Customer Service In Philippines...... An Oxymoron?

[Old55]

I respect the fact Philippines and Filipino have there own way of doing things. Customer service is one thing that is often lacking for many reasons. Most of the time one can just go with the flow but there are times it can become an epic time consuming train wreck.  :1 (103): 

 

Any Expats customer service stories to share?

[scott h]

Any Expats customer service stories to share?

 

Boy Old,,did you just open up a can of worms :nudie:  :dance:

[Old55]

Ask me about the time I visited the hardware store for flashlights...........  :1 (103):  :th_unfair:  :boohoo:  :whistling:    :508:

Edited April 21, 2015 by Old55

[lyno 47]

I personally have only ran across one business that I would consider service orientated ,that is a local m/cycle shop that sells spares and services bikes the owner goes out of his way to help, so I go back when the need arrives.

[Gratefuled]

If you have ever heard the phrases " sorry sir, not available"  or "sorry sir, out of stock" or if you have ever gotten a blank look when asking for something, then you're in the Philippines. I have,  only to find the item later by myself without help. So, I don't bother asking anymore. Yet, that doesn't prevent the sales person from standing behind me or right next to me when I'm shopping in his/her area.

[Dave Hounddriver]

I could share, but my partner says that this is a gross story.

 

Ah well, try walking around one of the hardware stores where salespeople are paid on commission.  They follow you around like a store detective stalking a shoplifter.  You can tell them you are just browsing or whatever but they only back off far enough so they can pounce on you if you pick up something commission-able.  Sometimes you don't even know they are there, you think you are alone, you look around to be sure before you let that fart go . .  nope, there they are.  Rats.

[Thomas]

I haven't contacted enough many to say it's general, but they seem terrible at answering email requests. I have only got answer from one business or officials in Phils (=a real estate broker).   Plus the Phil Embassy answered, but that's not in Phils, so perhaps they have got influence from the country they are stationed in   :)

[expatuk2014]

A positive thing regarding Customer service. And a negative one.

we went to buy a washing machine in a well known store that has a branch in Waltermart Calamba.

Being from the UK if you went into any of the stores there NEARLY  ALL of the items on display were just that

DISPLAY MODELS !! with a long wait for delivery !!

But not here ! in stock and delivered the same day!!

Another thing here is that you can see the item you have just bought unwrapped and shown working !!

Even light bulbs !! in the UK if it does not work when you get it home it will be replaced if you are lucky !!

 

Then of course there is the negative side .

I wanted to buy another  security Camera and a solar lighting system and also a backup hard drive

so off I go to my local store which sells everything even Electric Motorbikes and CDS I think you know the store I am talking about !

went in just me an one other Customer, tried to get the sales staff attention who were too busy doing their nails and others writing sales tickets tried 3 times :1 (103):  I even picked up an electric fan hoping one would try and sell it to me but no!I approached one of the staff who looked up from her nails and she walked towards the other staff !!

With this I left the store totally disgusted ! I :attention: went to another branch of the same company and got everything I wanted !!

when I got home I emailed the company and got a quick reply apologising for my experience asking me to identify if possible the main culprit and said the store would be sort out the problem.

Have not been back to that branch again so far but I will.

on another positive not as a Foriegner isnt it nice to walk into an SM dept store and have all those young ladies following you around ? :hystery: The little woman thinks its funny !!

[expatuk2014]

I am going this week to try and buy 3 switches so I can power the 3 homes ( Mothers-sisters-and ours) using our generator

this should be fun !! :hystery:

[Methersgate]

A positive thing regarding Customer service. And a negative one.

we went to buy a washing machine in a well known store that has a branch in Waltermart Calamba.

Being from the UK if you went into any of the stores there NEARLY  ALL of the items on display were just that

DISPLAY MODELS !! with a long wait for delivery !!

But not here ! in stock and delivered the same day!!

Another thing here is that you can see the item you have just bought unwrapped and shown working !!

Even light bulbs !! in the UK if it does not work when you get it home it will be replaced if you are lucky !!

 

Then of course there is the negative side .

I wanted to buy another  security Camera and a solar lighting system and also a backup hard drive

so off I go to my local store which sells everything even Electric Motorbikes and CDS I think you know the store I am talking about !

went in just me an one other Customer, tried to get the sales staff attention who were too busy doing their nails and others writing sales tickets tried 3 times :1 (103):  I even picked up an electric fan hoping one would try and sell it to me but no!I approached one of the staff who looked up from her nails and she walked towards the other staff !!

With this I left the store totally disgusted ! I :attention: went to another branch of the same company and got everything I wanted !!

when I got home I emailed the company and got a quick reply apologising for my experience asking me to identify if possible the main culprit and said the store would be sort out the problem.

Have not been back to that branch again so far but I will.

on another positive not as a Foriegner isnt it nice to walk into an SM dept store and have all those young ladies following you around ? :hystery: The little woman thinks its funny !!

 

Thank you for that. I must say my experiences have been positive as well as negative and I DO like the way in which electrical items are demonstrated - even light bulbs.

 

I have had bad and good experiences with hotels.

 

My partner, K, had to take an English Language test for her UK Visa; as of April 6th this year, these tests are only in Manila or Cebu, but we managed to book the last test to be held at Dipolog; it was in the Ariana Hotel and so I booked K and her mother a room for the night before. I also pre-paid the room charge, as I did not want her thinking of anything except English. When she checked in she was asked for a deposit. She phoned me, and I asked her to pass her phone to the receptionist. I did my standard impression of Very Angry Foreigner and she was checked in without a deposit - the hotel manager sent me a nice apologetic email.

 

I was staying at the Court Meridien in Subic whilst working on a project for a friend and K and my stepson joined me for the weekend. I had told the hotel that she would be coming, I gave them her name and passport details and even told them when she would arrive. I got a phone call at work from a very angry and upset K and small boy who had not been allowed into our room.

 

On a positive side the customer service at the F&C Guest House in Canlaon City was simply wonderful.   .