Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Miss/Won't Miss #12

COMBO!
Things I'll Miss About Japan #12: Outstanding Customer Service
Things I Won't Miss About Japan #12: Being That Gaijin No One Wants to Deal With

No one kisses my ass like they do in Japan. The staff at shops, bars, restaurants, train stations, almost everywhere are very polite and helpful. The standards for customer service are ridiculously high in Tokyo and I must give props to the men and women who serve everyone else.

I've worked my fair share of mall jobs and I would not be able to do it to the same extent they do on a daily basis. I know what it's like to be on your feet all day and have rude, demanding, entitled people in your face for upwards of 8 hours. I've worked on major holidays in retail and restaurant jobs. It sucks.


There have been times where I've gotten the staff member that does not deal with gaijin, period. The girl who totally doesn't care if she makes my sale or not, even if she didn't have to help me with anything other than getting something from the stock room. The waitress who looks away when I walk in a restaurant, assuming I couldn't possibly speak enough Japanese to make her look stupid (it was a kaiten zushi and I spoke to the chef behind the conveyor belt without any problems).


But I've also had a lot of people be extremely patient with me, knowing that I was a foreigner and didn't speak a whole lot of Japanese. I wish I could tip those servers or do something nice for the people who put up with me and still try to go the extra mile to take care of me. I was on the phone with some poor soul at the trash disposal office for like 20 minutes arranging for items to be picked up. I wish I could've spoken to his supervisor to tell him to give that  man a raise.


We'd make customers fight tooth and nail for damage discounts at one store I worked at, and the one time I did get one here I didn't even ask for it. I was looking at a pair of shoes and asked for a pair that didn't have one super tiny little scuff, but it was the last pair the girl offered me 15% off. I would've bought them at full price, I honestly didn't care.


And I was reminded again tonight about how awesome they treat you here. I didn't change the sign on my door to have housekeeping clean the room. I don't really care if they come in or not, I don't need a fresh towel every day and I'm sure the maids don't mind having one less bed to make. When I came back to my room, however, I found this on the door.





A whole 'nother set of towels, a fresh yukata, and a bathroom set in a bag! THEY DON'T DO THIS IN AMERICA. I realize this is a nicer hotel and I don't get the chance to stay in nicer hotels all that often, but I've never had this happen at any hotel in Waikiki. Totally keeping the paper bag.

1 comment:

  1. they do this at crappy (well, "buisness") hotels too. well, if you put the "don't disturb sign".

    ReplyDelete

The toes you step on today may be related to the butt you kiss tomorrow.