Only in China

[LeeFisher3]

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.

You must have missed that they gave him 70% of what he paid for the shirts and was already taking $169 loss for the privilege of using their service.

 

We need to start a business together, 'cause you aren't going to get riled up over minor discrepancies in the cash account. I need a partner like that.

[LeeFisher3]

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

People just don't get it, China is on the opposite side of the world so why wouldn't we expect things to be the opposite of what we experience here?

 

Depending on the reviews of my logic I may need to see if I can get a book deal going.

[griz326]

I think you've done quite well. In my days as a road warrior, cleaner damaged clothing was never reimbursed at the percentage you've indicated for me. ...of course, I didn't travel with my gun in those days.

[GZBILL]

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

 

Exactly.

 

Why I can't agree with everything that is done here or the method in which it is done, a lot of times I can see their logic. Other times I can't and try to change things. The trick is knowing when to just give up.

 

Regarding customer service, maybe things aren't what we'd expect. My experience, however, is that there has been a vast improvement over the past 15 years. Vast! I go into some establishments now and the people are so nice and attentive that it makes me want to just poke their eyes out! Your mileage may vary.

 

Is China different? Yes. That's why China is China and not the US. The same can be said for any country in, say, South America, too. If you need plain vanilla, don't leave your house.

[david_dawei]

I still can't stop shaking my head over bring expensive shirts to china.. and then ask for them to be dry cleaned...

 

when one can buy them there at about $10 a pop and ruin much cheaper ones

[Guest jin979]

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

 

Exactly.

 

Why I can't agree with everything that is done here or the method in which it is done, a lot of times I can see their logic. Other times I can't and try to change things. The trick is knowing when to just give up.

 

Regarding customer service, maybe things aren't what we'd expect. My experience, however, is that there has been a vast improvement over the past 15 years. Vast! I go into some establishments now and the people are so nice and attentive that it makes me want to just poke their eyes out! Your mileage may vary.

 

Is China different? Yes. That's why China is China and not the US. The same can be said for any country in, say, South America, too. If you need plain vanilla, don't leave your house.

 

 

my experience is customer service is much better in china than USA .

[samsong]

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

 

Exactly.

 

Why I can't agree with everything that is done here or the method in which it is done, a lot of times I can see their logic. Other times I can't and try to change things. The trick is knowing when to just give up.

 

Regarding customer service, maybe things aren't what we'd expect. My experience, however, is that there has been a vast improvement over the past 15 years. Vast! I go into some establishments now and the people are so nice and attentive that it makes me want to just poke their eyes out! Your mileage may vary.

 

Is China different? Yes. That's why China is China and not the US. The same can be said for any country in, say, South America, too. If you need plain vanilla, don't leave your house.

 

 

my experience is customer service is much better in china than USA .

my experience was that "customer service" in northern China was a lot more pleasant and enjoyable than it was in south China.

[david_dawei]

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

 

Exactly.

 

Why I can't agree with everything that is done here or the method in which it is done, a lot of times I can see their logic. Other times I can't and try to change things. The trick is knowing when to just give up.

 

Regarding customer service, maybe things aren't what we'd expect. My experience, however, is that there has been a vast improvement over the past 15 years. Vast! I go into some establishments now and the people are so nice and attentive that it makes me want to just poke their eyes out! Your mileage may vary.

 

Is China different? Yes. That's why China is China and not the US. The same can be said for any country in, say, South America, too. If you need plain vanilla, don't leave your house.

 

 

my experience is customer service is much better in china than USA .

particularly massage

[jsa23]

my experience is customer service is much better in china than USA .

 

In my experience, the attitude of the people providing the service in China tends to be much better than in the USA. There are sometimes some strange surprises, but on the whole I've had pretty good experiences. In the U.S. I'm much more likely to get someone who helps only grudgingly. In China, I'll get someone who doesn't understand what I want or misinterprets it(sometimes due to my lack of Chinese language skills, I'm sure), but generally they try harder to be helpful than their american counterparts, at least in my experience.

 

Airlines are probably a prime example. IMO Chinese airlines have much better service than US airlines, at least if you're flying coach.

[jst]

I do agree that customer service in northern china is much better than south china. I also agree that as far as friendlyness, china has better customer service than america. I just think the logic for somethings is far off base compaired to what I am used to. I guess my thing is more about the logic than customer service.

 

Perhaps a better title to my thread would have been "Where's the logic"

[david_dawei]

Perhaps a better title to my thread would have been "Where's the logic"

I think that is closer, but not hitting the mark yet; better would be, "whatever ever happen to ethics?"

 

most will see a more common principal at work, whereby responsibility or the sense of "right vs wrong" appear to be non-existent at times.

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

I do agree that customer service in northern china is much better than south china. I also agree that as far as friendlyness, china has better customer service than america. I just think the logic for somethings is far off base compaired to what I am used to. I guess my thing is more about the logic than customer service.

 

Perhaps a better title to my thread would have been "Where's the logic"

 

I agree. Somewhere in the picture there is logic, it's just the logic doesn't make much sense from a Western perspective. In the minds of the dry cleaner and hotel, it makes perfect sense that you pay for a service rendered, even though the service didn't meet reasonable expectation. I've witnessed several exchanges between Chinese people regarding pricing, fairness, and so on. From things as simple as buying fruit on the street, clothing, electronics, whatever.

 

Usually, if you accept the first price, first offer, and fail to put your foot down over something unfair, you're considered a sucker. Most of us lao wai, fall in that category. One thing, is it's a good idea to speak up and let them know you're unhappy.

[Guest Pommey]

haha, i agree "logic" well at least different logic

[Mick]

Any of you old timers remember my adventures at the post office, trying to send a Christmas package that eventually went out "the regular way?"

[GZBILL]

I do agree that customer service in northern china is much better than south china. I also agree that as far as friendlyness, china has better customer service than america. I just think the logic for somethings is far off base compaired to what I am used to. I guess my thing is more about the logic than customer service.

 

Perhaps a better title to my thread would have been "Where's the logic"

 

I agree. Somewhere in the picture there is logic, it's just the logic doesn't make much sense from a Western perspective. In the minds of the dry cleaner and hotel, it makes perfect sense that you pay for a service rendered, even though the service didn't meet reasonable expectation. I've witnessed several exchanges between Chinese people regarding pricing, fairness, and so on. From things as simple as buying fruit on the street, clothing, electronics, whatever.

 

Usually, if you accept the first price, first offer, and fail to put your foot down over something unfair, you're considered a sucker. Most of us lao wai, fall in that category. One thing, is it's a good idea to speak up and let them know you're unhappy.

 

 

If you think the haggling over prices makes you look like a sucker here, I suggest you never go to any South American country -- with the notable exception of Chile -- for more than 25 minutes. They make the Chinese look like total amateurs.

 

I agree that service aboard short-haul flights on Chinese airlines is much better than on US airlines. Even their frequent flyer programs are far, far superior to US carriers.

 

I do not agree, however, that customer service in the US is not as good as in China. As a whole, customer service in the US is much better -- as a whole. In China service is pretty good in upper middle class and better establishments in large cities. In your average stores and restaurants it's hit and miss. And in smaller cities it can still be really terrible. Back home it's usually good, but then if you get off the beaten path and end up at a KFC in the "hood" ... well, just hope you're wearing one of the better-made bullet proof vests.

 

I never really thought of service being better in the north vs. southern China. I have found people as friendly and service as good in both areas. I think the difference is that in the north people just have much more time to talkk to you because of their less stressing lifestyle and their inherent interest in all things foreign. In the south people are used to expats plus they really are pushed to work hard and have no time (or energy) for idle chit chat while working.