Well, don't come from Europe to Japan if you find the US to be top tier customer service. You might just have a stroke with the service here; that's one of the things I'll actually miss when I find myself in the states again.
Ha, ha, ha! Yes, yes, yes. That happened to me in North America, after leaving Europe. The US custom police was overwhelmingly friendly that I became speechless and shy. After some confidence I gave her a big smile :D
I've been to the States twice. Both times involved an University in a small town in the Midwest.
During my first stay, we went to buy some jeans. The shop (pardon, store) we'd been referred to didn't have the model in stock and the attendant came with us to the street corner to point to a competitor's, saying he could have the item we were looking for.
This was in 1990, and I still remember the episode as if it had happened yesterday.
I'm from Portugal and, prior to going to the U.S., I'd already travelled quite a bit in Europe.
One caveat, though: one shouldn't confuse attention to the customer with overall friendliness of a people. I know you don't but, the way this is going, someone else could.
Anonymous: IKR! It always irks me when people say the French are rude, because I don't think that's true. They're not as open and outgoing as North-Americans but I really don't find them particularly rude. What they lack however is any sense for of customer service... I had a first culture shock when I moved to North America (the overly zealous customer service made me feel uncomfortable and I felt like I was in the Cable Guy: hey, I don't want to be your friend!). I've grown accustomed to it, and now when I visit France I have a reverse culture shock: perfectly average (in French standards) customer service makes me go "OMG this employee is so careless! how come they haven't been fired yet?"
Sure the customer service is great but you have to tip 10-15% of yout total bill for it. As a person from a non-tipping country I think it rather annoying to pay extra just for service. Sure I have bad experiences for tipping in my country but it's not too bad because overall people are friendly and they get paid fairly.
Expecting a 15% tip is rude. I used to wait tables and always leave 20%, but the entitlement of waiters always amazes me. And don't get me started on paying a dollar to open my beer lol. And people wonder why China will soon be kicking our ass.
Unfortunately with how expendable most entry-level employees are, that's not ever going to work, and I feel most people who take this "tell your boss" stance wouldn't actually make any demands in the same situation. If a waiter does their job efficiently and politely - even just so long as they're polite, I tip. Keeping up a good attitude while juggling multiple tables with various customers while anything that goes wrong can end up being blamed on you is worthy of at least a few extra bucks.
I find it strange to be obligated to tip. Shouldn't it be your own decision whether or not you're tipping? Once I was to Venice, ordered pizza and on the bill I've got tipping (don't remember how much %) and I was like: :/ Especially because the waiter wasn't doing any special treatment, he just took my order and brought the pizza (which was horrendously expensive, btw). I found it rude. I think tipping should be left for individual decision. If you like the service, you tip. But why force the customer to tip you?
I find the service in the United States, and in my country when it mimics US service, over-friendly and intrusive. I don't go to a shop or restaurant to make friends with their employees but to make a purchase or enjoy a meal in the company of my own friends and family.
I'm not advocating rudeness here - that is definitely less preferable - but pointing out that there is a point of view that doesn't value hospitality ad nauseam.
Ahaha! A lot of customer service here is rude, but I'll definitely say that after going to London and being screamed at by a train station worker, I don't take service in America for granted anymore!
in the US people like waiters get paid next to nothing and depend on a good tip. here (rounding up to 10% tip is customary,) people can make a living regardless of tips.
In the US there actually is no tipping. There is the odd custom of leaving 15% off of the printed bill so customers can practice math and gullible people think it's cheap.
Tipping is giving extra to the waiter if and when actual service was good or really good and if you can afford it.
It's true that France for example is not known for its customer service but our culture is different. Tourist often complain that food takes too long to arrive etc, but we do have thr habit of talking a lot over s meal so it's not s problem for us. Therefore having someone constantly butting into the conversation can make French people uncomfortable. I had s serious culture shock when I stayed in the UK for 3 years and the store clerks called me darling or sweetie. O.O I guess we value independence and personal space for the customer and the shop clerk. But it happens to meet disagreeable people as well.
You're actually totally right about that, and I think I'll do a sequel comic to this one sometime. I love that Europeans don't bug you during your meal - but do they have to be so surly as well?
My husband and I were watching a British TV show with Brit commercials once and the one for a car rental company made us spit out our drinks. The tagline was "British quality, American service!"
I dunno, this may be subjective, I always find those overly fake nice american servers creepy & pushy. Wallmart was run out of Germany cause ppl found american-style service super creepy & annoying. I don't want anyone to talk to me unless I do so first.
Well, don't come from Europe to Japan if you find the US to be top tier customer service. You might just have a stroke with the service here; that's one of the things I'll actually miss when I find myself in the states again.
ReplyDeleteand definitely do not fly over to China, if you want the exact opposite of that experience in Japan.
DeleteTrue! The sequel to this comic could be coming back from Japan, and finding the exact same customer service to be miserable...
ReplyDeleteHa, ha, ha! Yes, yes, yes. That happened to me in North America, after leaving Europe. The US custom police was overwhelmingly friendly that I became speechless and shy. After some confidence I gave her a big smile :D
ReplyDeleteI've been to the States twice. Both times involved an University in a small town in the Midwest.
ReplyDeleteDuring my first stay, we went to buy some jeans. The shop (pardon, store) we'd been referred to didn't have the model in stock and the attendant came with us to the street corner to point to a competitor's, saying he could have the item we were looking for.
This was in 1990, and I still remember the episode as if it had happened yesterday.
I guess it made an impression! Where are you from?
DeleteI'm from Portugal and, prior to going to the U.S., I'd already travelled quite a bit in Europe.
DeleteOne caveat, though: one shouldn't confuse attention to the customer with overall friendliness of a people. I know you don't but, the way this is going, someone else could.
Anonymous: IKR! It always irks me when people say the French are rude, because I don't think that's true. They're not as open and outgoing as North-Americans but I really don't find them particularly rude. What they lack however is any sense for of customer service... I had a first culture shock when I moved to North America (the overly zealous customer service made me feel uncomfortable and I felt like I was in the Cable Guy: hey, I don't want to be your friend!). I've grown accustomed to it, and now when I visit France I have a reverse culture shock: perfectly average (in French standards) customer service makes me go "OMG this employee is so careless! how come they haven't been fired yet?"
DeleteSure the customer service is great but you have to tip 10-15% of yout total bill for it. As a person from a non-tipping country I think it rather annoying to pay extra just for service. Sure I have bad experiences for tipping in my country but it's not too bad because overall people are friendly and they get paid fairly.
ReplyDeleteExpected tipping is 15-20%. Leaving a 10% tip is rude.
DeleteExpecting a 15% tip is rude. I used to wait tables and always leave 20%, but the entitlement of waiters always amazes me. And don't get me started on paying a dollar to open my beer lol. And people wonder why China will soon be kicking our ass.
DeleteI think there's an Itchy Feet in this somewhere...
DeleteI leave 0%. No tips for anyone ever. Don't like it? Tell your boss to pay an actual wage.
DeleteUnfortunately with how expendable most entry-level employees are, that's not ever going to work, and I feel most people who take this "tell your boss" stance wouldn't actually make any demands in the same situation. If a waiter does their job efficiently and politely - even just so long as they're polite, I tip. Keeping up a good attitude while juggling multiple tables with various customers while anything that goes wrong can end up being blamed on you is worthy of at least a few extra bucks.
DeleteI find it strange to be obligated to tip. Shouldn't it be your own decision whether or not you're tipping? Once I was to Venice, ordered pizza and on the bill I've got tipping (don't remember how much %) and I was like: :/ Especially because the waiter wasn't doing any special treatment, he just took my order and brought the pizza (which was horrendously expensive, btw). I found it rude.
DeleteI think tipping should be left for individual decision. If you like the service, you tip. But why force the customer to tip you?
That's weird, we don't have that tipping thing in Italy, I don't know why they asked you to do it
DeleteI've Paid As High As 33% And As Low As A Penny. It's The Service I Get, 15% Is For Average Service.
DeleteI find the service in the United States, and in my country when it mimics US service, over-friendly and intrusive. I don't go to a shop or restaurant to make friends with their employees but to make a purchase or enjoy a meal in the company of my own friends and family.
ReplyDeleteI'm not advocating rudeness here - that is definitely less preferable - but pointing out that there is a point of view that doesn't value hospitality ad nauseam.
Good point! But you get used to it.
DeleteAhaha! A lot of customer service here is rude, but I'll definitely say that after going to London and being screamed at by a train station worker, I don't take service in America for granted anymore!
ReplyDeletein the US people like waiters get paid next to nothing and depend on a good tip. here (rounding up to 10% tip is customary,) people can make a living regardless of tips.
ReplyDeleteNormally I delete spam comments, but this is hilarious.
ReplyDeleteIn the US there actually is no tipping. There is the odd custom of leaving 15% off of the printed bill so customers can practice math and gullible people think it's cheap.
ReplyDeleteTipping is giving extra to the waiter if and when actual service was good or really good and if you can afford it.
It's true that France for example is not known for its customer service but our culture is different. Tourist often complain that food takes too long to arrive etc, but we do have thr habit of talking a lot over s meal so it's not s problem for us. Therefore having someone constantly butting into the conversation can make French people uncomfortable. I had s serious culture shock when I stayed in the UK for 3 years and the store clerks called me darling or sweetie. O.O
ReplyDeleteI guess we value independence and personal space for the customer and the shop clerk. But it happens to meet disagreeable people as well.
You're actually totally right about that, and I think I'll do a sequel comic to this one sometime. I love that Europeans don't bug you during your meal - but do they have to be so surly as well?
DeleteMy husband and I were watching a British TV show with Brit commercials once and the one for a car rental company made us spit out our drinks. The tagline was "British quality, American service!"
ReplyDeleteI dunno, this may be subjective, I always find those overly fake nice american servers creepy & pushy. Wallmart was run out of Germany cause ppl found american-style service super creepy & annoying. I don't want anyone to talk to me unless I do so first.
ReplyDelete