Why do Singaporean still goes back to a shop even when treated badly?

[Maltese]

With reference to this thread : http://forums.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?p=2156556#post2156556 it just triggers me thinking where are Singaporeans prides? Why are there still so many of us being so pathetic when it comes to something cheaper, better or tastier that we can eat our pride just to save some shillings or having something better? Has our education fail us? Our parents did not taught us about pride? Or our Singapore's leaders mislead us?

Let me give you another encounter besides the pau shop I talk about in the creative thread.

BTW, can I list the area where this shop is? If not pls take it off - Bukit Merah.

This shop opens only at night just next to a wet market usually about midnight onwards. I went there once, and that is the last. Frankly speaking their Niang Tofu is good. But that's all about it, because the rest is what makes me realised that this hawker does not deserve any memory space in my precious brain, just happen to be brought up by the creative thread.

Here's my recall - as usual, you choose your niang tofu, put on the plate and pass to the hawker. When I ask for the plate, the lady impatiently find one from somewhere. A wet and black one, you know the usual overused, heated stains on plastic bowls? That's their usual bowl. And thanks to our fellow Singaporeans which I think most are repeated customers, the shop is always very busy and the lady is stacking bowls of customers plates with the niang tofu inside. With that, I'm still ok. When I pass her my bowl, she gave me the very impatient look and tone that I'm blocking her to do her work. Fancy treating me like her kid like that. That is still ok. When the bowl arrives, her fingers is poking into the food and almost like throwing on our table. Thats it, I separate the portion of noodles which her finger touch and told my friend that is the last time she will earn my money.

Everytime when I pass by the shop, I still see many people eating there. I ask my friend why there are still so many people patronsing. Is she nasty to me and that night of customers only? My friend say all his friends receive the same treatment everytime they went there. Then why did they still want to go there AGAIN? Is it that their mum or wife cannot cook anything that is edible that they rather go see people's face again and again just because they taste better?

I'm really puzzled.

 

[Stanly]

I have ZERO tolerance for stalls like that......If there is only good food and ZERO service, I will not return.......:nono:

 

[Ola]

Sadly there are people who will still patronise shop that give bad service as long as the food is good or the price is cheap....

In my case, that will be the first and last time the shop will earn my $$$ if they give me that kind of service.

 

[snowspeeder]

Shops with good food but lousy service deserve to close down for good.

 

[Nisa]

For me, usually i am the kind who would not go back to the store and will even go around telling EVERYone i know about this kind of treatment i get...

But then if i gives the person a piece of my mind, (which meant i was REALLY P I S S E D), i might go back again just to see if she or he had changed. IF not then refer to the 1st action. :sticktong

 

[Haze]

Dont know about others.

But for me.. No way..

 

[Stereobox]

:thumbsup:

shops and food stalls that have grown complacent and forget that it is us, the customers, who gave them success in the first place, should be given a :nono: :thumbsd:

 

[hanafi]

Sometimes you have no choice. For eg.. it use to be Singtel only but now they can't anyhow mark up their price and give bad service because there is now Starhub and M1.

 

[Chiang]

i retaliate by not going back to the same place to eat or use the service.

some food stalls service with smile , some service with great food, but then if good business already no need to be rude rite,


i think its boils down to choice , wheather the choice is in the hands of the consumer , or the provider ,

bad service still got business , i guess 1 only look at the end product , eg good food bad service = still can accept but willnot warrant my next visit , bad food bad service = no way . good service good food will have my money ,

 

[GDSNP]

A classic example will be the XO fish head beehoon at Holland Drive. Notoriously famous for their extremely rude and bad service yet you still see people swarming there to eat. I've had such a bad experience there that I haven't been there ever since.. :thumbsd:

 

[zac08]

A classic example will be the XO fish head beehoon at Holland Drive. Notoriously famous for their extremely rude and bad service yet you still see people swarming there to eat. I've had such a bad experience there that I haven't been there ever since.. :thumbsd:

I personally ban tat place because they had ever poured hot water on the kittens in the area before. Such cruelty to animals is really intolerable. ;(

 

[Maltese]

its time to give my 3rd encounter which will once again, prove that MOST Singapoeans really have no pride...that's my recall...

There is a provision shop and a 7-11 store that sells morning papers. I usually bought mine at intervals and don't fixed on either one. One day while buying breakfast, I realised that I've used up my loose notes to the hawkers and left only a $50. I understand its quite pissed off to break up a $50 with a 70cent paper so I apologise repeatedly at the provision shop auntie that is shuttering cold and sacarstic remarks at me even though I have repeatedly apologise about the accident(I think)/inconsideration(she thinks).

If she would have grumbled about the massive change involve, I'm still understandable but she got carried away and started hurling sacarstic remarks saying I got money to buy breakfast no money to buy papers etc. And so that's it, it just pissed me off and I told my whole members never to buy anything from there anymore.

In fact not just this auntie have attitude problem, the old man husband also pissed me off. There was once I eat in their shop (their provision business folded and rent out to eateries later, see below for more details) and tasted the worst roast duck in my life. There was this little girl, a lower primary school student asking some money from the old man. Initially I thought she is begging from strangers to buy toys because from the reaction of the old man, it seems that he dun really care about this begging girl. After a series of sacarstic comments like "didn't your mum gave you money, why didn't u bring money, family no money etc", to my surprise, guess how much the old man gave her? 20cent! Ok to be fair I can't be 100% sure based on a 2m distance but if I'm wrong, a 50cent! Its silver not gold so its not a dollar coin.

Make a guess what did the girl used that money for? She bought a packet of chicken rice from the kopitiam next door! Its obvious she buying dinner for herself and not buying toys. I would have bought her a meal if I know she is buying dinner either for herself or for her parents which I think there is a possibility too.


Since I'm staying at that area, I would have many encounters with that attitude couple, and guess what I've found out, the girl happens to be the grand daughter of the couple! My goodness, even if you want to be stingy, don't be so stingy to your own blood lah! I just don't understand why some people can be so mean to their family to the extend that you make them suffer? I know a lot of hakka families (I apologise for quoting hakkas but it seems that I've always encounter stingy people from this pool of dialet groups) especially the older generation practising strong sex favourtism. They are exceptionally money concious towards every one even their families when it comes to money. If your kids have no toys, books etc that is still ok, to the extend of not having enough food? Are they humans?

To be fair, this little girl is rather well behaved because I've seen her so many times coming home after school behaving like a decent student. Trust the grand father treating her like a begger!

Coming back to the paper thing, you would agree that morning papers are the same every where so there is no reason to a cheaper paper from stall A or stall B charge me less or have special content inside. The only reason I can think of that my neighbours still buy their paper from there is that you don't have to open the door and wait for the 7-11 cashier to scan the barcode etc. I find it a hassle to do that also especially when my hands are full of bags. You have to push the heavy glass door and wait which in comparison, is more convenient to grab a paper at the provision shop and go.

After I've decided to buy only at 7-11, guess what? I've given them $50 and even nets to pay and they even gave me a copy of today whenever I buy from them. The cool air-con inside and the sweet smiling cashier always greeted me even if I buy a 20cent sweet. Now that is paying the same for more items and service!

Not meaning to gloat, throughout the 2 years that I've stayed here, the provision shop was rented out to others with 4 closing down already coming 5 next month. The newspaper selling old couple are still there outside the shop selling bread, newspaper and some soft drinks.

For me, they are history, and never deserve a second look from me. In this case, there is zero advantage to get anything from them since there is also another provision shop besides them and a 24 hours 7-11. And if you have guessed it, I have 3 provision stores selling the same thing but only one keep closing down in whatever business they rent out to. Maybe its got something to do with their contagious "attitude service downfall syndrome"?

 

[Paul_Yeo]

some things no need service leh.

if the shop sell cheap stuff, I buy and forget, even if the shop owner super attitude problem, I also dun care.

if the shop sell expensive stuff, even if the shop owner treat me like a King, I also wun buy.

but of course for eating place and shopping centres, some level of service , then I will return. ha ha

 

[Paul_Yeo]

I personally ban tat place because they had ever poured hot water on the kittens in the area before. Such cruelty to animals is really intolerable. ;(

:angry:

 

[centuryegg]

Strange but true! There are a couple of "recommended" by food critic food places that really think they are God's Gift to Mankind and that its our honour to be able to taste their heavenly creations.

There is this dessert place (I can't remember the place), witness this sight. There was a snaking long queue and this guy came to ask when his order will be ready. The lady retort him, "NOT YET!!! CANNOT WAIT DONT BUY LAH!!"

And he meekly went to sit down...... sigh

 

[Sjourn]

You won't believe it but there's a hawker stall at old airport road that have to take queue number, when it flash(like those you see in clinics, than you can order. The wait is about 30-45 mins after you order.

My first time I say "Wah, so long",..the grumpy aunty say"cannot wait?dun order"..i walked off..neber to go back there again.

Guess what they are selling...Char Kway Teow. :thumbsd: :thumbsd:

 

[gryphon]

ever tried the famous crab stall at Still Road.
Service sucks, shout here shout there, back faced and throw utensils on yr table...
but still, 5pm onwards you will keep seeing a very long queue

 

[Sjourn]

ever tried the famous crab stall at Still Road.
Service sucks, shout here shout there, back faced and throw utensils on yr table...
but still, 5pm onwards you will keep seeing a very long queue

normally the still road crab have to call 2 hrs early ahead. i think packed back is better than eating there.

 

[Maltese]

some things no need service leh.

if the shop sell cheap stuff, I buy and forget, even if the shop owner super attitude problem, I also dun care.

point is dun care and dun bother about them is one thing, giving them business especially repeated ones will only make them realised its absolutely ok to do that especially to you.

There are so many good examples like the one centuryegg quoted. Why should you not shout back at him and let the other people know that this is the kind of service that you are providing us when we give you our hard earn money to patronise you? I dunno about that guy that go back quietly to sit down, I'm thinking maybe his family members or GF/wife die die also want to eat so bo bian. However, I'm sure your love ones will hear about the hawker scoldings and after hearing that they still bear to let their bf/hubby got scolded, then this type of GF/wife you can forget about it.

That's why I also understand why people still goes back maybe they dun know that their husband/BF is getting this type of treatment. But if that guy is buying because he like the food so much, then I'm sorry I look down on him and encourage him to through another round of NS training in the hope that he will get his b_lls back.

 

[AReality]

Seems like everyone here says won't go back to a shop with lousy service.

And I wonder... How many people still went to buy the 180million dollar carrot cake?



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