call after two weeks. Friday I called “the boss” first - and after a big bunch of sorries she told me, that the tablets are available.
Almost four weeks ago I went to “National Bookstore” and asked for some books, I wanted to buy. Of course, the books I was looking for, have been “out of stock”. But a nice lady (I guess it was the supervisor) promised me to order the books in Manila “and would give me an immediately ring, if the books are there”. :roll: Guess, what? Meanwhile I got my books direct from the author and by LBC and “for free”… .
These are two out of many more examples - happening almost every day here in Davao City
Is a customer still a king? I am sorry to say, that many times I lost this feelings. Many times we are not even the king’s lackeys anymore.
“After sales service” of “friendly and polite (customer) services seem to become foreign words. The clientele and even regular customers disappear more and more while expecting a supposedly better service from the competitors. Competition is good and important, but the customer seldom remains as king (or queen - sorry ladies!).
If a reception/telephone operator of a well-known hotel here in Davao City doesn’t use her training, experience or even common sense on how to approach a caller/a customer, she is out of place. The telephone switchboard of every company is its calling card and sign. I could really get mad, if I still only hear “Hallo” - and I must ask first, if this is the ???-Hotel or which company ever.
If a secretary insists steadfast on her opinion that I should send my fax tomorrow, because she cannot load the fax machine with a new paper roll - okay Miss, don’t be surprised if your boss will know about it today. It’s Monday, and when we got the discussion was it Friday 4.55 pm. Guess what… :roll: :roll:
If the sales staff of a big shopping mall act like an incompetent dope or sleepyhead - okay guys, why should I buy something here. Do you think, your boss is always happy to hear about my complaints?
If I decide to have lunch or dinner in a gourmet or connoisseur establishment as well as in a middle class restaurant, I do expect a professional service and customer friendliness. How comes that the wine bottle has been opened in the restaurant’s kitchen??? And then, when I would like to pay, am I not in the mood to wait the moment the waiter might be finish muttering and messing about with his colleagues.
We are all servants to each other in our daily life. Service is a work done for and benefit conferred on another. Service is an act of kindness as I experienced it also here in the Philippines
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# 1 Paul said:
Hi Klaus - You should know that, being a democracy, there are NO kings (or queens) in the Phils, especially among customers & clients of services and businesses!
Sadly, that “fire in the belly” just isn’t there in most Phil establishments, and customer service is just two words loosely connected by our desire!
# 2 Klaus said:
Hi Paul, sad to say, but you are totally right. Thanks for stopping by…
# 3 Richard said:
Hi Klaus,
Yes a few weeks ago I went to the website of one of the Philippines major banks and asked a question regarding one of their services. The words at the top of the question box were “Our friendly staff will get right back to you”, or some such words to that affect. Well some weeks later I’m still waiting to hear from the banks friendly staff. Certainly is a test of patience.
# 4 Klaus said:
Hi Richard, thanks for dropping by. Yeah, you might be right, if youmention patience. this has been discussed already many times here… Have a great day!!!
# 5 Migs said:
Hi Klaus: Thanks for the nice post. It makes me wonder how, in places where one pays a premium, the management really trains staff pretty well. I think that while interaction with customers differs from culture to culture - even city to city - one thing remains: those who know how to do business know how to prioritize customers. Customer service, after all, is what makes most businesses successful.
# 6 Klaus said:
Hi Migs, thanks a lot. Of course - and good to know - we are still able to find exemptions. I am with an insurance company. Its slogan is: We are here to listen to you. And they/we really do…
# 7 Tina said:
Hi Klaus,
I remember when I was in Davao last year, having lunch at one of the better restaurants in SM, I got so annoyed as the waiters were chatting and carrying on with their gossip, oblivious to our needs. I yelled “Waiter!” to get their attention, to the embarrassment of my brothers. The waiters looked up in shock and were hesitant to come near. Needless to say, we got better service from then on.
# 8 Klaus said:
Hi Tina, thanks for your comment. That’s exactly what I mean. And actually I expect a good service without yelling, right???
# 9 frank fealey said:
Hi Klaus be realistic. How can you expect service when most employees in the service industry are on 6 months contracts and paid way below the minimum wage . They are taken of the streets given a postion with no training at all and we expect them to perform . It is not the people my friend but the system the system sucks and is there to facilitate wealth not employment . Stay at agood hotel in the middle east staffed mainly by Phils . It can be differcult to realise they are out of the same fish pond as prople in similar postions as in PIL.
# 10 Klaus said:
Hi Frank Fealey, thanks for stopping by. I am realistic, and I know it’s the system here. I don’t talk about the six months contracter in a mall or hotel. And, during my first years in the Philippines during the early 1980s i got different experiences while those people earned less then a dollar daily. The system - yeah… So we have to bear it…
# 11 Peter Mystakas said:
I found the level of customer service in most cities and provinces around the Philippines is fairly average to say the least. I think staff are not being trained in the first place. The wages vary considerably around the country, sales assistants and waiters in Cebu get paid 241pesos a day. in Iligan City its a whopping 80 to 100 pesos a day in Manila around 300 a day. In Davao, I think they work for free LOL, I nearly starved, the service and food was pathetic. In a bar in Matina Town Square I tried to order four times and was told the food item was “Sorry Sir Unavailable” the classic Philippino expression. So in the end I went to Mc Donalds and to my shock there was no cheese for the cheeseburger, ” Sorry Sir it’s unavailable”. So I go to another bar in 67 street i think it was called and ordered a scotch and coke, the waiter brings me a glass of ICE only LOL. After three more attempts of trying to explain I gave up. But wait there’s more…….when the bill came they had triple charged me and the explanation was that they had to make three trips to my table LOL. Go to Bohol for a real shopping expereince, I tried to buy ferry ticket to go to Cebu and I couldn’t, the office was closed because the girl behind the counter was sleeping. I have a picture of it if you want to see it. It was so funny. But it’s OKAY it’s the Philippines, gotta love it.
# 12 Klaus Doring said:
Hi Peter Mystakas, thanks for sharing your experiences with us. Sometimes, while reading your comment, I smiled instantly… . But I love your last sentence: But it’s OKAY, it’s the Philippines, gotta love it.
Yeah, that’s why I am also here for good…