Who Runs Home Pro?

[LaReina]

I would love to know (and I am sorry for saying this, well not really) what nit wit runs and stocks Home Pro.

There is no other store in the history of mankind, with so many employees ready to help but whoose first response is.. "dont have". And it is not their fault, but the fault of the stock manager.

You have a saw, with replaceable saw blades.. but no replaceable blades on hand.

YOu have extra rollers for painting.. but oops.. there are no roller handles that fit the rollers..

Lacquer.. with no thinner

A complete store with half of wholes...

[Kerryd]

Here is the website showing their Board of Directors (hope you can read Thai, because I can't !):

Home Pro Board of Directors

Here is their "Contact Us" page (in Thai of course):

Home Pro - Contact Us

[JetsetBkk]

I would love to know (and I am sorry for saying this, well not really) what nit wit runs and stocks Home Pro.

There is no other store in the history of mankind, with so many employees ready to help but whoose first response is.. "dont have". And it is not their fault, but the fault of the stock manager.

You have a saw, with replaceable saw blades.. but no replaceable blades on hand.

YOu have extra rollers for painting.. but oops.. there are no roller handles that fit the rollers..

Lacquer.. with no thinner

A complete store with half of wholes...

It took me a while to find a shop that sells paper bags for my vacuum cleaner. A lot of shops that sell the cleaner don't stock the replacement bags.

Ditto blades and foils for Braun electric razors.

TIT.

[oldoldgit!!]

Bought air con for house in C/MAI, with it was a free duvet set, was like trying to get gold out of Fort Knox, got it a year later on next visit to LOS after many NO HAVE'S, I think they were hoping we would just go away.

[mark lamai]

these shops are staffed by idiots.

nice people, but idiots.

took my paint can lid back for more paint.

covered in the color, with their label and all.

yes, he got it wrong.

took it back, sorry, he finds a closer colour,

but , "I no pay, OK"

faces drop.

an hour and half later, slowly going up the chain of command,

the store manager reluctantly agrees to replace the incorrect item with what it should have been.

it is so stupid, but its so normal we expect it to happen.

i guess the store takes the cost of the error out of the poor guy's wages.

[Sarpedon]

I think HomePro is owned by Land and Houses. (HomeWorks is part of the Central Group, in case anyone was interested)

[Kerryd]

i guess the store takes the cost of the error out of the poor guy's wages.

I wouldn't be surprised by that at all.

Couple years back I went to a bank to exchange some US $ (4x 100s that the exchange booths on the street wouldn't take).

The girl examined 3 of the bills with her magnifying glass and OK'd them. The 4th bill was giving her a problem though. She looked at it front and back maybe 3 times. Then she went to consult with someone else. Came back looked at it again. I told her if it was a problem I'd take it back. She finally agreed to accept it.

I asked why they didn't have a counterfeit scanner (like almost every gas station and 7/11 does back home). She said the bank wouldn't buy one. My g/f told me later the reason the teller checked the bills so carefully was that if she accepted a fake one by mistake, it would come out of her wages.

That's why the bank couldn't be bothered with buying a scanner. If they ended up with a fake bill, they recouped the cost from the employee's salary, (and probably wrote the value off on their taxes, and maybe even exchanged it for a real note, thereby making an even larger profit). Maybe.

[LaReina]

Kerryd: Thanks for the website link. Since it is all in Thai, I am not sure complaining to the board of directors will make a difference. I am sure as long as the store is making a profit (which they are based on their high prices) they could care less. Not enough international exposure.

What is interesting is the fact that they have a Do It Yourself section. What is even more interesting or rather funny, is the fact that they have pictures of farangs doing it themselves.

I am not sure if that is a compliment in that they think the westerner is bright enough to buy things from their store chain, and figure out where to buy missing items in order to finish a project.

Then on the flip side it might be an insult in that only a westerner is dumb enough to think they can buy material from their store to complete a project.

Mosquito screen, rubber lining, but no metal frame to hold the contraption in place nor metal hinges.

[technocracy]

Now I think HomePro is Ok however like you say I have never been able to go in and actually buy what they show.

Take lights or bathroom fixtures - go and ask for more than one of something . . . never have!

Also they take weeks to restock anything - I bought out all of Udon stores Panasonic black twin plug sockets at one time and two weeks later went back and they still hadn't got any more in stock . . I went back the following month . . guess what still not got any! Obviously they don't think they'll sell - I had to go between Global House and HomeMart to get the last few bits I needed (and they didn't have much either).

On the subject of not having things looked at stanley knifes comes with one blade but they don't stock replacement blades . . . bizarre!

They you have the bloody staff who have to follow you EVERYWHERE as soon as you walk in the store they are pestering you for what you want. All good and well but if you say you want to walk around at my own leisure they should leave you be and not tail you around or then do the 'buy this one it's very good routine'. I look at drills and I cannot look in piece without some annoy git coming and try and tell me which one I should buy. . . no <deleted> OFF.

Same the last time we went in one thing on the list to buy was a vacuum cleaner my wife went to look alone (now this I thought wasn't a good idea as she'll be swayed by them) I caught up with them as this halfwit was trying to sell a crappy Samsung vacuum, he claimed was a cyclone vacuum even though it had a bag!

This said I prefer the shop to Global House (even though they don't pester you) or Homemart without a doubt - but a few things changed would make it a whole lot better place.

[ercorn]

I did alot of work on my appartment myself as I had abit of spare time and I used Home pro to buy materials I must admit the staff are dropkicks at the pleonchit branch but I found them alot more helpfull at the Rachidapisek branch.

I am working with a factory in China that produces alot of furniture for them...

[Aujuba]

Customer Service is terrible at most legal businesses in Thailand.

While going through the register at Lotus, the cashier made a mistake. I noticed an expression on her face when she made it which keyed me in. I figured she was going to take a double charge off my bill at the end of checking out so I waited. She then rang up the bill. I was unsure thinking that maybe I was wrong so I didn't say anything and paid the bill. Then I checked my receipt. I was right. She doubled charged me for a pepper I had bought. It was only B7.50. So I told her she made a mistake. She called over the manager and the manager said follow me to the customer service desk. Then the customer service desk took it from there. they printed up a receipt with the error on it and listed a refund I should get. They said I had to fill in my name and address and sign the sheet. I started filling it in then I thought what the heck am I doing this for. I'm not going to fill this in. I'm not giving out any information for an error I did not make. I told the girl I wouldn't do it unless LOTUS sends me a personal letter telling me that they are sorry for the inconvenience. I told her to get the manager. This was all a waste of my time but it was all about the principal of it. I ended up telling the manager that they harrass customers by making them fill out personal information for mistakes that they did not make. And I told him that they waste the customers time. Then I took all the papers they wanted me to sign and my 7.50 and left. I don't know if the manager will take a minute to think about Lotus's policy on its own cashier errors.

But Lotus is really no different than most all businesses in Thailand. It's amazing that customer service at foreign businesses in Thailand is so bad. I'd bet the mother companies abroad would be shocked at the way some of their customers have been treated in Thailand. Do you think the Thai partners are going to be truthful with their foreign partners? And what do they teach their managers? The foreign restaurant chains and 7Eleven are the worst. But there's not a lot you can do if you want products that are really only available through certain businesses. This is probably why a lot of people are grumpy all the time. You just have to put up with it or change your plans.

One place I have never had a problem at is Starbucks. Whatever they are doing seems to be working unlike so many other companies doing business here.

[Humphrey Bear]

In many Middle Eastern countries it is easy to tell which supermarket chains have Western managers and stock controllers, and which have locals.

The former are packed with customers and FMCG, the later have gaps on the shelves, rotting veg and are almost empty.

Unfortunately Thai employment law restricts such management jobs to Thais, so don't expect anything above a third-world service.

[thaihome]

The staff at all of the Home Pro's (maybe 4 different stores) I have been to can be really irritating. But, they still have the best selection of DYI you can find in one place. The one at Fashion Island is far and away the best one.

TH

[Kerryd]

Kerryd: Thanks for the website link. Since it is all in Thai, I am not sure complaining to the board of directors will make a difference.

Actually, I didn't think you were serious about contacting them anyways (I figured you were just having a rant). I did a quick Google and found the info and decided, what the h3ll, why not ? Maybe you really did want to contact them.

I rarely rely on the staff to help me out in places like that, unless it's just to point me to the right aisle. Most times, I know what I want and where to find it, before I even get to the store.

Haven't had to experience DYI shopping (in a large, Home Pro style store) yet. Most of the little "fix-its" I've done here haven't required more than I could find in the neighbourhood hardware shops luckily.

But thinking of that. I had to change the float in the toilet one day. Went to the little shop 2 blocks over and bought a new one (lucky for me they were hanging in plain view)

When I got home, oops, wrong type for that toilet tank. Back down to the shop (brought the pieces of the old float with me). Shop-keeper took a quick look and handed me a new float. No hassle, no extra costs (I think him and his wife were amused at the site of a farang buying stuff for home repairs).

[grahamhc]

I was in HomePro in Pattaya and looking at a Samsung Air Con on special officers. They were not intrested in selling TWO to me as they could not fit it in the location I wanted liked, same as my Neighbour has his located his, as shown on a photo, but they could not do the same, and they were not willing for a Surveyor to visit to check.

OK so far. Then they suggested I look at a washing machine or cooker INSTEAD!!

Not suprisingly ( ), I left the store with No Air Con, even though they had a stack in the front display....

[RJJ]

Then you have the bloody staff who have to follow you EVERYWHERE as soon as you walk in the store they are pestering you for what you want. All good and well but if you say you want to walk around at my own leisure they should leave you be and not tail you around or then do the 'buy this one it's very good routine'. I look at drills and I cannot look in piece without some annoy git coming and try and tell me which one I should buy. . . no <deleted> OFF.

It usually only takes about 3 minutes to get rid of your shadow; but you have to be in the right frame of mind, otherwise you are just going to get really annoyed.

Just annoy them back.

Keep walking up and down the aisles like you are looking for something. Walk fast like a farang; they'll never keep up.

If walking fast isn't your thing (or they wait for you at the end of the aisle), just as they approach you, turn suddenly and walk straight at them.

When they step aside, turn at them again and look annoyed that you can't see on the shelf because they are in the way.

If all else fails, start picking items off the shelf and handing to the person then walking away. Progress to heavier / larger items if pain persists!

Enjoy the challenge of shopping in over-staffed environments.

[RJJ]

Customer Service is terrible at most legal businesses in Thailand.

While going through the register at Lotus, the cashier made a mistake. I noticed an expression on her face when she made it which keyed me in. I figured she was going to take a double charge off my bill at the end of checking out so I waited. She then rang up the bill. I was unsure thinking that maybe I was wrong so I didn't say anything and paid the bill. Then I checked my receipt. I was right. She doubled charged me for a pepper I had bought. It was only B7.50. So I told her she made a mistake. She called over the manager and the manager said follow me to the customer service desk. Then the customer service desk took it from there. they printed up a receipt with the error on it and listed a refund I should get. They said I had to fill in my name and address and sign the sheet. I started filling it in then I thought what the heck am I doing this for. I'm not going to fill this in. I'm not giving out any information for an error I did not make. I told the girl I wouldn't do it unless LOTUS sends me a personal letter telling me that they are sorry for the inconvenience. I told her to get the manager. This was all a waste of my time but it was all about the principal of it. I ended up telling the manager that they harrass customers by making them fill out personal information for mistakes that they did not make. And I told him that they waste the customers time. Then I took all the papers they wanted me to sign and my 7.50 and left. I don't know if the manager will take a minute to think about Lotus's policy on its own cashier errors.

But Lotus is really no different than most all businesses in Thailand. It's amazing that customer service at foreign businesses in Thailand is so bad. I'd bet the mother companies abroad would be shocked at the way some of their customers have been treated in Thailand. Do you think the Thai partners are going to be truthful with their foreign partners? And what do they teach their managers? The foreign restaurant chains and 7Eleven are the worst. But there's not a lot you can do if you want products that are really only available through certain businesses. This is probably why a lot of people are grumpy all the time. You just have to put up with it or change your plans.

One place I have never had a problem at is Starbucks. Whatever they are doing seems to be working unlike so many other companies doing business here.

I was in Lotus once and I selected a teddy bear from the shelf, the only one of this style but was the perfect gift for the person I had in mind.

This lone teddy bear did not have a price or bar code attached so my Thai wife said don't bother taking it, they won't sell it to you.

I said in Australia (and most western countries) they will simply look it up or contact the Customer Service desk and they will sort it out.

Well the check out clown had no idea and simply put it under the counter saying "No scan, get another one". Of course there weren't any more, so I demanded to speak to the manager.

Someone appeared about 10 minutes later explaining they were in charge as the Manager had gone home.

I explained my case, I wanted that bear, etc. He turned it over about 3 times and said "No tag, cannot sell".

I asked him to look it up on the computer, but he protested saying all too hard and too many descriptions in English.

After about 25 minutes I left there, without the teddy bear!!!

[batami]

Last year I did a number of major purchases for a house in chiang mai - and, contrary to all of the above, i received excellent service from Home Pro Chiang Mai.

I got what I needed, the lady at the customer service desk I used to help me (Kun Neu) spoke excellent English and was helpful - without exception. In fact, i will go as far as to use the expression about the extra mile - becasue she did do everything she could to help - and without cock ups!

The staff on the shop floor were generally helpful but had limited English so it was solve the problem with a Thai dictionary and initiative at times. Maybe, because i was happy to help the guys understand what i wanted with translations and pictures (and by finding out the Thai name before i went) that we built a relationship with some of the staff which - despite its hiccups - has stood the test of time.

I fitted a gas hob and lost (or it was not delivered - not sure) the center round thing that sits on the burner. Told HP, they gave me a new one on the spot; have tried to buy some items they did not have in stock and they said they would try to locate - 2 separate items - one found, one not - two emails to advise - written in English.

So, I have no complaints - and, it anyone has had recent experience in the equivalent store in the UK (I have) and can vouch for the wonderful service levels there, then they are in a fairyland that I have yet to find. From my experience, HP is no better and no worse than the equivalent store in Singapore, America, and / or the UK. HP are a tad more expensive than some places but - for me - its been worth paying the extra few Baht

Finally, for the benefit of the cynics out there - I have no shares in HP or the parent company; my wife, uncle, aunt, niece, or any living relative does not - to my knowledge - work at HP; nor do i work for Tourism Thailand, nor am I paid to promote Thailand, HP or Chiang Mai -- etc etc

Keep up the good DIY efforts ... cheers

[frenchFARANGbkk]

I would love to know (and I am sorry for saying this, well not really) what nit wit runs and stocks Home Pro.

There is no other store in the history of mankind, with so many employees ready to help but whoose first response is.. "dont have". And it is not their fault, but the fault of the stock manager.

You have a saw, with replaceable saw blades.. but no replaceable blades on hand.

YOu have extra rollers for painting.. but oops.. there are no roller handles that fit the rollers..

Lacquer.. with no thinner

A complete store with half of wholes...

Just think about who is to blame: the pour staff working for little money or the stupid millionaire owners who don't provide them a good training?

But I agree that any seller in France could build a full house alone when most of the sellers in Thailand couldn't even put a nail in the wall... (even more if they have to find the nail first!)

[thatguy]

beware using a foreign credit card in Home Pro. printed on the receipt i noticed a waiver of sorts

it said something to the effect:

" I have been offered a choice of currencies for payment, including THB, etc" rate 33.2225 for one US$. the lowest possible rate. I don't know the bank rate on ones for that day, but for $100 bills it was 34.28. this was a 25,000 Bt purchase. I charged back the credit, paid cash, and saved over 700 Bt.

looking back at other receipts I found they have been doing this for a while.

[logpoacher]

We bought two floor standing lamps from Index Living Mall in MBK. They have an uplighter at the top and a reading light on a flexible arm about two thirds of the way up. They look like the sort of thing you'd find in IKEA or somewhere similar. We asked for a set of bulbs as well, but were told that they were currently out of stock. No problem I thought, I'll pick some up next time I go shopping. The uplighter bulbs are standard but the reading lamp takes an R50 spotlight type. A few days later I went shopping - the more cynical among you will have guessed already - R50 bulbs are not sold in Thailand! I went to Emporium, HomePro, Central Chitlom, Big C, Isetan and Siam Paragon. They have huge ranges of bulbs, but not these ones. I then went to the three posh lighting shops on Thong Lor near Soi 19 - one of these places will actually custom make lamps to your own design - they can't get them. Finally, I went to the Index Living Mall on Ekamai and the Big C in the same building - no luck.

My wife then phoned the MBK Index Living Mall and asked when they would be getting the bulbs in stock - after a few minutes waffling they admitted that they have no intention of ever stocking them. She asked for our money back for the lamps - the best they could offer is to give us gift vouchers to the same value. Understandably, however we weren't keen on making any further purchases from their shop.

OK you think - these things must be really hard for them to get hold of, perhaps some obsolete Chinese design or something. But no - on Monday I ordered them from a UK company (First Light Direct) via their web site which was one of the hundreds of results of a Google search, for 76p each plus GBP3.50 postage and packing. They arrived on Saturday. But that would be too much trouble for Index who've already got your money and are still selling the lamps to unwary customers.

Then there was my mother-in-law's fridge which someone managed to break one of the plastic shelves in. Less than a year old and not cheap - the response from the shop to the request to purchase a replacement shelf: "Buy a new fridge".

[Furbie]

There are few things more annoying than Thai staff in a large department or large chain store. As far as I can tell, they have two functions – make sure you don’t steal, and steer you toward the brand that the store is getting an incentive on from the distributor that week. Neither one of these functions requires they know what the h3ll they are talking about. They are without a doubt some of the most useless employees I have ever encountered. This would not bother me so much if they would leave me alone – but it takes near an angry outburst sometimes to get them to back off.

As far as HomePro, the store is next to useless unless you plan to order something and are prepared to wait a couple of weeks. As far as I am concerned, run from the staff there.

[tukae]

I had a Thai shopping experience a couple of months ago that left me absolutely dumbfounded. I went to HomePro, Chiang Mai, to buy a electronic mosquito zapper. I found one that suited my needs for about 600 baht. Before I bought it, I thought I would swing by Carrefore on the other side of the building and see what they had. Low and behold, they have the same thing for almost 100 cheaper. So I pick one up and proceed to the nearest check-out.

The check-out girl starts turning the box around and around and upside down looking for a barcode. I start thing to myself, here we go, I'm going to have to wait for the guy on rollerblades to go and do a price check. However, the girl calls her supervisor over and the supervisor starts to fill out a form. Then she asks me to sign here, hands me the mosquito zapper and says that I can go.

I was shocked and asked her what was going on. She said that it was a store policy that if there was no barcode on a product, then it is free.

Never in my 10 years in Thailand have I experienced such a rapid and customer-friendly response to a shop's own error.

[stevenl]

I have been offered a choice of currencies for payment, including THB, etc

That is a service offered these days. You can choose between the local currency or your home currency. The exchange rate is determined by the bank. As mentioned: you can choose, either Thai Baht or your home currency.

[Humphrey Bear]

I had a Thai shopping experience a couple of months ago that left me absolutely dumbfounded. I went to HomePro, Chiang Mai, to buy a electronic mosquito zapper. I found one that suited my needs for about 600 baht. Before I bought it, I thought I would swing by Carrefore on the other side of the building and see what they had. Low and behold, they have the same thing for almost 100 cheaper. So I pick one up and proceed to the nearest check-out.

The check-out girl starts turning the box around and around and upside down looking for a barcode. I start thing to myself, here we go, I'm going to have to wait for the guy on rollerblades to go and do a price check. However, the girl calls her supervisor over and the supervisor starts to fill out a form. Then she asks me to sign here, hands me the mosquito zapper and says that I can go.

I was shocked and asked her what was going on. She said that it was a store policy that if there was no barcode on a product, then it is free.

Never in my 10 years in Thailand have I experienced such a rapid and customer-friendly response to a shop's own error.

I have just spent a couple of hours ripping off all the bar-codes and price tags on Carre4 goods - but they've put me in jail.

[ThaiPauly]

When we were having our house built in CM we had to go to Homepro on several occassions as Global House was not open then unfotuntaley.

What I relate is TRUE believe it or not.

I wanted something...I cannot remember what........I asked the shop assistant (or my Wife did) when this product would be in stock and was dumbfounded by the reply of "Don't know,every time we order them we run out"

It would never occur to them to ORDER MORE

[miltonbentley]

My Homepro story

We wanted a washing machine and were looking around Homepro and saw one with a scratch on the paintwork which had been reduced by 20%. Not being a man worried by washing machine appearances we bought it on the understanding that Homepro came round and fitted it. We got two promotional stickers for the purchase the significance of which did not strike me at the time.

The next day the fitters arrived and spent a happy couple of hours banging away and connecting the machine. They then informed us that although the machine did work I was missing a vital safety part and was in severe danger of electrocution when using the machine. On returning to the store I was told the part was missing and could not be replaced. I asked for my money back which they agreed.

The fitters came back and picked up the machine but when I presented myself at the store for the refund I was told I could not have it because I didn't have my two promotional stickers. Not being someone who collects promotional tat I had casually discarded them somewhere.

It took two days of negotiation, sometimes heated, to eventually get my refund but I had to forego 150 baht each for the two precious stickers with which I had been so remiss. Without that concession there was no way I was getting my 10,000 baht refund.

Three months later I chanced upon said stickers and triumphantly presented them to Homepro Customer Relations. The lady concerned disappeared into the back and returned bearing an envelope containing my original 300 baht with a big smile.

[oldoldgit!!]

Wanted to repaint black railings around the house asked for undercoat for black (in UK we would use dark grey undercoat) ''sorry no undercoat no need'' it was not Hammerite, even my wife explained in Thai undrcoat needed, like banging head against a brick wall, so they are still unpainted to this day.

[ignis]

Home pro 'HAS' everything, just your doing it wrong........

Most items now are in the Main warehouse and no longer kept in all the outlets.....

You simply take down the part No: and go to there Customer Service Area, they check it is the warehouse, write out the order, pay for the item and they ALWAYS phone the next days to say they have it ready for collection. If it is a larger item or anything over 5,000 baht they deliver it FREE.

I have always found them most helpful.

***************

For spare parts it is best to email direct to the Suppliers in Thailand, [eg: service set for water pump, new glass jug for Coffee machine,] they email the price-- you pay via ATM and 2 days later the postman delivers items.

Here most Thais NEVER do anything themselves, they get a man to come, therefore it is almost impossible to get spare parts anywhere as Thais just do not do it themselves.

[LaReina]

Home pro 'HAS' everything, just your doing it wrong........

Most items now are in the Main warehouse and no longer kept in all the outlets.....

You simply take down the part No: and go to there Customer Service Area, they check it is the warehouse, write out the order, pay for the item and they ALWAYS phone the next days to say they have it ready for collection. If it is a larger item or anything over 5,000 baht they deliver it FREE.

I have always found them most helpful.

***************

For spare parts it is best to email direct to the Suppliers in Thailand, [eg: service set for water pump, new glass jug for Coffee machine,] they email the price-- you pay via ATM and 2 days later the postman delivers items.

Here most Thais NEVER do anything themselves, they get a man to come, therefore it is almost impossible to get spare parts anywhere as Thais just do not do it themselves.

Really.... or are you joking?

I mean, how do you take down a part number for something that is not being carried in the store on a shelf?

For the most part people are not saying there is a space on the shelf that has not been filled. It is about asking for a part that should have a space on the shelf, and being told.. "no have". Or being told it will be ordered as that is an easy.. way out of a difficult situation.

annnnnnnnd if that is the case then they are even bigger dummies for not stocking their stores properly! Inventory control? Why not just open up the warehouse and sell from there?

Edited July 3, 2007 by LaReina