Home Pro Chalong, this place drives me insane

[IrishIvan]

I come in today to buy 4 items. Wall fans and some cupboards I walk straight to the back left hand side. Pick them out, tell the staff and walk straight to the cashier. I have the correct money and a map to my house printed out. It still takes 30 minutes.

What is it with the absolute head scratching muppets in this place? Are they straight out of the Burmese Jungle? I mean it is the most over staffed place on the planet, but the service speed makes a South American sloth look like 'The Flash'. The standard time for the head scratching and bin stamping is never ever less than 30mins.

[hansgruber]

How many calculators were involved? Any less than 3 and the transaction is void.

[IrishIvan]

How many calculators were involved? Any less than 3 and the transaction is void.

At least 7. The map was being looked at upsidown. Even though it's written in Thai and English. I am getting the translated into Burmese and Chinese also this week. Just so we have all bases covered Edited February 26, 2014 by IrishIvan

[Brevity]

Perhaps it is just 'Thainess'. It may be sort of like going to the doctor here in Thailand. If a Thai walks out with anything less than 5 prescriptions, the doctor is no good. The more medicine equals a better doctor, so if you are spending a few thousand baht at the store, there must be a lot of rigmarole or they fear you may not feel you got your money's worth.

I am only half joking abut this.

[Somtamnication]

I don't get it. It took them 30 minutes to deliver? Or 30 minutes to understand your Michaelangelo scribble?

[Showbags]

Not the phuket shop...but same same elswhere..

Wanted to buy a water heater some time ago.....asked the staff...3 of them assisting....what is the difference between these 2 besides the 2k price difference ?

Some rapid discussion between the 3 for few minutes....looking the machines over and under and a reply came back ...."the colour".....

[Showbags]

The thing is....they are so aware of their own and each others incompetence...that they need to check shit over and over again 20 times...to be sure to be sure.

[LivinginKata]

I don't get it. It took them 30 minutes to deliver? Or 30 minutes to understand your Michaelangelo scribble?

I assume 30 minutes to get the delivery note processed. Just a couple of days ago we bought a washing machine at HomePro Chalong. Shop was just open at 09.00, no customers to be seen, and not many staff about. So we collared a guy, choose a machine, then the old map trick, so he processes this all on a handwritten form sheet. Laboriously writes it all, good I think, all down. Then he nips off to the nearest computer point and enters a load of details on the keyboard, finished, on no, back his note pad. Accompanies us to the cash-out to give the lass the discount details we negotiated. At lease the check out was fast.

As a side issue, get your self a HomePro shop card. There is usually a good chunk of discount on top of the advertised discount on larger household items and TVs.

[Shot]

I had a great day.

[NomadJoe]

I think generally customer service at these kinds of places is getting better. I recently bought a 40" from Big C and a couch from Orange Furniture. I had to work so I but my landlord on the phone to coordinate delivery. Delivery occurred problem free the next day while I was at work. I was impressed with the professionalism and efficiency of the whole process.

[LivinginKata]

I think generally customer service at these kinds of places is getting better. I recently bought a 40" from Big C and a couch from Orange Furniture. I had to work so I but my landlord on the phone to coordinate delivery. Delivery occurred problem free the next day while I was at work. I was impressed with the professionalism and efficiency of the whole process.

We buy a lot of furniture from Orange over many years. Good delivery service, sometimes same day, for sure next day. Mind you a 100 baht tip to the delivery driver helps when the next delivery comes round

[hkt83100]

I had a great day.

Me too, but today I was not in furniture or any other hardware

[Skint]

I point at the stuff I want, give the GF the money and then I leave the shop. Got zero interest in watching them add up with the calculator then count my money ten times then have to take receipt to another counter so the points are added to the card. The map is a waste of time they always call for directions anyway. Ask to see the map when he arrives "no hab".

[IrishIvan]

I don't get it. It took them 30 minutes to deliver? Or 30 minutes to understand your Michaelangelo scribble?

no it took 30mins to take the cash and stamp bins. The Michaelangelo map has almost a professional feel to it.

[IrishIvan]

I don't get it. It took them 30 minutes to deliver? Or 30 minutes to understand your Michaelangelo scribble?

I assume 30 minutes to get the delivery note processed. Just a couple of days ago we bought a washing machine at HomePro Chalong. Shop was just open at 09.00, no customers to be seen, and not many staff about. So we collared a guy, choose a machine, then the old map trick, so he processes this all on a handwritten form sheet. Laboriously writes it all, good I think, all down. Then he nips off to the nearest computer point and enters a load of details on the keyboard, finished, on no, back his note pad. Accompanies us to the cash-out to give the lass the discount details we negotiated. At lease the check out was fast.

As a side issue, get your self a HomePro shop card. There is usually a good chunk of discount on top of the advertised discount on larger household items and TVs.

I have the card too. I am now convinced this adds to the waiting time

[stevehaigh]

some of the girls in there are lovely, especially Noon (the tiny one with the nice smile behind the returns desk)

what i hate about the place is the parking, they hate motorbikes over there. i always have to get ready to jump off my bike and run into the store before some a-hole starts whistling at me

Edited February 27, 2014 by stevehaigh

[LivinginKata]

3 off topic posts removed.

[nedkellylives]

Home Pro is a trades centre, they run some sections and other areas are rented by different companies

thats why there are so many staff standing around, if there is no stock on the shelves where items are displayed

They usually don't have it and have to get it from a distributor, i have found if you want more than one or two of any item

they cannot supply most of the time with matching light fittings etc

Edited February 27, 2014 by nedkellylives

[wjhall]

I won't go to Home Pro unless I have tried everywhere else for what I need. The staff drive me crazy and the whole place leaves me with a thumping headache!!! They must be profitable but just think how much more they could make if they got rid of the 75% of the staff they don't need

[NomadJoe]

I don't get it. It took them 30 minutes to deliver? Or 30 minutes to understand your Michaelangelo scribble?

I assume 30 minutes to get the delivery note processed. Just a couple of days ago we bought a washing machine at HomePro Chalong. Shop was just open at 09.00, no customers to be seen, and not many staff about. So we collared a guy, choose a machine, then the old map trick, so he processes this all on a handwritten form sheet. Laboriously writes it all, good I think, all down. Then he nips off to the nearest computer point and enters a load of details on the keyboard, finished, on no, back his note pad. Accompanies us to the cash-out to give the lass the discount details we negotiated. At lease the check out was fast.

As a side issue, get your self a HomePro shop card. There is usually a good chunk of discount on top of the advertised discount on larger household items and TVs.

I have the card too. I am now convinced this adds to the waiting time

I got the Villa Market card a while back. I was in a bit of a hurry one day during check out and when I presented the card, the teller had to stop everything and wait for a supervisor. I left the card with her after that.

[Valentine]

I have always found the service at Home pro to be good. If having to wait for a short time while they process the paperwork I am asked to sit in a comfortable chair at the service desk & offered a cool drink. I show them my card, draw a rough map which gives them an idea of location but always give a Thai speaking contact telephone number for the delivery guy to call. Once a decision is made on what I am buying the rest of the process does not take more than about 5 minutes. The other day when buying an air con & I had some queries the staff summoned a very pleasant young lady who spoke excellent English. There are times when some of the staff will be shy when they see a foreigner but once you have them they are eager to help. I can understand frustrations by some customers due to communication problems but just need a little patience.

[fiddlehead]

Once again the resident nay-sayers hoping their new expat home will be just like where they come from.
Not sure why they even come here.

Home Pro has it's quirks for sure.
Staff hides well, but you can find them (in bunches of 5-10, in some rarely used aisle)

Cashier people are always super nice (to me anyway)

And who doesn't know by now that Thai people don't read maps well at all.
It's quite senseless to give them one.
What do you expect them to do with it? It's just gibberish to them.

The education level here is just not up to the standards of where most of us hail from.

So, instead of training the best, they hire 4 or 5 people instead.

What was it Kipling said about "east is east and west is west and never will they meet" (something along those lines anyway)

By the way, if you want tools, have you checked out that new tool shop between Rawai hardware and the neighboring Muslim hardware store in Rawai?
Great selection.

[LivinginKata]

Time to clean out a number of off topic trolls and flames.

[beechbum]

Have never had any hassle's at HP myself, I spend WAY to much time/money in there and Villamart!!

[impulse]

I challenge anyone to go to their local hardware store back home (or even McDonald's, really) speaking the local tongue only as a second language, and transact some business that requires conversation.

I never really noticed it until I lived in China for years, where they bend over backwards to make a transaction go.

Then I started noticing the extremely rude treatment of non-English speaking customers at some of the common venues back home. Gave me a new level of respect for Asians. Racism is part of the culture, but they don't usually let it get in the way of the flow of commerce like many do back home. Not everyone back home, but way too many...

[Somtamnication]

And who doesn't know by now that Thai people don't read maps well at all.

It's quite senseless to give them one.

Err, because they ASK for one?

[Dualeck]

some of the girls in there are lovely, especially Noon (the tiny one with the nice smile behind the returns desk)

what i hate about the place is the parking, they hate motorbikes over there. i always have to get ready to jump off my bike and run into the store before some a-hole starts whistling at me

Ehh what? You know there is an own parking place for bikes there? I was using Villa Market 4-5 times a week before when I lived in Chalong and always parked my bike there, was never a problem. It's a mystery how you can screw that up.

[phuketsub]

Service staff at the palatial TAT office in Phuket Town this afternoon: one Rajabhat student with negligible English language skills (cute though...)

This may be the other end of the spectrum in terms of staffing, but the end result is always the same: no help.

This is the main reason I always patronize family-run businesses, not gargantuan money-laundering operations.

[LivinginKata]

2 more off topic trolls removed.

[Blindside]

I have always found the service at Home pro to be good. If having to wait for a short time while they process the paperwork I am asked to sit in a comfortable chair at the service desk & offered a cool drink. I show them my card, draw a rough map which gives them an idea of location but always give a Thai speaking contact telephone number for the delivery guy to call. Once a decision is made on what I am buying the rest of the process does not take more than about 5 minutes. The other day when buying an air con & I had some queries the staff summoned a very pleasant young lady who spoke excellent English. There are times when some of the staff will be shy when they see a foreigner but once you have them they are eager to help. I can understand frustrations by some customers due to communication problems but just need a little patience.

I have had pretty much the same experience except the part about excellent English.

What I appreciated was that we had looked around and settled on what we were going to buy at the end of that particular month. The day arrived and I strode in and also just pointed things out and was about to set off for my free juice. One of the ladies stops me and shows me the "upsize" washing machine and fridge for the same price (they had been discounted). Walked out of there with at least a model up on those two for the same price .

My gripe with them and I know it is going to sound daft, is that when I am looking around I see tons of stuff I want. When I am looking for something very specific.... no chance. Maybe that is just me.