Customer Service In Philippines...... An Oxymoron?

[Gator]

Any Expats customer service stories to share?

 

Customer service here in the PI's? = Joke lang!

 

People often ask about biz ventures here. Here's one = teaching customer service; especially at restos. I can't recall ever being asked by a server if my meal was ok. Most often it goes something like this:

 

You are warmly greeted by about 17 servers, seated and given a menu - server runs off before you can place a drink order.

 

After many "Psssst's" or "(insert word for that loud and annoying kissing sound - ya'll know what I mean)" server returns and takes your order; appetizer, soups, main course and drinks; it gets repeated back 4 times before it's correct.

 

Wait.

 

Wait.

 

Still waiting.

 

Drinks arrive, server runs off before I can say I ordered a SM Pilsen, not a SM light.

 

Finish drinks, want another round; can see server, but he/she (maybe it's both - can't always tell here) is busy Facebooking or playing Candy Crush.

 

Wait.

 

One over cooked and almost cold main course is brought out by a different server. You get informed that they're "out of stock" for the other order. You re-order something else (which of course gets repeated back twice). Since you have the server's attention (well some of it anyhow) you also order 2 more rounds of drinks; this time they actually get it right.

 

Wait.

 

Wait.

 

You're dining partner finally says " Go ahead sweetie and eat before it's cold" (It already is, but I don't dare send it back).

 

Wait.

 

You're about done when the other main course arrives along with the appetizer, brought out by yet another server and which has by now started to grow mold from sitting on the service counter for so long. You order more drinks and ask about the soup. Quizzical look, "Soup?", smiles and walks away.

 

Wait.

 

Drinks arrive, naturally brought out by someone else. I'm back to drinking SM Light again. Before the drinks even hit the table I re-order another 2 rounds; but this time dear please bring me SM Pilsens. "Ok sir" is said with a huge smile.

 

Finish eating, the drinks arrive along with the luke warm soup. Dirty plates and empty bottles are shuffled aside to make room (can't clear the table as that's done by someone else who's too busy texting at the moment).

 

"Want desert sir?" is asked by yet another server who seemingly appears out of thin air.

 

"No, we decided to have our soup for desert today, thanks"

 

Like magic the server disappears.

 

Again after many "Psssst's" manage to gain the attention of a server and make that "C / square" hand sign, which here in Phils means "Bring me my bill, please". 

 

Wait.

 

Wait.

 

Bill arrives, double charged for the soup. Inquire why and get a blank stare. Server walks off with the bill.

 

Wait.

 

Wait some more.

 

Different server returns "Soup you ordered for desert sir is not yet ready; want it for take away?"

 

No point arguing - "Yes, but let me settle my bill now". Hand over cash.

 

Wait.

 

Server returns and asks for smaller denominations. "Sorry, don't have"

 

Server leaves the resto to get change for the 1K note from an adjacent biz.

 

Wait.

 

Wait.

 

Still waiting.

 

Take away soup arrives in a leaky plastic bag.

 

Server finally arrives with the change.

 

Now the dilemma - do I leave a tip? Of course I do! You never know who the server(s) knows and I certainly don't want to garner a reputation as being "Koripot" (a cheap Charlie) nor do I want to risk having my food spat in (or something worse) by a server at another resto who is related to one here; and besides, as far the resto is concerned there was nothing wrong with the service even though it took nearly 2 1/2 hours from start to finish.

 

Ok, ok - some of you are saying I exaggerated the above scenario. Well, maybe I did, but not by much :)

[RBM]

I personally have only ran across one business that I would consider service orientated ,that is a local m/cycle shop that sells spares and services bikes the owner goes out of his way to help, so I go back when the need arrives.

 

Please supple name and address of same.........

[RBM]

I have experienced mostly negative results, particularly  service in restaurants. How ever the are exceptions, take Circa 1900 where the standard by far exceeds all expectations, hence we keep returning.

 

One my pet hates is always hearing no change....no more as my GF does all shopping now.

 

Agree with another poster F& C in Canlaon is outstanding.

 

Hardware stores I have received mixed results, when we find a good one like Citi hardware in South Bacolod we just keep returning.

 

One thought comes to mind, trying to do any business over the phone.....zero success here, even a a local that is know to me and speaks good English, just does not work for me.

[Gratefuled]

Ok, here's another pet peeve of mine. It  ALWAYS happens at SM Grocery Mkt. It's about paying for  my groceries. The cashier ALWAYS asks me , "sir, do you have 5 pesos"  or whatever the small coins would be in order for her not to give out any of her coins. Then, as you would guess, she holds up her little PingPong Paddle and asks for someone to bring her some coins.  I ALWAYS say, "NO". I put the change in my little coin bag full of coins  in front of her. ( I use my loose coins for exact change when on a jeepney, tricycle or taxi)

Gaisano Grocery Mkt never ever asks me for coins. This only hapens at SM Grocery Mkt. 

They're the ones with the cash register. They are the ones who are suppose to provide the change, not the customer.

[sonjack2847]

Yesterday I ordered some hotdog buns from Julie`s bakeshop and was supposed to pick them up this morning.

When I went there this morning they all looked extremely worried. The lady who serves me most of the time took over and said sir the baker damaged the buns so they will be here tomorrow

,This lady has known me for quite a while. I said to her well I go hungry today but ok i get the buns tomorrow. The rest of the ladies were still looking very worried until me and the lady, who was serving me and me, had big smiles on our faces and the rest of the staff followed with big smiles 

When I go back tomorrow I will tell the lady who served me today that I had to go to hospital with malnutrition I wonder what looks I will get then.

This time it was not the staffs fault but I have had the same experiences as most people on here.

[Jack Peterson]

When I go back tomorrow I will tell the lady who served me today that I had to go to hospital with malnutrition

 

 

No my mate never, I have sent a few so you can feed my favourite little Gardner :mocking:    :thumbsup:

 

JP  :tiphat:

[Thomas]

Ok, here's another pet peeve of mine. It  ALWAYS happens at SM Grocery Mkt. It's about paying for  my groceries. The cashier ALWAYS asks me , "sir, do you have 5 pesos"  or whatever the small coins would be in order for her not to give out any of her coins. Then, as you would guess, she holds up her little PingPong Paddle and asks for someone to bring her some coins.  I ALWAYS say, "NO". I put the change in my little coin bag full of coins  in front of her. ( I use my loose coins for exact change when on a jeepney, tricycle or taxi)

Gaisano Grocery Mkt never ever asks me for coins. This only hapens at SM Grocery Mkt. 

They're the ones with the cash register. They are the ones who are suppose to provide the change, not the customer.

I prefer the OPPOSITE to you   :) 

=Except having a few coins, I prefer to get BILLS.

[Gator]

 Call it Karma

 

Yesterday gf1 and I wound up working later then planned on a volunteer project we're involved in. So instead of cooking dinner we decided to just head over to a local cantina for dinner. It's nothing fancy, the foods always been good (read safe to eat and not overcooked/over salted, lol) and the service is usually quite good there. But last night Karma struck.

 

From the array of "hot pots" we ordered our meal, 2 entree's, 2x rice, 1 BBQ chorizo, 2 beers and 1 pumpkin (red squash) soup (it was really a side dish, but because it was floating in a large pot we thought it was soup). We take our seats, the server comes over a few seconds later with plates, eating utensils and our drinks. A few minutes later she returns with the entree's and the rice. So far, so good. Right?

 

We had skipped lunch and so we were both quite hungry. Thinking that the server would return right away with the rest of our order (as is usually the case there) we, as you Brits say, tucked into our meal. Just as we were finishing up the BBQ chorizo arrived. Before the server could run away gf1 asked her about the pumpkin. Got the baffled "what are you talking about?" look so she called over to the girl who took our order; got the "Oh crap I forgot" look. The server did at least promptly return with the "soup". So we wound up eating the pumpkin soup for desert, :hystery:

 

I do have to say we both had a really good laugh. As gf1 had read my post, when the side dish arrived she suggested I take a pic and post it as well as regale you with our dining experience. 

 

Edited April 22, 2015 by Gator

[i am bob]

Got the baffled "what are you talking about?" look so she called over to the girl who took our order; got the "Oh crap I forgot" look. The server did at least promptly return with the "soup". So we wound up eating the pumpkin soup for desert,

 

It's good to see that the staff acknowledged their error and corrected it as soon as they could!

 

:thumbsup:  :mocking:

[Larry45]

I've noticed that the bigger cities seem to have better customer service, and the employees tend to be more professional, in general.  We don't expect much here in the province, but we are always pleasantly surprised when we visit Cebu or Manila.  Just spent 3 days in Cebu and had no issues at all, with shopping, hotels, restos, taxis, etc...I guess our standards are so low by now that merely average customer service becomes excellent, in comparison.

 

At one resto we had to sit outside because there was a waiting list for inside tables.  Waiter came right away and took our drink orders, brought them back in about 5 minutes, and asked if we were OK sitting outside.  "Oh is there now a table for us inside?"  "No, not available."   :unsure:   So I asked the wife is she is OK with our plans for the day.  "Sure", she says.  "Good, because you have no choice!"   :lol: