Bad Service

[vegas]

I think I must be some kind of genius, and I'll tell you why.

If I receive bad service, I don't go back. If, in turn I receive excellent service I always return.

Eg. Rolling Stone Bar Sukhumvit soi 10. The bar had just opended in my soi so, enjoying the odd beer, I decided to give them a try, as there is a dearth of bars in my soi. I walked up, sat at the outside bar and ordered a beer just before happy hour ended. The grumpy sales girl told me that happy hour was over (there was no clock in the bar so I had to rely on my watch - Tag Heuer, keeps perfect time and has done for 11 years) and I had to pay full price, which was 100 baht. Quite expensive for a new bar hidden away in a sub soi. The rest of the staff appeared miserable also so I chatted to the other guy at the bar who also agreed that service was lousy and beer was expensive. I would have liked to have had a game of pool except the table had been monopolised by 5-6 Thai boys who had nursed one (1) beer for over an hour (clearly no profit to be made there, I assumed they were friends of the owner).

Needless to say I have never returned and when walking past the bar on the weekend, noticed that the place had, not surprisingly, closed this very weekend.

By contrast, I recently drank a beer at Happiness bar soi 22, the staff welcomed me, the manager rang the bell, fantastic.

So, to summarise, good service - return. Bad service - never return.

[peter991]

It doesn't seem to matter if you are in a tourist area (BKK, Pattaya, Phuket etc) or in a rural area - I never cease to be amazed at the number of sales staff who are either asleep, eating, brushing each others hair, chatting on their mobile phones, chatting to other sales staff or reading a book or magazine when they SHOULD be attending to customers.

Good customer service is rare in Thailand. Like others have said, support GOOD service, never return when you receive BAD service. Vote with your wallet and hopefully people will get the message.

Peter

[sakaew]

I'm as pi**ed off as everyone else about bad service.

A long time ago, I found that the queer old-fashioned hardware shop--big, seemingly disorganised place--opposite Foodland on Pattaya Klang......had a different approach from that mentioned in this thread.

If they don't have an item...the boss..a youngish Chinese guy utters the magic words.."I'll get in in for you"

AND HE DOES..on time.

This act of pure wizardry has happened to me more than a few times.

Just a few weeks ago, he ordered a remote control for a fan...no big profit there.

He has a wide choice..and prices are OK too.

On a different note...I've noticed that more often than not, the male owners of hardware shops, invariable Chinese Thais.. are sour faced.

I started asking them if they inherited the shop from their parents.

Thay usually look startled, and answer "Yes"

( Actually, I suspect it may be handed down from the wife's parents.)

Maybe they HATE being there....but they are just too useless to do anything else.

The Pattaya Klang guy shows every sign of being switched on..and loving his job.

[justagirl]

Bad service is the end result of cheap labor.

[meemiathai]

It doesn't seem to matter if you are in a tourist area (BKK, Pattaya, Phuket etc) or in a rural area - I never cease to be amazed at the number of sales staff who are either asleep, eating, brushing each others hair, chatting on their mobile phones, chatting to other sales staff or reading a book or magazine when they SHOULD be attending to customers.

Good customer service is rare in Thailand. Like others have said, support GOOD service, never return when you receive BAD service. Vote with your wallet and hopefully people will get the message.

Peter

I now understand. For me that is not bad service. I hate it when the staff follows me wherever I go. So maybe good service for someone is bad service for others.

I actually like to see staff being relaxed. I like it that if I enter a shop, no one notices it until I really need something and ask.

[bkkmei]

On the whole, I think face-to-face service is very good. There is sometimes a slight lack of initiative. A typical example happened to me the other day: I go to Carrefour hoping they'll have a spare part for a vacuum cleaner, but salesman says 'mai mee' and is about to wander off. So I have to ask: would somewhere else have?

He points me to the service centre. I get a Thai person to call up and make enquiries - useless response. I go in person to the service centre, get what I want in 2 minutes and save myself the baht it would cost to buy a new vacuum cleaner.

To be frank, I'm more appalled at the bad service & rudeness in the UK e.g. water engineers not turning up, call centres re-located to India spouting rubbish etc.

[sonnyJ]

Yes, MM. I never dreamed there was shoplifting in Thailand; very naieve of me. Several months after our Tesco opened, I went to buy a 15kg bag of dog food. On entry, the guard asked my to check my mid-sized handbag before shopping. No, thank you. That's when they instituted the grocery check and bill stamping at the exit. Just never dawned on me that people would pilfer goods.

Almost every shop here in Canuckland has a security alarm gate. I cannot go shopping if I have public library materials in my bag as they set off all the alarms. Very embarrassing. Service isn't always that much better here, either.

There are alarm gates at every Tesco, BigC etc. in Bangkok. And do them beep a lot. Usually there's no security around, very rarely I see beepers get checked, and only on superficial level with cart full of goods. Happened to me actually this week, beep, beep, I didn't react in anyway just continued pushing my cart, no-one came to stop me. I think it usually happens when the sales stuff screwup again and forget to remove the alarm things from the bottles etc.

[alaina]

Restaurant service here is generally just okay, unless there is a problem. Problems never seem to get fixed and there is almost no point in sending food back to the kitchen. Anything that can be screwed up (meat temperatures on steaks esp.) just don't order if you want it done a certain way.

It's even okay if the food doesn't come all at the same time, that's the way it is done most places here. But WHY can't the rice arrive before or with the food most of the time? Do many people want to eat their rice after their curry? That is my biggest gripe about restaurants in Thailand.

[sonnyJ]

The stalkers yes, I almost forgot to complain about them. You're lucky if you get only one.

But, compared to Scandinavian department stores where the sales people are hiding behind the counters, few looking very busy, it's a thing it self to find service.

Good or bad? Just different, what can you do?

Restaurants, this happens a lot, no matter the price range, they just can't deliver appetizers before the main course, especially when there are many in the party. And over prised bills, I'd estimate over 50%.

Edited July 9, 2007 by sonnyJ

[Heng]

Has anyone else had this experience?

If I am a regular in a smallish restaurant, then I actually get worse service than people who come in for the first time. I'm not talking about friendliness, the staff are always very friendly - but I've been moved to small out of the way tables, to accommodate others. I've been made to wait ages for service, because a group of tourists have come in - after me, but they get fussed over hugely & served before me. Basically, because the staff know me & feel comfortable with me, they seem to think I won't mind being inconvenienced for others.

This has happened to me many times, in different restaurants. I don't make a fuss, I just don't go back. But why does it happen in the first place? This has never happened to me in another country, only in Thailand.

This happens all the time. It is a very natural thing. And you have answered it yourself already. They think because you know each other well, you won't mind that much. Also, a group of tourists = lots of money, you = little little money. Isn't that simple? I think it happens all over the world to all services? It didn't happen to you even when you were in HK? That is strange then.

Sounds more like a tourist trap issue. Myself I find that in the places where I am a regular, the trend is towards increased groveling.

As far as poor service at Thai banks, unless BOT allows foreign banks to compete freely here, the serice will not improve I don't see it any time soon due to objection from you know who

I definitely prefer banking in Thailand (as compared to Singapore and the US... the other two places I often have to take care of banking). I can take care of business 365 days a year from 9am to 8pm. No banking holidays whatsoever for sub branches.

[soundman]

I definitely prefer banking in Thailand (as compared to Singapore and the US... the other two places I often have to take care of banking). I can take care of business 365 days a year from 9am to 8pm. No banking holidays whatsoever for sub branches.

I'd agree with that. Banking in Thailand is not really that much of a problem when you are a "prefered client". Got a problem on a Saturday afternoon or a Sunday evening, give the manager a call on his mobile & he'll even come down and sign a document for you on his own time.

Soundman.

[sukanyacondo]

I definitely prefer banking in Thailand (as compared to Singapore and the US... the other two places I often have to take care of banking). I can take care of business 365 days a year from 9am to 8pm. No banking holidays whatsoever for sub branches.

I'd agree with that. Banking in Thailand is not really that much of a problem when you are a "prefered client". Got a problem on a Saturday afternoon or a Sunday evening, give the manager a call on his mobile & he'll even come down and sign a document for you on his own time.

Soundman.

Soundman would opening a new account with 1 million baht make me a preferred client?? Am just curious as its a huge sum for many Thais. I only say this beacsue after we got intiallyu poor service form the girls doing the initial opening another chap arrived about 50 yrs old dragged us from the back of the queue to the front smiled a lot and gave us his phone number!!! He is now our poiunt of contact at Kasikorn.

[Heng]

Most well to do locals don't have 'preferred client' setups in local banks. Folks that are in that range set up in the local branches of Citibank, HSBC, Deutsche Bank (a favorite for many), Mitsui, etc., or keep their funds abroad in HK and Singapore.

I don't know if Soundman was referring to some private banking scheme (which as far as I know, none of the major Thai banks have) ala Bank of America wealth management or HSBC Private bank. "Preferred client" to me locally simply means that the tellers at your particular branches know who you are, you go in often enough to know when there won't be many customers, they don't check your ID or signature as much because they've seen it 100 times already, and if you want to do something slightly out of the ordinary or out of bounds (but not illegal of course)... like say deposit more than 300k Baht per day per account in a subbranch, or transfer more than 1000k Baht between accounts in a subbranch (these limits are only in place because they sometimes slow things down for other customers... but if you go at non-peak hours, it's not an issue), they'll do it for you...and you don't need an X amount for that, you just need to be a regular so to speak.

[soundman]

Having a large deposit doesn't really make you a prefered client. (can help though, especially if the bank is trying to sell you one of their products ) Doing business with the bank on a daily basis (as pointed out by Heng) helps make you a prefered client.

You will be known by all staff, have the luxory of avoiding queue's, have the MGR's ear anytime you need something done quickly, & if you need the MGR to sign a document at any time, its usually only a phone call away.

For example, this year, the bank stuffed up my account verification letter for my annual visa extension. I rang the assistant manager up on a Sunday. He told me no problems, went down to the bank & re-typed it.

Soundman.

[raslin]

Funny that ...I have always had good service whenever and wherever I have been in LOS.......well most of time... mpr

I agree. Where else does the entire staff of the 7-11 stop what their doing to welcome you.

When in most restaurants I have exemplary service, I can't take a sip of beer without being topped off immediately.

When shopping I'm usually followed by one or two sales girls eager to help.

Even "Big C" has a helpful staff....though you may have to get someone's attention occasionally.

I believe Thailand is one of the most service oriented countries in the world.

Perhaps it's Tesco that needs help........Could it be it's British management's faulty training?

No, not faulty training. Lack of training.

But remember, the founder used to sell goods himself off a street barrow. No staff needed!

Edited July 10, 2007 by raslin

[TAWP]

There are alarm gates at every Tesco, BigC etc. in Bangkok. And do them beep a lot. Usually there's no security around, very rarely I see beepers get checked, and only on superficial level with cart full of goods. Happened to me actually this week, beep, beep, I didn't react in anyway just continued pushing my cart, no-one came to stop me. I think it usually happens when the sales stuff screwup again and forget to remove the alarm things from the bottles etc.

At my local BigC there is always 2-3 'guards' around, but in plain clothes. You can spot them by their walkies, and they seem to check anyone that beeps. Have only ever seen that happend once however...but they where there promptly.

[kratindaeng]

A very very small percentage of the 'Staff' (using this term loosely) in Big C and Tesco Lotus near my residence, are by far the rudest, ignorant, brain-dead, bitter impolite seething 'anti-farang' miserable people, I have ever had experience with! Thankfully the majority seem nice and helpful.

[qwertz]

LOS is quite low on my list of bad service providers.

These are higher:

Czech Republic - assistants acknowledge you at their convenience and you pay extra for cream in your coffee.

Slovakia - the shop is unattended, you have to go along the street a way to find an assistant.

N. Cyprus - beware of restaurant staff putting a basket of bread or a dish of pickles on your table - they may cost more than the meal.

S. Cyprus - Indian restaurants where you order a meal which they serve without rice then ask if you want the €3 or €5 rice portion.

Hungary - the waiters decide how much you should tip and add it to the bill.

Germany - supermarkets - a row of checkouts and 40 people standing in line at the only one with a cashier.

England - last orders in the pub and the bar staff studiously ignore you until they've served all the regulars.

[tropo]

Have found Tesco to be particularly good for crap service. I now go there just for the laugh.

Like the time I bought a Fridge freezer, they then phoned up on the day of delivery to say that it wasn't working properly, but they would still deliver it if I wanted. Yeah, right. So I said when will you deliver the next one - oh maybe about 4 weeks. Are you seriously telling me that this was the only fridge of this spec in all of there stores in BKK. I went and got a refund and they were suprised I didn't want to wait. I went down to Central and bought an identical fridge without any problems.

Last week I was in the Lat Phrao branch and wanted to buy a roasted chicken. There were still a good few left, but when I asked she said they didn not have any left. It was only whn I pointed at the item, that she reluctantly agreed with me and served me. I must have disturbed her daydream or something, but it was a real case of a lazy moron not wanting to do any work.

By the way, there's crap service in every country so this is not a Thai bash.

I think world wide service tends to be pretty average in large department stores.

The staff at Lotus probably get shit wages and don't make more money if more is sold. They have zero incentive to perform.

[mrtoad]

Have found Tesco to be particularly good for crap service. I now go there just for the laugh.

Like the time I bought a Fridge freezer, they then phoned up on the day of delivery to say that it wasn't working properly, but they would still deliver it if I wanted. Yeah, right. So I said when will you deliver the next one - oh maybe about 4 weeks. Are you seriously telling me that this was the only fridge of this spec in all of there stores in BKK. I went and got a refund and they were suprised I didn't want to wait. I went down to Central and bought an identical fridge without any problems.

Last week I was in the Lat Phrao branch and wanted to buy a roasted chicken. There were still a good few left, but when I asked she said they didn not have any left. It was only whn I pointed at the item, that she reluctantly agreed with me and served me. I must have disturbed her daydream or something, but it was a real case of a lazy moron not wanting to do any work.

By the way, there's crap service in every country so this is not a Thai bash.

I think world wide service tends to be pretty average in large department stores.

The staff at Lotus probably get shit wages and don't make more money if more is sold. They have zero incentive to perform.

I don't think you can seriously use that as an excuse for the two eaxmples that I have given previously.

Edited July 10, 2007 by mrtoad

[tropo]

Have found Tesco to be particularly good for crap service. I now go there just for the laugh.

Like the time I bought a Fridge freezer, they then phoned up on the day of delivery to say that it wasn't working properly, but they would still deliver it if I wanted. Yeah, right. So I said when will you deliver the next one - oh maybe about 4 weeks. Are you seriously telling me that this was the only fridge of this spec in all of there stores in BKK. I went and got a refund and they were suprised I didn't want to wait. I went down to Central and bought an identical fridge without any problems.

Last week I was in the Lat Phrao branch and wanted to buy a roasted chicken. There were still a good few left, but when I asked she said they didn not have any left. It was only whn I pointed at the item, that she reluctantly agreed with me and served me. I must have disturbed her daydream or something, but it was a real case of a lazy moron not wanting to do any work.

By the way, there's crap service in every country so this is not a Thai bash.

I think world wide service tends to be pretty average in large department stores.

The staff at Lotus probably get shit wages and don't make more money if more is sold. They have zero incentive to perform.

I don't think you can seriously use that as an excuse for the two eaxmples that I have given previously.

Yes, I quoted the wrong post. Sorry.

[mrtoad]

Have found Tesco to be particularly good for crap service. I now go there just for the laugh.

Like the time I bought a Fridge freezer, they then phoned up on the day of delivery to say that it wasn't working properly, but they would still deliver it if I wanted. Yeah, right. So I said when will you deliver the next one - oh maybe about 4 weeks. Are you seriously telling me that this was the only fridge of this spec in all of there stores in BKK. I went and got a refund and they were suprised I didn't want to wait. I went down to Central and bought an identical fridge without any problems.

Last week I was in the Lat Phrao branch and wanted to buy a roasted chicken. There were still a good few left, but when I asked she said they didn not have any left. It was only whn I pointed at the item, that she reluctantly agreed with me and served me. I must have disturbed her daydream or something, but it was a real case of a lazy moron not wanting to do any work.

By the way, there's crap service in every country so this is not a Thai bash.

I think world wide service tends to be pretty average in large department stores.

The staff at Lotus probably get shit wages and don't make more money if more is sold. They have zero incentive to perform.

I don't think you can seriously use that as an excuse for the two eaxmples that I have given previously.

Yes, I quoted the wrong post. Sorry.

No problem Tropo. By the way I do agree in general with your comment about large department stores worldwide, especially in bigger cities. However, I always found some of the bigger stores in the UK that were in rural towns were more service orientated, although I think that over the last few years attitudes of the younger workforce has changed and many don't really give a shit about their job, so just don't bother to put that extra little bit in.

Edited July 10, 2007 by mrtoad