tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2311943055243587440.post4347315242839242365..comments2024-03-06T14:12:03.858+04:00Comments on Susan Al Shahri سوسن الشحري: Customer Services WoesSusanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03509378404066967124noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2311943055243587440.post-88996208936758356382011-09-28T01:22:14.987+04:002011-09-28T01:22:14.987+04:00I always face the same thing in supermarkets but d...I always face the same thing in supermarkets but don't expect a reply when you thank someone or greet them, frankly I don't care if they don't reply as it depends on their mood.<br /><br />they are very poor and face angry customers all the time. It is a none stop job imagine working for 6 to 8 hours continuously grabbing each item and counting them. An irritating job indeed compared to the salary they are getting.<br /><br />Regarding LULU it is the best shopping center in Salalah as it has introduced new and innovative ideas, I called the owner of Lulu just yesterday regarding the basket thing he said from experience we noticed that baskets get damaged easily and become difficult to wheel when they are wheeled on rugged surface, that's why we created a space for car parking in front of the entrance so customers can get their cars to the entrance and take their bags out of the basket.<br /><br />in addition to that he mentioned that damaged baskets prevented them from more than 10% profit in each Lulu branch as it costs more than 70 riyals for a new one which does not last for more than a month.<br /><br />I think he is right but they should have trained their employees to pass this info to the customers in a convincing way.<br /><br />I have a habit not to complain for any act or decision that seems ridiculous, I approach them to know what made them take that decision.After that either I'm convinced or else I give them better suggestion.Ali Fadhttp://www.google.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2311943055243587440.post-41562700216246780962011-09-23T19:53:21.674+04:002011-09-23T19:53:21.674+04:00LULU is a total disaster in employee training and ...LULU is a total disaster in employee training and Management. One only needs to contrast it to the helpful, attentive, and hardworking staff at Sultan center. If they can do it, while presumably drawing from the same pool of talent, then Why Can't Lulu?<br /><br />Whenever I feel homesick for Oman, I think about Lulu, and feel much better about out decision to leave for a while.Suburbanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05722800832006632216noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2311943055243587440.post-4506871286336801542011-09-23T16:12:16.852+04:002011-09-23T16:12:16.852+04:00Dear Susan,
I started to write a reply to this an...Dear Susan,<br /><br />I started to write a reply to this and then got so carried away with being annoyed that I have moved my rant to my own blog. Feel free to read there at your leisure!<br /><br />TLS :)The Linoleum Surferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00827051487800854552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2311943055243587440.post-22721095790456562712011-09-18T13:09:30.263+04:002011-09-18T13:09:30.263+04:00In a strange way I'm actually heartened to rea...In a strange way I'm actually heartened to read this as I thought it was only me - a Westerner - who was treated that way. It's kind of nice to know it's at least not discrimination! ;-) I couldn't agree more though. It costs nothing to be polite. My Arabic is basic to say the least but I always make the effort to greet people and thank them. It knocks your confidence in practising a new language when people ignore you. Employees need to at least be civil even if they can't bring themselves to be friendly. Unfortunately Lulu probably doesn't feel it needs to make the effort as there isn't exactly anywhere else that directly competes, so people will shop there anyway and put up with it.<br />As for the shopping basket incident - that is ludicrous! I always wheel my trolley out and so does everyone else. Why would there be bays to 'park' the trolleys in the car park if they weren't supposed to leave the store?!Dhofar Eco Bughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02450083059670447161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2311943055243587440.post-34744804815995175022011-09-17T17:16:24.898+04:002011-09-17T17:16:24.898+04:00Let's accept it, employees are dehumanized by ...Let's accept it, employees are dehumanized by savage conditions. Nowhere in the civilized world, a dozen of young Filipino women share the same 2 bedroom apartment and work for 18 hours a day, don't have health insurance or a retirement plan, separated from their families and so on... I don't call it employment, it is slavery.<br />You are obviously an exception and I commend you for that but most people treat them very rudely. I lived in the UAE for some time and even though I always thanked them and tried my best with them, I still feel like I am also guilty of abusing their labor.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2311943055243587440.post-16791155480922710412011-09-15T17:51:46.516+04:002011-09-15T17:51:46.516+04:00I am going out of my mind with the lack of custome...I am going out of my mind with the lack of customer service in Oman—and in particular, the new Salalah Lulu’s!! But really it’s not customer service—its basic manners!!<br /><br />In a nutshell, I am a western woman—married to a Gulf Arab. I wear abiaya and possess a fairly decent level of Arabic language skills. Until recently, every single time that I have gone into Lulu’s(which could be 3 or 4 times a week) has been devoid of basic human manners from the employees. When checking out, I always address the cashier—typically, first in Arabic—and never getting a response—I would then try in English. NEVER had a cashier responded to me. NEVER any type of acknowledgement—NEVER one word- not even telling me the total of my purchase. And then, of course, NEVER a thank you. <br />After enduring these lack of manners a few dozen times, I complained to the management…which seems to be 100% Indian. After the first time I complained, I complained each subsequent visit. The management team knows me by sight and I know them by name. Of course, promises were made but there was never an improvement in my shopping experience, until the last week. Last week, you could say, “opened my eyes”.<br />Last week, during one of my shopping visits, the young female cashier actually responded to my greeting!! I was so happy! She continued to make pleasant small conversation as she scanned my large purchase. She moving in the typical torturous slow manner that is common throughout Oman, but I didn’t mind because she was actually being quite pleasant. <br />There were a total of two other people waiting in line after me—a middle age Omani man directly behind me, followed by a middle aged Indian man. Anyways, when the cashier was about halfway through my purchases, the Indian customer waiting in line, very rudely told the cashier, in Arabic, to stop her talking and hurry up!!! I was shell shocked!! I immediately addressed this guy –told him he was rude and a few other choice words (in Arabic). He immediately left the line and the Omani man behind me clapped for me. <br />Interestingly, the Oman man standing next me did not say anything to this rude Indian man, nor did the young Omani girl who was the cashier and the object of his rudeness. There is a line between being polite and passive –and being a doormat.<br />Needless to say, in my visits to Lulu’s since this incident---my greetings are back to being ignored.Clashing in the Gulfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12777040078957881183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2311943055243587440.post-17864252652437759202011-09-13T14:16:11.089+04:002011-09-13T14:16:11.089+04:00Totally agree with your column today. Exactly why ...Totally agree with your column today. Exactly why I stopped shopping at Lulu in Salalah. Came to Muscat and it was even worse.<br /><br />Though small I always used the :"Spinneys" by the RAFO base....they<br />tried harder.<br /><br />All the best, John HarriesAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2311943055243587440.post-35728626826851576432011-09-13T13:41:44.439+04:002011-09-13T13:41:44.439+04:00I went to LuLu in Salalah twice last week - and I ...I went to LuLu in Salalah twice last week - and I have to say the cashiers were miserable - though the store itself is far nicer than in MuscatAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com