Post: #1

The title speaks for itself.

Although this forum is mostly for getting females, I feel customer service is critically important for the overall enjoyment and satisfaction of visiting or staying in a country.

I'll start with Germany: zero customer service. Every transaction is a nightmare and makes you feel like you are in a war zone.

Post: #2

(01-13-2014 03:24 PM)Inspired Wrote:  I'll start with Germany: zero customer service. Every transaction is a nightmare and makes you feel like you are in a war zone.

I guess you haven't been to Eastern Europe yet.

Post: #3

America has to be numero uno in the West. The customer is always right and you can buy anything, change your mind a month later and take it back for a no questions asked refund. Wait and hotel staff are very good.

I liked the service a lot in Mexico too. On friendliness, they beat the USA, but when it comes to buying stuff and customer service and refunds, maybe not so much.

Thailand's service is great too.

Post: #4

(01-13-2014 03:24 PM)Inspired Wrote:  The title speaks for itself.

Although this forum is mostly for getting females, I feel customer service is critically important for the overall enjoyment and satisfaction of visiting or staying in a country.

I'll start with Germany: zero customer service. Every transaction is a nightmare and makes you feel like you are in a war zone.

I was at a Burger King on the Reeperbahn in Hamburg about ten years ago and ordered a combo, as I was walking to my seat my pop fell off the tray and spilled all over the floor. I went to the manager and told him what happened, expecting him to refill my beverage and send someone to clean it up, the fucking guy handed me a mop!

Post: #5

Nothing beats the US for customer service.

Post: #6

The customer service in Japan was outstanding.

Post: #7

(01-13-2014 06:15 PM)speakeasy Wrote:  America has to be numero uno in the West. The customer is always right and you can buy anything, change your mind a month later and take it back for a no questions asked refund. Wait and hotel staff are very good.

i absolutely agree with this. when it comes to doing business and buying crap, the US can't be beaten by miles. one plus that I do like about the US (the other being that getting loans and paying loans is very easy to do, unlike in most places of the world).

Quote:I liked the service a lot in Mexico too. On friendliness, they beat the USA, but when it comes to buying stuff and customer service and refunds, maybe not so much.

refunds are a nightmare to do in mexico. but, when buying stuff, very easy, like the US, and no bitchy attitudes as well. hell, i even like better the customer service in Mexico because I can flirt with the girls and not have a bitch give me attitude.

Post: #8

Canada is fuckin terrible for customer service eh.

In Vancouver its not uncommon to go to a sushi joint or something and have your server say no more than 5 words to you the whole time. Shittier bars are like this too. You ask for a beer and they're like "that'll be 6bucks" even if its completely dead in there.

I walked into the guitar store the other day and started picking up $3000 guitars and the 6 employees just sat in their seat, they could have easily tried to sell me that shit as they had a pretty good payments system.

I went to get new workboots. I ask the guy whats waterproof and he just points me in the direction of some shoes then walks off. I get my own size. Its too small and some lady walks by asking if I'm good. I say "this one's too small" she says "oh well there are more sizes over there" They were $300 boots, she could have easily sold them to me if they put in some effort, hell I probably would have bought some water guard shit too.

Went into best buy and there's no one there, I start fucking with apple products, looking at huge tvs. nothing. One person asks me what I'm looking for and I end up knowing more about the product than he does. Buddy could have easily tried to sell me some accessories, but it was ME who ended up talking him down $50 when the thing was already half off.

Its a constant stream of "i dunno" and "the product is over there" and "what do you want to eat"

How about a "how's your day going"... the clothing store chicks will say hi when you walk in but then turn right back to their iphones. They could easily enough tell me about the sale they have on, ask me if I need anything in particular maybe try to offer suggestions if I'm undecided.

Nobody gives a shit about their sales job around here. I know they're making $10/hr, but c'mon I'd rather spend my day trying to sell people shit than just staring at the wall depressed!!! Maybe they'd even get a promotion while they're at it or a positive reference from their boss.

Its kind of the same effect you see with servers. The best servers you ever get are older dudes or ugly ass bitches. They know their mug isn't making them any tips so they give you the best treatment they can. The younger, better looking ones just bring you shit and if you're lucky they flirt.

Post: #9

USA tops everyone in customer service.In USA you feel like a king the moment you enter a shop.
Germany is very low in customer service but the worst is Ukraine where the client is considered as a nuisance.(remnants from communist period where the clerk was a state employee).Best in Europe in this regard are the Mediterranean countries.

Post: #10

(01-13-2014 08:27 PM)scotian Wrote:  I was at a Burger King on the Reeperbahn in Hamburg about ten years ago and ordered a combo, as I was walking to my seat my pop fell off the tray and spilled all over the floor. I went to the manager and told him what happened, expecting him to refill my beverage and send someone to clean it up, the fucking guy handed me a mop!

That is German. Hey, you created the mess, clean it up!

Maybe not worst, but most disappointing was the Philippines. Inattentive waiters and hotel staff. I expected better, because I went to the PI after being served by many high-quality Filipino service people in the Gulf, where they do excellent customer service. I guess the best staff leave the PI, or it's a matter of wages or training.

Post: #11

Japan must be the best in the world. From 7-11s and McDonald's, to high end restaurants and department stores, there's always a system in place and the customer comes first. Have had some negative experiences (racist bar owners in small towns, bored college student conbini clerks) but that's very rare.

Post: #12

(01-13-2014 06:15 PM)speakeasy Wrote:  America has to be numero uno in the West. The customer is always right and you can buy anything, change your mind a month later and take it back for a no questions asked refund. Wait and hotel staff are very good.

I liked the service a lot in Mexico too. On friendliness, they beat the USA, but when it comes to buying stuff and customer service and refunds, maybe not so much.

Thailand's service is great too.

You have obviously never lived here lol.

Thailand has shit customer service.

Post: #13

This one is easy...the best is in Japan and the US.
The worse is in Russia and Ukraine. In Russia,oftentimes the girl would be talking on a cell phone with her bf while helping you. If you have any kind of complaint- I feel they are not equipt mentally to deal with it as they think they are always right and you are always wrong!

Post: #14

china has to be one of the worst, if an order gets mixed up they blame you

Post: #15

In Russia and Ukraine shopkeepers can totally ignore you and have you waiting for 15 min or more when they are busy talking in their phone.
Often it happens they are just shuggering their shoulders and saying it's your problem when you're asking for advice in a shop.
It sucks.

Post: #16

Once I was at my gym (in germany), I already was finished with my workout and went outside to my car but it wouldn't start, I knew it was the batterie.
So I went inside the gym again and asked the old shag at the counter that is responsible for the customers , if she/they had the cables for a start up aid. The gym wasn't busy at all , it was sunday evening and what she told me was :" I think we do, but I have no time for this now."
Continuing doing absolutely nothing but chatting/chilling whatever the fuck, at the counter.

After asking almost anyone in my gym if they have a cable for starting aid and could me help out with it, guess who decided to help me out; a guy from argentinia that barerly knew any german.

I agree though Russia/Moscow was the worst. Getting ignored by waiters in the restaurant is a common thing.

Post: #17

I think the best test is how they handle things when something goes wrong. A standard dinner and if they just execute on that, that's to be expected. It's when something goes wrong that you really see how things work.

Someone else mentioned the Philippines. I found the basic customer service to be great, maybe due to low labor costs = they're overstaffed. But when any issues arises, it's a huge mess. One time I asked for an Official Receipt (it was a business trip) at a mid-size restaurant and it took 20 minutes of them running around to handle what should be a fairly basic procedure. They simply weren't good at handling non-standard situations.

Post: #18

I asked for a full glass of ice in a restaurant in Athens to pour my coke over and the owner of the place came out and wanted to fight me. When in Greece it is not uncommon for me to kick ass on a daily basis until I get burned out.

Post: #19

I am somewhat surprised about Germany! I have lived in Germany around 1995 and don't remember anything like that. Customer service in stores,restaurants was not that different from the US. I found German people to be the most helpful!
Philippines were great too, and yes they were always overstaffed! It was nice though - I would pick a beautiful shop assistant and flirt with her while shopping for a pair of socks...) They were all on commission and anything bought under their name was a win for them! Ahh..fun memories - they would say "sir" like every second word!

Post: #20

Over the top customer service (I think this is more common im America) does my head in. Just let me walk around the shop without pestering me every 5 minutes. I'd take Germany's customers service over that any day.

I suppose I'm just a bit of a misanthrope sometimes.

Post: #21

I dont know about america having the best customer service. In any situation where u are expected to tip, nice restaurants, hotel porters etc the service is good but overtly faux friendly to extract the largest tip. I cant knock the hustle though it is what it is.

So at the highest end things are great but that is true most places. For things like fast food, gas stations, dmv, etc places where there is no tipping incentive or comission for an employee customer service is generally poor

Customer service is king in japan. Even a simple transaction in a 7-11 is done with the utmost respect.

Post: #22

There is a general continuum between free market/capitalist economies and socialistic economies regarding good customer service and bad customer service, respectively.
It's not even a rich country vs. poor country thing either, just the way their particular economic model is set up.

For example, Jamaica is pretty dirt poor, but since the tourism industry is a pretty big chunk of their economy, you'd probably get way better customer service there than in some better off Eastern European country.

Post: #23

There is Japan, then there is everyone else.

Post: #24

No one has mentioned Israel yet. By far the worst customer service in my travels. Poland used to be bad, but improved with the new generation. Ukraine is still stuck in poor customer service to the point of comedy. But treating the customer like shit / ignoring seemed to be the norm in most of the places I went to. Beach bar in Tel Aviv, it was completely dead, five waiters just sitting around smoking and listening to their laptop. After sitting down and smoking a cig myself, waited 10 minutes for one of them to acknowledge me. Got a beer, was going to get another one, but my waiter just sat a few seats over smoking cigs and never asked if I needed anything. I sat there and decided I didn't want to hang around for another $12 beer. Gave him the money, and he had the nerve to extend his hand for a tip. Here's a tip: do your job. Another time I got yelled at by the information desk guy at the main bus station for not having my reservation number. Hell, the hostel I stayed at in Eilat had an owner that yelled at half his guests, even threatened to kick out some Japanese girl for using his washer without permission. Good thing I got on his good side, cause he let me bang another guest in my shack. The Arabs were also a bit nonchalant, but much more friendly.

I haven't been to Japan, but Dubai was surprisingly great for me. It felt like a bit of a caste system, and every restaurant I went to had professionally trained staff from Pakistan, Philli., or Bangladesh who treated you like a king.

Post: #25

France is the worst, by far