Customer service or not

[Gary D]

1 hour ago, Mick said:

Sort of on the same subject, one thing that p's me off is when they bring the main meal with the starters, I always tell them to take the main away until we are ready, then if it comes back cold if gets sent back again, the wife hates me doing it, so now I have to make a point to them not to serve the main until we have finished the starters, does not always work, and they seem confused as to why. 

They eat their food cold so not a problem to them.

[Tommy T.]

L and I agree that customer service here is just not really "customer service". She has only been outside P.I. a couple of times but has already experienced real customer service elsewhere. We think that it is just a matter of training and experience. A food service or other service person should experience customer service from the customer's point of view. I have seen videos of this and it can be startling. Just so see someone taken care of in a way that never happened to them before is an awakening...

We both refer to the old adage, "Treat people as you would like to be treated." But here in the P.I. so many people have never been treated well or politely or efficiently, so they don't know where to start. And the businesses or company managements have no clue either because they may be wealthy and catered to always, or they simply don't care or are just ignorant about customer service?

I have no answer... just these comments... Both L and I treat service people nicely and politely, even though we might be biting our tongues due to poor service. We try to show them a bit how to treat us properly with our questions and reactions... Maybe it is just a tiny effort in a huge population, but we give it a try...

[Marvin Boggs]

I think to a large extent, it just comes down to training.  We have visited the occasional nice hotel restaurant with exemplary wait staff, here in PH.  The only explanation I have for the behavior of most wait-staff is, their customers don't mind the service and that is the way they were shown.  Will never forget a caribbean B&B i stayed in, with a very picky owner/manager from New England.  The wait staff was mostly teenage girls and boys, and they were exact in every detail.  It was amazing.  Standing back to watch when your glass was getting low, but never hovering or bothering you about it.  Crumb sweepers, knowing exactly how to pour and where to stand, etc.  I thought at the time, what a valuable skill that lady was teaching to her staff.  

[hk blues]

To coin a phrase "Pay peanuts, get monkeys".

C'mon guys - whilst I'm as grumpy as any of us about poor service experiences here, I also recognise one of the fundemental reasons as per my opening comment. 

At the end of the day, it is what it is - warts and all. We will not be able to make one iota of difference as foreigners, and guests,  here in how the place works. Damn tiring to swim against the tide always.

[Tommy T.]

43 minutes ago, hk blues said:

At the end of the day, it is what it is - warts and all. We will not be able to make one iota of difference as foreigners, and guests,  here in how the place works. Damn tiring to swim against the tide always.

HK... I respectfully disagree... sorry... I think that even small efforts now and then by us, our significant others may nudge a bit of change in the realm of customer service.

Perhaps I am just an optimist? We don't have to "swim against the tide always," as you suggest. But, every time we interact with locals doing our food or other orders and requests... I think that, if we set examples (both from us and our Filipina spouses) we can maybe skew services and attitudes. Remember how we all have learned before that Filipinos are great imitators? Why not with customer service. As said at the beginning... maybe I am an eternal optimist? So, I refuse to give up, but I will also not fight... just try to nudge...

[Tommy T.]

21 hours ago, Mick said:

Sort of on the same subject, one thing that p's me off is when they bring the main meal with the starters, I always tell them to take the main away until we are ready, then if it comes back cold if gets sent back again, the wife hates me doing it, so now I have to make a point to them not to serve the main until we have finished the starters, does not always work, and they seem confused as to why. 

Yeah... I hear you... Some places don't get it. Not sure if that can be repaired... But I think your efforts are on the right track!

 

[hk blues]

On 10/26/2019 at 4:22 PM, Tommy T. said:

HK... I respectfully disagree... sorry... I think that even small efforts now and then by us, our significant others may nudge a bit of change in the realm of customer service.

Perhaps I am just an optimist? We don't have to "swim against the tide always," as you suggest. But, every time we interact with locals doing our food or other orders and requests... I think that, if we set examples (both from us and our Filipina spouses) we can maybe skew services and attitudes. Remember how we all have learned before that Filipinos are great imitators? Why not with customer service. As said at the beginning... maybe I am an eternal optimist? So, I refuse to give up, but I will also not fight... just try to nudge...

We're not missionaries Tom.

[Tommy T.]

3 hours ago, hk blues said:

We're not missionaries Tom.

Yeah... I know...definitely not.

[Arizona Kid]

I like how you let the waiter from a distance know that you are ready for the check. Just make an imaginary square with your fingers and they know what you want! 

[Tommy T.]

12 minutes ago, Arizona Kid said:

I like how you let the waiter from a distance know that you are ready for the check. Just make an imaginary square with your fingers and they know what you want! 

Has to be a rectangle, AK, or they will be clueless...