Teacher ShelleCustomer service in Japan vs Europe
 ■ How staff treat customers Japan: Always put the customer before yourself. You don’t have to go so far as to say everything looks good on them, but you should avoid offending them at all costs. The West: “The customer is god? Yeah, right!” While there’s still the idea of respecting the customer they are usually treated as equals. It doesn’t matter if its your job to serve them: if a customer does something you don’t like, you let them know it. ■ Eating in-store Japan: You do not eat in front of customers. In fact, unless you work at a restaurant, you shouldn’t even think about eating in the store at all. The West: At a clothing store in England I witnessed a young lady behind the counter snacking on potato chips and then lick her fingers to clean(?) them after a customer approached. Another time, while waiting in line to buy tickets, the elderly woman at the ticketing counter turned to me and said: “Could you wait until after I have a sip of tea?” ■ Wrapping Japan: While Japan is learning to be less wasteful with gift-wrapping, it’s still an important part of keeping a presentable store. Use waterproof wrapping on rainy days, double-bag for heavy items: you should do what you can so as not to inconvenience the customer. The West: A lack of taste and skill unthinkable in Japan. I’ve found myself offering to gift-wrap for them time and time again. Even in fashionable Italy, make one false move and you’ll be handed a bundle of wrapping paper held sloppily together with cellophane tape. ■ The customers: taste-testing vs blatant in-store snacking Japan: Taste-testing is done at designated areas with sample food prepared by staff. All other food is not yours until paid for and should be treated with care. The West: The moment it hits the cart, that food is yours. In Romania, I saw one customer rip open a pack of fruit and start picking away at it and another place their opened bottle of juice down for scanning at the register. ■ The customers: trying on clothes Japan: Major clothing stores these days have combined male-female dressing rooms, but guys are never allowed in underwear or swimsuit dressing rooms. The West: Many male customers accompany their girlfriends when buying underwear ... all the way to the dressing room. Some excited guys peek in to check on their girlfriends or even ask them to try on something else they found. Source: Excite Bit, www.japantoday.com |