Mityon Pattaya Not Ferang Friendly!?

[media]

Just decided to buy a scooter/motorbike to save the wife using the car just to go to seven eleven or buy somtam

So today I went to Mityon Pattaya to buy the new bike. (junction south pattaya/3rd road)

Its a large dealer, loads of bikes, seems like they have every brand covered.

I walked around for 10 minutes but nobody came to speak to me.

I went to cusomer service counter, asked if anybody can serve me.

I waited 5 more minutes, loads of staff there but they only seamed to want to serve Thai people.

In the end I went back to the customer service counter and told them that Ive wasted 15-20 mins to try and buy a new bike and that I am leaving to go somewhere else that actually wants to sell me a bike.

as i was walking out a young girl from sales finally came but by that time I was angry & frustrated, why should they treat me like this I am the customer why should I have to chase and beg to be served?? so I told her too late im off.

Anyone else had the same treatment?

Can anyone recommend a Motorbike/dealer that is ferang friendly????

[gmac]

Think you caught them on a bad day. I have bought my last 3 bikes there and never had a problem getting served.

[Briggsy]

We've had had threads similar to this in the past.

When we go out to spend say 50,000 Baht we expect to be treated, well, a bit special. I know I do.

Car and bike showrooms, unfortunately, get a lot of people just wandering around, time-wasters, in other words. The staff often have a tendency to leave people alone.

So, you wanted to be treated like a special customer whilst the staff thought you were just another Pattaya bum wandering about the showroom.

Result = You became offended.

I went into the Honda showroom with a realistic intention of buying a CR-V (1.2 million Baht). 2 young disinterested girls working there. One told me to wait whilst she continued an inconsequential conversation with some bloke about what they were planning to do that night. I too felt offended. I moved to put my enquiries to the other member of staff and the one on the phone groaned loudly in disapproval at my not waiting for her to finish chatting.

Action required = You need to be proactive. Have your questions ready. Note it all down/Take a brochure or price list. Come back with the cash if you want to buy.

[Briggsy]

I bought my last bike from a Mityon branch not the Head Office. I would not use them again. I might use Yanyon in Sri Racha.

Though to be honest, the dealer does not do much except deliver the bike. One is pretty much the same as any other.

[Bung]

Similar in Niyom Panich CM. I went to pick up my bike and had a envelope full of cash ready. The guy started serving me then a Thai guy walked in, said something to him and he was off showing him around a scooter leaving me sitting there waiting to buy my bike. he could have easily asked anothe rstaff member to assist him, there are always plenty standing around.

Also, you can stand around there for 20 minutes obviously waiting to get served and no one will bat an eyelid. You go to ask for service and they crap themselves, shuffle papers and look for someone else they can palm you off to. I speak enough Thai to get by.

I found the smaller Honda dealer on Huey Gaew rd much better.

[media]

I will never go back to Mityon Pattaya. They could be sitting now with 89.000 baht of my money in their till

all they had to do was serve me.

lets face it, forcing a customer to beg to be served, & to wait 20 mins for nothing and for him to leave the building Angry and Frustrated is a complete FAIL and Disaster on the part of Mityon Pattaya.

The bottom line sadly is they dont give a sh_t anyway.

I would love to get 5 mins in front of the owner and tell him what a failure his staff are.

[LennyW]

I think Briggsy hit the nail on the head - far too many time wasters about who just want to wander around showrooms wasting staff time, not you in this instance but may help explain the level of attention you received. Unfortunately this scenario is not unique to Mityon.

[guzzi850m2]

I bought my PCX150 at a dealer in Bowin: Asia City Motor Company- Honda (app 25-30km from Pattaya). Roughly 7000 bath cheaper and very friendly staff but only 1 or 2 can speak English.

They brought the bike to my house in Patts. for free.

I don't know why they are so rude here in Pattaya, maybe they learnt from the customers

Edited October 11, 2012 by guzzi850m2

[Phil Conners]

It's been discussed often before. For both bikes and cars you can usually get a much better deal by going a little out of Pattaya, for example Chonburi or Rayong.

[apetley]

I think Briggsy hit the nail on the head - far too many time wasters about who just want to wander around showrooms wasting staff time, not you in this instance but may help explain the level of attention you received. Unfortunately this scenario is not unique to Mityon.

More likely the reason is untrained staff who have little or no interest in the product and are simply there to wallow in the luxury of an ac showroom and be paid 250-300 bht a day at the same time.

[Ohyesuare]

Do they get commission for selling the bikes? I recently bought a scooter from the Mityon on Pattaya Klang across from Big C Extra, the service was really slow and I went in with a Thai friend who they only addressed and ignored me. Just an observation but the staff seemed to consist mostly of ladyboys and Tom's. I did end up driving out of there about 20-30 mins later with my new scooter though, is it normal that it takes a week to get your green book?

[gerry53]

I will never go back to Mityon Pattaya. They could be sitting now with 89.000 baht of my money in their till

all they had to do was serve me.

lets face it, forcing a customer to beg to be served, & to wait 20 mins for nothing and for him to leave the building Angry and Frustrated is a complete FAIL and Disaster on the part of Mityon Pattaya.

The bottom line sadly is they dont give a sh_t anyway.

I would love to get 5 mins in front of the owner and tell him what a failure his staff are.

I sympathize with you about customer relations and service but if you are going to be here longterm you have to get over it to survive here. I had no better luck at the Theppisit Rd Mityon dealer where they did a custom seat on my new PCX I purchased from them, they then changed the price (higher of course). As far a farang friendly dealer I just purchased a new 150 PCX at MaiThai motorcycles on Soi Bukhoa for 76,000 baht with some extras thrown in.

[black fox]

IVE bought several bikes from mityon pattaya thai soi boukow branch and always had very good service but i did once go into the one corner of third rd and was totall ig nored so walked out.

[ericg1953]

Alot of the thais working in these shops dont speak english and if its just a little they are very shy to talk. So they just avoid the whole issue by not going over to the foreigner. I realize it makes people frustrated, but its that way everywhere in Thailand. I am used to it as part of the thai way and just work around it...not that big of a deal to me. If you took time to learn a little thai it would go a long way.

Edited October 11, 2012 by ericg1953

[Semper]

Just decided to buy a scooter/motorbike to save the wife using the car just to go to seven eleven or buy somtam

That'll be a very expensive somtam.

[chris2004]

Mityon is no different to any other shop/restaurant in Thailand. Customer service is crap everywhere so don't be offended.

[ArNaSu]

Yes had a similar experience with that branch of Mityon. I ended up going through with the purchase and buying a cbr150 which I ended up hating and selling cheap to a motorbike taxi driver. Anyway if I remember right they didn't really want to serve me either, while I was talking to the sales staff they were more interested in selling someone else who would just walk in a honda sticker or some such. In the end I said look I will give you cash now to buy this motorbike. That didn't make them happy either. Cannot display only, I did order one and got it a few days or a week later but it seemed like they were doing me a special favour.

[Asiantravel]

Mityon is no different to any other shop/restaurant in Thailand. Customer service is crap everywhere so don't be offended.

I have had exactly the same kind of experiences at Power Buy, home pro ( as opposed to home works who give excellent service always ) and even Big C .

Edited October 12, 2012 by Asiantravel

[Lancelot]

It's been discussed often before. For both bikes and cars you can usually get a much better deal by going a little out of Pattaya, for example Chonburi or Rayong.

I agree. Everty time I leave Pattaya, I always notice how the Thais seem more polite. Pattaya is unique, a major tourist destination where someof the locals and tourists alike are not always on their best behaviour.

Try doing it Thai style, tell them what you want. I always notice that the Thais tell staff what they want/looking for even if the employee is busy serving another customer. (But I understand not wanting to do this and I feel a bit sheepish doing it myself)

I was in that Mityon dealership about one month ago, looking at a CBR 250 and I was immediately waited on. Three weeks later, I had bought a used bike and went to the Mityon Service shop on Second Road and Soi Linkee (?) asking about a new chain and sprocket set. The girl at the service desk was busy chatting on her smart phone and ignored me, even when I politely asked for her help. So I walked out. My point being some times service in Thailand is good and sometimes its non existant. The good thing is that there are so many duplicate businesses that if one shop acts rude, there are plenty more that seem to want my business.

Good luck to the OP in purchasing yoru bike

[balo]

Just smile and they will smile back at you.

Always works.

[yankee99]

It's been discussed often before. For both bikes and cars you can usually get a much better deal by going a little out of Pattaya, for example Chonburi or Rayong.

I have seen these posts before with names and numbers. Everytime i followed up there was no worthwhile savings. fyi scooters under 60,000 baht

[yankee99]

I have never had a issue with mityon. Purchased 5 bikes through them and have been treated well. I will say that we (falangs) are very very small part of their business. At lease at the pattaya tai dealership.

I went to get my green book and forgot the date of my purchase. The lady at the back desk let me go through the years sale book with plate, insurance and green books. All falang names are written in english so its easy to spot the amount of falang customers. They/we are far and few between.

This is no excuse to be ignored but this can happen anywhere.

[marstons]

I bought my PCX150 at a dealer in Bowin: Asia City Motor Company- Honda (app 25-30km from Pattaya). Roughly 7000 bath cheaper and very friendly staff but only 1 or 2 can speak English.

They brought the bike to my house in Patts. for free.

I don't know why they are so rude here in Pattaya, maybe they learnt from the customers

i did exactly same cheaper bikes, friendly helpful and free delivery to Pattaya area. I would never go to Mityon again, every time they screw up, dont even have a guage on th eairline and put 70lbs in my tyre on a service. One time told me they had a part, come back in 2 hours i did and they never had the part. The kawasaki branch i went ot buy a Er6n and the sales man sat there literning to his i pod, all second hand bikes on the front were dirty.

Bowin 4 Asia City dealers or Si Racha.

[yankee99]

I bought my PCX150 at a dealer in Bowin: Asia City Motor Company- Honda (app 25-30km from Pattaya). Roughly 7000 bath cheaper and very friendly staff but only 1 or 2 can speak English.

They brought the bike to my house in Patts. for free.

I don't know why they are so rude here in Pattaya, maybe they learnt from the customers

i did exactly same cheaper bikes, friendly helpful and free delivery to Pattaya area. I would never go to Mityon again, every time they screw up, dont even have a guage on th eairline and put 70lbs in my tyre on a service. One time told me they had a part, come back in 2 hours i did and they never had the part. The kawasaki branch i went ot buy a Er6n and the sales man sat there literning to his i pod, all second hand bikes on the front were dirty.

Bowin 4 Asia City dealers or Si Racha.

Three weeks ago kawasaki big bikes has a guage intergrated in their air hose. Maybe they lost it since?

Mityons service center on third rd and soi lengee also had air guages?

[cbrer]

They're probably tired of dealing with impatient, ignorant and rude Westerners.

[cbrer]

Three weeks ago kawasaki big bikes has a guage intergrated in their air hose.

Asia eh!

What did the Kawasaki trained big bike specilists do before that? kick the tyre to see how much their rubber flip flop rebounded?

Edited October 12, 2012 by cbrer

[tropo]

I would consider that store customer friendly because I hate staff following me around. It's a good place to have a look at all the new models without being pestered. Check the models out and then when you see one you like, get the price and order one somewhere else.

I would guess they've had a lot of annoyances with Farang in the past who just wanted to be left alone to look around, now they've gone a bit far and totally ignore them.

There's too many places to buy motorcycles here to let this phase you. Go to a small shop which will appreciate your business and order the model and colour you want. You have to consider follow up service, which is more important than the sales service.

Edited October 12, 2012 by tropo

[tropo]

My point being some times service in Thailand is good and sometimes its non existant. The good thing is that there are so many duplicate businesses that if one shop acts rude, there are plenty more that seem to want my business.

Good luck to the OP in purchasing yoru bike

In a big shop you're dealing with salaried staff who don't care and they don't make any more if they sell more bikes. You need to go to a small shop where the owner is selling the bikes.

If I want to see new models I always go to that Mityon store for a browse. I can look around for 30 minutes and never be disturbed. It's great! I've never considered actually buying a bike there though. That wouldn't make sense because you need after service. I'm surprised anyone buys there. Why do they?

Edited October 12, 2012 by tropo

[monty]

Strange that nobody thought of the obvious reason!

In a town like Pattaya with a massive amount of relatively low income earners, the majority of motorbikes are sold on finance.

I guess most of you have seen the silly amounts they charge, where a 50,000 Baht bike ends up costing around 85,000 - 90,000 Baht with a 3 year finance plan.

The staff/shop gets a big commission out of that finance.

Pretty much all foreigners pay cash, resulting in way less commision/profit.

Hence they prefer to serve Thais, simple economics!

Sent from my GT-I9001 using Thaivisa Connect App

[Lancelot]

My point being some times service in Thailand is good and sometimes its non existant. The good thing is that there are so many duplicate businesses that if one shop acts rude, there are plenty more that seem to want my business.

Good luck to the OP in purchasing yoru bike

In a big shop you're dealing with salaried staff who don't care and they don't make any more if they sell more bikes. You need to go to a small shop where the owner is selling the bikes.

If I want to see new models I always go to that Mityon store for a browse. I can look around for 30 minutes and never be disturbed. It's great! I've never considered actually buying a bike there though. That wouldn't make sense because you need after service. I'm surprised anyone buys there. Why do they?

You misread my post. When I was just looking at the CBR 250, staff waited on me immediately. When I wanted to buy a chain at a different Mityon, the girl was busy playing with her smart phone and ignored me.