Lancelot
Full time employment: Posting here.
"Oh east is east and west is west and never the twain shall meet..."
Kipling sure got that right.
Where to begin... Normally I receive my rent statement on the 7th of the month. April 7th, then the 8th, then the 9th elapsed, so on about April 10 I strolled up to the reception counter of my building and asked Khun (Miss) Nok, for my statment.
"Not have" mumbled Nok between mouthfuls of som tom. "Really?" I asked. "Not have!" expounded Nok. Rebuffed and fully aware of Nok's reputation for answering any request with one of three answers: "Can not; not have and pay money!" I dolefully went on my way.
Later that evening, I approached Khun Lek, a more pleasant and helpful Thai lass. Lek was without food and actually looked though the statements before telling me "No statement Khun Lance."
A few days later My girl friend and I met the assistant manager, Khun Lada, on the Soi behind my building. My GF told Khun Lada (in Thai) that I had not yet received my statement and that I wanted to pay my bill. Lada looked thoughtful for a moment, then flashed a 10,000 watt smile and dismissed the inquiry with a "mai pen rai." (Don't worry about it...)"
Sure, why not?!?
Yesterday, May 2, Khun Nok frantically waived me down and screamed "Khun Lance, you forget rent?" I smile and say "Not forget, I not receive statment."Nok looks bewildered, picks up the phone and some rapid fire Thai ensues. From what I could pick up it was "foreigner did not receive statment." "No, he did not get!" "OK, I will tell him." Well, a duplicate statment was produced, presented and received by me and I retired to my room.
Today, May 3, I went down to pay my rent when I noticed the water bill was 50% higher than normal. I asked Nok's apprentice (I don't know her name) about the irregulairty and she immediately said "You use too much!" I smiled and said "I don't think so..." She thinks a moment and says "We checking meter tonight..."
Later it dawns on me, she just buried the problem, there would be no meter checking, she simply avoided the work involved to research the issue.
As I think this out, the fault lies with me. I was thinking western but I'm located in the east now. Reception is not here to help or assist customers; they're here to: 1) collect a paycheck; 2) keep a chair ocupied; 3) munch on snacks, chat with boy/girlfriends and look bored.
Tomorow I will go to the lady that reads the meters and ask to see her book. I'll have my answer -wheteher I owe the extra amount billed or not- in two minutes. Then if there is a problem, I'll go to the general manager.
I was stupid for thinking like a foreigner; I forgot to "think Thai" and talk directly with the "puy yai." (Big person)
On the up side, my experiences in Thailand are reinforcing my faith in America. You think customer service is bad in the US? Then come to Thailand my friend. I'll put the average Wal Mart assocaite up against any service provider in Thailand.
Lance
Full disclosure- it is obvious that I am moaning here. In truth, I have had some EXCELLENT customer service in Thailand. But when there is a problem and you are trying to resolve it...
Face is a huge issue here and one way to deal with a problem is to pretend that there is no problem...
Kipling sure got that right.
Where to begin... Normally I receive my rent statement on the 7th of the month. April 7th, then the 8th, then the 9th elapsed, so on about April 10 I strolled up to the reception counter of my building and asked Khun (Miss) Nok, for my statment.
"Not have" mumbled Nok between mouthfuls of som tom. "Really?" I asked. "Not have!" expounded Nok. Rebuffed and fully aware of Nok's reputation for answering any request with one of three answers: "Can not; not have and pay money!" I dolefully went on my way.
Later that evening, I approached Khun Lek, a more pleasant and helpful Thai lass. Lek was without food and actually looked though the statements before telling me "No statement Khun Lance."
A few days later My girl friend and I met the assistant manager, Khun Lada, on the Soi behind my building. My GF told Khun Lada (in Thai) that I had not yet received my statement and that I wanted to pay my bill. Lada looked thoughtful for a moment, then flashed a 10,000 watt smile and dismissed the inquiry with a "mai pen rai." (Don't worry about it...)"
Sure, why not?!?
Yesterday, May 2, Khun Nok frantically waived me down and screamed "Khun Lance, you forget rent?" I smile and say "Not forget, I not receive statment."Nok looks bewildered, picks up the phone and some rapid fire Thai ensues. From what I could pick up it was "foreigner did not receive statment." "No, he did not get!" "OK, I will tell him." Well, a duplicate statment was produced, presented and received by me and I retired to my room.
Today, May 3, I went down to pay my rent when I noticed the water bill was 50% higher than normal. I asked Nok's apprentice (I don't know her name) about the irregulairty and she immediately said "You use too much!" I smiled and said "I don't think so..." She thinks a moment and says "We checking meter tonight..."
Later it dawns on me, she just buried the problem, there would be no meter checking, she simply avoided the work involved to research the issue.
As I think this out, the fault lies with me. I was thinking western but I'm located in the east now. Reception is not here to help or assist customers; they're here to: 1) collect a paycheck; 2) keep a chair ocupied; 3) munch on snacks, chat with boy/girlfriends and look bored.
Tomorow I will go to the lady that reads the meters and ask to see her book. I'll have my answer -wheteher I owe the extra amount billed or not- in two minutes. Then if there is a problem, I'll go to the general manager.
I was stupid for thinking like a foreigner; I forgot to "think Thai" and talk directly with the "puy yai." (Big person)
On the up side, my experiences in Thailand are reinforcing my faith in America. You think customer service is bad in the US? Then come to Thailand my friend. I'll put the average Wal Mart assocaite up against any service provider in Thailand.
Lance
Full disclosure- it is obvious that I am moaning here. In truth, I have had some EXCELLENT customer service in Thailand. But when there is a problem and you are trying to resolve it...
Face is a huge issue here and one way to deal with a problem is to pretend that there is no problem...
)
