Customer service in the UK sucks (purchase, camp, wages)

[geeoro]

A big problem in the UK is that no matter how a bank, restaurant or shop treats a customer, Brits find it very hard to not use that company. A Bank in the UK can overcharge you, mess up your account etc and the customer will remain loyal. If the companies thought that the customer would vote with their feet it might make them think twice. So many Brits will accept bad service and not complain. I took my wife to a restaurant for her Birthday in the UK and ordered her a Pina Collada. When it arrived my wife took one sip and almost spat it out, it was curdled. I called the waiter back and told him that the drink was off and no good. He looked blankly at me and said "and?" I told him politely where he should stick the drink and my wife and i got up and left the restaurant. On the way out i told the manager why we were leaving and he made a half hearted attempt to keep us there. We walked out.
In America my wife ordered some black eyed peas and when she recieved her meal half of the peas were not cooked. She told the waitress that obviously the chef had added peas as he hadn't made enough and they hadn't cooked. Within minutes the manager came to our table and couldn't apologise enough. He asked if there was any way that he could make up for the mistake and we said it's ok but we thought we should tell you. At the end of the meal he sent over complimentary deserts and a drink. Big difference in Customer service in the UK and America and it shows.

[Cyanna]

I would have to agree that Customer Service throughout the UK is pretty dismal, at best. However, there are a few exceptions. I've found that the smaller villages and towns in Scotland offer superb, friendly customer service and restaurants tend to serve very generous portions of good quality meat and veg. I've never yet had a complaint against customer service or food quality in Scotland.

I've also noticed that the further south one goes in England the worse the service gets, the prices go up and the quality goes down.

Oh, almost forgot one other exception in England. There is a place not far from where I live called Wallsend, which many consider to be a rough area full of scum and chavs. However, it is one of the friendliest places in the North and my husband and I love to go there frequently. The people might be a bit rough but they have never given us a problem and it is always a pleasant experience to mingle with them. Customer service is great. Staff are always friendly and helpful and nobody pushes and shoves their way past you.

[geeoro]

Obviously there are places all over the UK that do give good service. I think that the problem is that it isn't the norm. My wife opened a shop in London and went out of her way to give good service. The amount of customers who were amazed that a sales person would go that extra mile to help them was amazing. Brits have come to accept slack service and as an excuse say that they hate sales staff leaping on them as they enter a shop. If you say to a salesman, "i'm just looking, i'll call you if i need you" does the trick.

[LINCOLNSHIRE]

Originally Posted by What!

Lincolnshire, the whole point of good customer service is to increase sales.

Personally, I think anyone who hates a person for trying to be helpful is a horribly negative person who shouldn't be associated with. Sure, the niceness can be annoying, but there is no need to be hateful about it.

I don`t recall using the word hate
The best way I could describe it is the way I would with rap....Keep it away from me as I have no feelings for it one way or the other..You describe it as yet another Money Cow..In the American style...
But if I had to describe the Brit attitude to it,, it would be thus...
Give me Miss Marple rather than an E`d up cheerleader on her way back from a S.London rave...

[Raggy dee Ann]

What a fuddy duddy Who the heck wants Miss Marples? That sort of thinking is what gives the UK the reputation it has. Your best reason is "an E`d up cheerleader on her way back from a S.London rave..." ?

[LINCOLNSHIRE]

Originally Posted by Raggy dee Ann

What a fuddy duddy Who the heck wants Miss Marples? That sort of thinking is what gives the UK the reputation it has. Your best reason is "an E`d up cheerleader on her way back from a S.London rave..." ?

Fuddy duddy??? I`ll give you ya due there Ann ...you know all the technical terms. ...And yes it`s that reputation that keeps em coming,,,
Who would want to come half way around the world to see your E`d up compadres in London???

[Cyanna]

Originally Posted by Raggy dee Ann

What a fuddy duddy Who the heck wants Miss Marples? That sort of thinking is what gives the UK the reputation it has. Your best reason is "an E`d up cheerleader on her way back from a S.London rave..." ?

Please, no Miss Marples! But Hamish MacBeth would be welcome by me in the USA

[peapod86]

after living in Germany I love the great customer service in the US but.....I have to say that I think customer service in UK is more genuine than in the US, at least if u get good customer service in the UK its like the ppl actually want to help you, in the US they only help u cause they might not get a tip or they might be fired if they dont say "hi there how are u today?" if you reply "im fine thanks how are u?" they look at u gone out because what they actually meant was "hello" not how are you.... then there are 3 different sales ppl who come up to you whilst u are in the shop to ask if u need help....argh i need that invisible cloke that harry potter has....but as a rule I like shopping in the US and UK.

I live in Germany where the customer service is awfulllllllllllllll I hardly go shopping anymore, its so bad! I wait until Im back in the UK or I shop online.

(obviously there are exceptions to the rule in all 3 countries...)

[glxyman21]

I think part of the reason why customer service is bad in the UK is because pretty much every shop and restaurant is a chain. Every town center In England has the same shops and restaurants as every other town center or shopping center. Sometimes restaurants go under different names, but are owned by a corporate entity (I.e. Weatherspoons, ASK Restaurants Ltd, Bay Restaurant Group, etc) This makes for poor quality and service as most of these restaurant groups strive for maximum profits rather than individuality or service. The chances that you will visit another restaurant or shop within the group is very likely, without knowing it. Town centers in England have lost identity as they are all the same, and customer service is not a priority.

There were a few times I went out to restaurants in the UK where I have spent over 15 pounds on just a main meal and the orders have been wrong, The waitress came to the table and gave the dishes to the wrong people and wouldn't correct it and walked off (a group of about 6 people so a lot of plate shifting happening), and glasses of water go unfilled the whole meal as no one is around or they never come back when you do tell them (it would be easier to leave a jug of water on the table). My friend recently told me she went out to a nice restaurant and they forgot to put the orders in for over an hour and even though there was a complaint nothing was done about it. That is just unacceptable.

[jenn02674]

Originally Posted by peapod86

UK its like the ppl actually want to help you, in the US they only help u cause they might not get a tip or they might be fired if they dont say "hi there how are u today?" if you reply "im fine thanks how )

This doesn't make any sense. EVERYONE is there to do a job - to make money. Noone is working these jobs for fun. This goes for the UK and the US. It is just a matter of expectations within each country.

I will say that there are places that do well though. I once was in one of those chain breakfast places, Chef something or other and I found something in my coffee. When I told the waitress the manager came over and gave us all our meals for free (there was five of us). They were also very apologetic.