No, they're just assisted living folk, like that, it happens every day, and has not a lot to do with my accent.
We get a lot of people arriving on day 1, weather is shit, and they complain start to finish, and then three days later, they tell you you're the nicenst person, the hotel is the best ever, and they wish to book a room every year for the next five years...
From my experience, I really wonder how French customer service can really be so bad, when you see how much of a scandal and spectacle the average French adult is all too happy to create when they are not treated like the giant assisted baby they try to be.
We are the ONLY hotel in the village with a snack menu all day, as well as a lunch and dinner menu, in a pretty swanky lakeside resort village, and yet, we are the hotel that gets most abuse for not being "flexible", because we're not an ice cream bar,with a hundred flavours, or we don't serve food to people at the very bottom of the garden (about 800metres from the kitchen, and terrace area) Instead of just a sigh, and an "ok, I suppose we'll make do with what you offer", we get people literally screaming the hotel down "inadmissable", is the word that springs to mind when I play the little movie in my head of these divas (sometimes male), dancinh about, flapping arms, waving handbach, losing control of their emotions, spitting foam... but, I'm the crazy one, remember!!I'm also the one that doesn't have the pistache/noix d coco ice cream they insist their cherie really wants (when he is cowering and saying he's ok with rasberry and vanilla)
Monday, hhhmmm. Cheesecake.....yumm. Where are my car keys!??:
It is quite extraordinary where this post has gone in the 11 or so days since I put it up. It was one of those situations where batteries went, thought I'd pick them up next day and this tale emerged. I did, as usual, order online and had them in roughly 48 hours. So resolved.
What is interesting is that we have been through all kinds of things about service, virtually a complete history of the hypermarket, comparisons galore and more.
It was written ironically, hoping people would see the folly of parts of the French commercial sector who are missing a trick or two. Nonetheless, the real point must be that we moved here and must all take two hour lunch closing and closed on various days of the week. Why not? Everybody else is having lunch, so few customers are out and about. It is mainly smaller shops who close on a weekday and places like the garage I use for services and repairs. They are nearly all family businesses, I have noticed, and why shouldn't they spend some time together other than working? I think the big stores probably market what sells best and many things are cheaper online. Our postwoman tends to have a van stacked with the stuff and sighs when she brings us a larger package.
I never thought this post would take on a life of its own. If anything I have learned from it. However, do not worry people, my OH went to LeClerc and bought me some Philadelphia. I shall be making a cheesecake next Monday for my daughter when she arrives home from her stay with relatives. For me, happy ending anyway.
Shirley,
I don't think anyone wants to change French culture, that rather implies that you think the French cannot run an efficient shop due to their way of life & tradition! There are too many very successful French businesses around which dispels that! A bicycle with square wheels is still a bicycle, but with round wheels would be so much easier to use. You don't need to be foriegn to see that. I'm with you on the opening times but I don't see it as French culture to run a crap business.
I have shopped in many different countries & cultures but the universal idea is the same - to make money - & to do this you must have customers! If you don't have these your business, whatever it is & wherever it is, will fail.
Shirley, I agreed with you til lthe last paragraph.. have you ever tried serving French people. "c'est la vie' will not put things back in place when madame machin wants something not on the menu and is refused sometimes.
Actually carol, I think that some of the 'customer is king' thing you are mentioning is back in the direction of 'the customer is always right' of some decades back. When I lived in one place for nigh on 20 years whenever I was at home I used the same two supermarkets, within them I went to a small number of cashiers whose names I knew from their badges, and eventually I would know for instance when one was due to go on holiday and exchange similar banter. Because I was a familiar and 'friendly' customer if things were shuffled around and I needed help, I could go to the service desk and somebody would come out to help. I am beginning to find that in smaller supermarkets like Intermarché in Lalinde, but get to bigger ones in Bergerac and it is hard to find help.
I agree the French are not as cosmopolitan as Brits, but they are beginning to be. I recently read in one of the national newspapers that the depression in tourism, especially traditional holiday times like July, is because the French are becoming more mobile and gave some figures on Florida, Thailand and India. OK, forget the first one, we know MacDonalds are here already, but my juices are flowing with anticipation of more Indian restaurants opening (I hope) and the likes of Madhur Jaffrey being richly translated with ingredients in the shops. I can only cross my fingers at least.
I costs a lot on money in "data mining" to arrange that stuff. All till receipts are analysed for correlations between items bought and the arrangement of the store, pricing and "special" offers are all determined by this data. If you have a loyalty card all the better because demographics and socio-econmic factors can be in included. Soon as you walk around a store your mobile phone will update you on items that might be of interest to you. I's all called "big data".
No the FPG allows you to record as well.
The youngest of the young, me lad.
Wings fell off a long time ago, James!
I avoid associating with people who make comments like that.
Angelic Terry!
Does this qualify me as a young lad?
Good one :-) A distinct LIKE
When does the partridge shooting season start?
Consider yourself invited but...you do need a profile photo and (ideally one that makes you look younger than you are!!)
Don't forget to ask MEEEEEE to join:-) This'll bring it up to a membership of three
60 this year Brian, going on 30 in spirit, not sure about body. I'm sure I'd feel 10 years younger if we moved to France permanently!!
Oi, young man or even BOY! at nearly 64 would enjoy... for us would be men...