I’d like to close the chapter on shopping, but this incident is also linked to a shopping experience. Hubby, Sam and I were in the apartment shuttle bus one day preparing to leave for our grocery shopping when a fellow resident joined us and we struck a conversation. She is in Beijing for a few months and has travelled to most countries in SEA and China. We then talked about the shopping experience in China and how it compares to the service level we get in SEA countries / even Hong Kong. She then made an observation that I felt hit the nail right on the head – “People generally seem to get friendlier as we move towards the equator and rude / cold as we move up north”.
I know what she meant. She’s not referring to “people” in general – that’s not a fair view. She’s referring to the sales people and the service level that the consumers get here.
To illustrate – We were shopping in a departmental store and I saw a really nice jacket. So I went to take a look & even tried it on when encouraged. Until I saw the price tag of RMB800 for a simple cotton-cum-elastic jacket; I was put off and said “It’s ok, this is not for me”. As I walked away with hubby, the sales lady pulled me back and gave a stage whisper “Don’t tell anyone. This discount is especially for you since I can see you really liked the jacket. 5% discount!!” Err… at RMB800, it’ll take at least 70% discount before I even bat an eye… So, I excused myself again and walk off. She continued to pull me back offering to reduce by another 5% (see what I mean about the myth of no bargaining in department stores?) and this time, hubby and I gave a firm no and walk off without a backward glance – not wanting to attract any more attention.
Then… “WHAT KIND OF HUSBAND ARE YOU. YOUR WIFE CLEARLY LIKED THAT JACKET AND YOU DIDN’T EVEN WANT TO GET THAT FOR HER!! YOU CALL YOURSELF A MAN! Come back here and I’ll give you a discount!”
Oh boy… If she thinks we’d even walk back after such a remark she’s dead wrong!!
Surprisingly, I don’t know if the consumers here liked being ‘scolded’ / ‘shamed’ by the sales person; but it seem to be a common thing as we were not the only ones treated that way and it’s also not because we’re foreigners! On our way out, I heard another local Chinese man being ‘told-off’ that he’s being such a pain for finding a changing room instead of trying on his coat right there in between the clothes rack. Yet he actually stood there and let her grumble on as he try on his coat – patiently explaining that he just didn’t like being looked at when trying on new clothes.
I thought his request was absolutely reasonable and he was not being difficult at all! What happened to the phrase “customers are always right”?
Finally, the last example that proved the phrase:
“People generally seem to get friendlier as we move towards the equator and rude / cold as we move up north”
My colleagues generally agreed that they prefer to go to Cantonese restaurants because the service is better. “You don’t need to shout & be ignored when you ask for free water (especially if you didn’t order for a paid drink)”. I pointed out that these Cantonese restaurants are all serviced by locals and not from the South of China? So why the different service level? The reply was “Oh, because they’re trained by the boss / operator from the South” *cock an eyebrow*
Okay Okay, admittedly that was my 1st impression of service level in Beijing. Then my view seem to improve a little over time as I come across more sales staff who are better mannered and even remembered to thank you for your patronage (I almost forgot that phrase that I took for granted back in KL); and was actually shocked when I heard it!
Not all of Beijing is inhabited by rude ‘people’. Unfortunately most of the tourist-facing ones are; hence the 1st impression. I have high hopes and equally high faith that Beijing can do better than what they have to offer now…
I know what she meant. She’s not referring to “people” in general – that’s not a fair view. She’s referring to the sales people and the service level that the consumers get here.
To illustrate – We were shopping in a departmental store and I saw a really nice jacket. So I went to take a look & even tried it on when encouraged. Until I saw the price tag of RMB800 for a simple cotton-cum-elastic jacket; I was put off and said “It’s ok, this is not for me”. As I walked away with hubby, the sales lady pulled me back and gave a stage whisper “Don’t tell anyone. This discount is especially for you since I can see you really liked the jacket. 5% discount!!” Err… at RMB800, it’ll take at least 70% discount before I even bat an eye… So, I excused myself again and walk off. She continued to pull me back offering to reduce by another 5% (see what I mean about the myth of no bargaining in department stores?) and this time, hubby and I gave a firm no and walk off without a backward glance – not wanting to attract any more attention.
Then… “WHAT KIND OF HUSBAND ARE YOU. YOUR WIFE CLEARLY LIKED THAT JACKET AND YOU DIDN’T EVEN WANT TO GET THAT FOR HER!! YOU CALL YOURSELF A MAN! Come back here and I’ll give you a discount!”
Oh boy… If she thinks we’d even walk back after such a remark she’s dead wrong!!
Surprisingly, I don’t know if the consumers here liked being ‘scolded’ / ‘shamed’ by the sales person; but it seem to be a common thing as we were not the only ones treated that way and it’s also not because we’re foreigners! On our way out, I heard another local Chinese man being ‘told-off’ that he’s being such a pain for finding a changing room instead of trying on his coat right there in between the clothes rack. Yet he actually stood there and let her grumble on as he try on his coat – patiently explaining that he just didn’t like being looked at when trying on new clothes.
I thought his request was absolutely reasonable and he was not being difficult at all! What happened to the phrase “customers are always right”?
Finally, the last example that proved the phrase:
“People generally seem to get friendlier as we move towards the equator and rude / cold as we move up north”
My colleagues generally agreed that they prefer to go to Cantonese restaurants because the service is better. “You don’t need to shout & be ignored when you ask for free water (especially if you didn’t order for a paid drink)”. I pointed out that these Cantonese restaurants are all serviced by locals and not from the South of China? So why the different service level? The reply was “Oh, because they’re trained by the boss / operator from the South” *cock an eyebrow*
Okay Okay, admittedly that was my 1st impression of service level in Beijing. Then my view seem to improve a little over time as I come across more sales staff who are better mannered and even remembered to thank you for your patronage (I almost forgot that phrase that I took for granted back in KL); and was actually shocked when I heard it!
Not all of Beijing is inhabited by rude ‘people’. Unfortunately most of the tourist-facing ones are; hence the 1st impression. I have high hopes and equally high faith that Beijing can do better than what they have to offer now…
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