Good Service By A Home Pro Clerk

[bonobo]

There is an ongoing theme running in ThaiVisa that Thai store clerks are somehow incompetent and either don't care or don't have the brains to do their job.  And sure, I have met some clueless clerks, just as I have met them worldwide.  But the level of service I received at the Rama III HomePro was outstanding.

I have had an ongoing problem with a light fixture at my home, and i got tired of standing on a chair to jiggle the light each time I wanted it to go on.  So I finally removed the entire fixture and went to HomePro to get a new one.  A very petite, early 20's something woman came up to help me as I was browsing the light fixtures to make a match. With my horrible Thai, I was able to get across that i needed a new fixture.  She seemed to disagree.  She took my fixture, stripped some wires, and stuck them in an outlet to show me it worked fine.  She got across that the wires were bad, not the fixture.  She then took me to the wire section where she apologized that I had to pay for a meter, and since I wanted two different colors, I had to buy two meters total.  

She showed me where to attach the wires, and when I told her I didn't have such a small Phillips-head screwdriver, she stripped the ends of the wires and did the connection herself.  She threw in two small connectors for the other side of the wire so i could connect them when I got back home.

All told, she spent about 20 minutes with me.  She could have just steered me to the fixtures and be done with me.  It would have been easier.  But she struggled through the communications to make sure I had the correct solution.

And my total charge?  18 baht.

This thread may not be of much interest to many members, but with the usual castigation of Thai store clerks, I had to give an example that yes, Thais can and do perform their jobs well.

(I have the clerk's name, and I want to get that to the store manager as soon as I figure out how to do that.)

[bkkjames]

The Home Pro Plus staff at Ploenchit are good as well. 

[angiud]

Mmm, long time customer both Suratthani and Samui HomePro, I always found the clerks average to good and the service good (to be in Thailand).

No complains and in the years I've spent handsome money there.

[robblok]

Its good to read, i mean good service should be rewarded. There are always things that others are better in then we. So just accept their expertise (unless your sure its wrong). I have always been helped good in the home pro.

[Berkshire]

Thanks, bonobo, for sharing. I suspect this goes on quite frequently, but we just don't talk about it much. The boo-birds would rather hear about how a farang has been scammed or received bad service from incompetent/uninterested clerks. I too have been the "victim" of exceptional service, whether in a car repair shop or in a restaurant or at my dentist's office. More often than not. This despite the notoriously low wages some of these folks earn.

Edited August 4, 2010 by Berkshire

[bkkjames]

Thanks for sharing.  I suspect this goes on quite frequently, but we just don't talk about it much.  The boo-birds would rather hear about how a farang has been scammed or received bad service from incompetent/uninterested clerks.  I too have been the "victim" of exceptional service, whether in a car repair shop or in a restaurant or at my dentist's office.  More often than not.  This despite the notoriously low wages some of these folks earn.

Here you go again Berk. Someone starts a positive thread and you need to weigh in with your standard reply. One might consider it trolling but I guess you just think it's not being a (to use your words) pr*ck to do so.

Question. Do you think low wages make a difference to the level of service received? 

[robblok]

Thanks for sharing.  I suspect this goes on quite frequently, but we just don't talk about it much.  The boo-birds would rather hear about how a farang has been scammed or received bad service from incompetent/uninterested clerks.  I too have been the "victim" of exceptional service, whether in a car repair shop or in a restaurant or at my dentist's office.  More often than not.  This despite the notoriously low wages some of these folks earn.

Here you go again Berk. Someone starts a positive thread and you need to weigh in with your standard reply. One might consider it trolling but I guess you just think it's not being a (to use your words) pr*ck to do so.

Question. Do you think low wages make a difference to the level of service received? 

wow James i agree with you whole heatedly about Berk.

[Berkshire]

Thanks for sharing. I suspect this goes on quite frequently, but we just don't talk about it much. The boo-birds would rather hear about how a farang has been scammed or received bad service from incompetent/uninterested clerks. I too have been the "victim" of exceptional service, whether in a car repair shop or in a restaurant or at my dentist's office. More often than not. This despite the notoriously low wages some of these folks earn.

Here you go again Berk. Someone starts a positive thread and you need to weigh in with your standard reply. One might consider it trolling but I guess you just think it's not being a (to use your words) pr*ck to do so.

Question. Do you think low wages make a difference to the level of service received?

"Standard" reply? I thought I was rather positive. As for the wages, of course pay could have an impact on an employee's productivity, morale, attitude, etc. But it's more about "perceived" level of pay equity. I find that a McDonald's employee in Thailand generally has a better attitude than, say, a McDonald's employee in the US. Whether it's about pay or training or something else, I'm not sure. That last sentence was just an observation with no scientific evidence to support it. I didn't realize my comments were being dissected at this level. But no prob....good question.

[bkkjames]

Thanks for sharing.  I suspect this goes on quite frequently, but we just don't talk about it much.  The boo-birds would rather hear about how a farang has been scammed or received bad service from incompetent/uninterested clerks.  I too have been the "victim" of exceptional service, whether in a car repair shop or in a restaurant or at my dentist's office.  More often than not.  This despite the notoriously low wages some of these folks earn.

Here you go again Berk. Someone starts a positive thread and you need to weigh in with your standard reply. One might consider it trolling but I guess you just think it's not being a (to use your words) pr*ck to do so.

Question. Do you think low wages make a difference to the level of service received?

"Standard" reply?  I thought I was rather positive.  As for the wages, of course pay could have an impact on an employee's productivity, morale, attitude, etc.  But it's more about "perceived" level of pay equity.  I find that a McDonald's employee in Thailand generally has a better attitude than, say, a McDonald's employee in the US.  Whether it's about pay or training or something else, I'm not sure.  That last sentence was just an observation with no scientific evidence to support it.  I didn't realize my comments were being dissected at this level.  But no prob....good question.

Without getting scientific Berk, I can estimate that in other topics that contained 'thai complaints', you tended to label those who did complain as **** on at least 5 or 6 occasions. This isnt' a boo-bird thread despite your original post which aimed to drag up your ongoing pet peeve.

Anyways back on topic here, wage has nothing to do with quality of service. I have had fantastic service from food sellers on the street and crappy service from high end restaurants with better paid staff - wage isn't the issue.

[yermanee]

quote :

All told, she spent about 20 minutes with me. She could have just steered me to the fixtures and be done with me. It would have been easier. But she struggled through the communications to make sure I had the correct solution.

unquote

Hi Bonobo,

It has been my experience in the 25 years living in Thailand, that the girls are a lot more service minded than the boys, (and no I don't mean THAT.)

I have had a lot more positive than negative experiences, dealing with Thais in general even without speaking the language perfectly.

A lot depends on your own general attitude and dress code.

cheers

yermanee

[Berkshire]

Without getting scientific Berk, I can estimate that in other topics that contained 'thai complaints', you tended to label those who did complain as **** on at least 5 or 6 occasions. This isnt' a boo-bird thread despite your original post which aimed to drag up your ongoing pet peeve.

Anyways back on topic here, wage has nothing to do with quality of service. I have had fantastic service from food sellers on the street and crappy service from high end restaurants with better paid staff - wage isn't the issue.

Regarding the pet peeve issue, yes, guilty as charged. I do have a low tolerance level for whiners of a certain sort.

But as for the wage, we'll have to agree to disagree. If wage didn't matter, then companies can just pay the lowest wage legally allowed, all the time, correct? It IS an issue, and a big one. It may have more of an effect on, say, turnover and morale, but it can impact customer service as well. As for your examples--the higher end restaurants don't pay their staff much more than the mom and pop (in many cases), while the food sellers on the street probably own their business. My guess on those two examples, anyhow....

[bkkjames]

Without getting scientific Berk, I can estimate that in other topics that contained 'thai complaints', you tended to label those who did complain as **** on at least 5 or 6 occasions. This isnt' a boo-bird thread despite your original post which aimed to drag up your ongoing pet peeve.

Anyways back on topic here, wage has nothing to do with quality of service. I have had fantastic service from food sellers on the street and crappy service from high end restaurants with better paid staff - wage isn't the issue.

Regarding the pet peeve issue, yes, guilty as charged.  I do have a low tolerance level for whiners of a certain sort.

But as for the wage, we'll have to agree to disagree.  If wage didn't matter, then companies can just pay the lowest wage legally allowed, all the time, correct?  It IS an issue, and a big one.  It may have more of an effect on, say, turnover and morale, but it can impact customer service as well.  As for your examples--the higher end restaurants don't pay their staff much more than the mom and pop (in many cases), while the food sellers on the street probably own their business.  My guess on those two examples, anyhow....

Last time I checked Berk, nobody forced those good staff to go work at Home Pro. I have some well paid (by local standards) staff who think because daddy paid their way into Mr. Big University, that they don't do 'service' and their work quality is generally substandard compared to regional counterparts. More to do with apathy than ability if I was to be honest.

Meanwhile,  most of the lower paid - less highly educated staff in the office are better workers, yes they take a little more work at the beginning to get them trained up, but overall are much more 1) reliable 2) motivated and 3) considerate. Why, cause they can't quite their job and run back to daddy to say I want to go back to Uni when things get tough.

[robblok]

Regarding the pet peeve issue, yes, guilty as charged. I do have a low tolerance level for whiners of a certain sort.

But as for the wage, we'll have to agree to disagree. If wage didn't matter, then companies can just pay the lowest wage legally allowed, all the time, correct? It IS an issue, and a big one. It may have more of an effect on, say, turnover and morale, but it can impact customer service as well. As for your examples--the higher end restaurants don't pay their staff much more than the mom and pop (in many cases), while the food sellers on the street probably own their business. My guess on those two examples, anyhow....

Wage does matter a bit but it does not make someone more motivated. If your lazy normally getting more money would not make you work harder.

I do know that now i work for myself i'm a lot more motivated then before because every dime i make is mine. However this does not mean that paying more equals motivated staff. It depends on the person and if you have a good one just pay him more. Dont start paying high right away because you can get lazy buggers then who are not motivated because they know how much they get. They should get motivated if they know that by working harder they get more.

[Berkshire]

Last time I checked Berk, nobody forced those good staff to go work at Home Pro. I have some well paid (by local standards) staff who think because daddy paid their way into Mr. Big University, that they don't do 'service' and their work quality is generally substandard compared to regional counterparts. More to do with apathy than ability if I was to be honest.

Meanwhile, most of the lower paid - less highly educated staff in the office are better workers, yes they take a little more work at the beginning to get them trained up, but overall are much more 1) reliable 2) motivated and 3) considerate. Why, cause they can't quite their job and run back to daddy to say I want to go back to Uni when things get tough.

Again, agree to disagree. I actually know a little bit about this topic, but I'm not going to beat this thing to death. "Perception" of pay equity is the key. A migrant worker from Mexico, working in the fields on some US farm, and making $20/day, may be more satisfied with his job than a union guy making $40/hour. As for other examples--I've seen wealthy "daddy's son" here in Thailand who works his a** off to do his job, while some low level employee from the provinces, who should be thankful she has a job, saddled with a piss poor attitude. Depends on a lot of things. But I stand by my belief that if you want a good, productive, loyal, and dedicated employee, you have to pay him/her a fair wage.

[angiud]

Can we just go back the original topic?

GOOD SERVICE BY A HOMEPRO CLERK

Kaap kun kap

[Berkshire]

Can we just go back the original topic?

GOOD SERVICE BY A HOMEPRO CLERK

Kaap kun kap

Point taken. Just replying to some comments directed at yours truly.

[moondancer]

Another good example of great service / Thai kindness.

I was in a cab and realised the smallest note I got was THB 1,000. So I got the cab to stop outside a Family Mart store in Silom & I went in to break the B1,000 note by buying a bottle of mineral water. The cashier took one look at the note and said he cannot make change. I insisted saying I really wanted to buy the water. To my surprise, the cashier took out B15 from his own pocket to pay for me. I declined his kind offer and left. Went across the street and withdraw from the ATM. Used a THB 100 note to pay the cabbie.

[Lumumba]

A friend of mine, was already half way up the ramp of a highway toll booth in Bangkok, and realized he left his wallet at home, so he removed his seat belt and was frantically searching for his wallet , a cop sighted him near the toll as he approached and stopped him for not buckling up, then asked for his license , he told him he just unbuckled to search for his wallet and can not pay the toll fees even, and cars were already lined up behind him. The cop whipped out B40 from his pocket, gave it him and told him to beat it.

[The Professor]

Home Pro has always had great service whatever branch I've gone to (plonechit and lat prow). they is good. just watch the scammers who work for the hiso fan companies inside the store

[moe666]

Thais get a bad rep about customer service. Went to a Lowes were I live (US) and waited for 30 min. and no service at window department on my way out told cashier your window department missed out on a 2,000dollar sale, she asked can I get manager sorry honey I only wait so long to spend money.

[robblok]

A friend of mine, was already half way up the ramp of a highway toll booth in Bangkok, and realized he left his wallet at home, so he removed his seat belt and was frantically searching for his wallet , a cop sighted him near the toll as he approached and stopped him for not buckling up, then asked for his license , he told him he just unbuckled to search for his wallet and can not pay the toll fees even, and cars were already lined up behind him. The cop whipped out B40 from his pocket, gave it him and told him to beat it.

That is a great story.. Im sure not all Thai are bad im even sure the majority is good. Just good to hear stories like that.

[Peterbigeyes]

I'I have more bad experience than good ones so I am happy for you dude