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Black_Beer_Man
Joined: 26 Mar 2013
Posts: 453
Location: Yokohama
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 Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2017 12:18 pm Post subject: Why Are Japanese Companies So Inflexible With Policies? |
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As a customer, I have had petty requests refused by Japanese companies.
For example;
At Tokyo Tower's Pizza La counter, the server refused to fill my sister's Coke to the rim after she ordered "no ice please". We were told "You ordered large Cola. This is large cola."
At McDonald's in Chuo Rinkan, my request of 3 packs of ketchup for my large fries was met with "No. Sorry. You can have only 2 packs of ketchup maximum."
At The World Beer Museum in Landmark Tower (Yokohama), the server and bar manager refused to fill my 1350 yen craft beer pint nearer to the rim. They had served it to me with almost 2 inches of head (bubbles).
Gold's Gym Japan insisted on charging me the 5000 yen registration fee even though I was previously a member and my name was in their computer. When I wrote them an email suggesting they wave the fee, they wrote back "This is the rule, sorry."
Isn't it bad for business to always refuse your customer's requests (especially when they would cost very little to grant)?
Someone shed some light on this mystery.
Surely there must be some logic to it, but I don't see any. |
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GambateBingBangBOOM
Joined: 04 Nov 2003
Posts: 2021
Location: Japan
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rtm
Joined: 13 Apr 2007
Posts: 1003
Location: US
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| Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2017 3:57 pm Post subject: |
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1) Because it's important to follow the rules
2) Because regular employees aren't given authority to deviate from the rules |
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mitsui
Joined: 10 Jun 2007
Posts: 1562
Location: Kawasaki
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| Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2017 1:24 am Post subject: |
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The customer is God is a myth.
This is an authoritarian society. |
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timothypfox
Joined: 20 Feb 2008
Posts: 492
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| Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2017 2:26 am Post subject: |
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| This is also a low tech society. Japan has technology, but it' s often only for show and for hospitals and dentists and department stores and vending machines and beauty salons and convenience stores and cars. Central heating is not used in homes. Expect to use a kerosene heater. |
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Shakey
Joined: 29 Aug 2014
Posts: 199
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| Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 8:45 am Post subject: |
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| mitsui wrote: |
The customer is God is a myth.
This is an authoritarian society. |
Yeah, I agree.
| timothypfox wrote: |
| This is also a low tech society. Japan has technology, but it' s often only for show... |
I agree. I work with university students and I cannot believe how dumb they are when it comes to using a computer. Right across the board, regardless of major, they have no idea on how to use Word, PowerPoint or even to do basic keyboarding short cuts. This, too, is a myth held by many in the west, that the people here are technologically savvy.
The technology that they do create is for export, not to by used by the people in Japan. For instance, the direct payment card machines at cashiers in the U.S., Canada, UK, for example, have been used for the last 20 - 25 years in the west. Much of the software and ideas for these products come out of Japan, but they do not integrate the technology in Japanese society, they export it. One of my students was even telling me how staff from the bank came to his house so that his grandmother could make a deposit.
Sure, we have the Tokyo Skytree, the Shinkansen and a few other slick goodies like walking, talking robots, etc., but underneath the surface, Japan is an extremely parochial society that is very slow to adopt new technology and new ways of doing things. I mean, my Japanese colleagues voted to rip out the whiteboards in the classrooms and install chalkboards with some extra money that we had last year. |
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kzjohn
Joined: 30 Apr 2014
Posts: 277
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| Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 1:10 pm Post subject: |
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| Shakey wrote: |
| mitsui wrote: |
The customer is God is a myth.
This is an authoritarian society. |
Yeah, I agree.
| timothypfox wrote: |
| This is also a low tech society. Japan has technology, but it' s often only for show... |
I agree. I work with university students and I cannot believe how dumb they are when it comes to using a computer.
... |
Students at my small uni are thrown into the deep end of the PPT pool from day one. And they continue swimming there for four years.
Some are excellent, most do well, tho there are some who never really get it.
There are some computer-related classes, programming and making apps, that, as an oldie, I have no idea about...! |
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Black_Beer_Man
Joined: 26 Mar 2013
Posts: 453
Location: Yokohama
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| Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 11:55 am Post subject: |
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South Korea uses technology much more than Japan.
Every junior and senior high school classroom has a teacher's podium with an Internet-connected computer and a projection screen.
Japanese are too stingy to spend money on modernizing their classrooms.
It's not about being tech-savvy. It's about paying for it. |
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mitsui
Joined: 10 Jun 2007
Posts: 1562
Location: Kawasaki
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| Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 10:45 pm Post subject: |
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Some of my students study computer science.
But, the use of computer labs will be restricted, I guess since they are too popular so some teachers won't get to use them.
Basically the university does not have money (they say).
Lots of money was spent on construction of new buildings, so cuts happen elsewhere.
I have even had a couple short electrical blackouts while teaching.
Can't teach well in the dark. |
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kzjohn
Joined: 30 Apr 2014
Posts: 277
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| Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 12:31 pm Post subject: |
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| Black_Beer_Man wrote: |
South Korea uses technology much more than Japan.
Every junior and senior high school classroom has a teacher's podium with an Internet-connected computer and a projection screen.
Japanese are too stingy to spend money on modernizing their classrooms.
It's not about being tech-savvy. It's about paying for it. |
Since you're shaming everyone, how about you show me, and everyone here, your best PowerPoint presentation?
I doubt you have one, but if you do, please post it. |
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Alien abductee
Joined: 08 Jun 2014
Posts: 527
Location: Kuala Lumpur
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max71081
Joined: 05 Aug 2015
Posts: 125
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| Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 2:34 pm Post subject: Re: Why Are Japanese Companies So Inflexible With Policies? |
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| Black_Beer_Man wrote: |
As a customer, I have had petty requests refused by Japanese companies.
For example;
At Tokyo Tower's Pizza La counter, the server refused to fill my sister's Coke to the rim after she ordered "no ice please". We were told "You ordered large Cola. This is large cola."
At McDonald's in Chuo Rinkan, my request of 3 packs of ketchup for my large fries was met with "No. Sorry. You can have only 2 packs of ketchup maximum."
At The World Beer Museum in Landmark Tower (Yokohama), the server and bar manager refused to fill my 1350 yen craft beer pint nearer to the rim. They had served it to me with almost 2 inches of head (bubbles).
Gold's Gym Japan insisted on charging me the 5000 yen registration fee even though I was previously a member and my name was in their computer. When I wrote them an email suggesting they wave the fee, they wrote back "This is the rule, sorry."
Isn't it bad for business to always refuse your customer's requests (especially when they would cost very little to grant)?
Someone shed some light on this mystery.
Surely there must be some logic to it, but I don't see any. |
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOpfsGrNvnk |
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