I have been wanting to note down certain things about our declining standards of customer service lately, but never really got down to doing it. I always profess that those in the service industry here should be given classes on serving customers effectively. No doubt there are a lot of unreasonable customers around, but those who are serving the customers should not be equally rude and uncouth. I am finally giving my views on customer service due to the recent Prime Minister's National Day Rally Speech.
Once I went into Hugo Boss to get an anniversary gift for my second ex. I wanted to buy a long winter coat as well as a cashmere sweater for him due to his long trips overseas to colder climates. I stepped into the shop only to be given the cold shoulder. No doubt all the sales assistants are dressed in suits, but that was no excuse for them to look down on others! I was dressed rather casually as I came from a day of teaching. When I asked them for what I wanted, they gave me something off the shelf, which looked to be of inferior quality. When I told them the exact things I wanted, they gave to my grudgingly, with the look that indicated as if I could not afford the goods, since they cost about S$750 altogether. When I whipped out my card to pay, they just gave a look that seemed to say, "I knew it! She can't afford a gold card!" Hey I was still giving them business! The least they could do was to be gracious to their customers! I think they were trying to see if my card would get rejected or something. Well, it did not and they could go eat their hearts out.
There was another time I was at Fendi trying on a pair of shoes. The sales assistants again looked so alarmed, as if I would spoil their shoes. If I go into any shop, I am usually prepared to afford the things inside. But that pair of shoes I was trying on did not fit me, and I did not like the other designs, so I left without buying anything. I could feel the sales assistants' eyes on me, like "tsk tsking" me for going into a shop when I could not afford anything!
However I noticed that when I am well-dressed enough, nobody turns me away no matter which shop I go into. I had a dinner at Lawry's once, so I was in an evening gown with heavier makeup. When I stepped into Gucci, suddenly it seemed that all the sales assistants were clamouring over who to serve me. The same thing happened at the Prada store. Well well, seems like one cannot go anywhere near these "branded" stores unless one looks like one owns a million dollars or something. Talk about discrimination!
The local shops here will not take on anymore customers at 7:45pm, even if they close at 8:00pm. On the contrary, shops in other countries may even re-open the store after closing hours if a customer requests for it. Similarly, we cannot return our purchases once we have bought them, even with the price tag still intact. But in other countries, purchases can be returned even after they have been used!
A lot of my friends share the same sentiments with me - that our local shops need some lessons on good customer service. No matter how unreasonable the customers are, but if you are in the service industry, you should take everything with a smiling face as you are the one who is serving the difficult customer. Maybe all those in the service industry should take a six months course like the airline stewards and stewardesses - to be trained in proper customer service and taking care of every aspect of the customer's needs. Otherwise it will be a shame if Singapore is supposed to be such a wonderful country in almost every aspect, but yet nothing good can be said about its service industy.
Once I went into Hugo Boss to get an anniversary gift for my second ex. I wanted to buy a long winter coat as well as a cashmere sweater for him due to his long trips overseas to colder climates. I stepped into the shop only to be given the cold shoulder. No doubt all the sales assistants are dressed in suits, but that was no excuse for them to look down on others! I was dressed rather casually as I came from a day of teaching. When I asked them for what I wanted, they gave me something off the shelf, which looked to be of inferior quality. When I told them the exact things I wanted, they gave to my grudgingly, with the look that indicated as if I could not afford the goods, since they cost about S$750 altogether. When I whipped out my card to pay, they just gave a look that seemed to say, "I knew it! She can't afford a gold card!" Hey I was still giving them business! The least they could do was to be gracious to their customers! I think they were trying to see if my card would get rejected or something. Well, it did not and they could go eat their hearts out.
There was another time I was at Fendi trying on a pair of shoes. The sales assistants again looked so alarmed, as if I would spoil their shoes. If I go into any shop, I am usually prepared to afford the things inside. But that pair of shoes I was trying on did not fit me, and I did not like the other designs, so I left without buying anything. I could feel the sales assistants' eyes on me, like "tsk tsking" me for going into a shop when I could not afford anything!
However I noticed that when I am well-dressed enough, nobody turns me away no matter which shop I go into. I had a dinner at Lawry's once, so I was in an evening gown with heavier makeup. When I stepped into Gucci, suddenly it seemed that all the sales assistants were clamouring over who to serve me. The same thing happened at the Prada store. Well well, seems like one cannot go anywhere near these "branded" stores unless one looks like one owns a million dollars or something. Talk about discrimination!
The local shops here will not take on anymore customers at 7:45pm, even if they close at 8:00pm. On the contrary, shops in other countries may even re-open the store after closing hours if a customer requests for it. Similarly, we cannot return our purchases once we have bought them, even with the price tag still intact. But in other countries, purchases can be returned even after they have been used!
A lot of my friends share the same sentiments with me - that our local shops need some lessons on good customer service. No matter how unreasonable the customers are, but if you are in the service industry, you should take everything with a smiling face as you are the one who is serving the difficult customer. Maybe all those in the service industry should take a six months course like the airline stewards and stewardesses - to be trained in proper customer service and taking care of every aspect of the customer's needs. Otherwise it will be a shame if Singapore is supposed to be such a wonderful country in almost every aspect, but yet nothing good can be said about its service industy.
6 comments:
Retail Service is a very difficult job. I have not worked in it, and hope that I will never have to. Retail however is based on commission, even though its no excuse for being snotty. Especialy with "ghetto fab" as the popular attire to wear, it's hard to judge a book by it's cover.
I am in the service industry, however, it's a call centre.(mostly doing administration now) All calls are hearing about bad news. There are courses you can take, but if you have a customer yelling at you and berrating you for your incompetance, sometimes it can be hard to swallow for 8 hours.
I am more inclined to help a polite courtious person than an irrate, incompetant, verbally abusive person.
Since retail is on commission, get rude employees where it hurts, don't let them ring up the item as their own "sell" ..... let another employee ring it up.
Sorry long post.
Thanks for your feedback. I know what you mean. I have to answer phone calls at work too, and sometimes when people just scream at your for things that are not your problem, it is really a bit hard to take. And it is not even our clients screaming at us, it is an outside party altogether.
Probably the PM should talk on improving customers attitude to service, besides talking about the service standards during the National Day Rally.
But hey customers are always right....sadly
Hey heroine, really enjoy your writings. Keep it up and thanks for linking me
I would rather think that it is also a matter of society. The society does not view 'retail' as a 'proper' career, and the many workers themselves feel the same. How many parents out there encourage their children to go into retail and be the best type of retail service people?
For example: I have found some really enthusiatic KFC servers, and some 'I can't be bothered to serve you' type. They all belong to the same company, with supposedly similar training. I feel that the society needs the 'fix' more than the service sector. (These people came from the very same society after all)
Hey... the author is a TEACHER, read TEACHER. There are few worse things than irate and unreasonable parents.
She knows what its like to be on the receiving end of hairdryer treatment.
I personally think service is a delicate balance. You have to be there when needed and at the same time sense when the customer needs some time and privacy, then you stand some distance away making sure he is alright.
With regard to returning merchandise and stuff.... I think this is a case of tau gay never enough. Do you think Singaporeans are mature enough not to abuse this? I think retailers here cannot afford to allow returning of items, at most exchange.
Burninator : Thanks!
Ole Wolvie : I agree with you, so I guess it all boils down to the proper education then.
Hangman : Erm actually I WAS a teacher. But you are right there - there are few things worse than irate and unreasonable parents.
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