Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Howard Roark]

I just called the one of the ferry companies in Pusan to book a ticket. The lady talked to me for a few minutes, asked me what I wanted and then said "can you call me back at 1pm, this is my lunch break".

Why did she even answer the phone?

In your opinion, is this poor customer service? Or am I one of those annoying, impatient, overly demanding customers?

[matko]

Hmmmmmmm.....I'd respond but I'm kind of busy right now.

Can you post this again later?

[Mr. Pink]

Can you tell me when you actually got GOOD customer service?

Trains, Ferrys and Busses are the worst IMO.

I bet if it was her friend phoning the girl would have no problem talking through her lunch break...

[Real Reality]

I tend to agree with Mr. Pink.

I once received good customer service at Central City (Kangnam Express Bus Terminal).

[Starperson]

I won't say anything except that I don't like Korean customer service at all.

[seoulmon]

Me and my ex-girl-finger were at a resteraunt when he waiter dashed by and dropped off the menu. "It's like she's dropping off a bomb" I aptly said.

No formality, you know, but I really like how Koreans break things down to the lowest common denomator. I really like how they take short cuts on quality and sanitation and safety just to get the job done quick and cheap.

It's like when I want the wall papering. In America some guy will spend all week and charge you $9 an hour. I just want some guy to spend 20 minutes and slap it up DAMIT! No wait make it 15 MINUEs! (although I was kinda pissed when I found some of the razor blades he left behind).

[sadsac]

They have no formal idea of what customer service is because they have no concept of customer. Stand in a queue and watch ten people get served in front of you. We should all be named Casper. My wife and I were shopping in Lotte, she picked up a jumper she liked, handed it to the sales girl who promptly gave it to a Korean woman to look at. I took it off the Korean woman, adding a few well chosen expletives and then completed the purchase. The sales girl showed no remorse regarding her actions and I find that this is commonplace throughout Korea.

[peppermint]

I get pretty good service at the bus terminal here. In my city you buy most tickets from a machine and all the buttons are in Hangul. One of the drivers, or a security guy was always willing to ask where I wanted to go and help me buy a ticket. Hell, sometimes they'd even lead me to the bus! ( Perhaps I looked extraordinarily helpless?)

Now I just tell them that it's okay in Korean when they try to help, but at the time it was a godsend.

[ryleeys]

I've been ushered out of a restaurant for no aparent reason... just refused service completely.

[Howard Roark]

[ryleeys]

I wasn't even given the chance to show off that I can read the Korean menus... before I could even open my mouth I was ushered out of the restaurant and the owner was definately not smiling... it was a Chinese restaurant though by coincidence.

[peppermint]

Try tellling the staff of a restaurant that you're vegetarian and see what kind of response you get. I'm not talking about extreme high maintenance behaviour, there's more than one reason I prefer to do my own cooking here.

A friend and I ordered some nachos at a pseudo Mexican place, and we asked that the ground beef be served on the side instead of sprinkled on top. The chef came directly out and said he refused to make it that way, because he didn't think it would taste good!

[ryleeys]

Serves you vegetarians right...

[peppermint]

* sniff, sniff*

[Howard Roark]