Customer service - lack of

[on the brink]

I have two sewing machines in need of repair - they are heavy, and I can't lug them around. So I phoned three service shops asking for a house call, and all three gleefully informed me that they do NOT make them. Service only in their shop, at their convenience, or none at all. I asked if anyone would condescend to come after business hours - no dice. Then, would any mechanic be interested in a little side business? No way.,,,! Amazing, as one of these shops is six blocks from my home, and another just five minutes away.

That exemplifies the way merchants act in Argentina. First come their personal convenience, and in 35th. place, the customer's needs. Now, I don't think these shops are swamped with customers, what with being January and people watching every penny. Yet, those merchants refused to change their way of doing business, i.e.: customers be damned. It is clear that they've never heard of Darwin - species that don't evolve and adapt will go under. Same for these shops, I'm afraid.

Giving up, I resorted to MercadoLibre where I found an enterprising guy willing to come all the way from Caballito. He's the hope for a new Argentina - may his descendants multiply and people this poor, God-forsaken country......!

 

[Daniel82]

LOL Not only do they do not care, but they probably already had a million excuses to say no already pre-rehearsed in their heads and are non apologetic about it because it’s summer vacation and you are cutting into their valuable time of doing.... nothing.

Has the enterprising guy from Caballito already come to get it? Sounds almost too good to be true and I’d be cautious about getting ripped off. Definitely don’t let him know you’ve had so much trouble finding someone.

 

[Aztangogirl]

It is amazing. I went to the Mercado De Pulgas with cash in hand. I found a cabinet I liked. I had to badger and insist to get the people to sell it to me. They were so begrudging. Then, to get it delivered was yet another battle. I have had so many experiences like this here.

 

[semigoodlookin]

While I don't disagree that customer service here is poor, isn't your situation different? You contacted businesses that don't provide a house call service and they said they don't offer one. Do these businesses usually do house calls but just couldn't be bothered with you? If not, why should they go to a house if they don't provide that service?

When I was living in the UK, I needed my Apple PC fixed. Apple didn't come to my house to fix it and don't offer that option, is that bad customer service on Apple's part?

 

[Iznogud]

Welcome to Argentonia!

Iz

 

[perry]

While there is bad customer service in Argentina there is also excellent customer service here that combines a personal touch not common in the western world . I stayed in a hotel in Rosario on the last weekend and they went out of their way to provide me with excellent service and when there were a few hiccups with the food and the room offered a generous and dignified response . I have found that service is better outside of the Capital federal people are not rushed and they pride human relationships very much .

 

[Vagrant Violet]

Over my 11 years here, it has never ceased to bewilder me how poor customer service is. Not long ago, my husband and I were the lone customers in a sofa/furniture store with 3 idle employees. We were more than ready to buy (practically prepared to buy and take home a sofa that very day).
No idea how long we were there without any acknowledgement or assistance, but we finally left empty handed and incredulous.
It reminded me of that scene in “Pretty Woman“ where the snobby saleswomen refused to help Vivian at all, and then she returned with her armfuls of designer purchases to taunt them: “You work on commission, right? Big mistake! Huge!”

 

[Aztangogirl]

While there is bad customer service in Argentina there is also excellent customer service here that combines a personal touch not common in the western world . I stayed in a hotel in Rosario on the last weekend and they went out of their way to provide me with excellent service and when there were a few hiccups with the food and the room offered a generous and dignified response . I have found that service is better outside of the Capital federal people are not rushed and they pride human relationships very much .

I haven't traveled much outside of Buenos Aires yet. But I did spend a week in Sierra Ventana, and the attitude there was the opposite of the city. Everyone was courteous, happy to help and so happy to see you.

 

[expat0tree]

I have two sewing machines in need of repair - they are heavy, and I can't lug them around. So I phoned three service shops asking for a house call, and all three gleefully informed me that they do NOT make them. Service only in their shop, at their convenience, or none at all. I asked if anyone would condescend to come after business hours - no dice. Then, would any mechanic be interested in a little side business? No way.,,,! Amazing, as one of these shops is six blocks from my home, and another just five minutes away.

That exemplifies the way merchants act in Argentina. First come their personal convenience, and in 35th. place, the customer's needs. Now, I don't think these shops are swamped with customers, what with being January and people watching every penny. Yet, those merchants refused to change their way of doing business, i.e.: customers be damned. It is clear that they've never heard of Darwin - species that don't evolve and adapt will go under. Same for these shops, I'm afraid.

Giving up, I resorted to MercadoLibre where I found an enterprising guy willing to come all the way from Caballito. He's the hope for a new Argentina - may his descendants multiply and people this poor, God-forsaken country......!

I've experienced the same kind of inadequate treatment time and time again, the customer service is horrendous here, as if it's some kind of norm. the customer needs to beg and have an infinite patience just to find out later that whatever it is that he/she is looking for is unavailable or cannot be fulfilled. This country has to be invaded and defeated by someone organized with a sense of proper business mentality so that things can move forward and we can all benefit.

 

[on the brink]

Perhaps the thread should have been titled: Smart business practice - lack of