Customer Service??

[Boblobla]

I went to dinner with my Fiancee to The Olde Spaghetti Factory and, no joke, we were waiting for almost 50mins before someone even came to take our drink order. We were going to ask for someone but decided we would wait to see how long it took before someone came and took our order since we weren't starving. I really couldn't believe it, the amount of people who walked by and didn't check to see if we were okay.

It was eventually the host that sat us down that saw we were still just sitting there and he came to confirm that. The next thing we knew the manager was there being very apologetic. The comped 2 bottles of wine and our appetizers. I would go back.

[Cactus Jack]

Service in Calgary is terrible. I find it slightly better than in Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto but it's nothing compared to Latin America (where I travel). I can only imagine how good it is in Asia. Europe can be hit and miss. People here are rude, sullen and expect a big tip just for being there, regardless of how bad they serve you.

I've flown with Brazilian airline Varig a few times and on a one hour flight I got an excellent meal, lots of drinks and good care. In North America (both US and Canadian companies), I would get a biscuit on a 5 hour flight. They can think twice if they think I'm going to buy a crappy sandwich for $6. I can't tell you how many times Air Canada has lost my luggage, severely delayed flight times and treated me rudely with their customer service. We really need more options in Canada because like most, unless you're rich you choose price when it comes to air travel, which means Air Canada is our only national option and often cheaper than companies from the US. If I had more money, I would go with a US airline.

In the US I also find the service to be better (NYC, LA, etc) but people FROM the US are extremely rude. It's unbelievable the a-holes that the average New Yorker is - especially those that work in public transportation. People from the US really don't have the same regard for others we have in Canada.
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[peter12]

Originally Posted by Cactus Jack

Service in Calgary is terrible. I find it slightly better than in Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto but it's nothing compared to Latin America (where I travel). I can only imagine how good it is in Asia. Europe can be hit and miss. People here are rude, sullen and expect a big tip just for being there, regardless of how bad they serve you.

I've flown with Brazilian airline Varig a few times and on a one hour flight I got an excellent meal, lots of drinks and good care. In North America (both US and Canadian companies), I would get a biscuit on a 5 hour flight. They can think twice if they think I'm going to buy a crappy sandwich for $6. I can't tell you how many times Air Canada has lost my luggage, severely delayed flight times and treated me rudely with their customer service. We really need more options in Canada because like most, unless you're rich you choose price when it comes to air travel, which means Air Canada is our only national option and often cheaper than companies from the US. If I had more money, I would go with a US airline.

In the US I also find the service to be better (NYC, LA, etc) but people FROM the US are extremely rude. It's unbelievable the a-holes that the average New Yorker is - especially those that work in public transportation. People from the US really don't have the same regard for others we have in Canada.

That is such a hilariously lame statement. I just spent 6 days in Seattle and encountered some of the nicest and most helpful people I have ever encountered in any city anywhere.

I had my car broken into at 1:00 in the morning and total strangers basically walked me through the process of reporting it and finding me a place to get it fixed in 24 hours.

[driveway]

To defend those in the service industry - of which I have been in many capacities over the years - the desire to give the best service possible can frequently be blunted by dealing, again and again, with self-important boobs with monstrous chips on their shoulders.

As a customer, you have a right to expect reasonable service, commensurate with the amount of money you are going to be spending. If you are in a luxury resort your expectations should be higher than if you're spending a buck fifty on a cup of coffee.

Also, customers need to know: you are not always right, you are not entitled to everything you want and you are not the most important person in the room. You do not have the right to expect anything that would impact a business' ability to give excellent service to everyone else who is there. You do not have the right to treat the staff with condescension, contempt or rudeness. You should recognize that you are dealing with another human being and treat them in the same way that you wish to be treated.

Also, responding to mistakes with anger or insults is an easy way to leave angry. Everyone makes mistakes and you are not perfect yourself. Bring the error to the attention of whomever in a polite, respectful manner and it will almost always be resolved quickly and to your satisfaction. Act like a jerk and expect to be treated like a jerk.

And finally, Customs agents are not in the customer service business. Nor are security personnel of any kind. They should not be expected to act as such.

[psicodude]

Originally Posted by Cactus Jack

In the US I also find the service to be better (NYC, LA, etc) but people FROM the US are extremely rude. It's unbelievable the a-holes that the average New Yorker is - especially those that work in public transportation. People from the US really don't have the same regard for others we have in Canada.

The wife and I spent a week in NY a couple years ago, and I was surprised at how friendly people were. Every time I took out a map, a complete stranger would stop and ask if we needed a hand. We were waiting for the subway to take us to a Yankees game, and a guy standing behind heard gave us an unsolicited tip to take the express train...saving us 30 minutes!

The sterotype that New Yorkers are jerks and will kill you if you get in their way is complete crap.

[moncton golden flames]

Originally Posted by llama64

Waiters seem to expect tips

they do, because their employer pays them near minimum wage, expecting that tips will make up the difference on what the servers time is worth.

[habernac]

Originally Posted by moncton golden flames

they do, because their employer pays them near minimum wage, expecting that tips will make up the difference on what the servers time is worth.

and if they do a garbage job, their time isn't worth squat.

[red sky]

Originally Posted by psicodude

The wife and I spent a week in NY a couple years ago, and I was surprised at how friendly people were. Every time I took out a map, a complete stranger would stop and ask if we needed a hand. We were waiting for the subway to take us to a Yankees game, and a guy standing behind heard gave us an unsolicited tip to take the express train...saving us 30 minutes!

The sterotype that New Yorkers are jerks and will kill you if you get in their way is complete crap.

Very similar thing happened when I went a few weeks back. Extremely friendly people and always willing to lend a hand to tourists

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by Cactus Jack

In the US I also find the service to be better (NYC, LA, etc) but people FROM the US are extremely rude. It's unbelievable the a-holes that the average New Yorker is - especially those that work in public transportation. People from the US really don't have the same regard for others we have in Canada.

Originally Posted by peter12

That is such a hilariously lame statement. I just spent 6 days in Seattle and encountered some of the nicest and most helpful people I have ever encountered in any city anywhere.

I had my car broken into at 1:00 in the morning and total strangers basically walked me through the process of reporting it and finding me a place to get it fixed in 24 hours.

No no, CJ is pretty accurate there. You spent 6 days? I've been here for 3 months, not to mention previous yearly trips to the US for conferences, vacation et al. I don't think Americans are trying to be rude, Canadians are just used to please's and thank-you's left, right and center while Americans don't seem to see it being worth their mention - even if they don't mean to be rude.

To say American's have no regard for others is not true though, and not all Americans are jerks either.

[malcolmk14]

Originally Posted by psicodude

The wife and I spent a week in NY a couple years ago, and I was surprised at how friendly people were. Every time I took out a map, a complete stranger would stop and ask if we needed a hand. We were waiting for the subway to take us to a Yankees game, and a guy standing behind heard gave us an unsolicited tip to take the express train...saving us 30 minutes!

The sterotype that New Yorkers are jerks and will kill you if you get in their way is complete crap.

Agreed, I couldn't believe how nice people were in New York. Tons of help taking the subway, we even had our front desk manager in our hotel call up a friend of his and set us up with a house party in Brooklyn one night when we were looking for something to do.

Very cool.

[peter12]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

No no, CJ is pretty accurate there. You spent 6 days? I've been here for 3 months, not to mention previous yearly trips to the US for conferences, vacation et al. I don't think Americans are trying to be rude, Canadians are just used to please's and thank-you's left, right and center while Americans don't seem to see it being worth their mention - even if they don't mean to be rude.

To say American's have no regard for others is not true though, and not all Americans are jerks either.

Nice, I've spent 3 months in the United States as well. And it still holds up. Ever go to Montreal or Toronto or Ottawa? The people there are stuck-up and ridiculously unfriendly

[moncton golden flames]

Originally Posted by habernac

and if they do a garbage job, their time isn't worth squat.

i disagree. the server is not just representing themselves, they are the link between you, the management and the kitchen of the establishment. to blame everything on the server is pure ignorance. when the kitchen gets backed up and food is not coming out quickly, the server gets the blame from customers because they are front line staff. how the servers deal with such ordeals is the responsibility of the management. and if the server does not frequent your table when it is very busy, then management is letting the server down by not picking up slack. it is part of their job afterall.

i'm not excusing poor service, but, if you keep an open mind about how a restaurant works, you will realize that poor service as seen by the customer is not always a refelection of the service staff only, it is a combination of service, management and the kitchen staff. most people who dine out take their frustration of poor overall service out on the service staff, completely oblivious to the 'back of house' operations.

if they had a dollar for every time the kitchen fell behind and it eventually led to the customer believing i delivered poor service to them, they wouldn't need your tips.

[habernac]

I've worked for 17 years in customer service type jobs. I know good service from bad and I tip accordingly.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by peter12

Nice, I've spent 3 months in the United States as well. And it still holds up. Ever go to Montreal or Toronto or Ottawa? The people there are stuck-up and ridiculously unfriendly

Well thats just a ridiculous generalization as well. Yes I have been to all 3.

Random acts of samaraton help are quite universal, from Canada to America to Serbia to Europe to China. In general, its pretty well known that Canadians are the most polite in the world, everywhere you go people recognize that. Americans lack those manners, also well known. As I said, its no slight to Americans, they just don't use please's and thank-you's, but if you need help, they will help you. I don't think its fair to say Americans are rude or bad people, they just don't seem to have the same value of manners. Even Americans down here will tell you that.

[peter12]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

Well thats just a ridiculous generalization as well. Yes I have been to all 3.

Random acts of samaraton help are quite universal, from Canada to America to Serbia to Europe to China. In general, its pretty well known that Canadians are the most polite in the world, everywhere you go people recognize that. Americans lack those manners, also well known. As I said, its no slight to Americans, they just don't use please's and thank-you's, but if you need help, they will help you. I don't think its fair to say Americans are rude or bad people, they just don't seem to have the same value of manners. Even Americans down here will tell you that.

How can you pair two entirely contradictory statements in a single post and still expect to make a point? My point is, to call Americans rude and Canadians polite, as if there was some sort of universal scale of politeness is ######ed.

[Phanuthier]

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[Boblobla]

This thread is awesome:

Poor customer service to all Americans are d-bags in one page...

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by Boblobla

This thread is awesome:

Poor customer service to all Americans are d-bags in one page...

Again, for those that can't seem to comprehend, its NOT that Americans are d-bags or whatever you want to call it. Americans are as helpful as just about any other society, they just don't aren't as polite as Canadians and don't use please's, sorry's and thank-you's as much as Canadians.

[moncton golden flames]

Originally Posted by habernac

I've worked for 17 years in customer service type jobs. I know good service from bad and I tip accordingly.

customer service type? does that mean call centre, retail or do you have experience directly related to the subject we are discussing (tipping at a restaurant)?

[peter12]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

Again, for those that can't seem to comprehend, its NOT that Americans are d-bags or whatever you want to call it. Americans are as helpful as just about any other society, they just don't aren't as polite as Canadians and don't use please's, sorry's and thank-you's as much as Canadians.

That's even worse! So in your grand travels around the United States did you carry a little politeness odometer with you? Maybe we are just seeing an example of confirmation bias.