As I mentioned in an article earlier this week, my birthday was last weekend. I woke up early on Saturday morning and had a number of plans for the day, and was in a happy mood. It was my birthday, after all, so why wouldn’t I be happy. Well, I suppose that if I considered my advancing years, maybe I would not have been quite as happy, but that is an entirely different story!
For my birthday, Feyma told me that she wanted me to go buy myself a new computer. Of course, as most of you know, my computer is my lifeline for both business and entertainment. I need a computer to make money, and also to keep myself busy with the things that I enjoy doing. For the last couple of years, I have been using a Compaq Laptop, but it is experiencing some hardware problems. Most of the time, it is OK, but if I don’t baby it, the laptop will start acting up. I feel that it is somewhat on it’s “last legs” and could die any time. If that happens, I feel that it can be repaired, but will require probably at least a couple of weeks in transit, and in the service shop. I need a PC, and two weeks or more without a PC is not something that I could do. So, part of my plans for the day of my birthday were to go buy a new PC and a monitor. I was kind of excited to do it too, it’s not that often that I purchase a new computer, something that I spend a lot of hours using each and every day.
I went to a store in Davao called Columbia Computer Center, located at City Triangle. I have been shopping at Columbia Computer Center for nearly 10 years now, although in recent years I have tried not to buy from them for reasons I will explain in this article. Ten years ago, there were not many computer stores in Davao, only a few, and Columbia had the most selection to choose from, by far. I never felt that the staff there was very friendly or helpful, but they did have the best selection. Now, don’t take me wrong, their selection was very limited, but it was better than anybody else that I could find, so I shopped there.
Well, when I decided to go buy a new computer last week, I knew for sure that there was a certain monitor that I wanted for this computer. It is a 21.5″ Samsung Monitor that I have been admiring for the past 6 months or so, and I knew that whenever I upgraded my computer, this is the monitor I wanted. I had done some shopping and knew that this particular monitor was available at only two stores in Davao. At the one store, it was P11,500, but they had only one unit, and it was the display unit. I preferred to get a brand new unit int he box, though, so I didn’t really want to get that one. The only other place in town that carried this monitor was at Columbia Computer Center, so I went there. Columbia’s prices are almost always among the highest in town, and they were quite high this time too. They wanted P12,420 for the monitor, but I haggled them down, and they went as low as P12,200. Not much of a discount, but I really wanted the monitor, so I went there to buy it on Saturday morning.
I went and told them that I would purchase the monitor, and they got one from the stock room in the back, brand new in a sealed box. One thing that is different here from where I come from is that if you are buying some kind of electrical item, they must plug it in and try it out before you leave the store, to show that it is working. In the States, if you take it home and it doesn’t work, you just bring it back and they give you a new one. Here, if you leave the store with it, it is yours, and the best you can hope for is that they will send it for service if it stops working.
So, they took the monitor out of the box and proceeded to plug it into one of their display computers. It worked, but the image was very low resolution. I told them that I wanted to see the monitor at high resolution before I bought it. They told me that the computer they were using did not have a good video card, so they would plug it into a better computer so that I could see a high resolution display on it. I then told them that I was going to be using the monitor through USB (this monitor has a USB interface, where you don’t even need to use a video card), so I would like them to hook it up to the USB instead of VGA, so that I could see that working. The sales lady told me she did not know how to do that, so she called one of the more technical guys. When she told the tech guy what I wanted, he said “it’s impossible, this monitor won’t do that.” Well, I explained to him that I know that this monitor will do that, I know about computers, and I have researched this monitor before making the purchase. He told me that I don’t know what I am talking about.
Well, I can assure you… when it comes to computers, I do know what I am talking about. I know a lot about computers, and I proceeded to show him that he was wrong, and that the monitor would indeed do what I said it would do. After fiddling around with all of this, as we got down to business, he then proceeded to tell me that there were now Windows 7 drivers for the monitor. I told him that I needed Windows 7 drivers, because I intended to use Windows 7 for my operating system on the new computer. He then told me that he could get the Windows 7 drivers for me, but I would have to pay extra. What? The drivers come with the monitor, you don’t have to pay extra.
Well, he explained to me that the “paying extra” part was that I would have to pay for the CD that he would put the drivers on. I told him that I would not pay any extra, because the drivers come free with the monitor, but he insisted that I pay P10 extra for the CD. Well, I really don’t care about P10, but I had already been there an hour fiddling around with this, had been insulted by him telling me that “I don’t know what I am talking about” and overall had been through a terrible shopping experience there. I decided to just go buy the display unit at the other store instead.
My past experience at Columbia Computer Center has not been any better. My first experience with them was nearly 10 years ago. I purchased a CD Writer there. In those days a CD writer was expensive. I bought it, and it had a 1 year warranty. After 1 month it quit working, so I took it back. They had to send it off to Manila for repair. I kept going back to check on my CD Writer, but it took 11 months for it to be returned. When I took it home and hooked it up, it still did not work. I took it back again, and they told me, “sorry, sir, it is already out of warranty.” Yes, I used it one month, took it for warranty service, the service took 11 months, and it still didn’t work. But, it had already been 12 months since I bought it, so the warranty had expired. That is my kind of experience that I’ve had with Columbia. So, wanting an extra P10 for the drivers for a P12,000 monitor was just too much for me. Never again will I buy anything there.
I didn’t go buy another monitor that day, and didn’t even shop for a computer. I felt disgusted after such a terrible experience at Columbia. I felt like my day was ruined. Thankfully, though, as the day went on, especially when we started cooking that liempo, I started feeling better, and just blew it off. The next day, I got my new monitor, and earlier this week I ordered a new computer which should be here today. I went to a “mom and pop” store, just a very small operation, and I felt like they really appreciated my business there. If things continue like this, I will be buying a lot of computer stuff from them!
So, my day was not ruined, but the morning was. It turned out to be a great day, but Columbia Computer Center sure didn’t help make it a happy day for me!
I just don’t understand this kind of retail nonsense Bob. Like yourself, I have a retail background, and I know that it doesn’t NEED to be like this. As a retailer, if you have a customer with an issue with a product, you talk to your supplier about how they will solve the issue for you, but your first duty is to your customer; you solve the problem then argue with the supplier. I understand it’s more difficult if you are a small low volume retailer with not much buying power, but if you don’t give service, you don’t get the repeat business and you stay a small time low volume retailer. Geez, think how good we could make the retail experience there if we ran shops, which quite possibly I will do there one day. It should, in theory, be easily possible just to capture the lion’s share of the market in any particular niche like computing.
Anyway, you vote with your custom, as you have now decided to do, and maybe that particular retailer will be no more in due course.
How are things with online shopping going there now? Is it the delivery issue that’s holding it back, or is the lack of growth in that sector more associated with a lack of people having suitable payment methods?
Hi Jim – In my blood, I am a retailer. Also, in my blood, I am a computer junkie. The combination of the two mix together and make shopping in a computer store something special to me. Unfortunately, when somebody who really doesn’t have much knowledge tells me that I don’t know what I am talking about, it kind of ruins my experience there, no doubt about that. I should have learned my lesson about shopping at Columbia years ago, but I decided to give them another chance. It won’t happen again.
Isn’t it amazing that a retail store would not have the first idea of quality customer service. They lost a significant purchase or 10p. That’s just silly!
Hi Tom N – Yeah, it amazes me that they would throw away P12k over a P10 blank CD. The funny thing is that P12k is a drop in the bucket… they know that I spend a lot of money on technology, because there have been times that I have dropped major money there in the past. For a customer that could drop a half million pesos in a year there easily, you would think that you would write off the P2 that the CD cost you! If I had gone into a beauty shop, or some other kind of shop where I did know nothing, well… I would be looking for their expertise. But, even in that situation, you don’t tell the customer that they don’t know what they are talking about.
Hi Bob – sales clerk & technician pretension ruins a lot of sales up here, too. The larger problem is that the ruined sales seem to be experienced more by people with expendable cash than the everyday Juan who has diligently saved his pesos and finally saved enough to make a purchase.
The “that’s the way things are” syndrome of customers doesn’t help either. A little constructive feedback that points out flaws in sales techniques by disappointed customers would go far to improve customer service.
Hi Paul – I didn’t say it in my article, but one point I was trying to bring across is exactly what you are saying… this is the way that retail customers are regularly handled by stores here. And, the general public has the attitude of “that’s the way things are” as you point out. So, it won’t change, because the public doesn’t demand the change. The prices on technology here are already twice what they are abroad, and to be treated as a pest instead of a valued customer puts a little bit of an extra slap into your face. All in all, it doesn’t make you want to spend your hard earned money here, in most cases.
Is it possible that Columbia was trying to give you the ” Kano Treatment ” Bob ?
” You don’t know what you are talking about ” Obviously ” they ” had no idea who they were talking to. You probably know more about Computers, internet and even the city of Davao than they ever will.
The line they gave you, now that’s a real classic !
I wonder if it might be more feasable for you to import a high end PC from the USA , in ” Kit Form ” as it would then just be a bundle of sub-assemblies and not a complete working PC. There are a lot of good deals around in Kit Form here.
Hope you will enjoy whatever you end up with. There’s nothing like a new PC to liven up the Internet Experience LOL !
Hi Bob – Unfortunately, if you ship the stuff in, the customs duties will kill you, so that is not really feasible. You could send it in a balikbayan box and avoid the customs, but then you have to wait for months, and I don’t have the luxury this time.
Luckily, I am using my new computer right now, and am very happy with it, and also with the place where I ended up buying it. I will be writing more about that soon!
Yep, yep, and yep. It’s the same at so many stores here in the Philippines. As many have heard me say, this is ahard country to spend your money in. Some may recall I wrote some months ago about buying a new computer from a large chin store in my local (provincial) mall. I would up spending nothing because of the anti-sales attitude of the staff.
To buy anything seems to require an argument or two and then extra hoops and charges to go through .. and forget about the concept of the customer being right.
What amazes me is that there are accredited schools here in the Philippines that teach marketing and business management and students who graduate every year … some even with honors.
I guess those graduates all move to Singapore or Saudi, because the ones who stay behind seem unable to sell electricity in a global brownout.
I contrast my buying experience and yours with walking into a computer store in Florida (CompUSA, Altamonte Mall, Thanks Mr. Ray Johnson) and buying two computers for the price I was going to spend a few months ago at Octagon, Marilao (no thanks to anyone at that store) When I told Mr. Johnson how I wanted the computers configured his own tech guy started to give some back talk, and he was silenced by the third word or so …do what Mr. Starr asked, or go work elsewhere I believe were the words used … Bam. Computers in my hand in 20 minutes, configured as I wanted them and an apology from the tech service guy.
When it comes to retail in the US, you guys just do not know how great you have it … in the Philippines? I am appalled on a daily basis … businesses here exist in spite of their customer service not because of it. Sigh.
Hi Dave – Yeah, I hear you, my friend. You know, as I sat there in that computer store, feeling insulted by people who knew very little about the products that they were selling, it had not been many days since I had talked to you on the phone and heard about your CompUSA shopping experience in Florida. So, as I sat there, your experience was running through my mind. Also, your experience of shopping for a computer in Marilao came to mind as well. You and I have shared an expression over the years that it is “hard to spend money here,” or you have to actually beg stores to take your money sometimes. Well, in this case, I got so disgusted that in the end, I didn’t even feel like begging them to take my money, I preferred to just go find somebody else to give it to.
It’s a sad commentary on the state of customer service in the Philippines. I would like to blame it all on Columbia Computer Center, but the truth is that there are tons of businesses here who would rather insult the customer than to smile and take that extra money into the cash register.
Hi Bob;
My job in the Navy was a Ship’s Serviceman, It’s about 90% retail, and I was a Manager of both Navy Exchanges and Commissary Stores. The “You don’t know what you’re talking about,” comment broke me up, I trying to imagine if I could have stayed as calm as you, had it been said to me. The customer is always wrong seems to be the buzz phrase here.
My standard comment to a customer where they told me they had a problem was always, “I guarantee you do not, what you need me to do for you?” and it was said with a smile! Maybe I should run a training class for retail workers.
Hi Paul – You and I have not known each other for all that long, and I don’t know if you know about my history, but I started working in Retail as a stockboy while I was in high school, at the age of 15. I worked my way up with that company and became the youngest manager that they ever had (the company had well over 3,000 stores all over the USA), at the age of 21. I went on to work in regional management in retail too, and other things. Retailing is really in my blood. I didn’t realize that much of what you did in the Navy was also retail related. People like us can really understand that in retail the customer is always right. Even when you know full well that the customer is way off base, you treat them right, respect what they say and don’t talk back, and that leads to having a lot of happy customers who fill up the tills. It sure is different here, though!
Interesting Bob. I love computers too, and this post made me look up “connect monitor via USB”. I would have never thought. Right now I have one monitor set up with DVI and the other HDMI.
Recently I have built two computers and it is much fun. I don’t think I could ever buy one again. I do my on line research, then buy from newegg.
Anyway glad you got your mon and soon will have your new computer.
And belated Happy B’day!
Hi Pete – Like you, I have been a PC builder for many years. I think that for the past 15 years or so, I have always built my own, except if I got a laptop. This time, though, I bought a pre-built machine (it arrived yesterday!), because it’s a specialty machine, which I will tell more about later. I also always use dual monitors, and with this particular PC, it can’t have more than one video card, so I needed the USB capability of the Samsung Monitor that I bought. Anyway, I am using the new machine right now, and I’m loving it! The monitor is great, the PC is great, I couldn’t ask for more!
Thanks for the “happy birthday,” my friend!
If I had gone into a beauty shop, or some other kind of shop where I did know nothing, well…
…well it sounds like you would have been insulted, gotten bad advice, and been overcharged 😉
Hi Gary – I understand that you are just joking… but… I guess what I am saying is that if I had gone to one of those kind of places, I wouldn’t feel insulted if somebody told me that I was wrong… but these folks at Columbia know that I know about technology, and they should know that if I say a monitor will work on USB, then it will! Ha ha….
BTW, Gary, I was in GenSan the other day, wanted to get in touch with you, but I found that I don’t have your phone number. Hopefully we can hook up next time.
Attempting to be humorous, but not joking per se. What I had hoped to convey was that if you didn’t know the product or service that well, the sales person may have led you astray because he too was unfamiliar with the product. In a way that is worse because you are depending on their knowledge and guidance – in this case, you knew the real scoop and were insulted.
That’s true, Gary… in this situation I knew the scoop, and they acted like I was an idiot! Thing is, I have been shopping there for so long that they know that I am well versed in technology issues! Or, at least they should!
Hi Bob,
Interesting story about the retail scene in the Philippines. I wonder how the average Filipino would react if they were treated the way customers are treated in the States?
The reason I ask this is that I remember when Wal-Mart first started opening stores in Canada. They trained the Canadian staff in their American-style retail techniques.
However it didn’t quite work. Canadian shoppers were shocked by having ” Greeters ” saying things like ” How are you? Welcome to Wal-Mart! Can I get you a cart? ”
Well as far as Canadians were concerned it’s none of Wal-Mart’s business how I’m doing and I am quite capable of getting my own damn cart thank-you very much! And forget trying to be one of our friendly neighbours to the south, we know you’re Canadian so don’t pretend you’re friendly and helpful. This isn’t Kansas!
Well Wal-Mart soon realized their mistake and now things are normal, unfriendly and unhelpful which is just what we’re used to.
P.S. Belated Happy Birthday!
Hi Randall – Wow! That’s fascinating to me… I didn’t realize that Canada and the US were so different in terms of retail experiences. In the US, we expect the workers at the store to treat us in a friendly manner, etc. And, the customer is always king!
I am not sure how an American style customer service would work here. Well, I do have an idea, I suppose. When we lived in GenSan from 2000 to 2002, we had two Internet Cafes. I trained my employees very hard to treat customers the way they would be treated in an American store environment. It went over really well. We gained a huge customer base, and we became the most popular out of more than 100 internet cafes in the City, almost overnight. So, I would have to say that the American style customer service probably would be a hit here.
Randall & Bob:
One of my wife Senn’s childhood friends lives in Germany. She came to visit us in Maryland a few years back. She was startled by the great of customer service in our local Safeway as compared to Germany. Makes me wonder how widespread poor customer service really is.
Interesting Peter & Senn.
Hi Bob, I had a couple of similar experiences shopping for computer hardware in Davao myself. I needed to get some parts in order to upgrade my wife’s computer and I prefer certain trusted brands. It was almost impossible to find a good brand name products, mostly I could see some no name Chinese junk. Good stuff was 2-3x more expensive to what I am used to pay in Canada. Even used junk that you can find thrown out on the curb here is sold there for unbelievable price. Whenever I visit Philippines, I always try to spend some time in Singapore or Hong Kong and do my geeky shopping there. Since I plan to move to Davao eventually, I will probably end up purchasing stuff outside of Philippines or have it sent to me in Balikbayan box.
Hi Marcel – I can verify everything you are saying. Poor quality, high price – that’s how technology is here. Well, I have been here enough years that I have gotten to where I can accept the high price. If you look hard and are willing to pay the price you can get decent quality, but expensive. But, I can’t accept being insulted by the people that are trying to sell me something. That is where I personally draw the line.
Bob from my experiences in the Philippines if I decided not to do business or make purchases from any establishment that had poor customer service, treated my badly or tried to steal or over charge there would be nowhere to spend money. I have a Filipino fiancé and have been there a few times and stayed for 21 days a couple of times. I have had many bad experiences. It has put me at the point that I do not even want to go back. My fiancé has many problems also with people cheating her from friends, neighbors, and even family. I just don’t understand the logic in this. Why the people think they have to cheat me to get my money I don’t understand. I used to go there to spend my money and willing give it to them?? Now I don’t go at all my next visit with my fiancé we will be meeting in another county. Several of my friends have had similar experiences there and they just take their vacations and money to other counties to spend there. Can you explain this logic to me?
Robert
Hi Robert – Honestly, I can’t explain it at all, because it makes no sense. Why a store would try to rip off it’s customer, or treat them badly… it only means it will hurt them in the long run! Imagine, this place lost a P12k sale over P10? That is unthinkable.
I will say, though, that there are a lot of places that will serve you well and treat you with respect. I bought my computer, and had it delivered yesterday, and I found a place that treated me very well, and delivered on everything they promised. They treated me with respect too. I will be writing about this soon.
Evening Bob!
I have to say, that I feel your frustration. You clearly knew what you were buying and expected to pay more (even if it is 10ph) for something that comes with the product………..glad everything worked out for the best though. It’s funny because you would expect that stores know that people TALK about bad experiences that they have!
Hi Jason – That’s true… word of bad mouth can either make or break a company!
Maybe I am lucky, there are a couple of retail stores in Iligan City where I felt I did get customer service similar or the same as I would get here in the USA. Datavision, a small independent computer store near the City Plaza is a store crammed from the floor to the cieling with all kinds of Name Brand equipment and accessories. They have a price list available as well as posted prices. I visited several computer stores in Iligan, nothing wrong with any of them but the others just didn’t get me as excited as Datavision. I bought 2, 17 inch square lcd monitors, an AVR, some blank discs and paper sleeves for the discs. Obviously a smaller or medium sized independent store like this is not in a position to offer ” Walmart ” pricing. Their prices were in line with what you would expect to pay at a store like this and that was just fine with me. I would give this place a 5 star rating by USA standards when it came to stock availability, product lines represented, and most of all Customer Service. These basic elements of retailing are what have made me return to this store more than once and they shall continue to get my future business. My most memorable experience of this store was a few moments after I walked into the place I heard a voice from behind the counter exclaim ” Hey ! , you must be Bob New York “.
Another place in Iligan City where I feel I recieved USA style customer service is a large Appliance Retailer ” Imperial Appliance Plaza ” . Posted Prices all around, name brand products and a good variety of makes and models, friendly and polite sales staff who knew the products they were selling. Over a period of several visits I have purchased a 1 HP window air con, a Pair of 9 Cu Ft refridgerators, a washing machine and a few other items. They were all delivered at the appointed times to several different addresses all in good condition and working properly. Their posted prices I felt were Not inflated, in fact, to me a 9 Cu Ft Refridgerator / freezer for the equivalent of about $250 USD was somewhat of a bargain for a Name Brand model, with Free Delivery. This store even offered me a discount for cash and on top of everything else they threw in a couple of nice 4 speed oscilating table fans as well, No Extra Charge !
Each time I have been back to this store they have recognized and remembered me from previous visits. They continue to get my repeat business.
Obviously, I am not buying these major appliances to bring back to New York on the plane with me. I bought them as gifts for my friends in Iligan, and as a way of saying thanks for their hospitality when I come to visit.
I believe there are reatilers and other business establishments that really do understand the value of customer service. Maybe it is just a matter of seeking them out and finding them or maybe I have been lucky so far. I go into places like this not automatically expecting to get ” Kano Taxed ” or otherwise ripped-off although I am always ” aware ” something like this could happen. If I feel uncomfortable about something I just walk out and try somewhere else.
One item I wanted to get for someone was what I would call a ” camping Oven ” or maybe a ” stove top oven “. I had bought one on a previous visit from another small independent store crammed from floor to ceilign and wall to wall with all kinds of hardware / houseware items. I did not make a purchase from this place on the previous visit, I had my filipino friends make the purchase. The next visit, I waited outside with a friend while another Filipino friend went in and made the purchases and once the price was established I went in to pay it. When the store clerk saw it was a ” Kano ” paying for the stuff, rather than frown from possibly have been able to ” Kano Tax ” me, quite the opposite, they threw in some accessory items for the stove top oven ” NO Additional Charge ” . Next visit I will have no fear of going into this store and make my own purchases, and I will most definetly go to this store again.
There really are some ” Good ” retail stores it may be that they are in the minority compared to many that I read about here and elsewhere.
For the regular readers here, I know I have posted my shopping experiences in Iligan City several times. This time however I have mentioned the names of these stores as after reading so many negative shopping experiences of others there in The Philippines, I would like to give credit where I feel it is due.
Hi Bob – I agree that there are places who know how to do customer service. The downside is that they are the minority of places. In this case, I was limited in where I could shop, because only two stores in Davao had the monitor that I was looking for. If not for that, I would not have even gone to Columbia, because of my poor experiences with them before.
I did find a shop that I was very happy with, and will be sharing more about that maybe next week, or the week after that.
Bob,
I was surprised to find that Davao has so little to offer in relation to IT equipment. Being from Butuan, there are many outlets here, of which one is Columbia. I have also found their prices are on the high end and their customer service is not that great. I did find the Gaisano Interpace Computer store to be quite friendly. They also have a online site where one can request their current price list via email. Takes about 1 minute to receive after the request. They will also service on-line purchases of which is explained on their site. Something to look at anyway for others that might not have the best selections available in their areas.
Link is:
http://www.gaisano-interpace.com/default.htm
Wish you all the best with your new business capitol (toy).
Hi Michael – I just want to clarify… I didn’t say that Davao doesn’t have many shops for IT equipment. I said that there weren’t many shops 10 years ago. Now, there are dozens of computer shops, which is why Columbia needs to be worried about their poor service to the customers, because there is lots of competition for them now!
From reading my articles here I have heard the horror stories regarding customer service in the Philippines, so this story doesn’t surprise me. I am not high maintenance when it comes to customer service, I just like to at least see at least alittle attempt at it though.
One thing that I would miss about living in the Philippines as a PC builder is not being able to shop at Newegg.com as I am sure they won’t deliver there and if they did the customs fees would kill me. Sorry for your experience. It’s not always good in paradise! LOL
Hi LJ – I don’t mind if I don’t get a lot of service… but I do mind when I get “hostile” attention from the clerks! I mean, when they insult you while you are trying to spend money there… well, it’s just too much! 😯
Leaving today for back to the Philippines. Can’t tell you how happy I am to be coming back. Being here for almost three months allowed me to go a little crazy in the electronics shopping department. Got a new Asus 1.8 ghtz i7 G51j gaming laptop. A HP Quad core desktop, a new 22″ widescreen monitor, and a bunch of other computer and electronis stuff along with clothes, household stuff, etc…….. What is so great here is that you get to deal with so many people that do actually know what they are talking about and give you objective opinions on things you might buy. I checked the warranty before I bought and all have service centers in Manila where if necessary I can bring the untis myself and get them serviced quickly if a service issue is necessary. Shopping here is so much fun and actually a real pleasure.
You might consider once every few years taking such a trip just to shop. Just the get the heck out of Dodge. Even the cost could be easily justified in the savings of all the things you might buy for you and your family. Plus it was so good to eat unlimited quantities of REAL BEEF!!! Choice Rib Eyes, NY Strip ohhhhhhhhhh and choc choc chip Hagendaas ice cream for $2.50 and not $9.00/pint I am going to miss it hahahahahahahahah
Ha ha… it sounds like you had a wonderful time, richard.
Hi Bob,
I enjoyed your article. When Juramie and I were shopping for a frig last year for the Baybay apartment, I said “9,000 na lang” to the sales lady. They all laughed at me (including Juramie) and I ended up paying the original price. It was fun trying but I will need practice with getting any discount.
I promised to buy Juramie a printer so we went to a small shop in Ormoc. The people were very polite and the prices seemed very rasonable.
Hi Jack – Next time, before you start negotiating, look at the clerk into her eyes and say…. “Pwede hangyo?” Ha ha… you might just get it!
Hi Bob,
how you getting on with windows 7?I have been useing it for about six months now,seems very good to me.
There were one or two glitches in the beginning but they were only driver related and now it runs like a dream.
Hi john.j. – I started using Win7 last August, even before it was released to the public, as a friend who does work for Microsoft gave me a developer’s version of the release before it hit the streets. Generally, I like it. My biggest issue with Win7 is that it goes crazy if power is interrupted and it is hard to boot back up after power goes out. Living here… well, that is a problem. I need to invest in a UPS.
I have had several bad retail exsperiances here.I have been with my wife and they will try to upsell her on things and then when i make a comment they tell her and me i dont know what im talking about.Then start talking to her in tagalog how rude.From washing machines to lawn mowers customer knows nothing attitude really pissed me off if they didnt have so many security guards I would stragle some of these idiots
Hi jason – I hate it when I go to some retail place with my wife and I ask the clerk a question, then she turns to my wife and answers in Tagalog. Even if I ask the question in Bisaya it still happens!
Like others, I’ve wasted time arguing with sales clerks in Davao. I then wander out of the store, shaking my head at the futility of the exercise.
Bob, you should take the time to send the owner/management of the business a letter, describing the experience & the probable outcome; that all within the sound of your voice will tend to shop elsewhere.
My wife & I have 4 televisions, two entertainment systems & 3 computers in our home. While we intend to stick with our two laptops when we relocate, we will be shopping for electronics, including specialized printing equipment for CAD designs. Columbia Computer Center, however, won’t be welcoming us into their store. Knowing that my wife loves her electronic gadgets, the loss to Columbia is significant. “Buti nga sa kanya. Na walan siya nag binta.”
Having spent a couple of years in auto sales/sales management, I am not very patient with shoddy sales practices & will usually inform the store manager of why they are losing a sale/customer. Happy birthday, Bob!
Mike
Hi Mike, thank you. I don’t know who the owner of Columbia is, but he probably isn’t local. I have talked to the Manager of the local store a number of times, but he doesn’t seem interested in changing anything there. It’s a real shame.
I agree about writing and sending a letter through the Postal Service describing your recent experience. These days it is often the Snail Mail hard copy letter that can often bring results. This has worked for me many times. If the owner of Columbia is not local send a courtesy copy of your letter to the store as well. Maybe that in itself will wake them up a bit !
Hi Bob – Indeed, I know you are an advocate for those snail mail letters! You can’t argue with success! 😆
Hi Bob,
I have a question regarding computers shipped from North America to the Philippines.
Is there a problem with voltage compatibility if the computer is from North America? What do you need to do to make things work properly if there is a problem.
Also would you recommend sending a computer by balikbayan box if urgency is not a priority? Is the savings worth it?
Thanks.
Hi Randall – Most computers are either multi voltage or have a little switch on the power supply that you can select the voltage, so will work fine anywhere in the world. Technically, it is illegal to ship a computer in a balikbayan box, because electrical items are not allowed. Does that mean you can’t get away with it? No. But, it could lead to trouble in isolated incidents.
On one of my visits, I brought a full sized nearly new Desktop PC in one of my suitcases. I had set the 120 / 240 switch on the power supply ( near where the AC Line Cord plugs in on the back ) before I packed it to make sure no mistake would happen when I unpacked it and connected it in The Philippines. Worked just fine, no problems. Fortunately Philippines uses 60 Hertz power line frequency which some times can be just as important as the voltage requirements.
I was never questioned by customs as to anything I had in my luggage and I did have the PC listed on the declaration form. If I had been questioned I did have authentic documentation that this PC was going toward an educational situation in a well known university, which it really was.
One thing that did come to my mind about operating a PC in the Philippines, if it is not going to be in an air conditioned enviornment at all times, regularly check for dust accumilation on the power supply fan and also on the ” Cooler ” ( fan and heat sink assembly ) for the processor. In that kind of tropical enviornment I think a PC needs all the help it can get in its ventilation and cooling systems. Over a year later the one I brougnt in my suitcase is still working just fine.
Hi Bob – Indeed, dust build up in the computer case can be a big problem here, whether you have aircon or not. I try to clean my fan grills out at least every 2 months or so.
ha ha ha ha this is so funny Bob ..I’ve been there done that but it was in the states a dumb saleslady ..and i’ve ran in to it here to …oh well life goes on …Happy birthday Bob ..hope you have real good luck with the new Mom n Pop store you found ..Phil n Jess
So far, so good, Phil!
Oh well, i had bad experience with Columbia about 2 years ago. argued over warranty. it was the cashier argued that the damage of the laptop (of my employer) is not covered with warranty even if it’s just less than six months old.
it was clear that the laptop had some hardware problems but the tech guys accused of mishandling the laptop. oh my gad. they wouldn’t admit that there was a problem on that laptop model. i dont want to name it 🙂 i just the laptop because they will try to check if it’s covered with warranty but they only told this after i had argued with that damn lady. i knew it was still covered with warranty and the LCD was subject for replacement. but maybe they dont want to do some replacements 🙂
as i was about to leave the shop, one tech guy told me that those kind of laptop model actually had some LCD problems. He added that they had several units of the same model repaired or replaced the LCD.
you’re not alone bob haha!
Hi Keith – Nice to hear from you, my friend. I hope you are doing well.
Yeah, since writing this article, I have heard from a lot of people who have experienced poor service at Columbia, and even been treated badly. While I am glad that it’s not just me… I sure wish they would change their outlook!
Have had numerous issues regarding customer service here in the Philippines through the years but my favorite is probably in regards to complaining about the local cable company service ( or lack thereof ) on an on-line forum attended by expats .
Spokesperson for the cable company took as a personal issue and chided us all by reminding us that we were “guests” in this country . I am aware of that fact of course but what does that have to do with complaining as a customer ?
On another note if i receive good customer service at any level i make it a point to broadcast that fact and supply repeat business if possible even if its only answering an e-mail .
Have also discovered through the years that saying “thank you” for a simple transaction completed will often be responded to with a”you are welcome” , eventually , instead of a blank look . 🙂
Hi Alan – Ha ha.. that cable guy almost sounds like – “you are guests here, so it is our right to give you crappy service!” Ha ha.. that doesn’t cut it.
We have been having cable problems here in Davao too. Lately, it seems like we only have cable TV about half of the day, because whenever there is a brownout in their part of town, the service goes off. Ah, the joys….
Like you, Alan, when I get good customer service, I spread the word.
interesting that you wrote this on the very week my trusty laptop met its inevitable end. and, at the worst possible time for my deadlines.
i also had no idea columbia still has clientele. it’s such a dated computer shop that i assumed the new crop of competition ate all their business away by now.
i know you don’t do macs, but for your readers who do, it might help to let them know that apple support here is pretty good. if supplies are low in their town, online shopping at apple philippines is a breeze and reliable. free shipping & about 5 days to deliver (via singapore).
no qualms with the davao mac stores. though they did not have the replacement i needed (17″ macbook), they were courteous and helpful. there’s a local tech shop that gave me good advice.
in manila, the options are quite good, comparable to US apple stores. the power mac store at greenbelt is where i bought my macbook. really happy about their service & offers.
Hi macky – Nice to hear from you, hope all is going well. Are you getting much sleep these days? 😯
I’m glad that you had good experience with the local mac suppliers… like you say, I don’t do macs, and I don’t think I ever will… 😉
sleep? what is that? actually, you could say i’m comfortably on new york time…except i’m not in new york 🙁
there’s something good to be said about a guy & his loyalty 🙂 a few years back, as long as a computer got the job done it didn’t matter whether it was a pc or mac.
but i’m glad i made the switch. as you can imagine in my field, macs are the norm. easier for me this way. a guy and his PC can get pretty lonely in the publishing/creative biz.
Hi Macky – I think, personally, that the whole thing about the mac being better for the publishing/creative endeavors is really a myth. Remember, that’s the type of business that I am in too. 😉 There was a day when that was true, IMHO, but now, it’s pretty much interchangeable. There is equivalent software, file sharing is no fuss now, etc. I think it just comes down to personal preferences anymore.
that is true. i had no problems when i used a pc starting out. but i’ve settled nicely in a mac now and within the industry, it’s much easier to be sharing the same applications. either way, both are just tools. any of the 2 i can paint with.
in any case, thought i’d send in some input for your readers who use apple products and their options in pinas.
Yep, good information to share, macky! No doubt on that.
Hi macky – you hit the nail on the head with one word – TOOL. I consider, for myself, a computer as nothing more than a business tool. Carpenters need hammers, a plumber needs a wrench. You and I need computers to do our job. Some carpenters buy certain brands of hammers, some carpenters buy other brands. You buy mac, I buy pc. No biggie for me (despite the big arguments that people get in on this issue!), it’s just a tool and we each have our preference.