Hey you...Hello? Whatever happened to Excuse me?

[DrSpock]

Not sure it's just me but does anybody else notice this unrully trend in the public and especially service industry where instead of people saying "excuse me pls" it's "HELLO" when they are to serve you and you are in the way or want to pass in front of you? Even at some fast food joints they'll call out "NEXT" Instead of "Welcome to......how may I serve you today? Also there are ppl always standing on the right side of the escalator to block you from walking fwd even when there is nobody in front of them? I don't quite notice this happening in other country like Australia. What has become of our place?:dunno:

 

[peterpan1975]

Welcome to Singapore. Nothing new, they are maintaining "the" standard. Hiring the wrong people. Not all Service industry is like that but sadly most of the area is like that.

 

[Canonised]

Not sure it's just me but does anybody else notice this unrully trend in the public and especially service industry where instead of people saying "excuse me pls" it's "HELLO" when they are to serve you and you are in the way or want to pass in front of you? Even at some fast food joints they'll call out "NEXT" Instead of "Welcome to......how may I serve you today? Also there are ppl always standing on the right side of the escalator to block you from walking fwd even when there is nobody in front of them? I don't quite notice this happening in other country like Australia. What has become of our place?:dunno:

Singaporeans, all trying to be a banana :dunno:

 

[Jed]

You have to ask the question in the country of the annual courtesy campaign?

 

[ortega]

we are a hawker center culture people

only those well traveled folks know just how bad mannered and backward we are

 

[iMac08]

haha..did we have a campaign? well i don't mean to be rude. but i find that sometimes u say excuse me...the guy in front doesn't understand maybe because they don't use that back in their country. so now i do see increasingly ppl just shove their way thru or a loud 'Oei'/'Hello' always work on them....

must be culture shock..my friend came back home after so many years in australis still trying to get use to the drivers and crowd here.....

 

[zero o]

Hello .. got problem is it .....
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:bsmilie::bsmilie:

Seriously, i think people are getting frustrated with the competitiveness of living in Singapore, and a lot of this inner frustration is manifesting itself into behavior which is unbecoming of a developed society. Its like a spiral shithole that we are unable to climb out from ... and in typical n true to singaporean fashion, nothing will change until the government takes the lead to initiate changes.

 

[night86mare]

Not sure it's just me but does anybody else notice this unrully trend in the public and especially service industry where instead of people saying "excuse me pls" it's "HELLO" when they are to serve you and you are in the way or want to pass in front of you? Even at some fast food joints they'll call out "NEXT" Instead of "Welcome to......how may I serve you today? Also there are ppl always standing on the right side of the escalator to block you from walking fwd even when there is nobody in front of them? I don't quite notice this happening in other country like Australia. What has become of our place?:dunno:

it's ok, you can always go to john 3:16 for a good ol' dose of happy courtesy. :bsmilie:

 

[night86mare]

btw, i am thinking of london supermarkets and post offices, they also say "NEXT!!!!"

for the welcome part, that's optional. i get it sometimes, sometimes i don't. same for mcdonald's.

maybe it's just cities. the fast paced of life dictates that one be condensed and curt. :dunno:

 

[Jed]

btw, i am thinking of london supermarkets and post offices, they also say "NEXT!!!!"

That'll be you poncey southerners ^.^

Up here usually we get "next, please" but then our queues probably aren't as silly as yours

Frankly customer service is miles apart comparing my part of the world with Sg. Some things maybe are changing - I walked into a Timberland when I was back in Sg in Nov - but many things are still as they were.[/QUOTE]

 

[ortega]

i believe the main problem is the "value" of face
asians are too worried about losing it

 

[DrSpock]

haha..did we have a campaign? well i don't mean to be rude. but i find that sometimes u say excuse me...the guy in front doesn't understand maybe because they don't use that back in their country. so now i do see increasingly ppl just shove their way thru or a loud 'Oei'/'Hello' always work on them....

must be culture shock..my friend came back home after so many years in australis still trying to get use to the drivers and crowd here.....

You may hv a point there due to the influx of so many 'foreigners talent' and I noticed that those yelling out Hello are majority from these groups!! I don't feel this issues of such back in the 90's

 

[DrSpock]

it's ok, you can always go to john 3:16 for a good ol' dose of happy courtesy. :bsmilie:

I'm worried to enter this shop cos of the overwhelming courtesy they effect on you and what if I don't buy? Anyway they hv a message to carry so must walk the talk, which is not wrong.

 

[night86mare]

You may hv a point there due to the influx of so many 'foreigners talent' and I noticed that those yelling out Hello are majority from these groups!! I don't feel this issues of such back in the 90's

not another xenophobic thread trying to disguise itself as something else.. :sweat:

 

[night86mare]

some of the most rude people i have been served by are most certainly singaporean.

 

[DrSpock]

btw, i am thinking of london supermarkets and post offices, they also say "NEXT!!!!"

for the welcome part, that's optional. i get it sometimes, sometimes i don't. same for mcdonald's.

maybe it's just cities. the fast paced of life dictates that one be condensed and curt. :dunno:

Sometime I can accept "NEXT" if I'm queing at the bank or cashier counter but definately not at front end fast food service counter or where courteous service is warranted. That's why I always patronise those restaurant who greet you "欢迎光顾" and I feel the food taste so much better

 

[DrSpock]

not another xenophobic thread trying to disguise itself as something else.. :sweat:

No lah bro, no hidden agenda here, just plain old sentiment of everyday living. FYI I'm also a 'FT' 20 yr back but now already deep rooted liao

 

[Sion]

Not sure it's just me but does anybody else notice this unrully trend in the public and especially service industry where instead of people saying "excuse me pls" it's "HELLO" when they are to serve you and you are in the way or want to pass in front of you? Even at some fast food joints they'll call out "NEXT" Instead of "Welcome to......how may I serve you today? Also there are ppl always standing on the right side of the escalator to block you from walking fwd even when there is nobody in front of them? I don't quite notice this happening in other country like Australia. What has become of our place?:dunno:

I like "Hello!" and "Next!".

Because the last time I went to a supermarket in Australia, the counter girl asked, "How are you today?"

What do you mean by "How are you today?"

Does she really want to know how do I feel and care about me?

I took a long time to answer her, "I'm not sure how am I."

She laughed at my reply.

Next time I'll tell her, "Never mind how am I. You're not my doctor."

 

[Sion]

That's why I always patronise those restaurant who greet you "欢迎光顾" and I feel the food taste so much better

All the hawker centers should have two girls in kimono standing at the doorway and bowing to the customers and greeting them with:

"いらっしゃいませ!"

 

[Lolrence]

I like "Hello!" and "Next!".

Because the last time I went to a supermarket in Australia, the counter girl asked, "How are you today?"

What do you mean by "How are you today?"

Does she really want to know how do I feel and care about me?

I took a long time to answer her, "I'm not sure how am I."

She laughed at my reply.

Next time I'll tell her, "Never mind how am I. You're not my doctor."

It's like them asking "What's up?"
Should I be telling them "Oh, the ceiling/the sky"? :bsmilie: