Some Stupid Sales Spiel
GEMS (Go the Extra Mile for Service) was launched in 2005. Now the government will be pumping millions more dollars to launch phase 2 of the movement.
I am not totally convinced about a top-down approach to improving customer service. It is the front line personnel that the customer meets. Oftentimes, the sales person says the most stupid things just to get rid of the product or the customer, or preferably, both. Oftentimes, these sales people ought to be chopped into minced meat and fed to scavenging feral birds.
A recent episode involved one of the big names in comfort shoes. The sales rep happily suggested I try a pair one size smaller because "hor, your size no more stock". I shot him a withering look. (If looks could kill, oh he'd be struck down that very minute). I was really proud of my self-control; I walked out of the store with not another word said. Because, what I would have spat at him would have been, "You moron! You don't ask your customer who is looking at shoes costing upwards of $200 to stretch her shoes with her feet!" The irony that he is dealing with comfort shoes escapes him.
I studiously avoid clothes that are "free size". I am too tall and too big for these clothes to fit, but the sales person will tell me the item is "very stretchy" and it is the fashion now to wear "fitting clothes".
Then there was this fishwife of a sales woman hawking shawls and scarves at a department store. She actually managed to convince one woman to buy a scarf. Then she went on to berate (I exaggerate not) the customer that these are excellent buys and nobody but nobody buys just one. "Sure you regret if only buy one. Why not you buy for your friends? They are good presents for your friends" she shrilled at the woman. I think she lost the sale. At least I hope so.
I think front line sales personnel has to be made aware that service is customer-centric, not sales-centric. And the first step will be to train them to stop talking nonsense.
10 comments:
It's all about the money here. What service? I particularly can't stand it that they do that when it comes to bra size!
But I think it's also partly because sales people generally have very low base salary. So they have to work very hard for their moeny.
I lol at the part when you cast the dagger stare...reminds me that day after a show at SGH,i was hungry and there was a bengawan solo near closing time. the frontline staff were busy packing and mopping with only one service staff serving a queue of about 4 before me. I waited quite a while until a girl who was nice enough to stop her mopping to ask me what i had wanted..i paused to stare at her for a while wondering if she realised she had not washed her hands...then she asked again in mandarin what i want....i shoke my head and said "nothing", disapponited that this is happening in a hospital compound...my colleague remarked i was 'siao". ironically that was the night i went home with a fever.
wildgoose - oh yes. bra sales people another lot that needs some scolding haha.
all the more they need to stop talking rubbish if they depend on commission! training in product information and understanding their customers is a good starting point.
suziewong - oh i was so furious!
the bengawan solo staff scary leh.
what service in sgp? our service people, unfortunately are crap. and if i want anything of quality, i'd have to deal with slight snootier ones and some snarky ones, like those in europe. very hard to find heartfelt service here, or staff with commonsense.
imp - misery loves company, you know. i am just grateful got people out there also dissatisfied with level of customer service in sg
gosh.. thats where our tax dollars went to!! perhaps these guys had some spare budget and just had to spend it on something. but then again, remember those times when the hongkong shopping experience was just as bad as singapore's? the hongkongers learnt quickly after '97 and sars and polished up their customer service. i've not been to hk recently but perhaps it would take more than an economic downturn for singapore customer service to improve, and definitely not by spending tax dollars.
I never give face to poor services nowadays.
Just the other day, a hawker helper was trying so damn hard to saver her own face by blaming her own mistakes on something that I have not said.
The more she wants face, the more I took the pleasure to take it away from her. I distinctively make sure everybody hears me argue back to her until she shuts up her mouth. Talking about being rude, I will not back down if I am not in the wrong
edpj - i only ask that the sales rep understands his product and stop talking rubbish, but i think that's asking for too much.
bunny - aiyoh! what happened?
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