Overstaffing in Thai superstores

[MrPlum]

I have the opposite view (no surprise there). When I see them I'm praying they will leave me alone!

[deepee]

........................And obviously it is the lack of language skills. No one of the staff likes to have to communicate with a foreigner in front of their peers. Too basic or even completely non-existent English skills puts them off. If you start talking to them in Thai you will see a big sigh of relief and they no longer wish and pretend that you are not there.

Sorry not my words Nereus, but I kinda go with those sentiments of Roel's also

[johnnyk]

The best shop in Hua Hin for service (as I've maybe said before)..is the hardware store on the Pala U Rd on your right going out of town ,this shop is ram-jam full of stock & with their knowledge + limited understanding of English I always come out with what I need within 5 mins of arriving..Full marks to them.

He's my guy, too!

[johnnyk]

My sense of HP is that many of the workers have their "jobs" because their papa is owed a favour. Never underestimate the pull of favours and obligations in Thai culture.

[johnnyk]

I have the opposite view (no surprise there). When I see them I'm praying they will leave me alone!

On the other hand I have heard instances of female staff going above and beyond to offer "in-home" service...screws, nut tightening and drain work. At call-out rates, mind you.

[deepee]

Oh wow, so that's why it's called Home Pro.

[johnnyk]

The best shop in Hua Hin for service (as I've maybe said before)..is the hardware store on the Pala U Rd on your right going out of town ,this shop is ram-jam full of stock & with their knowledge + limited understanding of English I always come out with what I need within 5 mins of arriving..Full marks to them.

Yes, I was in there just recently also looking for some odd pipe fittings. The shop has been split into 2 halves, my Chinese friend said he was fighting with those p--s next door! He went out of his way to make up the fittings I needed, plus he had stock of some special 220 volt lamps that I have not been able find anywhere, including a couple of big light shops in Bangkok! He sent a boy outside to help me park, and then carried everything out and put it in the car.

Yes, the shop next door is not welcoming and don't seem to care. I went in once and the attitude and lack of service straightened me up enough to realize I had wandered into the wrong place. Only made that error once.

[Roel]

My sense of HP is that many of the workers have their "jobs" because their papa is owed a favour. Never underestimate the pull of favours and obligations in Thai culture.

This phenomenon certainly exists in Thailand but I think not on the level of HP sales staff. But it certainly accounts for the high number of incompetent "managers" in all kind of businesses at all levels.

[BOZ]

A few days ago I ventured to Thai Watsadu the big industrial hardware warehouse on the road to Cha Am. On entering the store/warehouse I counted 18 assistants either talking or just standing around doing absolutely nothing and when I ventured further in the store there were other groups of staff not doing anything productive.
This is not unique because if you venture into Homepro you are likely to see a similar scenario where the staff greatly outnumber the customers.
What is the logic in being so obviously over staffed?
Is it that the wages are so low that maybe the government encourages companies to employ a certain quota?
Just to add I am not having a pop at anybody or anything Thailand I am trying to understand the logic.

I think this plays into the idea of the thread on small shops going away... They super stores are hiring the staff allowing them to make monies lost to the closure of the small shops... Reverse earnings, with younger of the household doing the earning...

[wpcoe]

This is the image I try to invoke with I get irritated by being followed around by unknowledgable "sales people" who neither have any product knowledge nor any English (by that I mean they insist on following and annoying me even after they realize they have no way to communicate with me):

dr111230.gif (24.01 KiB) Viewed 914 times

[MrPlum]

...I get irritated by being followed around by unknowledgable "sales people" who neither have any product knowledge nor any English

I recognize the type. There's one or two on HHAD. I browse the forum shelves looking for an item of interest and when I stop to talk to other shoppers, along comes an unwanted pest, who keeps pushing some product called 'Dying Breath' on me.

[PET]

...I get irritated by being followed around by unknowledgable "sales people" who neither have any product knowledge nor any English

I recognize the type. There's one or two on HHAD. I browse the forum shelves looking for an item of interest and when I stop to talk to other shoppers, along comes an unwanted pest, who keeps pushing some product called 'Dying Breath' on me.

How true and well said !!

[BOZ]

Hmmmmm, if I was paranoid and I am not I would think you might be talking about me...

[tuktukmike]

Went to homepro yesterday and ended up walking out really pissed off,

We were looking for new taps for a double drainer sink and I already knew what sort I wanted, of course we were approached by the dreaded no nothing staff member.
She asked what we were looking for which being as we were standing in front of an array of taps I replied Taps, she then took us round to another aisle to show us even more which were not what we wanted.

After a while I walked away to look at the ones I wanted in the first place only to glance back and see her putting her hands on her head to a colleague, for me that was enough and I said mai pen rai and walked out.

We never asked this numbskull for assistance in the first place, why would you as they have no diy knowledge.

Its the same in powerbuy, the moment you walk in they pounce and you cant get rid of them even when I say im only looking.

So what approach do others take when you are followed around a shop, sometimes I just want to tell em to f-ck off.

Ttm

[usual suspect]

Was in Home-Pro this week..heaps of staff milling around..yet I had to wait a 5+ mins (which seemed like 10) to pay for my goods cos only one checkout in operation..ho-hum.