Finally -- Good Service
Once again, I set out on my quest to find a Starbucks store that still had planners in stock. This time, I went to the store in the Standard Chartered Bank building, across my own.
This store is one of my favorites-- good lighting, warm interior... and more couches than chairs, which all makes for a really good place to linger with a book.
The first thing I noticed as I approached the store was that the tarp that said "The red cups are here" was still up. There was also still a white wreath hanging at the door, and true enough, by the cash registers lay piled of red cups.
I approached the counter; asked if they had a planner. The girl politely told me that they'd run out but that they would be getting a delivery within the week.
Then she asked me if I wanted to reserve one.
Hooray! Finally, someone who asked! Someone who thought to think of my (the customer) welfare. I gave her my name and number. She asked me where I worked, and thanked me when I left.
We normally don't expect much from the people who serve us. We just expect them to take down our orders and give us our change. If we know that we want anything else, we ask, but the reverse is rare. It is rare to expect to be asked if we want anything in particular. Yet this simple act of concern certainly goes even beyond the extra mile.
This store is one of my favorites-- good lighting, warm interior... and more couches than chairs, which all makes for a really good place to linger with a book.
The first thing I noticed as I approached the store was that the tarp that said "The red cups are here" was still up. There was also still a white wreath hanging at the door, and true enough, by the cash registers lay piled of red cups.
I approached the counter; asked if they had a planner. The girl politely told me that they'd run out but that they would be getting a delivery within the week.
Then she asked me if I wanted to reserve one.
Hooray! Finally, someone who asked! Someone who thought to think of my (the customer) welfare. I gave her my name and number. She asked me where I worked, and thanked me when I left.
We normally don't expect much from the people who serve us. We just expect them to take down our orders and give us our change. If we know that we want anything else, we ask, but the reverse is rare. It is rare to expect to be asked if we want anything in particular. Yet this simple act of concern certainly goes even beyond the extra mile.
posted by Denise | 17:58
2 Comments:
This is such a nice post!
I really want to write as many feedbacks as possible but I find it hard because the high-caliber of this blog intimidates me. It's so positive, eloquent, and classy.
Keep it up Ü
You know and I know that the Philippines isn't known for great service. It often perplexes me to hear that the Philippines is the land of smiles. What a bunch of Bologna! I mean don't get me wrong. I'm not one of those Filipinos who hate being a Filipino because of our third world status. I'm actually a proud citizen who really wants to raise Philippine culture to what it was once. But the point of the matter is, rarely did I get good service from Filipino sales people.
I often am left loss for words with the biting rudeness of some of these people. It's enough for you to make you want to bitch slap them to hell. From the low-end (National: "I'm sorry walang stock" - and you end up finding it anyway) to the high-end (Gucci: "I'm sorry, this is not Via Condotti, this is Gucci" - little did the bitch who told me this that I was referring to the store in this famous street and not another brand - how stupid!), you'd just be flabbergasted what a typical Filipino had to go through to just buy things he need for his business.
So, I end up being super rude in return - as some sort of defense mechanism. It's like "I'd rather be rude to you first, rather than the other way around". Sounds like a perfect plan, until it backfires.
What I mean by "backfire" is not necessarily something that was did to you, but something that happens to you. You see, to be honest, I might be a bitch sometimes, but I am really not (I do hope you know that!). I am not a sociopath type that does not feel any guilt by being rude to a sales person (unless the person is a bitch in the first place - in that case...)
I guess what I'm trying to say is that I may be a bitch sometimes to protect myself, but I do realize that there is a precious few in this small island country of ours who do cherish common courtesy and do respect people, regardless of their background. I shall be bitter if I was to unintentionally berate an individual who was indeed trying his or her best to give me service. Your post is a testament that this rare breed of people do still exist, and I would risk being disrespected by a sales person from Prada and maintain a benevolent countenance, just to avoid disrespecting these outstanding members of our society.
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