Number Of Staff In Thai Shops

[Kf6vci]

Stockkeeping is another issue at TESCO LOTUS Rangsit, near future Park Rangsit. Over the years, i've noticed whoever buys cigarettes loves shades of green (Menthol) and L&M Blue Ice. They had about 50 Menthol cartons with few people smoke while constantly running out of the more popular red ones.

To speak up and say "Help, i don't have a clue" is un-Thai. Like when you ask if this bus goes to XY. Nods, smiles and then it's wrong as prohibition!

Sometimes, a shop is pretending to be busy rather than deal with a paying customer.

It's painful to see so many small enterprises fail. But then, have they heard of a marketing plan? DIY washing machine place # 7 within 500 meters? Check. Coffee shop # 4? Mini stores with a 7-11 nearby? Yep, but they will close soon. The same applies to eateries paying high rents and not being able to have a single profitable day, ever.

Many landlords accept vacancies for years and do NOT react by adjusting their rent or trying marketing schemes like a free month. Likewise when someone needs to sell a property. Some calculate how much they want or need - they ignore FMV and prefer getting foreclosed upon versus adjusting to market demand.

[Briggsy]

It is the Thai way.

[ignis]

In the UK it is always customers that block your way by stopping and chatting to each other, here it is the staff they always appear to be in groups in the way chatting..

Last week there were 5 customers looking in the Fax/printer section, at the end there were 14 staff all watching TV.!!

Also noticed over the the years the staff here only appear to fill the shelves when the stores have lots of customers.

Always appear odd that at some very busy counters there is only 1 staff, fresh meat, cooked meats, fresh veg, bakery, at all these counters have never seen more than 1 staff in Big C, Carrefour and Tesco Lotus... Walk past the electrical section if you just happen to stop 2+ staff will suddenly be at your side. even worse at the car accessories section

[Eman]

I see the same thing here in Japan where I live...

I always thought it was so the government could report low unemployment figures

[Heng]

Even more puzzling are the shops that never seem to have customers, yet keep going for years. There is a coffee shop on Pattaya's Walking Street, been open for as long as I can remember, yet I've only seen 2 customers in there the whole time.

I have some friends who have a similar shop on Walking Street that sells general goods/gifts/toys, etc. Hardly any customers in there at all. But they also have a stack of chanotes about the size of a ream of paper and pull in 25+ million a month in rental income. They sure don't know how to run a business, I wish someone would set them straight as that gift shop is surely doomed to go 'out of business.'

[wintermute]

Even more puzzling are the shops that never seem to have customers, yet keep going for years. There is a coffee shop on Pattaya's Walking Street, been open for as long as I can remember, yet I've only seen 2 customers in there the whole time.

I have some friends who have a similar shop on Walking Street that sells general goods/gifts/toys, etc. Hardly any customers in there at all. But they also have a stack of chanotes about the size of a ream of paper and pull in 25+ million a month in rental income. They sure don't know how to run a business, I wish someone would set them straight as that gift shop is surely doomed to go 'out of business.'

I'd go even so far as to say that 50% of the profitable big businesses in Thailand (especially supermarkets) make their money through real estate leasing and selling schemes. It's kind of like McDonalds and real estate..most of their real net worth is property based.

Edited July 13, 2010 by wintermute

[andyww]

I vastly prefer shopping in Thailand to in the UK.

Compare buying a pair of trousers:

UK: Cant find the correct size owing to poor stocking, try to find assistant. Eventually corner one who has been deliberately trying to avoid eye contact. Ask her if they have this pair in a 34 waist. Answer: "Nah if its not on the rack we dont have it".

Thailand: Choose a pair, which usually is in stock in the right size (and they do sizes in 1 inch increments not 2 inch), Assistant shows to the changing room. Try it on, maybe want to try another size. Assistant finds the other size and brings to changing room. Select the best one, assistant shows you to the cashier. Cashier deals with payment then hands the bag to you with a smile rather than throw it on the counter.

In addition to all this, Central will do on the spot alterations which is great.

[Richb2004v2]

Also noticed over the the years the staff here only appear to fill the shelves when the stores have lots of customers.

Yes, my local TESCO seem to do the majority of their restocking on Sunday which seems to be when the shop is absolutely packed with customers.

Today whilst the shop was quite busy a team of staff attempted to lay a huge adhesive advertisement to the floor, directly in front of the shop entrance and by the trolley park.

[IanForbes]

I like taking all those cule little assistants into the changing room with me while I try on the different slacks. All the giggling is fun. :lol:

[Tonto21]

I like taking all those cule little assistants into the changing room with me while I try on the different slacks. All the giggling is fun. :lol:

Nice one Ian, Must give that a go………………. With the cute little assistants……….Not you Ian, (No offence) ha ha

[sanook2me]

If you want overkill - get to Central Pinklao and go to Boots chemist downstairs.

They are currently renovating the bigger Boots chemist so all the staff have just been moved to the smaller unit

I went there today and its like a labyrinth trying to walk around 4 aisles as there are two staff members in each aisle

This place makes me laugh.....

[Tod Daniels]

As cheap as labor is here (with the official minimum wage in Bangkok at 192 baht per DAY) and with most places (especially small shops) not paying social security tax, the overall hourly or daily wage can be quite low, especially if it's on a commission or tips basis. It's no wonder small shops and even larger ones are so staff heavy .

I used to wonder why most service staff here seems to be so anti-customer service . Then I realized, if you ‘dumb yourself down’ to expecting nothing from ANY service staff here no matter where they work; every once in a while they (the staff) will meet or exceed expectations !

Factor in the extreme reticence these people seem to have in speaking engrish and you’ve got a perfect recipe for lackadaisical customer service.

Conversely, while they are still over staffed at more medium to upscale shops; I hate that they shadow your every move in hopes of a sale . (It's disconcerting having an ever smiling, yet diminutive thai following me around the shop as I browse ).

[samran]

high staff turnover and absenteeism in Thailand for these types of jobs mean that it is easier to overstaff and ensure that someone turns up to work, rather than having a bunch of 'no show's' ruin your day.

At 180 baht (3 quid, 6 bucks) per worker per day, over staffing isn't going to hurt your bottom line.

Now following that moment of clarity and logic, back to other whinging posters....

[elwood]

high staff turnover and absenteeism in Thailand for these types of jobs mean that it is easier to overstaff and ensure that someone turns up to work, rather than having a bunch of 'no show's' ruin your day.

At 180 baht (3 quid, 6 bucks) per worker per day, over staffing isn't going to hurt your bottom line.

Now following that moment of clarity and logic, back to other whinging posters....

You should be ashamed of yourself, coming up with reasonable comments. Don't you know that this forum prefers anti-Thai whinging?

[Richb2004v2]

I hate that they shadow your every move in hopes of a sale . (It's disconcerting having an ever smiling, yet diminutive thai following me around the shop as I browse ).

Yeah, but it's not as bad as when you go to a restaurant and there are no other customers. Then you can have 2 or 3 staff stood 3 feet from the table the whole time staring right through the meal.

[Loz]

So it seems, if you were some ZERO back home, you enjoy the new found attention, even though its not actually helpful. If you were normal and capable of attracting the attention of staff on the odd occasion that you required assistance, you find some doughnut standing, staring at you and unable to answer the most basic questions even when presented in painstaking well researched Thai language quite irksome.

If they offered any real help I'd say that is ok. but to come stand there.... Well, I learned a great little phrase. It translates to, "If you come and stand near me, does it get cheaper?" at which point they smile, try to process the implication and then when I move away, they don't follow. doughnuts!!! the lot of them! WOrse still, when they want to be your friend, so when ever you go in the shop you have to greet a thousand grinning eeejots just to look at a frickin' golf glove or whatever!

Good service is my book BEGINS with knowing WHEN to serve.

It is a pitiful omission in the training (ha!! that's funny innit!) of most, if not all staff.

If you pay peanuts... :huh:

[Jingthing]

I have always assumed the too many staff following around thing was something that Hiso Thais think is a desirable thing. Compare Boots (more Hiso) to Watsons (more Loso) and notice the difference. Sadly I like the products in Boots better. I hate the toadies following me around there!

[DMC1]

"Always appear odd that at some very busy counters there is only 1 staff, fresh meat, cooked meats, fresh veg, bakery, at all these counters have never seen more than 1 staff in Big C, Carrefour and Tesco Lotus... Walk past the electrical section if you just happen to stop 2+ staff will suddenly be at your side. even worse at the car accessories section"

Yes you have to be careful near the car accessories section as the guy will be all over you like a cheap pattaya suit with the latest bottle of silicone/waxy stuff. Don't even look down this aisle on the way past or even dare to look out of the corner of your eye - he will smell you, smell the commission.

[yabaaaa]

99% of these shops make all their money at weekends thats why mid week you see them wandering aimlessly around.

[DP25]

Always appear odd that at some very busy counters there is only 1 staff, fresh meat, cooked meats, fresh veg, bakery, at all these counters have never seen more than 1 staff in Big C, Carrefour and Tesco Lotus... Walk past the electrical section if you just happen to stop 2+ staff will suddenly be at your side. even worse at the car accessories section

Electronics and car parts are big ticket items with lots of profit, so they want lots of people there. Half a kilo of bologna from the deli counter is not.

[Loz]

In Summary, we have different priorities.

I suspect the OP, like myself, thinks that staff should be there to help the customer when required, in order to make "the right" purchase.

I asked a woman to explain the Edge modem in an IT shop. she looked at me with a grin and pointed at the price. I asked her again if she knew how it worked. she showed me the price. I then asked if there was someone else who knew as two other girls were nearby giggling. They all said they don't know. and one girl said, " Stupid " pointing at herself and laughing while the others grinned. I took five steps to the shop next door and with 2 questions (which were answered with painstaking honesty - as he could have sold me the higher ticket item but it wouldn't have worked in Korat!) I made the purchase and faith was restored that some Thai to understand the concept of customer service. I suspect however at the second shop I dealt with the owner, judging by the way others around him behaved.

Nobody really got off the plane here expecting to meet rocket scientists and mensa candidates on every corner did they?

[Travel2003]

high staff turnover and absenteeism in Thailand for these types of jobs mean that it is easier to overstaff and ensure that someone turns up to work, rather than having a bunch of 'no show's' ruin your day.

At 180 baht (3 quid, 6 bucks) per worker per day, over staffing isn't going to hurt your bottom line.

Now following that moment of clarity and logic, back to other whinging posters....

So true.

Also, the enployer/employee relationship goes 2-ways.

Sometimes the employees are just told to not come back (no job security at all), and sometimes the employees just dont even bother to tell that they quit (not showing up).

For those of you annoyed by staff following you.

Maybe you should stop shop lifting.

I normally try to smile and nod to the various people and customers whenever I buy stuff, which actually seems to help with the service I receive.