I'm Sorry, Because You Speak Too Fast

[long]

today i was sad because i lose a potential customer because of communication.

today, i did receive a call , he speak very well in english (sound like UK english) and fast, he start with introduce himself, because he speak too fast, i cant fully understand what he want , and i request to repeat again, but he drop the phone. i'm sad because i know i make him angry , and i lose a potential customer , if he is in this forumn, i will like to said "Sorry" to him.

[elkangorito]

He should be apologising to you for being rude.

Who wants "touchy" & grouchy customers? Not me. I think you are better off without him/her/it.

[bkkjames]

today i was sad because i lose a potential customer because of communication.

today, i did receive a call , he speak very well in english (sound like UK english) and fast, he start with introduce himself, because he speak too fast, i cant fully understand what he want , and i request to repeat again, but he drop the phone. i'm sad because i know i make him angry , and i lose a potential customer , if he is in this forumn, i will like to said "Sorry" to him.

Don't worry about it, probably just a financial services guy trying to sell you something you don't need, like shares in Lehman's or something similar.

[Cuban]

Sorry you were moved to post here by that experiance.

A trick to consider - that might help in the future: Say that the phone line has interferance and can you take the caller's telephone number to call them back.

Once you have their number it is easier to maintain the contact and make your sale.

Good luck to you - I am sorry you have had this happen today.

[long]

yes..because we are new company, therefore lack of experience with handle the call, i already told all my staff, next time if do have any call, will write down the name, company name, and contact number..thanks for you advise

[teacup]

I don't know what business you are running or how big is it?

To me

If you're running a business in which expecting many foreign customers on the daily basis, I think you need to make sure you should be up to the speed - language wise that is.

But if your business deals with mainly non-english speaking customers, then I think he was being rude

Just me

[long]

my business is something SMS markerting, which customer can send SMS promotion to their customer. my business only target in thialand. most of my customer is pub, disco,bar,etc. i'm supprise most of my customer is westen people.. therefore i will like to said my customer include both thai and westen people who working in thailand..

[teacup]

i'm supprise most of my customer is westen people..

There you go......from now on - you just have to be up to speed in the english skill, if you want to maintain them as your customers

[RakJungTorlae]

this is the funniest thread ive read all week.

[long]

i will perfer hire a good english speaking sale girl to handle those english speaking customer, because i still speed up my thai language now. . but again, it was very hard to find a good english speaking sale girl (fully understand UK english) now..

[teacup]

this is the funniest thread ive read all week.

I don't find her situation that funny

and you're very good at giving one sentence reply, as almost always

[RakJungTorlae]

for thai press #1

for fast English #2

teacup. - stop calling this man for SMS...hes sad cuz hes english is to slow..

[teacup]

i will perfer hire a good english speaking sale girl to handle those english speaking customer, because i still speed up my thai language now. . but again, it was very hard to find a good english speaking sale girl (fully understand UK english) now..

Good luck sis

from another thai sister

[teacup]

JT.....go away!!!......I'm not playing with you any more

edit: how can you post without me seeing you down below, strange

Edited September 17, 2008 by teacup

[RakJungTorlae]

JT.....go away!!!......I'm not playing with you any more

well I will ignore that post above me.

OP. you should just set up some computer phone system. Make life eazer. There are many ways to go about it.

[dave111223]

The funny thing is at the end of the day the rude customers are the ones most difficult to get rid of. I bet by the end of the week he'll be calling you back again because no one else will deal with him.

If you are having difficulty understanding a customer maybe you could request they send you their requirements in an email. It's often easier than phone communications as you have a black&white copy of exactly what was said.

Or you could always record the phone conversations and then play them back until you understand the fine points.

[Sabum]

How absolutely retarded. The stupid git LIVES in Thailand and wants to do business with Thais. HE NEEDS TO LEARN THAI, or what I do, pass the phone to a Thai speaking person to get what I want clearly through. Its really not that complicated. If he doesnt have the personality to have any Thai employees,friends,lovers,business associates that could easily translate for him then he needs to learn to be more friendly.

[Geroc]

today i was sad because i lose a potential customer because of communication.

today, i did receive a call , he speak very well in english (sound like UK english) and fast, he start with introduce himself, because he speak too fast, i cant fully understand what he want , and i request to repeat again, but he drop the phone. i'm sad because i know i make him angry , and i lose a potential customer , if he is in this forumn, i will like to said "Sorry" to him.

Hi Long (or Rong ? Rung ? Rainbow ?)

I suppose you wrote your post for the question : "What is your business ?"

So, what is your business ?

Geroc

[long]

today i was sad because i lose a potential customer because of communication.

today, i did receive a call , he speak very well in english (sound like UK english) and fast, he start with introduce himself, because he speak too fast, i cant fully understand what he want , and i request to repeat again, but he drop the phone. i'm sad because i know i make him angry , and i lose a potential customer , if he is in this forumn, i will like to said "Sorry" to him.

Hi Long (or Rong ? Rung ? Rainbow ?)

I suppose you wrote your post for the question : "What is your business ?"

So, what is your business ?

Geroc

if i make the description/explanation about my business, does it considerate "advertisement" ? and get band by the moderator ?

[p_brownstone]

Telephone etiquette is one thing that makes me see red here in Thailand.

Many times in my Company we receive a call:

“may I speak to Khun **** please” (Khun **** being one of my Salespeople, for example)

If Khun **** is not in – visiting a Customer or whatever - invariably whoever answers the call here will immediately say:

“sorry, Khun **** is not in”

equally invariably the caller then hangs up without any further comment – so we have no idea who called or why.

I have told staff many times that the first thing they should ask is “who is calling please”, and get a name and telephone number – and only when they have that information should they respond in any other way.

I can never get this to happen – most Thais feel it is rude or intrusive to ask who is calling and accept that the caller will simply hang up and, hopefully, call again later.

Rant over!

Patrick

[petitechevre]

He should be apologising to you for being rude.

Who wants "touchy" & grouchy customers? Not me. I think you are better off without him/her/it.

this is very true if you want to have a shitty poor business..

Best clients are rude and uninterested in your feelings, they want a service/product and nothing else

Those who want a good seller or relationship and have actual money to offer you are pretty rare and worthless..

If i want a friend, ill go see my friend, if i enter a shop or call a business.. i want answers and to finish the transaction ASAP

THAT IS a good client. Fast and efficient.

IF you cannot understand what he says, its too bad he'll move to the next guy right away.

Which is why when you own a business you have to fake that you understand what people say... just go along with them and try to makeup whatever gibberish they said later by asking the same questions over and over(standard business practice)

[petitechevre]

How absolutely retarded. The stupid git LIVES in Thailand and wants to do business with Thais. HE NEEDS TO LEARN THAI, or what I do, pass the phone to a Thai speaking person to get what I want clearly through. Its really not that complicated. If he doesnt have the personality to have any Thai employees,friends,lovers,business associates that could easily translate for him then he needs to learn to be more friendly.

oh ya? say you sell gym equipement.

Some dude speaking horrible texan english, very fast comes in.. your native language is german/thai .. you own a business in thailand

that guy says he wants 2 open 2 gyms. hes a big asshol_e knows 0 word of thai.. your english sucks.

What happens

SOWWY SUR, ME WANT U LEARN THAI, GET OUT NOW

or

SOWWY SUR, LET ME FIND SUM1 WHEW SPAK ANGLISH WELL

1) get no money

2) make mad profit.

if you chose 1 you're a total tard working as a teacher

if you chose 2. you're probably not dirt poor yet.

When you run a business, people don't change for you. YOU change for your clients.

If you're a nationalist moron, you'll never suceed.

[long]

How absolutely retarded. The stupid git LIVES in Thailand and wants to do business with Thais. HE NEEDS TO LEARN THAI, or what I do, pass the phone to a Thai speaking person to get what I want clearly through. Its really not that complicated. If he doesnt have the personality to have any Thai employees,friends,lovers,business associates that could easily translate for him then he needs to learn to be more friendly.

oh ya? say you sell gym equipement.

Some dude speaking horrible texan english, very fast comes in.. your native language is german/thai .. you own a business in thailand

that guy says he wants 2 open 2 gyms. hes a big asshol_e knows 0 word of thai.. your english sucks.

What happens

SOWWY SUR, ME WANT U LEARN THAI, GET OUT NOW

or

SOWWY SUR, LET ME FIND SUM1 WHEW SPAK ANGLISH WELL

1) get no money

2) make mad profit.

if you chose 1 you're a total tard working as a teacher

if you chose 2. you're probably not dirt poor yet.

When you run a business, people don't change for you. YOU change for your clients.

If you're a nationalist moron, you'll never suceed.

agree, service is very important after the product quality. i will keep in my mind, if got budget, will try to get "very good" english speaking sale girl to handle english speaking customer. thanks for you advise

[polecat]

my business is something SMS markerting, which customer can send SMS promotion to their customer. my business only target in thialand. most of my customer is pub, disco,bar,etc. i'm supprise most of my customer is westen people.. therefore i will like to said my customer include both thai and westen people who working in thailand..

That was me! I was simply saying "Stop spamming my phone with your fuc_king SMS advertisments! I went to that bar once and you've been texting me for a year!"

[HYENA]

I tried to call a large shoe company to make an order. It would have been big business because I'm certain I can sell them like hotcakes in my country. I looked at the website and the website is a bunch of advertisements; no ordering or price page.

I called the company, press 9 for English...a Thai lady (obviously lied about "I can speak English, I'll translate" which I understand is common even for teachers)...so after going back and forth, she said, "Look our website and send email". I told her "Website cannot accept email, website have problem" she said again, "Open website for order shoes". She understood 20% of what I was saying...

I then had my wife call. Unfortunately my wife is Isaan so she was dealing with that bigotry prejudice crap so prevalent with ethnic Thais against Isaan. Because my wife doesn't sound 'high" enough, she's not taken seriously. After the third call of my wife not succeeding in gaining any information (I had to plead with her) she got the same "check website" crap after she had to inquire why she's calling....oh, you have farang husband (finally, now we can talk) It's too bad someone has to go through the list of where the money is coming from before getting prices and shipping container quotes...

I called and asked for someone who speaks English...but apparently I pressed 9 so she was the best they had. She didn't even speak bar lady broken English and I'm sure she wasn't losing face telling her boss "farang want speak with English" Saving face, looking good more important than business or honesty...

Perhaps this lady made their website which isn't working or whoever is responsible for the website, it will never get reported so I can make my order because some egocentric Thai might lose face. OK, keep your dam_n face, no business and everyone looks good but no business.

So I understand how impossible it is to deal with a Thai company...too much worrying about saving face, busy with prejudice and no one is focusing on THE SALE AND MAKING BAHT! If these idiots wanted to make any money, fire the supposed english speaking Thai and bring someone in who isn't a stick in the mud who is willing to speak even to an Isaan lady...for business!

Amazing. I still can't email them because their &*^(*&^ website won't accept internal emails and the lady refuses to give me a supervisor's email address or anyone's email except this internal malfunctioning website email which also means no business, effort finished.

I'm trying China; I've given up on this.

My wife called another company and the lady was more interested with how an Isaan lady got their phone number, where and when and how...started speaking "down" to my wife...she rattled my wife so badly with her extraneous interrogations, she couldn't get to the business inquiry. I sent a nasty email to the company owner telling him next time they get a call for business, don't worry about if they're Isaan or extremist muslim for God's sake...take the call and talk about business! The bigotry is disgusting in Thailand...too much focus on who's high and low they forget about making money.

At least in China, making money takes precedence over any attitude, high or low crap. They want a sale, they'll do whatever is needed to sell! Thailand is a different animal where all these games are played completely clouding any true effort to make money or sell their product.

I am thoroughly disgusted with Thai businesses. (this isn't the first time and my wife is a very kind, unassuming, polite person but it seems the ethnic Thais take that opportunity to walk all over her for a chance at an ego boost). Disgusting, heinous behavior in this era.

I had read many blogs about how impossible it is to do business with Bangkok Thais; now I understand. No matter how pigeon English I speak, how polite I am, someone is standing in the way saving face or inquiring who my interpreter is, where she's from, who she knows, etc. The word stupid is an understatement. I see why farangs are taking their money out of Thailand; they encouraged prejudice way back when Siam was changed to Thailand. This is why I'm not fond of some ethnic city Thais.

One Thai told my wife to get up out of her seat on the skytrain telling her it's for kids only. Being non-confrontational, she gets up to realize there aren't any signs and no kids...then noticing this was a bigotry move. Had I understood the conversation, I would have loved to give this lady (who was also sitting) a piece of my mind telling her to mind her own business. Oyyyy KeeThai ChingChing!

Edited September 17, 2008 by HYENA

[HYENA]

my business is something SMS markerting, which customer can send SMS promotion to their customer. my business only target in thialand. most of my customer is pub, disco,bar,etc. i'm supprise most of my customer is westen people.. therefore i will like to said my customer include both thai and westen people who working in thailand..

That was me! I was simply saying "Stop spamming my phone with your fuc_king SMS advertisments! I went to that bar once and you've been texting me for a year!"

LOL! No one ASKED for their phone to be spammed (good way of pissing someone off; send them advertisements sms and wake them up out of bed only to see, "go to farang bar for boomboom")!

[frenchFARANGbkk]

All foreigners on this board are nice to Thai people today, hahaha...

Why not just telling him what you really think..., that all non English native speakers (me included) should go back to school to improve their language skills !!!

;-)

[BangnaBound]

I am a fast speaker and even my mother complains about it. It’s definitely the #1 comment I get from the Thai’s in my public speaking club. These comments are coming for Thai people who speak English quite well, and put a lot of effort into improving their English ability. When they tell me that I should slow down, as they have troubles understanding me, I don’t take offence to it.

If you think your customer is speaking to fast, there is a good chance he knows that he speaks fast too. Just ask him to repeat what he said, and ask him if he could please slow down. Just be polite. Don’t tell him that he speaks too fast, just tell him that you are having problems hearing him (blame the phone line) and if he could slow down it would help you.

[jayjayjayjay]

yes..because we are new company, therefore lack of experience with handle the call, i already told all my staff, next time if do have any call, will write down the name, company name, and contact number..thanks for you advise

Keep your chin up Long, good to see you taking on some of the good advice here. With this attitude you will do well, cheers, JJ