Absurd Customer Service in Qatar
My husband and I visited the "Clearance Sale" at AL-TAYEF store on Al-SADD today and were in for a great surprise.
He's a presenter on Al Jazeera English, and needs good suits on a regular basis. He'd just picked a beautiful suit, and was eyeing a few shirts, ties and a pair of shoes when he remarked to the salesman, "The suit fits perfectly you'll just have to tailor the bottom and take off an inch and it'll be fine for me..."
The guy responded, dismissively, that they don't do tailoring.
When my husband reminded him that he's making a pretty hefty purchase and the least he'd expect is for Al-Tayef to take care of the tailoring, to our amazement, the guy answered, "I don't care, we don't do it here, you can tailor it by yourself or buy somewhere else."
The salesman, it seemed, had bigger fish to fry since there was a Qatari Customer waiting to be served. My husband told him that he was astonished at the awful service, and that it was the worst he'd experienced, reminding him that he's losing a sale.
"Well then you've got a new life experience now!"
My husband asked him for his name, he refused.
Then asked him if he didn't mind this incident being publicized in The Peninsula or Gulf Times...
"What are The Peninsula, The Gulf Times??...They are NOTHING!! Thank you goodbye."
Thanks for the great service AL-TAYEF. You won't be forgotten.
I'm sure the management of Tayef don't know about the behavior of this particular salesman. Thing is, some people are just incorrigible racists; one of them landed a job as a salesman.
Most salespeople are well-behaved.
And what happened is really sad; almost demoralising.
http://maimoonamelange.wordpress.com/
How awful!
the worst service has to be carrefour, the only way to get anywhere in carrefour is to ask to speak to the French manager, the others are all androids programmed to read the company script.
The second worst store has to be qtel at hamad hospital, the staff need to be replaced by some vending machines, they could be more helpful.
The third worst company is QNB branches and thier call centre is full of idiots who hear but do not listen...
This is exactly why I shop online.
Nice old thread way back in 2007. Now that reminds me that there are still no improvement in customer service here to this very day. Lots of episode to be relate anyway.
notiva lol
if the owner of that Starbucks logs into here, you are getting these two nice guys fired lolol
I'd rather have a rude Starbucks cashier than one that gives freebies!
H
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coffee costa in the centre ... service is bad. Went there for coffee with greeker, azilana, ducky, corne, some others. Ordered the drink. Asked for small size, they don't have any cup so i am 'forced' to buy a big one. And they dont have the drink i want. The staffs attitude just 'couldn't be bother.
Best service coffee shop is Starbucks Ramada. My 2 thumb up ... or possible my 2 big toes too lol. Staffs always greet me nicely ... call my son's name by name, and when they are not busy always spend the time with my son. Now and again they always give 'freebies' to my son. Thats what i call extra mile service. :-)
We went there and saw they change the expiry date of the packed fruit. God knows how long the fruit been on the shelves!!!
i have never experienced customer service like london customer service...
i remember one time i wanted to buy a blackberry and i waited forever for someone to serve me at this big electronics store...i had to hassle this dude out to get some attention...i said 'hey i need to talk to someone about blackberries...can you give me some advice?' (i knew nothing about blackberries and still don't)
'No i can't help you, thats not anybody's job. u just have to work out what you want on your own then bring it to the counter'
I nearly dropped dead. While I was reduced to shocked silence, my friend took my arm and stormed us both right out the door.
Kind of a blessing in disguise though - my life really wasn't complex enough to justify having a blackberry phone - i redirected my finances to more important things (fashion accessories) & got on with my life.
x mp
If someone wants to search for the reasons of sales people offering bad service, he can narrow them down to 3 categories.
1. Personal attitude
2. Unsatisfied employee/no motives
3. Lack of training/professionalism
For the first one there is no cure. The person is not suitable for the job and he should either quit or be dismissed.
In the second case the boss has a big part of the responsibility. I cannot expect from a person who works 12 hours a day for peanuts to have a constant smile on his/her face and behave nicely and politely to all customers.
Third: Do you know may companies in Qatar which spend money on training their employees. They don't even bother teaching them their own duties, never mind customer satisfaction.
Don't get me wrong, I don't approve the behavior described in the topic, but just thinking of the conditions under which some people work in this country. Bad or unprofessional customer service you can find in all countries but I never seen it to the extend that I experience it here.
May the roof above us never fall in, and may the friends below never fall out!
I wont put it any more accurate....
Lulu & Doha BAnk,,, and yes specifically NAsser Street (Mirqab).
excuse me, I need to go and write a book on them both, the space here wont do.
Gone Till November
My wife was locked within the changing rooms of Debenhams, she at first thought the door was damaged, but after 5 minutes of banging and shouting the sales staff let her out and told her 'They thought that she might steal as she was Chinese"
She is continually ignored by ignorant shop staff (Mainly Filipinos) despite being able to pay, always well dressed and well mannered.
She is leered at and propositioned by local "Men" ( I use the term loosely) amongst others. Even in the supermarket she is not safe with the worst time being just before and after prayers, she does not go shopping on her own any more and heads home when the mosque loudspeakers fire up! why not put that on the TV?
Sorry to hear about your new suit problem though Ummi! You should at least write to them (Store owner/Manager) and tell them their name is being bandied about on here, husband should be raising this whole Qatar service topic with his employer?! Surely this is newsworthy!I will boycott the store in support.
also food palace al sadd
someone build a decent supermarket in al sadd
its dirty and just a couple of the staff are friendly
and the fruit and veg is often putrid
I would just go elsewhere, it is my policy.
One day at 8:15a.m. my friend and I walked into Peugeot showroom. After previous extensive car research, I have been absolutely convinced to buy Peugeot right now. I knew that the showroom opens at 8:30, but we came earlier, as this morning I had a meeting at 9:15am like any other morning. I was going to finish everything within half an hour. No salespersons were in the showroom at that time, which was understandable. We took a look at the car once again, and were just waiting for any salesperson to finalze a deal. It was 8:30 on my watch, when a sales guy walked into the store. I approached him (by the way, HE is the one, who should have approached me!), and got right to the point: i want to buy a car. Now.... The guy slowly has looked at his watch and said: “IT IS 8:26 NOW. I START WORKING AT 8:30”.....
...We left the showroom speechless.... Since then I don't want Peugeot any more... and never will.. I bought Nissan Altima, and absolutely happy with it.
Was the salesman an Arab? If yes then that’s normal.
I usually avoid going to shops where the salesperson or the waiters are Arabs. Because they do mostly have the same attitude.
I think they should use more Filipinos in the business. They are always friendly and nice and patient.
My visits to Dubai/Muscat/Doha is not very different.
Most of the shops have very poorly trained staff.
They have no clue about how to be the best salespeople.
Because, their manager also sails the same boat.
Their attitude changes as soon as a Arab in a white robes walks in.
The funny thing is they don't work on commission. If so, then I can
understand this sudden change.
But they are paid monthly salary.
Then why this attitude.
Some of the reasons are:
1. Wrong persons for the job.(Some of them, believe me ...Over qualified)
2. Poor training.
3. Poor understanding about the job itself.
4. The management itself has very dim view about customer service.
5. The management itself has very little long term perspective.
6. Everybody think they have very little time to earn and they are frustrated that they are in the wrong job.
7. Finally, poor competition.
There are more such reasons.
But this can be changed only by the good community co-operation and a vigilant press/TV.
More awareness should be created by writing about this and talking about this wherever it is possible.
No law can bring any change.
These management should be made to understand that Bad publicity hurts.
Hi Rock,
I just happened to see your profile where-in you've put - SAP Consultant..
If possible, PM me - your functional area in SAP..Where do you work?
Cheers,
Qatar, in my humble opinion, is the worst place that I've ever been in terms of customer service...
the rock agreed - some just ignore you
carrefour - yep some should sue their charm school
oh and the manager at megamart in landmark is a complete tosser.
new addidas store in villagio is shite on customer service.
H&M, Zara, Mango - all fine so far and Top Shop
and the downside is good customer service in Nine West led me to buy copious shoes... very pretty on feet madam and very very good price...look at discount!
bastard that good customer service cost me!
Coincidently, I happened to be at the place when this script was being played out.
My two cents: I think the store has a clearance sale sign on it and if they'r using the term correctly, it means they are closing down buisiness. Don't you think guys?
About the alteration, i'm guessing they don't have a tailor (usually these stores do have an inhouse tailor) and they might not want to go to the trouble of taking the suit to some other tailor, for a business that's closing down.
But nevertheless, the sales guy sure could learn some manners no doubt. If the service is not provided, he could have said it politely. But to be honest, i'v seen worse in doha. Some of them would get angry simply on my asking the price. This guy atleast was replying to the questions. The ones i usually encounter murmur a thing or two and no response after that.
...no customer service in Doha. I mean there are some really good ones but most of time? Nah. It's something I can bitch about tho!
One day I visited CARREFOUR to by two laptops for my company and I requested quotation from one of the Filipina salesman , then after few days I went there to buy laptops, I approached one Arab sales man there, but he was not ready to talk to me, he was just avoiding me, he was not giving me a nice reply to my questions, I don’t know why, may be because of I am an Indian ? I felt like that ?
Customer Service sucks here..... big time.
Every where in Doha.
There is a lot of Demand & very few shops. So irrespective of their behaviour they have sales.
Thazza's idea is excellent. Capture the footage & post it on Youtube & get the link in here.
Carry a good Video-mobile/ handycam on shopping trips. Whenever a salesman is or rude behaviour fire up your cam & capture the footage.
There will be a lot of footage. & Maybe within months Doha would be a much better place.
Get a camera crew down to Alukkas too! I happened to me. I brought some gold from them and then I just wanted to repair my gold anklets, asked the counter guy and he sent us to another counter. To my amaze I was standing there in front of him and that lousy guy just tried to ignore us and was serving to others standing behind me. When I insisted he just gave a look to my anklets as if it was some dead rat...my husband , a quiet and cool guy otherwise, just lost his temper.
The funny thing is that I'd brought those anklets from Alukkas only from there Muscat branch.
Shame on them.
Thazza that sounds like a great idea :)
Your husband works for Al Jazeera? Well get a camera crew down there and interview the guy. Even if it's not broadcast it'll scare the living s..t out of him and he'll think twice next time
I meant Landmark. I also get good service there which is why this incident surprised me so much.
Victory attained by violence is tantamount to a defeat, for it is momentary. Mahatma Gandhi
This is a very bad expereince indeed and you should have asked to see the store manager or even the owner of the place!
Richard123: There is no marks & spencer in Villaggio. It's in Landmark and I normally get very good service there.
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I had really poor service in Marks & Spencer in Villagio. Rude, unhelpful and dismissive. What was really surprising was that it was from a Fillipino. In my experience, Fillipinos are usually really good at cistomer service, they are nearly always friendly and helpful.
I wonder if it is anything to do with the lack of training and the general attitude that the customer is not important. Up until now there has been high demand for goods and services and fairly small supply. Now there is a lot more competition and those businesses that don't care about service will fail.
Victory attained by violence is tantamount to a defeat, for it is momentary. Mahatma Gandhi
This is a comon problem now a days. I've noticed that customer support has been compomised by staff who mix work with personal issues. It really is important for business ventures, shops and any sort of organisations that have to deal with customers to raise their customer service level to higher more acceptable standards.
In your case its disappointing to hear about the manner in which your husband was treated at the shop. My sugestion would be to contact the manager and notify him immediately about this. This will keep the sales man from behaving in the same way towards other customers.
"Among flowers in a garden there will always be weeds" - its best we up- root them before they cause problems...
You must have asked sales person to call his supervisor or store
incharge and definitely higher ups will come out with a solution
and also will warn the sales staff to behave properly.
If I were u,I would have got atleast 20 friends to that shop and request to tailor the same suit,the same day.And wen he react the way he did,call the manager or any1 above him to apologise...to all..I am sure a list of complaints on a single day would get the salesman fired.
If you really feel like it you can follow this up and the salesman will profusely apologize.
Unfortunately with little incentive to work or give good customer service you'll find a lot of these guys in the independent shops. That's why most people go to the malls.
Alternatively you could try one of the tailors on Al Sadd to tailor-make a suit.
I guess Al Tayaf and the likes are not going to get scot free.. we saw what QL did earlier in getting .. the evicted tenants back home..
Al Tayaf def need some bad press...Disgusting to say the least..
Keep them coming guys.. We authorities need to do a rain check on the customer service and many other kinda things up to scrath in Qatar if they want to woo any more 'tourists' or residents to 'The pearl of the Gulf'
Perhaps we can get the press to run a 'your favourite ordeal' column ' your favourite store' or for surely 'your favourite real estate agent in town'
yes if you want similar customer service try lulu
oh doha bank on nasser street can be abusive too
I would sack this guy straight away if i own the shop. I guess his attitude being nice or rude he still receive same monthly pay. Who cares if his employer loosing customer in his business???
how does he look like
i sure will go amd make him tailor a suit for me
am not a qatari.
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