Does Austin really live up to the hype? (Houston, Dallas: house prices, living in)

[thedude72]

Well, for one thing Iraq is not a city in the US?

Originally Posted by normalguy

So, your argument seems to be that Austin is great since it is better than some Godforsaken place (where is this Denton anyway?). On similar lines we should say that Austin is great because it is not in Iraq

[Frodo2008]

Originally Posted by thedude72

How was your customer service experience in Austin?

I didn't realize anything different about it so I guess it was average. Living in Texas and Michigan I've heard a lot of people say things like the people in the northeast are rude. The people in California are rude. The people in Chicago are rude. I've never understood how people get these impressions. I've been to LA, SF, all over the midwest, Virginia, Washington DC, Maryland, all over New England. I've been to Chicago. Every where I've been people have been very respectful to me and gave me good customer service. People hold doors for me, etc. So what I was saying is when I go from place to place I don't hardly see any difference.

I think no matter where you go people respond to you in the same form that you respond to them. You treat them good they'll treat you good. You wave at them with one finger they'll wave at you with one finger.

[TexasHorseLady]

My customer service experience has been,of course, what I've always been used to, being born and growing up in Texas. If someone is rude, it's something to remark upon, because it's taken for granted that you'll have a brief conversation with the person behind the counter or a longer one if someone's coming to your house to, say,fix the plumbing or some such thing.

Of course, I tend to be pleasant to people who are doing something for me, and that does impact the service they give me, I think, because so many people AREN'T pleasant to them.

[mlassoff]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

My customer service experience has been,of course, what I've always been used to, being born and growing up in Texas. If someone is rude, it's something to remark upon, because it's taken for granted that you'll have a brief conversation with the person behind the counter or a longer one if someone's coming to your house to, say,fix the plumbing or some such thing.

Of course, I tend to be pleasant to people who are doing something for me, and that does impact the service they give me, I think, because so many people AREN'T pleasant to them.

Have you ever had an unpleasant experience in Texas or thought something outside Austin was superior to what's in Austin? Seems like REALTORs on this forum are positive to the expense or realism.

[Jennibc]

When we moved from Seattle to RI we were stunned by how poor the customer service was in RI. Coming from the land of Nordstrom we were used to superior customer service. The attitude in RI was "if you don't like it, take your business elsewhere!" Which we often did. We shopped the same Shaws in Middletown for three years and never once did a checker look us in the eye.

Then we moved to Austin and clerks and such were SO friendly, we just about fell over. The downside was that if you were in a hurry, you had to wait while the customer in front of you made small talk with cashier. Sometimes that annoyed me a little.

Then we moved back to Seattle and was floored at how surly people in customer service had become. I don't know if it was outrageous growth in late 90s in Seattle but it was no longer service with a smile - people may look you in the eye when they do business with you, but there was no longer "you are the valued customer" ethos that permeated this area in the 80s.

Back to Austin a few weeks ago for our house hunting trip, and again, we are floored by how friendly MOST of the customer service workers were. There was the occasional "we cannot do that" but none of the "if you don't like it go elsewhere attitude". I promise that this time, I will learn to give myself more time so that I never again feel annoyed because a cashier makes friendly small talk with the person in front of me. In the whole scheme of things, I'd prefer a slightly longer wait then all the negativity.

[mlassoff]

Good points... I'd rather have efficiency... Seems that 5 people in life for coffee = 5 minutes in Austin. 5 People in line for coffee = 2 Minutes in NY or Boston. I know I am an impatient a**, but getting on my way is more important than a smiling clerk..

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by mlassoff

Have you ever had an unpleasant experience in Texas or thought something outside Austin was superior to what's in Austin? Seems like REALTORs on this forum are positive to the expense or realism.

Superior? In some cases, yes. Just as good, just different? Sure, in many cases. Have I ever had an unpleasant experience in Texas? I'm alive, aren't I? Most everyone has unpleasant experiences in their lives - I just don't judge entire cities or states by them.

However, when people are badmouthing Austin, Texas, or, for that matter, any other place, about something that is contrary to my personal experience (especially if they have an obvious agenda), I'm likely to speak up. Not because I'm a REALTOR®, by the way - I was that way a LONG time before I was an agent.

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by mlassoff

Good points... I'd rather have efficiency... Seems that 5 people in life for coffee = 5 minutes in Austin. 5 People in line for coffee = 2 Minutes in NY or Boston. I know I am an impatient a**, but getting on my way is more important than a smiling clerk..

Might I ask why? This is an attitude that is foreign to me (the destination is much more important than the journey), and I'd like to try to understand it.

[mlassoff]

I think you find this a cultural difference between NY and Austin. I value efficiency, respect for my time. Time spent standing in line at Starbucks is wasted to me. (1) I don't have my much needed coffee and (2) I'm am further timewise from my ultimate destination...

I also don't like flight delays, long red lights, waiting for the check, a line at the supermarket, idiots who drive too slow, when my hotel room isn't ready, when my oil change takes more than :30, when pizza delivery takes too long... It all takes time.. My time.. Time I could be spending doing the things that really light my fire... like spending time with my family, keeping in touch with old friends and posting in this forum

[Frodo2008]

Originally Posted by Jennibc

When we moved from Seattle to RI we were stunned by how poor the customer service was in RI. Coming from the land of Nordstrom we were used to superior customer service. The attitude in RI was "if you don't like it, take your business elsewhere!" Which we often did. We shopped the same Shaws in Middletown for three years and never once did a checker look us in the eye.

Then we moved to Austin and clerks and such were SO friendly, we just about fell over. The downside was that if you were in a hurry, you had to wait while the customer in front of you made small talk with cashier. Sometimes that annoyed me a little.

Then we moved back to Seattle and was floored at how surly people in customer service had become. I don't know if it was outrageous growth in late 90s in Seattle but it was no longer service with a smile - people may look you in the eye when they do business with you, but there was no longer "you are the valued customer" ethos that permeated this area in the 80s.

Back to Austin a few weeks ago for our house hunting trip, and again, we are floored by how friendly MOST of the customer service workers were. There was the occasional "we cannot do that" but none of the "if you don't like it go elsewhere attitude". I promise that this time, I will learn to give myself more time so that I never again feel annoyed because a cashier makes friendly small talk with the person in front of me. In the whole scheme of things, I'd prefer a slightly longer wait then all the negativity.

Why do you think it's this way? I've never understood why people in one area are more friendly than people in another area. It seems like it would be the same everywhere. I wonder what the reason is for this?