Pattaya 7-11 Owners

[Tokay]

This is been on my mind for some time.

Why do so many 7-11's have 9 - 10 employees working in even the most dead hours of the night in an empty store?

Does it take 9 of them to do the job of what should be only 2 or 3, or is there something else going on here that I'm missing.

[gotlost]

Spreading the wealth and keeping the family employed.

[LennyW]

The most frustrating bit is you only ever see 1 or 2 of them working, even when busy, the others just seem to loiter around, attending to their zits, and get in the way completely oblivious to the fact that ques are forming with people waiting - one of my pet hates!!

[Tokay]

The most frustrating bit is you only ever see 1 or 2 of them working, even when busy, the others just seem to loiter around, attending to their zits, and get in the way completely oblivious to the fact that ques are forming with people waiting - one of my pet hates!!

Absolutely. 9 of them in the store, 2 working, the rest screwing off, reading magazines, sitting out front smoking or sitting down in an isle doing nothing.

I'm sure there must be a legit reason for having so many. This was a serious question.

[rgs2001uk]

Its to stop them thieving and pilfering, they are all watching each other.

[ihunnieibee]

usually 2 cashiers

another 2 people behind the counter to reach for cigs or liquor

1 person to attend to the slurpee - fountain drinks - ice coffee/tea/pink milk & ice cooler

2 people to make sandwiches in the sandwich maker & attend to "waving" "sausages" and new green curry chicken buns (IMO the hardest job of them all)

1 person to mop constantly

and at least 1 person smoking outside

[ihunnieibee]

well i was just thinking..maybe it could also be some sort of a security measure against getting robbed, if people know there is always a minimum of 9 people to witness their crime, i think they may have second thoughts about trying to rob a 7/11

[gotlost]

The most frustrating bit is you only ever see 1 or 2 of them working, even when busy, the others just seem to loiter around, attending to their zits, and get in the way completely oblivious to the fact that ques are forming with people waiting - one of my pet hates!!

Absolutely. 9 of them in the store, 2 working, the rest screwing off, reading magazines, sitting out front smoking or sitting down in an isle doing nothing.

I'm sure there must be a legit reason for having so many. This was a serious question.

A serious question on an open form?

[Tokay]

Its to stop them thieving and pilfering, they are all watching each other.

I was in 7-11 on Soi Khopi last year and watched a few employees get patted down and bag searched as they left. I assume this is common practice and I can't blame them.

[johnbarpic]

Am I missing a point !!! More staff better faster service. If you want to have one person in a shop or Pub go back to England or to be exact the United Kingdom where you stand & wait to be served while they text their mate or the barmaid finishes talking to her pal in the bar.

So many people complain about Thai service & Thia ways.

We are all visitors we have an option. Flights depart Bangkok every day we are not held here against our wishes.

Relax & go with the flow if you're not happy vote with your feet and leave. Why not go home & be an ethnic minority in your own country, then you have good reason to complain.

My experience of Thialand in the last three years residing have been nothing but good Ok punctuality but hey I can live with that.

the next period for cheap flights will be in September check them out you may get a bargain.

[lonewolf99]

Am I missing a point !!! More staff better faster service. If you want to have one person in a shop or Pub go back to England or to be exact the United Kingdom where you stand & wait to be served while they text their mate or the barmaid finishes talking to her pal in the bar.

So many people complain about Thai service & Thia ways.

We are all visitors we have an option. Flights depart Bangkok every day we are not held here against our wishes.

Relax & go with the flow if you're not happy vote with your feet and leave. Why not go home & be an ethnic minority in your own country, then you have good reason to complain.

My experience of Thialand in the last three years residing have been nothing but good Ok punctuality but hey I can live with that.

the next period for cheap flights will be in September check them out you may get a bargain.

Well put !! I agree wholeheartedly.....just think about when you fill up your car / bike with Petrol in the UK in freezing cold pouring rain whistling across the forecourt with a force 10 gale....Service in Thailand is a million times better than anywhere else...only other place I know on par is Singapore.....

[Tokay]

Am I missing a point !!! More staff better faster service.

Well if having so many actually improved checking out I wouldn't question it. Though, I find it hard to believe that 2 working with 7 others slacking off hardly makes for better service. In fact if anything it slows it down because when wonder girl at the counter doesn't know how to give change, she now has to consult with 8 others.

The question was WHY there so many. It's not a complaint. It's a question. It's not even open for debate if they improve service or not because they don't. Maybe the owner gets a tax break or something for employing so many. I was in search of the logical explanation of this, not comments about how I can leave if I don't like it. I don't pay the numb skulls to work there so I'm indifferent, but I am curious as to what the reason is.

[Rimmer]

The OP was asking a simple question I don't think he is complaining and I don't think he wants to leave just yet, so please confine your comments to the original question thank you.

[Ulysses G.]

Thai businesses have always been this way and usually one one of the whole crew will do most of the work. I've always been told that work is supposed to be a social occasion and fun, so they need to be around a bunch of other people. 

Farang run businesses try not to operate this way, so it is not as common as when I first got here, but these 7/11s sound like they are sticking with tradition. 

[Theo007]

Sorry to disagree however I have often found that the more staff they have the slower the service! Sometimes they just stand around and ignore the customers.

[Tokay]

Thai businesses have always been this way and usually one one of the whole crew will do most of the work. I've always been told that work is supposed to be a social occasion and fun, so they need to be around a bunch of other people. 

Farang run businesses try not to operate this way, so it is not as common as when I first got here, but these 7/11s sound like they are sticking with tradition. 

No idea if this is the reason or not but its the best reason I've heard to date. Also explains, if it is indeed true, why we have so many issues with our employees when they have to act alone on a project. They failed in a group 50% - 60% of the time but alone, they failed 100% of the time. We had to stop allowing them to act alone.

Your theory makes sense.

[Tokay]

Sorry to disagree however I have often found that the more staff they have the slower the service! Sometimes they just stand around and ignore the customers.

I think everyone but 1 or 2 guys agree with this. More does not mean faster.

[SurfRider]

.

"I'm sure there must be a legit reason for having so many. This was a serious question."

From what I was told by two farang business owners, in order to get a work permit and be able to invest in Thailand, you need to import a significant amount of cash from abroad. Along with the granting of the right to do biz in Siam, you need to hire a certain number of Thais, whether you need them or not. I think it was something like four employees for every million Baht invested. ( not sure of the numbers )

I ran into a farang Realtor who had four Thais sitting in his office doing nothing. He said they met his quota for the number of Thais he needed to stay legal. I asked him what they did - he said, not much and they expect about 42 holidays per year. He said they would go for coffee or occasionally deliver keys to a client on a motorbike, but that's about all.

If 7-11 is farang owned, or the individual franchise location is farang owned, that could be the reason.

.

[rodcourt49]

The most frustrating bit is you only ever see 1 or 2 of them working, even when busy, the others just seem to loiter around, attending to their zits, and get in the way completely oblivious to the fact that ques are forming with people waiting - one of my pet hates!!

Absolutely. 9 of them in the store, 2 working, the rest screwing off, reading magazines, sitting out front smoking or sitting down in an isle doing nothing.

I'm sure there must be a legit reason for having so many. This was a serious question.

..change to 7th Heaven..aka Pun Pun Restaurant..there are only three hard-working very pleasant staff there, including the boss..

[xen]

Thai businesses have always been this way and usually one one of the whole crew will do most of the work. I've always been told that work is supposed to be a social occasion and fun, so they need to be around a bunch of other people.

Farang run businesses try not to operate this way, so it is not as common as when I first got here, but these 7/11s sound like they are sticking with tradition

I have run Thai restaurants here in Sydney with my ex-wife and on numerous times i have had discussions as to why we had so many staff , especially on slow shifts and when they were often doing nothing either correctly or efficiently. The response was always that they are Thais and i don't understand. I think the worse thing is how they hang about having a good time in public view instead of even pretending to work. I do understand that they like to have a good time ,all the time, even when working. We even had complaints from a neighbouring property about how the staff were laughing too loudly (and probably shouting at each other in discussions if I know the Thais) when they were out the back preparing food . We had to build a soundproff barrier fence to stop the laughing drifting into the neighbour's world.

I think it comes down to they like to be together having a good time ,even when working . This is why they are always on the phone if they aren't in a group. They just need to be with other Thais.

Edited July 3, 2010 by xen

[Mighty Mouse]

........I think it was something like four employees for every million Baht invested.

Thank Goodness Dave from the Blues Factory didn't invest millions of baht into his business. Otherwise we'd have six or seven men massaging our shoulders when we pee, rather than just the one.

[Rimmer]

One post deleted, please note that discussion of moderation in the open forum is not allowed

[Asianrider]

How much is a 7-11 Franchise, and have other buyers experienced a decent return ?

[SurfRider]

.

"How much is a 7-11 Franchise"

Apparently it varies widely -- one source reports $156,000 to $710,000 in the USA -- Didn't find much on Thailand.

http://conveniencest...start-up-costs/

.

[LennyW]

.

"How much is a 7-11 Franchise"

Apparently it varies widely -- one source reports $156,000 to $710,000 in the USA -- Didn't find much on Thailand.

http://conveniencest...start-up-costs/

.

If i am reading this correctly, 1.5 Million Baht.

http://translate.goo...lz%3D1R2GPEA_en

[CHdiver]

I do not understand your question.

Did you not know that the Brand Name 7/11 means that they employ between 7 and 11 people in each Shop at any given opening hour? That's basic knowledge my friend.

[TheWalkingMan]

Yeah, I also always wondered why so many staff are working when most seem to be just standing around. The busiest person I ever saw was a kid about 10-12 years old dusting the products and sweeping the floor. Presumably he was attached to the owners of the store.

TheWalkingMan

[FarangBuddha]

The most frustrating bit is you only ever see 1 or 2 of them working, even when busy, the others just seem to loiter around, attending to their zits, and get in the way completely oblivious to the fact that ques are forming with people waiting - one of my pet hates!!

Another cranky fereng...why r u here?

7-11s on conveniently located on every corner with plenty of courteous [and often cute] staff (unlike most convenience stores back home which are staffed with non-native language speaking illegal immigrants and which you would never visit after 9 p.m. for fear of a robbery either being in progress or likely to occur while you are in there). Why do you care how many staff they employ at B5000 per month and gratuitous comments about Thais and their zits are not necessary!

Get a life or go back home!

[LennyW]

The most frustrating bit is you only ever see 1 or 2 of them working, even when busy, the others just seem to loiter around, attending to their zits, and get in the way completely oblivious to the fact that ques are forming with people waiting - one of my pet hates!!

Another cranky fereng...why r u here?

7-11s on conveniently located on every corner with plenty of courteous [and often cute] staff (unlike most convenience stores back home which are staffed with non-native language speaking illegal immigrants and which you would never visit after 9 p.m. for fear of a robbery either being in progress or likely to occur while you are in there). Why do you care how many staff they employ at B5000 per month and gratuitous comments about Thais and their zits are not necessary!

Get a life or go back home!

Me cranky - ha ha, i suggest you take a look at your post and see who the cranky one is - eejit !!, i guess you are not familiar with the term "pet hate"

[tgw]

Thai businesses have always been this way and usually one one of the whole crew will do most of the work. I've always been told that work is supposed to be a social occasion and fun, so they need to be around a bunch of other people.

Farang run businesses try not to operate this way, so it is not as common as when I first got here, but these 7/11s sound like they are sticking with tradition

I have run Thai restaurants here in Sydney with my ex-wife and on numerous times i have had discussions as to why we had so many staff , especially on slow shifts and when they were often doing nothing either correctly or efficiently. The response was always that they are Thais and i don't understand. I think the worse thing is how they hang about having a good time in public view instead of even pretending to work. I do understand that they like to have a good time ,all the time, even when working. We even had complaints from a neighbouring property about how the staff were laughing too loudly (and probably shouting at each other in discussions if I know the Thais) when they were out the back preparing food . We had to build a soundproff barrier fence to stop the laughing drifting into the neighbour's world.

I think it comes down to they like to be together having a good time ,even when working . This is why they are always on the phone if they aren't in a group. They just need to be with other Thais.

Yes...

I think it is just a different philosophy.

what's the pay of a Thai 7-11 worker?

I think with the pay of an Australian 7-11 worker in Australia, you can pay 10 Thais in Thailand.

It is just a matter of getting the work done and assigning a cost to it. In Thailand the cost is spread over more employees than in Australia and USA. Who cares?

Did anyone already think about the reason why most "jobs" in the West are slave work, while in Thailand people leave without notice by just not showing up?

"I think the worse thing is how they hang about having a good time in public view instead of even pretending to work."

Typical. Customers can't stand seeing other people having a good time. Think of them as being "off duty".

"We even had complaints from a neighbouring property about how the staff were laughing too loudly"

perfect illustration of how decadent western world has become. the seniors rule, and they want silence. death. the grave is not far.

"I think it comes down to they like to be together having a good time ,even when working . This is why they are always on the phone if they aren't in a group. They just need to be with other Thais."

Yes, work must be "Sanook" too.

Frankly, I prefer their way.