Singkie retail staff really CMI

[Cthulhu]

I know people here don't like FT but there are some areas where Singkees suck big time. The most obvious is retail.

I feel that unless you are dealing with the boss, the typical retail staff has a can't care less attitude. If you ask them for something, their standard reply is "don't have, everything is already on the shelf". Very few bother to look in the store, almost none will take the initiative to suggest an alternative.

Sometimes if you go into a shop dressed casually, the staff will see you no up. When an aryan complexioned customer walks in, their attitude does a 180. Some staff can just sit one corner chatting among themselves, trying very hard to ignore you. I even caught one youngster playing PSP behind the counter before.

Even though certain staff appear to have worked in the same shop for many years, they never bother to learn more about what they are selling. As a result the customer sometimes know more than the staff. This doesn't deter the staff from laying smoke though.

With these kind of locals, can you really blame employers for hiring FTs?

 

[miosux]

Even though certain staff appear to have worked in the same shop for many years, they never bother to learn more about what they are selling. As a result the customer sometimes know more than the staff. This doesn't deter the staff from laying smoke though.

With these kind of locals, can you really blame employers for hiring FTs?

fren, the bosses pay peanuts, of course they only have monkeys working for them.

how motivated will you be if you earned $5-6 an hour with no prospects? of course there will be the one-in-a-million who will learn the ropes and start a shop next to the boss and compete with them!

 

[SIFU]

aiyah not all like that lah.. there's fuck up FT retail sales assistant as well..

yester i went to buy some polo shirts.. served by local gals, very good service leh.. polite and not intrusive..

 

[Einfield]

I know people here don't like FT but there are some areas where Singkees suck big time. The most obvious is retail.

I feel that unless you are dealing with the boss, the typical retail staff has a can't care less attitude. If you ask them for something, their standard reply is "don't have, everything is already on the shelf". Very few bother to look in the store, almost none will take the initiative to suggest an alternative.

Sometimes if you go into a shop dressed casually, the staff will see you no up. When an aryan complexioned customer walks in, their attitude does a 180. Some staff can just sit one corner chatting among themselves, trying very hard to ignore you. I even caught one youngster playing PSP behind the counter before.

Even though certain staff appear to have worked in the same shop for many years, they never bother to learn more about what they are selling. As a result the customer sometimes know more than the staff. This doesn't deter the staff from laying smoke though.

With these kind of locals, can you really blame employers for hiring FTs?

It's Universal, Who do you think the staff will entertain with a big smile, Angmoh with Rolex watch or Ah Neh wearing slipper.

 

[chewed]

fren, the bosses pay peanuts, of course they only have monkeys working for them.

how motivated will you be if you earned $5-6 an hour with no prospects? of course there will be the one-in-a-million who will learn the ropes and start a shop next to the boss and compete with them!

so if all the singapore companies are willing to pay more to hire local, but must charge you more, you still game?

our cost of living have increased to 1st world startd but we're still trying to pay 2nd world standard. we have been addicted to cheap labour for too long, now we singaporeans are paying the price.

 

[Cthulhu]

It's Universal, Who do you think the staff will entertain with a big smile, Angmoh with Rolex watch or Ah Neh wearing slipper.

I think people should make a distinction between casually dressed and looking like a vagrant. When I shop for clothes I like to wear T-shirt and bermudas because they are easier to take off.

 

[eRRoRist]

This does not only happen in SG. It can happen anywhere and everywhere. Especially if the staff is just just working for someone else at minimum wage. I would say it's more of a Gen Y nature then "sinkie nature"

 

[Einfield]

I think people should make a distinction between casually dressed and looking like a vagrant. When I shop for clothes I like to wear T-shirt and bermudas because they are easier to take off.

Local sales got a very bad habit, they are so bloody lazy, when they see you, the only word is "Yes??"

 

[saratogas]

Most of my retail staff are Malaysians or PRs, they are more hardworking than those local Malay girls. No Singaporeans like to stand at stalls the whole day smiling and selling for peanuts.

 

[Sithclone]

sinkie shoppers also cmi, many have no manners also.

 

[saratogas]

sinkie shoppers also cmi, many have no manners also.

Customers have the rites to behave anyway they like, most importantly I want them to buy my products and earn their $$$.

Smile and be happy infront of them, make them spend money and after closing the transaction. Shout and scold them all we want in the toliet!

 

[Sithclone]

Customers have the rites to behave anyway they like, most importantly I want them to buy my products and earn their $$$.

Smile and be happy infront of them, make them spend money and after closing the transaction. Shout and scold them all we want in the toliet!

of course it is the duty of sales ppl to smile and make customers spend, just saying if you are nice, ppl will be nice to you.

 

[Cthulhu]

Customers have the rites to behave anyway they like, most importantly I want them to buy my products and earn their $$$.

Smile and be happy infront of them, make them spend money and after closing the transaction. Shout and scold them all we want in the toliet!

You have just personified the boss mentality I was talking about. Whenever someone in a shop acts very friendly or resourceful to me, I know straight away he is either the boss or have some stake in the biz. If only the retail staff can be motivated to act like that too.

I think the following contribute to bad service from staff and it is something within the boss's power to fix:
- Not enough financial incentives
- No feeling towards the business
- No authority to make decisions

 

[red amoeba]

I don't know if its entirely the pay. bcos when i go to taiwan, I am also served by Taiwanese (non-PRC) and their service attitude is superb. The serveurs in the resturants are well-mannered and attentive.

I don't think they have shares in the outlets or resturants. And i don't find the prices of food exoribitant - they are in fact cheaper than Singapore - so it couldn't be that the owners pay them sky-high salary.

I think it boils down to the attitude of the individuals. In Thailand, the service is also excellent.

 

[yansen84]

It's Universal, Who do you think the staff will entertain with a big smile, Angmoh with Rolex watch or Ah Neh wearing slipper.

it is NOT universal. just make a trip to hong kong and taiwan to see the difference.

 

[jw5]

You have just personified the boss mentality I was talking about. Whenever someone in a shop acts very friendly or resourceful to me, I know straight away he is either the boss or have some stake in the biz. If only the retail staff can be motivated to act like that too.

I think the following contribute to bad service from staff and it is something within the boss's power to fix:
- Not enough financial incentives
- No feeling towards the business
- No authority to make decisions

The simple answer is that all frontline retail staff should be on some form of commission or profit sharing scheme, even those who man foodcourt and hawker stalls. Once you have that in place, they will have the incentive to get more business and give good service.
Although there are many lousy Singkie retail staff, I have also encountered many horrible foreign retail staff in Singapore and other countries. Have you ever had a China national throw your change back at you or a Fillipina retail staff ignore your questions about their products or an Australian retail staff glare at you?

 

[Ah Guan]

I don't know if its entirely the pay. bcos when i go to taiwan, I am also served by Taiwanese (non-PRC) and their service attitude is superb. The serveurs in the resturants are well-mannered and attentive.

I don't think they have shares in the outlets or resturants. And i don't find the prices of food exoribitant - they are in fact cheaper than Singapore - so it couldn't be that the owners pay them sky-high salary.

Taiwanese learn alot from the Japs when it comes to service. I just love it when they greet you in unison when you step into their shop

Australia also has great service. They strike up a conversation very naturally when serving. Puts you at ease immediately.

I guess the problem about sinkapore (and other less socially progressive Asian countries) is because of exploitation, we can't tell the difference between "Service" and "Servitude".

 

[NissanViP]

I agree that some local retails staff sucks. I had some experience once when I approach sales staff while he was busy attending some customer with electronic setting.

All he have to do is, answer me just tell me to wait for awhile, sure I will understand.

One thing I realized that some local service staff cannot handle multi-tasking job even the job didnt take too much effort.

As for FT, some are equally bad attitude because they always think that they are protected by employer even if customer complaint about them.

Local need reasonable salary but unfortunately, local bosses only think of themselves.

While FT dont mind low salary because when they convert singdollar to their currency, these FT still earn luxury income.

Singaporean still lose no matter what.

Afterall, indirectly govt is spending the budget for FT, not singaporean.

Keep continue to vote LKY and his PAP platoon and let them screw singaporean for life.

 

[pia]

It's quite often, sadly, what you buy .. the sales staff at the luxury stuff boutiques are very well trained. At least, that's what I observed, even if you stroll in with shorts and sandals for look see only.

Notice the worst kinds (locals and FTs alike) are those selling general affordable stuff, and don't care 2 hoots if you buy or not.

I supposed it's training (serve your customers well, no matter if they look like they are serious buyers) and pride in their work (and products?)

 

[po2wq]

... it's training (serve your customers well, no matter if they look like they are serious buyers) and pride in their work (and products?)

+ attitude ... :p