When you are a young Jordanian man living in Jordan, then you most probably know that customer service is not really a pleasant experience. Be it the incompetent employees, or the customers who are too chaotic to stand in a queue, or try to take your turn. Not like the rest find it good. But at least, anything that is not a polite young man, are more likely to be met with a smiling face, or a friendly explanation for the inconvenience, when they complain about it.
It is, I admit, something I try to avoid as much as I can. However, this week I had to go through such an experience again (last time I had to, was a year ago or more). I was kind of worried. But then it occurred to me. Why should I take a passive role, and do nothing about it in the name of politeness? Now I do not wanna be a troublemaker. But I can be petulant about any incompetency in a "reasonable" way. And they just can not do anything about it. They will be pissed off, but forced to put up with that. I have nothing against them as human beings, but only as employees.
So I went over to this place, where I had to do something. There was a queue. And when it was my turn somebody jumped in. Now the lady sitting behind the glass asked the guy for what he wanted. I interrupted saying that he just walked in and it is my turn not his. The guy backed down. I stepped forward and she proceeded with my "transaction". She suddenly stopped and told me that she needs the approval of a senior in the company, and asked me to go to him. I went. There was a queue. It was taking too long, but that was fine, until an old man with a lady came in and interrupted the order, had their thing done and left. People saw that and rushed to do the same. I got pissed off. And as if this was not enough, I saw that customer service lady talking to the senior about a case like mine.
So I left the queue and went over to her. She did not know me at first (or pretended to). I asked her to go to that manager desk and ask him about my case, and before she could even say a word, I told her that I just saw her doing so. She was put in an awkward situation. So, she did. And it turned out that my case was kind of complicated (haha, see, I was right about doing so). She came back and told me that this will take 24 hours before being done. I left. Next day she is calling me:
She: Haitham, your transaction is done. But would you please come and take [something that is not related to that transaction]
Me: Ok [me went and did not find her. Another employee promised to help. But there was no order. I left pissed off]
Three days later, she calling me again:
She: Haitham, would you please come and take [that thing]
Me: I came and you were not there.
She: I am sorry. But it is very important that you come and take it.
Me: Important for the company?
She [walking right into the trap]: Yes.
Me [politely]: Then the company should do something about it. Why should I do your job?
She [perplexed]: No, it is also important for you.
Me [still politely]: Will, I then renounce my right in it.
She [still perplexed]: But you can't.
Me [kind of laughing]: On what basis?
She [very perplexed]: [pause for 5 seconds] Ok, I am sorry. have a good after noon.
Me: No problem. You too. (the call ended and I fall on the ground laughing like crazy)
I really have nothing against that lady. But it is only that I am fed up with this shit. So if you relate, I invite you into a new campaign, where we just try to do something about this incompetency and low level of customer service, politely. ;p
Was this a public or private sector?
ReplyDelete"Will, I then renounce my right in it." That was funny, smart answer. If it was that important why they don't send it to you.
Why it is soooooooooooooo hard for Jordanians to wait in a queue. I think it is also the company's fault, they should be more strict about first-come-first-serve policy. They should give a number to every customer and not let any one cut the queue. It is shame that we still don't wait in a queue.
As a foreigner, I take the foreigner pass and challenge every rude person who tries to cut in line. I also challenge people where the people behind the desk will just let it pass. I had one of them ma3lesh me. I quite firmly said, no there is a lesh and I'll be taking my turn, he can wait ;). The worst, for experience, though is the Filipinas. My dh took our wonderful helper to a government office. They had her waiting in one line and him in another. A Jordanian woman came and walked right in front of her. El 3atal shouted across the room at the woman that clearly she saw HelperBean and that she'd better move back now... she did. I agree with you, it's a shame that people don't behave better, sigh. But keep speaking up. We'll get them to respect each other somehow.
ReplyDeleteHey Jaraad,
ReplyDeletePrivate, and the pride of the Jordanian economy.
I thought about this Jordanian queue dilemma. I think that the strategy of ordered queues grants less waiting time for all of those who are standing in a one. But, it is unstable. It is open for exploits; we are assuming that everyone in the queue is thinking altruistically, which most of the time is not the case.
If someone saw that she can reduce her waiting time significantly then she no longer have to stick to the queue. She can lie or exploit the sympathy of people, by saying she is sick, have to go cook, her husband is dieing in the hospital... etc. A more stable strategy would be giving numbers as you said, which enforce order, and eliminate the possibility of lying on the customers side, and sympathy on the employee side (elders can have a seat).
But I think the company did not do that because the conflicts arising from this problem were of low frequency and effect on the operation of that branch. No need to spend thousands of JDs to solve such a puny problem. That is from the point of view of that company ofc =)
But non the less, what you say is true, it is absolute shame.
Hi MommaBean,
ReplyDeleteI will tell you about this story. Last year I went with my mother to help her in reissuing a licence for her car.
Anyways, there was a queue, and people were standing orderly. But she told me to go and skip it. I looked at her. She could tell from my facial expressions that I was angry. So she said ok, just wait a min. She went ahead of the queue, and because she is a women, they let her get away with it.
I felt really bad about it. Not embarrassed but bad. Our social system is to be blamed as in the case of my mother. Some of our traditions are not compatible with a modern life style. We should either amend them or eliminate them, as they were created to ensure our good, not the other way around.
Haitham,
ReplyDeleteYep customer service SUCKS, but I'm on with the rant about people taking cuts in line. My absolute biggest Jordan irritation. But I've noticed something - it's as thought people are totally oblivious that the line even exists, which leads into something else that I've noticed: people tend to seem kind of self-centered in public situations. It seems that no one else matters.
(By the way, you should see my husband rip into line jumpers. What made me realize that people are oblivious to the existence of the line is their reaction to my husband's commentary.)
I was surprised to see that my bank (Arab Bank) has a take-a-number-and-sit-your-butt-down system. For crying out loud, in the U.S. I only see that system at the DMV... and the butcher/deli (where there is a huge long counter and no proper place to form a queue). But whatever works...
Emi,
ReplyDeleteyup indeed. People do not care about how much you have been waiting for. They'd just cut the line as soon as they come in.
Btw, you should see how they do it in the university of Jordan. You can not really tell which line is which. It is very messed up and frustrating, specially that it gives people a cover for cutting in.