Only in China

[jst]

Ok, so the topic "only in China" may be incorrect, it really she be southeast asia.

 

I have extensive travel experience in SEA and everythime i am here something new surprises me. This being only my second trip to China and loving every minute of it I am still learning the chinese culture. One example of this is I was staying in a 5 star hotel in GUZ this week (there with my sweetie for the big trade show, wishing it was for the interview) anyway, I sent out several pieces of laundry to be DRY cleaned. They came back and some rather expensive shirts I had just bought were ruined by the dry cleaners. I had these shirts dry cleaned once before and no problems. I buy these shirts often and never have problems (tommy bahama shirts). When the shirts came back I put one on and could not button it. It had shrunk up 5 or more inches. I called to complain and they came to my room. After 3 hours and every manager in the place and a lot of arguing, they agreed to pay me $400.00 to cover the $569.00 I paid for them. I even showed them the web site with the prices. They told me I over paid for the shirts and it is not their fault for this. They said shirts like this are very cheap in China. They also wanted to take the shirts and stretch them out to fit me again. I said no way pay me for them. They finally agreed.

When I went to check out of the hotel the dry cleaning for those shirts was still on the bill. I asked them to remove it since they ruined my shirts. They looked at me dumbfounded and asked me why they should remove the dry cleaning. Finally after going back and fourth, the man told me "I understand we ruined your shirts and we paid you for them but their still clean. We did clean them as you ordered and now you should pay for this." At first I thought the guy was just trying to get some more money out of me but after a few minutes I realized he was totally serious.

 

I don't know, perhaps it is just me, If I ruin something of someones I would not expect them to pay for it.

 

JS

[Guest jin979]

you should have let your wife/fiancee deal with them

[whome?]

Sigh ... these things do not just happen only in China or southeast Asia. I have had clothes ruined by hotel laundry all over the world at international 5-star resorts ....

 

I do agree with one thing they said: "They told me I over paid for the shirts and it is not their fault for this. They said shirts like this are very cheap in China. "

[IllinoisDave]

Shouldn't matter what you paid, or whether you overpaid. What you paid is what you paid. They should reimburse you for the cost, period. And insisting you pay for the service because "Well, we did clean them" is just absurd logic. I bet many other hotels in many other places would've not only reimbursed you without question, but offered some form of further compensation for your inconvenience. It's called customer service and professionalism. Two terms that obviously are not in that hotel's vocabulary.

[Zhou Zhou]

That is a good example of, "OIC".

 

[GZBILL]

Ok, so the topic "only in China" may be incorrect, it really she be southeast asia.

 

I have extensive travel experience in SEA and everythime i am here something new surprises me. This being only my second trip to China and loving every minute of it I am still learning the chinese culture. One example of this is I was staying in a 5 star hotel in GUZ this week (there with my sweetie for the big trade show, wishing it was for the interview) anyway, I sent out several pieces of laundry to be DRY cleaned. They came back and some rather expensive shirts I had just bought were ruined by the dry cleaners. I had these shirts dry cleaned once before and no problems. I buy these shirts often and never have problems (tommy bahama shirts). When the shirts came back I put one on and could not button it. It had shrunk up 5 or more inches. I called to complain and they came to my room. After 3 hours and every manager in the place and a lot of arguing, they agreed to pay me $400.00 to cover the $569.00 I paid for them. I even showed them the web site with the prices. They told me I over paid for the shirts and it is not their fault for this. They said shirts like this are very cheap in China. They also wanted to take the shirts and stretch them out to fit me again. I said no way pay me for them. They finally agreed.

When I went to check out of the hotel the dry cleaning for those shirts was still on the bill. I asked them to remove it since they ruined my shirts. They looked at me dumbfounded and asked me why they should remove the dry cleaning. Finally after going back and fourth, the man told me "I understand we ruined your shirts and we paid you for them but their still clean. We did clean them as you ordered and now you should pay for this." At first I thought the guy was just trying to get some more money out of me but after a few minutes I realized he was totally serious.

 

I don't know, perhaps it is just me, If I ruin something of someones I would not expect them to pay for it.

 

JS

 

Which hotel?

[Dennis143]

Shouldn't matter what you paid, or whether you overpaid. What you paid is what you paid. They should reimburse you for the cost, period. And insisting you pay for the service because "Well, we did clean them" is just absurd logic. I bet many other hotels in many other places would've not only reimbursed you without question, but offered some form of further compensation for your inconvenience. It's called customer service and professionalism. Two terms that obviously are not in that hotel's vocabulary.

Ah come on Dave, customer service in China?

 

And, I can't help but think that we're talking pennies here and not enough to get all riled up over.

 

If it were me and they'd reimbursed me for the ruined shirts at the price I had purchased them for...cripes, give them their 5 yuan and walk away happy.

[Dennis143]

 

Which hotel?

I'll wager it wasn't the Garden.

[jst]

I think it was called the star hotel.

 

I am really not to upset at the money for the dry cleaning. It is not that much. I think about 40 rmb per shirt at 4 shirts. Perhaps $25.00. This has nothing to do with the cost of the dry cleaning. It is all about the logic they have that yes we paid you for the ruined shirts and you still need to pay for the cleaning because they are now clean. Believe me, it is not the money at all. Me and my very soon to be wife (Tuesday is the paperwork for marriage) laugh about it everytime we think about it. There is just no logic in it. I do know if I stayed at somewhere like the Westin or somewhere like that it would have been no problem for total compensation plus more. I really am not or would accept anything more than the cost of the shirts, but come on, still charge me for the cleaning, thats a bit much.

 

I posted this for some humor not to vent. I am really not mad at all. I am glad I was partialy paid for the shirts now I have something to laugh about.

 

I agree about the customer service issue in China. To an extent there is some at the nicer places but there is no logic to the thinking there.

 

One other example. I was at a restaurant and asked for ice water. She brought cold water in a bottle. We asked for some ice for the water and she brought me ice on a plate. Me and my sweetie looked at each other and laughed. My sweetei asked me if I will lick the water from the plate like a puppy. We than asked the girl for a glass for the ice.

 

Believe me this is not China bashing, it is just for humor.

 

I am more glad I am in China with someone I find complete happiness to be with.

 

I was just wondering if any other situations happen where we as westerners have completly different thinking than Chinese.

[jst]

If you think about it, everything you've said is 'weird' is quite logical. Just in different, non-western, way.

 

 

I have thought about it in the way you said. I agree it is logical, but not the way I am used to. It just shows the difference in thinking

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

We did clean them as you ordered and now you should pay for this." At first I thought the guy was just trying to get some more money out of me but after a few minutes I realized he was totally serious.

 

I don't know, perhaps it is just me, If I ruin something of someones I would not expect them to pay for it.

 

JS

 

Just as they saw fit to actually suggest that you pay to have clothing cleaned that they ruined, you should stand your ground and suggest they go to hell, and not only pay to have your shirts replaced, but buy you dinner also.

[Randy W]

That's roughly like paying for a dinner you ordered at a restaurant that was served burned to a crisp. After all, they did cook what you ordered!

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

That's roughly like paying for a dinner you ordered at a restaurant that was served burned to a crisp. After all, they did cook what you ordered!

 

Excuse me, I'd like to order my dinner burned to a crisp please. It should go nicely with the clothes you ruined...

 

[jst]

I can't complain to much about the burned to a crisp. At least I know it is cooked. I order the omlette in the morning and I stand there and keep telling the guy to cook it longer. My fiance tells him I like my eggs cooked well done and not wet. He puts it on the plate and tells her it is good this way.

[Guest Tony n Terrific]

I can't complain to much about the burned to a crisp. At least I know it is cooked. I order the omlette in the morning and I stand there and keep telling the guy to cook it longer. My fiance tells him I like my eggs cooked well done and not wet. He puts it on the plate and tells her it is good this way.

My wife and along with her brother and his wife went to an American style restaraunt. I order a T-bone and the waitress did not undersatnd medium cooked. She told me to order by number 1 being just glance at the fire and 10 being cremated. I ordered #5 and it turned out very nice.