Thinking of moving to Miami? Read this... (Palmetto: neighborhood, live)

[Glasvegas]

Originally Posted by Ladywithafan

Don't hit your head. It can't be that bad, can it?

[WINTERFRONT]

I wish we had red/orange colored trees on autumn

Pink palm trees.... now that's something

[Spring Hillian]

I don't care where a person is from, but 100 percent paid up front? Yeah, likely anyone is going to hand over cash for services not even started and by a person with no reputation or references going back a few years.

Did you get some estimates on your scooter repair or just go to the first place you saw and had it done?

Originally Posted by Jmlacysr

I loved Miami when I first got here. I had all the earmarks of a starry eyed tourist. The price to move here seemed worth it.

Being here on vacation is different when you have to deal day to day. The more I had to actually do any business here is when I started to notice. Then once I started to notice is when I noticed more.

Now, after being stung just this week on a scooter repair job it put me over the edge.

To answer your question directly. I sensed there was a problem when several of my customers asked if I was going to show up and do the work. I'm am normally paid in full 100% before I ever do anything. They said they didn't feel comfortable paying me in advance because I was from Miami.

I lost some business from that and me not showing up has never been questioned in the decade I have been doing my business in Dallas. It's just a non-factor there. I thought it odd, but not something to worry about and now I see why their reluctance. It had nothing to do with me at all, but instead the reputation of the people of Miami.

That was my first clue and now I see why.

[♥♥PRINC3Ss♥♥]

^^^ someone in his position wouldn't have a lot of references being in a new city, but the standard in the industry is to pay 100% up front. That part is correct, should he change his procedure while he increases his customer referrals? Maybe, maybe not. He will probably get burned if he doesn't charge everything before the wedding, but he might get new customers who can't fully verify his work. Would I hire him? Not if one of my friends recommended him.

[Ladywithafan]

Originally Posted by Glasvegas

Don't hit your head. It can't be that bad, can it?

....making tin foil hats to ensure safety this evening...

[tweetybird11208]

you should move its great down there

[xS☺B☺s]

Originally Posted by Glasvegas

Awful video!

Since we're posting videos now, this song always reminds me of life in Miami:

<Scrappy LA Metal Band Deleted: reason: take a bath Axl!>

OK, well this is my Miami video. The veritable Queen of Miami in her heyday backed unquestionably the best band in town. As soon as she says "Hello Miami" heart melts and tongue just falls out! Truly world class. Bow Pitbull.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKKzP...layer_embedded

[MiamiLIFE]

Originally Posted by Bostonian08

Princess, you keep suggesting JM is some adolescent fabricating some fantasy story. Frankly, it is clear that whole suggestion is your fantasy and you're not doing yourself any justice. Largely I like your input - you're a righteous defender of the Magic City and I applaud that - but boy are you plainly chasing your tail. Give it a rest!

Regarding Miami service, well my theory about the problem is Miamians are so underpaid they feel no motivation to work for the money. I can see the point. That, plus the permanent vacation mentality. I know often found myself more motivated to go to the beach than to work. It definitely has something to do with the combativeness in MIA. And I certainly think it has nothing to do with language. If that were the case you'd see the same thing in Dallas, Houston, or San Antonio with the millions of Mexicans, but that's just not the case. NY and BOS actually have more claim to language barriers. In MIA, all you have to do is know two languages really - with an occasional Creole. In BOS or NY, there are a dozen - hundreds in the case of NYC. Go into any 7-11. Who knows what the cashier's primary language may be - Hindi, Swahili, Arabic, Creole, Cambodian, Vietnamese... Do you guys know that people who speak Cantonese generally don't understand Mandarin? Talk about the tower of Babel!

JM, I will say however you are awfully spoiled coming from Dallas. There is nowhere on the East Coast that will accommodate a level of comfort and service that is found in Dallas for anywhere near the price you can afford in Dallas. All over the East Coast - and Europe - people have more of a contempt for labor forever seeking more recreational time. Maybe it's because of the population density - how jolly can one be on the job after waiting 1/2 hr in the rain when it's 34 degrees and riding a sardine packed subway for 50 minutes? Just a little NY preview for you. Miamians don't really have the weather trappings of the north or EUR, but they have the same attitude about their employment. I always say it's a lot easier for the Dallas cashier to smile when she waits on ten customers per hour compared to the Boston cashier who waits on 200! Miami doesn't have service, it's a beautiful place with beautiful people. You gotta soak that up to love Miami.

I live in NJ and commute to NY. There's nothing jolly about it...and it is expensive as all heck. A monthly train pass into NY is almost $400. I have to imagine as bad as Miami is, it has to be better than NYC.

[gymbuff]

To me, the fact that it is 70 something degrees in January makes up for some lackadaisical customer service and a few incompetent drivers.

[Rock Newman]

Originally Posted by gymbuff

To me, the fact that it is 70 something degrees in January makes up for some lackadaisical customer service and a few incompetent drivers.

I defend Miami on here often ... as it has many beautiful areas and yes ... gasp I do know many good people down there .... but the nice weather for four - five months a year is not an equal trade off to the level of rudeness or actually apathy on the part of service personnel .. also the drivers are just plain crazy ... it is more than just a few .. some are down right criminal .