Monday, August 15, 2005

 

Whatever Happened to Customer Service?

Maybe I'm a spoiled American but I have to say that customer service in London leaves a lot to be desired. Case in point, back home, in Louisville, when you go to the grocery you can expect the cashier or a bag boy to ask "paper or plastic?" and stow your groceries accordingly. In London, however, not only will they not bag your groceries they will stare at you like there is something wrong with you until you've bagged up every item yourself.
This afternoon, after a quick run, I decided to pick up Blake's dry cleaning and pop into Iceland (a very low rent grocery store ... think Sav-A-Lot or Aldi) to pick up something for dinner. I only bought a few things: chicken breasts, some yogurt, lettuce, sorbet ice cream bars (yummy), and a couple 2 liters of Diet Coke. Not a major purchase, but I didn't want to have to carry more with my hands already full of dry cleaning. As usual I was having trouble opening those stupid plastic bags and instead of helping me the cashier announced to the other cashier "I'm going on my break" and left me there struggling. "Some customer service you have here," I said, under my breath. I would have said it louder but I didn't want to get shot.
You can also not expect to be asked if you want a refill on your soft drink in a London restaurant. If they do choose to ask, be sure that you will be charged for another soft drink. No Free Refills!!! I can just hear my cheapskate friend Jim saying now "I'd just get water," but if you order water here you get, you guessed it, bottled water... which you have to pay for. The only good thing I can say about this is that if we go out to eat before a movie I won't drink too much and have to pee two or three times during the show.

# posted by The Net Dog @ 8:04 AM
Comments:
I wonder if Brits come over here, if they think, "Cor blimey, what a bunch of lazy cheap prats they have over here!" when they are offered bagging service and plentiful free soft drinks? I'm guess husband would hate living there if only for the fact that any country that refuses free refills is not likely to have an abundance of cheap buffets either. ;-o

Alas, it could be worse. I went to a wedding in Appalachia this weekend. I'm fairly certain that if you listened really closely, you could hear "Dueling Banjos" across the pond.
# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : Monday, August 15, 2005 4:41:00 PM
 
Ed- Ann here, Big Daddy has introduced me to the joys of your blog site. You may think that you will get used to the incredibly shite service, but you won't. I actually got misty eyed when we went back to the US for the first time and someone asked me that wonderful question - paper or plastic? Don't get me started on department stores with people who actually want to sell you something. Sarah is convinced that if a product sells well, most retailers will try to discontinue it as it is too difficult to manage - I tend not to go this far, but the customer is certianly not king on the sceptered isle. Even worse, the lack of general manners in the city are a disturbing signal that the society is disintegrating. Outside the M25, it is a paradise of wonderful manners - doors opened, 'excuse me', thank you', etc. but not in London. Even with all of this, I wouldn't live anywhere else - too much to explore. Chat with you soon- Ann
# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : Tuesday, August 16, 2005 10:29:00 AM
 
That is very discouraging, Ann! LOL. Oh well, I've decided that even if they were nice to me I wouldn't understand what they are saying... because it sure ain't in English! People think it's funny when I tell them that I rarely hear an English accent when I'm out shopping.
# posted by Blogger The Net Dog : Tuesday, August 16, 2005 11:36:00 AM
 
Ed- yep that is correct about the accents. I think it is time for you and BD to get out of London for a weekend - Edinburgh is a perfect option - Scotland is fantastic and glorious and lots of actual Scottish. By the way - I was a bit harsh - but I do miss Dallas style manners - I know - I am a lesbian, but there is that perfect societal construction where everyone knows what to do and when, and dammit, gentlemen hold doors for ladies!! But London does hold joys that most other cities don't - theater, perfect parks, amazing history, great walks, and of course, that multi cultural society driven by rampant colonialism! Back to work - BD should be back from Dusseldorf at some point soon. And I should get him back from Lille early in the evening on Thursday! OOOs - Ann
# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : Tuesday, August 16, 2005 12:00:00 PM
 
Cheapskate friend?!?!?! Well there goes that care package I was going to send you. And for the record, I order water because I LIKE it.
# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : Tuesday, August 16, 2005 9:37:00 PM
 
Hey Cheapie, if Ed has really made you mad, you could always join this and get even: http://www.pinkpistols.org/index.html

What other country than America would have a gay gun group? You have to love it!
# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : Wednesday, August 17, 2005 6:48:00 AM
 
Jim would be to cheap to buy a gun....maybe a sling shot an a piece of free gravel.
# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : Thursday, August 18, 2005 2:28:00 AM
 
Zings across the sea!
# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : Thursday, September 15, 2005 9:06:00 AM
 
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