Customer Service...The one and only subject I keep whinging about... :)
I don't say I'm the best customer service specialist myself, but sometimes I think I've been in that field long enought to spot the really bad ones...and of course it gets 10 times worse especially when I'm tired, have a headache and want things to happen quick and smooth...
I was in Amsterdam two weeks ago and faced a couple of customer service cases which I wanted to share with you. As there are good and bad customer service, I've gone to the next level and put both of them in categories...
1st case: I've just arrived to Amsterdam airport and wanted to buy a train ticket from the ticket machine. I had just completed the whole step-by-step process of "select adult or child ticket / select one way or return ticket / select destination / select payment"...when lovely older customer service officer came to help me...she didn't speak very good English and I tried to ask how do I select credit card when it was suggesting debit or Maestro card...And what did she do?! She pressed CLEAR ALL!!! Just when I had done the whole work and someone comes and wants to help truly, BUT! I was so pissed off! She should have done troubleshooting and went steps back to change the options for payment and voila! 'problem solved, happy customer'! ...
Another typical restaurant service case happened to our group having dinner at one of the nice and cosy Amsterdam canal restaurants. We walked in and we were about 10 people all together; 3 waitresses all noticed us but kept doing something else (obviously avoiding the big group to be seated somehow in the restaurant which need some logical trouble shooting from the waitress to organise the tables and chairs together)...until one of us walked to one of them and asked if we had some room for 10 people. Answer was "Of course!"... After reading the long menu in 2 minutes the waitress came back and asked if we were ready to order and we asked to have a couple of more minutes to decide. Should have repeated A COUPLE OF MORE MINUTES, as she dissapeared for 10 minutes and when one of us (again) had to ask another waitress if we could order she said "one moment, I'll get your waitress", and there we were -again waiting for another 5mins until 'our' waitress showed up. Ummm, did I miss something? Is there a waitress fight nowadays? Once one specific waitress give you a menu the other waitress can't go onto their territory?!
I've noticed people have lost their ability to explain why something doesn't work this or that way, and that obviously furstrates every customer. I love flight attendants because of their ability to explain why you shouldn't put your 20kg hand baggage into overhead lockers, captains who announce why they put the seatbelt sign on due to clear air turbulence or sushi chef telling why there isn't tuna available anymore. Of course there are always those who just don't the customer service gene and won't say or do anything...just having the plane look on their face...and say just "no".
Anyways, that's just something that came up in my mind...and I'm sure every one of us can recall one of the bad custeomer service moments...?! What is your worst customer service experience?
Monday, 21 May 2012
Dubai -what a city!
I was visiting a very interesting city about a month ago -DUBAI! I was there for 10 days with girlfriends and we were invited to one of our very good friend's wedding there. The trip was amazing!
It's hard to explain what kind of city Dubai is...but I try my best to give you the idea:
-anything is possible in Dubai...with money!
-big construction field with highrise buildings
-beach with white sand
-luxury hotels, name it and it's in Dubai
-taxis
-shisha
-expensive and luxury cars everywhere
-shopholics paradise!
-very international, multicultural
-VERY NON-eco friendly travel destination
The old Dubai has existed over 200 years when the Dubai we know has been there only for 40 years. As there is land to build there's no slowing down on building industry. Where ever you look (almost) there's a crane (or ten) up in 100 meters. It's quite scary to think how these men in work are surviving up in the heights...and it's not 10 new buildings to be built up, it's like 100! It's crazy!
Dubai Marina / JBR (Jumeraih Beach Resort) is nice and not too noicy beach, and if you think can you do sunbathing in your bikinis even women should cover their shoulders and knees -yes you can! I would recommend respecting the culture and having your scarf with you at all times.
There are so many hotels in Dubai, pretty much from 2 star to 7 star. There's not one famous hotel chain who wouldn't have their hotel there...One and Only Mirage, Ritz Carlton, Westin, Kempiski etc. All the hotels have wonderful restaurants people visit one after the other. It's almost like a pub crawl in 5 star hotels. You can't show or act drunk though, otherwise it's jail time! They serve alcohol in these restaurants. You won't be able to buy alcohol from cafes or street restaurants.
Dubai isn't very family or disabled friendly city. There are hardly no proper walking paths due to the constraction sites...and you have to travel by taxi everywhere as the distances are huge. Though there are always taxis around and they are generally cheap, especially if you share it with friends. Only good tip I would give: ask the driver before jumping in if he knows the place, and if he says 'yes', ask him to repeat where was he taking you (this was my friend's tip and did work). They are pretty innocent, and they are not trying to rip you off, but just make sure you know where they are taking you to.
Most of the nightclubs you go to are outside and therefore they offer shisha, the waterpipe...with different flavours from apple to mint and everything in between. It's an intresting experience if you haven't tried it. For non-smokers it's even better as you get a little 'high' just by smoking a legal tobacco leaves with flavour and inhaling water steam...perfect!
You see all the most expensive cars in Dubai, Maseratis, Ferraris, Bentleys etc. they are everywhere! The bigger/expensive car the better! I can only imagine what kind of paradise the Dubai Ferrari World is...ugh.
If you head to Dubai, leave plenty of space into you luggage for the return flight...as you can shop til you drop! There are shopping malls in short distance where ever you stay in Dubai. The 2 biggest shopping malls, Dubai Marina and the Mall of Emirates are just toooooo big! You would spend easily 3 days per mall if you really wanted to get into the shopping business...they are HUGE! I choce the smaller ones which were better for my taste and my wallet. But if you've ever dreamed of some clothing brand or item you wanted, head to the first 2 malls and I can guarantee you'll find it! :)
Dubai is a perfect mix of multicultural living, luxury with interesting taste of arabic flavours. I highly recommend the city and its surroundings to everyone. I will definitely go there soon again!
It's hard to explain what kind of city Dubai is...but I try my best to give you the idea:
-anything is possible in Dubai...with money!
-big construction field with highrise buildings
-beach with white sand
-luxury hotels, name it and it's in Dubai
-taxis
-shisha
-expensive and luxury cars everywhere
-shopholics paradise!
-very international, multicultural
-VERY NON-eco friendly travel destination
The old Dubai has existed over 200 years when the Dubai we know has been there only for 40 years. As there is land to build there's no slowing down on building industry. Where ever you look (almost) there's a crane (or ten) up in 100 meters. It's quite scary to think how these men in work are surviving up in the heights...and it's not 10 new buildings to be built up, it's like 100! It's crazy!
Dubai Marina / JBR (Jumeraih Beach Resort) is nice and not too noicy beach, and if you think can you do sunbathing in your bikinis even women should cover their shoulders and knees -yes you can! I would recommend respecting the culture and having your scarf with you at all times.
There are so many hotels in Dubai, pretty much from 2 star to 7 star. There's not one famous hotel chain who wouldn't have their hotel there...One and Only Mirage, Ritz Carlton, Westin, Kempiski etc. All the hotels have wonderful restaurants people visit one after the other. It's almost like a pub crawl in 5 star hotels. You can't show or act drunk though, otherwise it's jail time! They serve alcohol in these restaurants. You won't be able to buy alcohol from cafes or street restaurants.
Dubai isn't very family or disabled friendly city. There are hardly no proper walking paths due to the constraction sites...and you have to travel by taxi everywhere as the distances are huge. Though there are always taxis around and they are generally cheap, especially if you share it with friends. Only good tip I would give: ask the driver before jumping in if he knows the place, and if he says 'yes', ask him to repeat where was he taking you (this was my friend's tip and did work). They are pretty innocent, and they are not trying to rip you off, but just make sure you know where they are taking you to.
Most of the nightclubs you go to are outside and therefore they offer shisha, the waterpipe...with different flavours from apple to mint and everything in between. It's an intresting experience if you haven't tried it. For non-smokers it's even better as you get a little 'high' just by smoking a legal tobacco leaves with flavour and inhaling water steam...perfect!
You see all the most expensive cars in Dubai, Maseratis, Ferraris, Bentleys etc. they are everywhere! The bigger/expensive car the better! I can only imagine what kind of paradise the Dubai Ferrari World is...ugh.
If you head to Dubai, leave plenty of space into you luggage for the return flight...as you can shop til you drop! There are shopping malls in short distance where ever you stay in Dubai. The 2 biggest shopping malls, Dubai Marina and the Mall of Emirates are just toooooo big! You would spend easily 3 days per mall if you really wanted to get into the shopping business...they are HUGE! I choce the smaller ones which were better for my taste and my wallet. But if you've ever dreamed of some clothing brand or item you wanted, head to the first 2 malls and I can guarantee you'll find it! :)
Dubai is a perfect mix of multicultural living, luxury with interesting taste of arabic flavours. I highly recommend the city and its surroundings to everyone. I will definitely go there soon again!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)