This comes a little late. But I need to rant about it still.
Having worked in a customer service environment for close to 4 years, it had thought me to be more understanding of other people if not more humble.
I dare say that I understand how customer service works, what it is for, and most of all how I can be a good and nice customer. I know how to reverse the roles when necessary. That being said, I am also able to distinguish better what is good service, satisfactory service, standard service, bad service and poor service.
The case:
I had the opportunity to go along with Piggywiggy to select gowns for her wedding photoshoot. YLeng and Z as well as Vicman were also there to help search, give our due comments and eventually help Piggywiggy choose her favourites.
That morning I also experienced the breaking of one of the important standard customer service rules - not greeting a customer, by one of the staff.
It does not matter if it is at the door or front desk, whether it is a restaurant, a boutique, an office or even in front of a public washroom in certain shopping centres. It does not have to even be a greeting of words. This is the most important part for a good rapport with any customer. It is a way of not being rude no matter the level of the staff or the customer. Even a mere eye contact or a hand gesture or some body language is essentially good. It gives customers the best impression of acknowledging their presence, even IF no purchase of product or service was made by the end of the day.
How difficult is it to do?
That morning I followed Z in her car to Mon Liza SS2. Upon arrival, we saw Piggywiggy's car and thought to double park behind it as there were no available parking space left. It is so we would not block the entrance or other drivers. So happen, a group a young men were walking towards this same entrance and though they looked at us funny, a couple of them gestured that we could park right in front of the entrance. Not believing at first, we soon obliged as they were actually the photography crew of Mon Liza. That is good service.
We walked towards the entrance and met up with Piggywiggy and Vicman, who were waiting there for some reason. Standing there at the door, we chat a little and we actually waited for awhile for somebody to talk to. It was busy but then it was a Sunday morning. Fine. I waited with the couple. However, I got quite annoyed when Piggywiggy called out to one staff passing by as she was walking her customer out the door. Fine. She was occupied. Once she closed the glass door, she turned around and with what looked like an icy cold expression walked off, ignoring Piggywiggy's call and gesture for attention!
I mean, please bear with me but What. The. Fuck.?!
I do not care if you had a bad morning from waking up on the wrong side of the bed. I do not care whether you did not have a good night sleep because you had a fight with your boyfriend or husband or whoever. I do not care if you were having your PMS that morning just as you put on your pants. I do not care if that last customer gave you an earful for that right attitude you were showing to us too! I do not give a fuck whether you look so bloody fucked up bitchy and think that by giving such a diva face we would not bother to seek your help even though you work there and called out to you 3 times!
The fact is we called you loud and clear but you just walked off totally ignoring the four of us as though we were invisible - that is very bad service!
So Piggywiggy went up to the desk and informed one of the staff at the counter that she already had an appointment that morning. Their look of pretentious surprise did not make up for that earlier lack of customer service. It merely confirms their inefficiency and dumbness.
Which leads me to wonder, are they doing this on purpose? It is bad enough that bridal shops have been notoriously known for their great skill in sucking the bride-and-bridegroom-to-be's of their hard earned money. They lure the bride to pay for additional things to complement the existing package with smaller items like certain make up, accessories or more pictures and such. The more so these places should buck up on their customer service or soft skills and stop trying to cheat people of their money by taking advantage of the bride's joy in being princess for a day or two. This I know through some friends, relatives, and even on forums, where customers got really upset as they had to spend a lot of money but they do not get what they had paid for.
I cannot imagine what I will do when my own turn comes. All I know is I must be very careful and plan what I need and want well before approaching these places. I do hope that the friends around me would be able to find out more about how these people work, so as to reduce the disappointment that would follow should they not be careful. Unfortunately, it is only through other people's trial and error and experiences that we can try to help others.
***
Back to the selecting, I am glad that it turned out well. Though we started out quite at odds after that situation (with a little bit of confusion as to the package that the couple took), it turned out quite fun and even a little tiring. Not to mention the bride to be Piggywiggy getting a workout. I do not know how she did it. Earlier she hurt her arms while practicing her fondant creation and baking. Then she still wanted to do some arm workout O__o.
That is why we were quite amazed with the strength in which the attendant had while helping Piggywiggy put on and take off the heavy gowns. The best part about this whole thing was that I get to see Piggywiggy all dressed beautifully in the many nice gowns of many colours. Vicman took a lot of pictures and I thought Piggywiggy dressed to the nines and posing with her 'cute' trademark looked pretty amusing. Hey you do not get to see your friends dressed up like this often you know? In fact, once they get married only their husbands get to see more of these and ahem, more. LOL!
In actual fact I was thinking of putting this part in another post but thought I might lose the inspiration to write once I start working. At one point I was thinking to myself while sitting there on the armchairs together with the rest, how time had flown.
I knew Piggywiggy when we were... 9 years old. Yeah, like way back people. We went to the same secondary school. Then to the same college and university for our degree (same course too). And all together almost 20 years past, my friend here is going to get married.
I was feeling rather nostalgic. At the same time, I felt happy and sad. Well, 20 years is a lot to talk about. I felt happy that she will now be able to move on to the next stage of her life with her partner of close to 6 years. How blissful. I have grown up with her as well as watched her grow, as a little girl to now a woman. As a student to now a working lady and soon to be somebody's wife.
The sad part about it is that coming close to 20 years of being around each other a lot, she will soon be away in another country. Just as I was sad when I had to leave the country all by myself, at least she is going to have her husband at her side. Singapore is not far but it is still going to be different somehow.
I guess that is how life in general is supposed to be. Just like how, when we embark on our choice of studies and college or uni, followed by where our work or career takes us. Subsequently, to their choice of partners and where the priorities lead them together. I shall not go that far as to the point of having children. Yet.
And so to my friend Piggywiggy, it had been a wonderful journey with you thus far. I am sure there will be more to come though slightly different. I look forward to 20 years from now, where we would be sipping tea somewhere in either a kopitiam or at somebody's house and thinking back to this year. And laughing at that picture where your hand was suppose to act as a 'fill' for the rather large bodice of that light pink coral/peach gown. *Wink*
If ever anything in our 20 years that I may have offended you that have not been brought up before, I apologise. I guess after coming to this period of time, please know that there is not a time where I have ever intentionally offend you or hurt you in anyway. Same time, I want to thank you for all those years of fun, joy, jabbing at each other's good and bad, our plots to kill certain people (torture included), getting caught in the rain, driving around, eating (and more eating), baking and much more.
I do not remember if I had wished you here before, but I will say it again now - congratulations old friend. May you have a wonderful wedding and many happy returns. Wish you all the best in your preparation for the wedding of the year, and most of all more joy and happiness to you and Vicman!
Hmm...I wonder if I can ask for ang pows during CNY next year :)P
Having worked in a customer service environment for close to 4 years, it had thought me to be more understanding of other people if not more humble.
I dare say that I understand how customer service works, what it is for, and most of all how I can be a good and nice customer. I know how to reverse the roles when necessary. That being said, I am also able to distinguish better what is good service, satisfactory service, standard service, bad service and poor service.
The case:
I had the opportunity to go along with Piggywiggy to select gowns for her wedding photoshoot. YLeng and Z as well as Vicman were also there to help search, give our due comments and eventually help Piggywiggy choose her favourites.
That morning I also experienced the breaking of one of the important standard customer service rules - not greeting a customer, by one of the staff.
It does not matter if it is at the door or front desk, whether it is a restaurant, a boutique, an office or even in front of a public washroom in certain shopping centres. It does not have to even be a greeting of words. This is the most important part for a good rapport with any customer. It is a way of not being rude no matter the level of the staff or the customer. Even a mere eye contact or a hand gesture or some body language is essentially good. It gives customers the best impression of acknowledging their presence, even IF no purchase of product or service was made by the end of the day.
How difficult is it to do?
That morning I followed Z in her car to Mon Liza SS2. Upon arrival, we saw Piggywiggy's car and thought to double park behind it as there were no available parking space left. It is so we would not block the entrance or other drivers. So happen, a group a young men were walking towards this same entrance and though they looked at us funny, a couple of them gestured that we could park right in front of the entrance. Not believing at first, we soon obliged as they were actually the photography crew of Mon Liza. That is good service.
We walked towards the entrance and met up with Piggywiggy and Vicman, who were waiting there for some reason. Standing there at the door, we chat a little and we actually waited for awhile for somebody to talk to. It was busy but then it was a Sunday morning. Fine. I waited with the couple. However, I got quite annoyed when Piggywiggy called out to one staff passing by as she was walking her customer out the door. Fine. She was occupied. Once she closed the glass door, she turned around and with what looked like an icy cold expression walked off, ignoring Piggywiggy's call and gesture for attention!
I mean, please bear with me but What. The. Fuck.?!
I do not care if you had a bad morning from waking up on the wrong side of the bed. I do not care whether you did not have a good night sleep because you had a fight with your boyfriend or husband or whoever. I do not care if you were having your PMS that morning just as you put on your pants. I do not care if that last customer gave you an earful for that right attitude you were showing to us too! I do not give a fuck whether you look so bloody fucked up bitchy and think that by giving such a diva face we would not bother to seek your help even though you work there and called out to you 3 times!
The fact is we called you loud and clear but you just walked off totally ignoring the four of us as though we were invisible - that is very bad service!
So Piggywiggy went up to the desk and informed one of the staff at the counter that she already had an appointment that morning. Their look of pretentious surprise did not make up for that earlier lack of customer service. It merely confirms their inefficiency and dumbness.
Which leads me to wonder, are they doing this on purpose? It is bad enough that bridal shops have been notoriously known for their great skill in sucking the bride-and-bridegroom-to-be's of their hard earned money. They lure the bride to pay for additional things to complement the existing package with smaller items like certain make up, accessories or more pictures and such. The more so these places should buck up on their customer service or soft skills and stop trying to cheat people of their money by taking advantage of the bride's joy in being princess for a day or two. This I know through some friends, relatives, and even on forums, where customers got really upset as they had to spend a lot of money but they do not get what they had paid for.
I cannot imagine what I will do when my own turn comes. All I know is I must be very careful and plan what I need and want well before approaching these places. I do hope that the friends around me would be able to find out more about how these people work, so as to reduce the disappointment that would follow should they not be careful. Unfortunately, it is only through other people's trial and error and experiences that we can try to help others.
***
Back to the selecting, I am glad that it turned out well. Though we started out quite at odds after that situation (with a little bit of confusion as to the package that the couple took), it turned out quite fun and even a little tiring. Not to mention the bride to be Piggywiggy getting a workout. I do not know how she did it. Earlier she hurt her arms while practicing her fondant creation and baking. Then she still wanted to do some arm workout O__o.
That is why we were quite amazed with the strength in which the attendant had while helping Piggywiggy put on and take off the heavy gowns. The best part about this whole thing was that I get to see Piggywiggy all dressed beautifully in the many nice gowns of many colours. Vicman took a lot of pictures and I thought Piggywiggy dressed to the nines and posing with her 'cute' trademark looked pretty amusing. Hey you do not get to see your friends dressed up like this often you know? In fact, once they get married only their husbands get to see more of these and ahem, more. LOL!
In actual fact I was thinking of putting this part in another post but thought I might lose the inspiration to write once I start working. At one point I was thinking to myself while sitting there on the armchairs together with the rest, how time had flown.
I knew Piggywiggy when we were... 9 years old. Yeah, like way back people. We went to the same secondary school. Then to the same college and university for our degree (same course too). And all together almost 20 years past, my friend here is going to get married.
I was feeling rather nostalgic. At the same time, I felt happy and sad. Well, 20 years is a lot to talk about. I felt happy that she will now be able to move on to the next stage of her life with her partner of close to 6 years. How blissful. I have grown up with her as well as watched her grow, as a little girl to now a woman. As a student to now a working lady and soon to be somebody's wife.
The sad part about it is that coming close to 20 years of being around each other a lot, she will soon be away in another country. Just as I was sad when I had to leave the country all by myself, at least she is going to have her husband at her side. Singapore is not far but it is still going to be different somehow.
I guess that is how life in general is supposed to be. Just like how, when we embark on our choice of studies and college or uni, followed by where our work or career takes us. Subsequently, to their choice of partners and where the priorities lead them together. I shall not go that far as to the point of having children. Yet.
And so to my friend Piggywiggy, it had been a wonderful journey with you thus far. I am sure there will be more to come though slightly different. I look forward to 20 years from now, where we would be sipping tea somewhere in either a kopitiam or at somebody's house and thinking back to this year. And laughing at that picture where your hand was suppose to act as a 'fill' for the rather large bodice of that light pink coral/peach gown. *Wink*
If ever anything in our 20 years that I may have offended you that have not been brought up before, I apologise. I guess after coming to this period of time, please know that there is not a time where I have ever intentionally offend you or hurt you in anyway. Same time, I want to thank you for all those years of fun, joy, jabbing at each other's good and bad, our plots to kill certain people (torture included), getting caught in the rain, driving around, eating (and more eating), baking and much more.
I do not remember if I had wished you here before, but I will say it again now - congratulations old friend. May you have a wonderful wedding and many happy returns. Wish you all the best in your preparation for the wedding of the year, and most of all more joy and happiness to you and Vicman!
Hmm...I wonder if I can ask for ang pows during CNY next year :)P
5 What say you?:
i'm sorry but your post upsets me. i agree the beginning part when we arrive and they were to busy to layan/ignore part. but you sounded like you had a terrible time and everyone was mean.
Ohh...I do apologise that what I wrote had upset you. I was only complaining about that part about bad customer service. I mentioned it here on a whole whereby I have heard from other people I know who had gone through the bad part about all these. That's why I brought it up. By no means having to refer to a bad ending in part of the whole event.
You know at the end we had a fun time together there, as evident in Facebook?
no you can't have ang pow coz you're older than me =P
heheheh we go for another round in november k :)
and no i don't think 20 years later i could able to fill that dress unless some erm surgery is made.. or maybe when i'm preggers, possibly the top might but then cannot fit in the bottom wor. hahaha..
what a sad post...what will happen 20 yrs down the road? i hope we will still stay the same..
keke..since im younger than Jo, i hope to get a big fat red angpow! hahaha
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