Welcome to Thailand - where the customer is usually wrong!

[webfact]

Sanook Thai Caption: "You don't have to eat here"

 

It is said that good business practice is to assume - or even pretend - that "the customer is always right".

 

People in Thailand often note that in the kingdom the customer is usually made to feel in the wrong.

 

Complainers are threatened with being countersued for defamation if they dare to name and shame.

 

A case in point has just emerged on the Buffet Lovers page on Facebook.

 

Some disgruntled diners complained to the management of a Shabu shop in a mall in Rathanathibet, Nonthaburi, reported Sanook.

 

They found an army of small cockroaches in not just the shabu pot but actually in the sauce for their food.

 

But when they complained instead of a sincere apology, even a discount or free meal they were allegedly told:

 

"You don't have to eat here".

 

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[BKKTRAVELER]

If that happened to me and that was their response, I'd take as many photos/videos of the incident as possible. Then I'd ask my gf to make a formal complaint to whichever relevant food hygiene authorities. That happened in a mall, not on the street and that kind of low hygiene practices can kill someone eventually.

[Suvarnbhum]

In restaurant's term.  "The tables have turned"

 

Its culture, where they only accept servitude and obedience. 

[OneMoreFarang]

21 minutes ago, webfact said:

A case in point has just emerged on the Buffet Lovers page on Facebook.

Was it reported to the authorities?

It seems many people post things on facebook and that's it. Why don't you report it to the people who can actually do something about it?

[mancub]

"You don't have to eat here".

 

Sounds familiar ?.......... " You can always go home"

As some, who don't take kindly to any form of criticism, are fond of responding !

[trainman34014]

We often ate in a Vietnamese Restaurant not far from home and they always give everyone a free pot of Salad to eat with their meal.    Last year i took a large Lettuce Leaf from the pot and found a Slug on it; so called the Waitress over and she took it away and brought another pot, all this in silence, no Wai or no Apology.    When we were ready to leave i asked to see The Manager but was told he wasn't there; so i gave the Girl my Phone Number and asked her to tell him we were regular customers and i wished to speak to him about 'The Slug'.    Never got a call; so we've never been back and tell everyone else never to go there.   Why are these people so Dumb when it comes to Customer Service ?

[RichardColeman]

The funny thing about it is that the people eating could well have walked out and gone and bought some fried bugs from the nearest 'insect' vendor. 

[KhunBENQ]

12 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

The funny thing about it is that the people eating could well have walked out and gone and bought some fried bugs from the nearest 'insect' vendor. 

And be sure not to get cock roaches.

[sqwakvfr]

Every time I hear or read about how Thailand aspires to be like S. Korea, Japan or even Singapore I say not so fast.  In my experience even a complaint to a business in a polite and constructive manner can be perceived as an attack.  I see little sense of improving from mistakes, poor product and poor service.  Just more of the “Same, Same etc”.  

 

I have ordered steak only once in Thailand.   I asked for medium but it was served beyond well done and the outside was charred black.   I was not going to ask for another steak but the response to the polite and constructive feedback I got was in essence “you can leave after you pay”.  I paid the 900 Baht bill and walked out.  From that day on I have not ordered steak in Thailand and rarely do I go out to an expensive restaurant. 

 

“If you have no or low expectations, you will not be disappointed”.  

 

 

 

 

[poskat]

"Some disgruntled diners complained to the management of a Shabu shop in a mall in Rathanathibet, Nonthaburi, reported Sanook.

They found an army of small cockroaches in not just the shabu pot but actually in the sauce for their food.

 

But when they complained instead of a sincere apology, even a discount or free meal they were allegedly told:

"You don't have to eat here"."

 

Thailand, the premium tourist destination....

[ukrules]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

"You don't have to eat here"

....and that was the end of them.

[mikeymike100]

The problem is the serving staff are probably on minimum wage and want to keep their jobs. So they do not want to upset the boss. They are not well trained, especially in customer service, so they either don't know what to do with a complaint or don't care?

[rwill]

They wouldn't have to tell me I don't have to eat there.  I guarantee I would not.

[Unify]

They'd better make sure those cockroaches are clean for the high class tourists who are sure to come. 

[worgeordie]

The first thing my father told me when I entered the business,

"The customer is always right ".... even when they are not , you

never want to lose a customer. ,  quite a few business have lost

my custom here , they have no idea 

regards worgeordie

 

[anterian]

Thais do not know how to say ''sorry'', they will cringe to a superior but not an equal. Normally they give an embarrassed grin. 

[Purdey]

While there are a these cases in Thailand that make Anutin's call to overcharge - I mean not discounting - look like a waste of time, I still think that Thailand has the potential. Just needs more education.

[malibukid]

2 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

We often ate in a Vietnamese Restaurant not far from home and they always give everyone a free pot of Salad to eat with their meal.    Last year i took a large Lettuce Leaf from the pot and found a Slug on it; so called the Waitress over and she took it away and brought another pot, all this in silence, no Wai or no Apology.    When we were ready to leave i asked to see The Manager but was told he wasn't there; so i gave the Girl my Phone Number and asked her to tell him we were regular customers and i wished to speak to him about 'The Slug'.    Never got a call; so we've never been back and tell everyone else never to go there.   Why are these people so Dumb when it comes to Customer Service ?

surprised they didn't fry the slug and return it to you

[Tarteso]

52 minutes ago, mikeymike100 said:

The problem is the serving staff are probably on minimum wage and want to keep their jobs. So they do not want to upset the boss. They are not well trained, especially in customer service, so they either don't know what to do with a complaint or don't care?

????

[swm59nj]

Yes it seems that is the attitude. If you do business here and something goes wrong. Then the usual attitude is too bad.  And you seem to have to push to correct it

[Bangkok Barry]

4 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

We often ate in a Vietnamese Restaurant not far from home and they always give everyone a free pot of Salad to eat with their meal.    Last year i took a large Lettuce Leaf from the pot and found a Slug on it; so called the Waitress over and she took it away and brought another pot, all this in silence, no Wai or no Apology.    When we were ready to leave i asked to see The Manager but was told he wasn't there; so i gave the Girl my Phone Number and asked her to tell him we were regular customers and i wished to speak to him about 'The Slug'.    Never got a call; so we've never been back and tell everyone else never to go there.   Why are these people so Dumb when it comes to Customer Service ?

I was having a drink in a pub near the entrance to Suk 4 one evening and a group of some 12-15 people, non-thais, came in and asked for the food menu. And then one asked if the music, so loud the group had to shout at each other to be heard, could be turned down a little. The staff said no, so the group that would probably have spend many thousands of baht just got up and left.

I quickly got my wife to call out poor service and not just accept it the Thai way. We went for coffee, and it was prepared and stayed on the counter while the two waitresses had a good long chat. And it stayed there until we judged it was getting cold, so we got up and left, with my wife telling them why. Another place we went to for dinner, and we were the only customers. First we had to go to the staff and ask for a menu. Then we had to wait 10 minutes for our drinks while the staff played around. The place closed down not long after. Now, there's a surprise.

In contrast, my sister and I went to Scruffy Murphys for dinner. We both ordered roast chicken and mine came stone cold, as if it had just come from the fridge. The manager, non-Thai, came, was most apologetic, removed the charge and gave us each a free Irish coffee as a further apology.

 

There is Thai service and there is farang service, and I know which I prefer. The locals don't have a clue and they don't care.

 

[digger70]

4 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

We often ate in a Vietnamese Restaurant not far from home and they always give everyone a free pot of Salad to eat with their meal.    Last year i took a large Lettuce Leaf from the pot and found a Slug on it; so called the Waitress over and she took it away and brought another pot, all this in silence, no Wai or no Apology.    When we were ready to leave i asked to see The Manager but was told he wasn't there; so i gave the Girl my Phone Number and asked her to tell him we were regular customers and i wished to speak to him about 'The Slug'.    Never got a call; so we've never been back and tell everyone else never to go there.   Why are these people so Dumb when it comes to Customer Service ?

Wouldn't worry about a small slug in the lettuce , can happen anywhere in the world. you got an other Pot so leave it at that.

[EricTh]

I made two reviews on two different products that I ordered via Lazada recently.

 

The one company that had a good review from me was published while the other company didn't publish my bad review post.

 

It seems that Lazada isn't being totally honest with customers opinions by publishing only good reviews.

 

It's quite misleading

Edited July 6, 2022 by EricTh

[Randy99]

Well, this thread lines up nicely with Tland's desire to appeal to the monied class.  NOT!!!!!

 

[Lacessit]

I have not had many problems with food quality, I usually eat at restaurants where they know me as a repeat customer.

New restaurants only get one bite of the cherry. If it looks scruffy, I don't even bother to sit down. If the food is bad, or service is slow, I say nothing, and never go back.

OTOH, if it is good, it goes on my list of repeaters.

[Lacessit]

29 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

 

There is Thai service and there is farang service, and I know which I prefer. The locals don't have a clue and they don't care.

 

Some do.

I buy chicken biryani as a takeaway from a small restaurant nearby, it comes with a quite tasty soup.

I wanted a light lunch a couple of weeks ago, went there and asked if I could buy the soup by itself.

The owner gave me the soup free. He said I was a good customer, and wanted to keep it that way.

I was quite happy to pay, but he insisted it was a gift.

[nana kid]

I think that somewhere in all this is a matter of   "Face" 

[StayinThailand2much]

6 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

Why are these people so Dumb when it comes to Customer Service ?

They just don't care unless you're a hi-so Thai person. - Don't care about (most) customers, don't care about repeat business, don't care about losing customers, don't care about service... All one can do is "vote with one's feet".

 

If I'm very annoyed, I sometimes tell them that they are just losing a regular customer, but usually the person I address reminds me of the proverbial "lights are on, but nobody's home"... It's not worth losing sleep over this, as often there are alternatives.

Edited July 6, 2022 by StayinThailand2much

[KIngsofisaan]

7 hours ago, BKKTRAVELER said:

If that happened to me and that was their response, I'd take as many photos/videos of the incident as possible. Then I'd ask my gf to make a formal complaint to whichever relevant food hygiene authorities. That happened in a mall, not on the street and that kind of low hygiene practices can kill someone eventually.

Relevant food hygiene authorities.

 

Seriously! In Thailand?

[KIngsofisaan]

6 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

We often ate in a Vietnamese Restaurant not far from home and they always give everyone a free pot of Salad to eat with their meal.    Last year i took a large Lettuce Leaf from the pot and found a Slug on it; so called the Waitress over and she took it away and brought another pot, all this in silence, no Wai or no Apology.    When we were ready to leave i asked to see The Manager but was told he wasn't there; so i gave the Girl my Phone Number and asked her to tell him we were regular customers and i wished to speak to him about 'The Slug'.    Never got a call; so we've never been back and tell everyone else never to go there.   Why are these people so Dumb when it comes to Customer Service ?

Why are people so dumb period?