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A Thin Line Between Cultural Norms and Complete Incompetence

Started by Ryan Opaz · 9 months ago

Prepare yourself for a dramatization of a dumbfounding event that occurred at Catavino Headquarters last Thursday morning.
Scene 1: The Mystery
The scene opens with me sitting down at my computer with a steaming hot cup of coffee. While scrolling through the news of the day, which includ ... Continue reading »

39 comments

  • Tim

    1 year ago

    I sometimes think that customer service reps everywhere get pleasure from effing with customers. I'm running out of places to boycott because I have done so with so many for poor service. Unfortunately, you usually can't do that with the power company. I'm glad you're back on the grid.
    reply
  • CusCus

    1 year ago

    Ah,


    what keeps us Zen is stop worrying and opening one of these bottles of wine. Then, decide to take a day off instead of fighting against Endesa. It's way safer than trying to peel potatoes and cook an omelette in the dark.
    reply
  • Notes from Spain

    1 year ago

    This seems to be a very Spain problem. A friend recently had 500 euros taken from his account for not prperly registering the removal of his car from active service in 1997
    reply
  • Robert

    1 year ago

    I've been waiting to hear this story since I heard of the event - let's face it, both of you off twitter, blogging and skype for more than a few hours means something drastic HAD to be wrong!


    Now I understand, or rather, I sympathise.



    I could write a similar post for my TV/broadband suppliers in the UK, but I think that applies everywhere in the world



    I'm a believer that there is something to 'Scream Therapy'
    reply
  • Vitor Mendes

    1 year ago

    Thank you Gabriella... you made very happy... why? because i´ve already seen that scene far too many times here in Portugal... Here we have several companys, EDP (electricity), PT (phones, internet, etc..) and all the water supplying companys... No one takes responsibility for anything, because you only talk with someone seated, with earphones, and they don't get paid enough to help you... try to be motivated on 400 euros per month... So, the solution is, my friend... try not to suffer, and hope that this kind of problem only happens to others... But, i must say this, have you thought of writing for theatre? I am sure that you would be a success.... I had to close the door to the store so that i could laugh at ease... :-)
    reply
  • Tim

    1 year ago

    I sometimes think that customer service reps everywhere get pleasure from effing with customers. I'm running out of places to boycott because I have done so with so many for poor service. Unfortunately, you usually can't do that with the power company. I'm glad you're back on the grid.
    reply
  • CusCus

    1 year ago

    Ah,

    what keeps us Zen is stop worrying and opening one of these bottles of wine. Then, decide to take a day off instead of fighting against Endesa. It's way safer than trying to peel potatoes and cook an omelette in the dark.
    reply
  • Notes from Spain

    1 year ago

    This seems to be a very Spain problem. A friend recently had 500 euros taken from his account for not prperly registering the removal of his car from active service in 1997
    reply
  • Robert

    1 year ago

    I've been waiting to hear this story since I heard of the event - let's face it, both of you off twitter, blogging and skype for more than a few hours means something drastic HAD to be wrong!

    Now I understand, or rather, I sympathise.

    I could write a similar post for my TV/broadband suppliers in the UK, but I think that applies everywhere in the world

    I'm a believer that there is something to 'Scream Therapy'
    reply
  • Vitor Mendes

    1 year ago

    Thank you Gabriella... you made very happy... why? because i´ve already seen that scene far too many times here in Portugal... Here we have several companys, EDP (electricity), PT (phones, internet, etc..) and all the water supplying companys... No one takes responsibility for anything, because you only talk with someone seated, with earphones, and they don't get paid enough to help you... try to be motivated on 400 euros per month... So, the solution is, my friend... try not to suffer, and hope that this kind of problem only happens to others... But, i must say this, have you thought of writing for theatre? I am sure that you would be a success.... I had to close the door to the store so that i could laugh at ease... :-)
    reply
  • gary

    1 year ago

    We have a simiolar situation with Sky TV in the UK - except they put their call centre in India - I paid TWICE for a service they did replacing my sky box. It took me six months to get the money back, plus the cost of the calls and an ex gratia sum for my effort. In the end I had to write.


    I am currently having the same kind of issue with a credit card - there has been a fraudulent use of it for £7 or so - no big deal money wise but They cant talk to me until I can quote a ref number off a letter and I have now been told for four weeks that the letter will be with me in five days.... up to now Ive had a tenner hush money off them



    So. believe me, its not just spain - its endemic where numpties are reading system messages from screens and calling it customer service.



    Sorry you didnt meke the GME this year - I'll be in BCN in august if you and ryan are about for a beer...
    reply
  • Andre Ribeirinho

    1 year ago

    You could be living in Portugal and the story would be just the same. Nothing really changes every year and whoever is in charge doesn't really care if 1.000 have a problem getting service. The other 30 million pay on time so that's fine for them. Quality process is a non-existent thing.


    How do I deal with it in Portugal? I keep pilling up bureaucratic stuff and then on one week I try to sort all of them out. I guess that doesn't work in the case of electricity. To that I agree CusCus, get a bottle of wine and enjoy the moon :)
    reply
  • gary

    1 year ago

    We have a simiolar situation with Sky TV in the UK - except they put their call centre in India - I paid TWICE for a service they did replacing my sky box. It took me six months to get the money back, plus the cost of the calls and an ex gratia sum for my effort. In the end I had to write.

    I am currently having the same kind of issue with a credit card - there has been a fraudulent use of it for £7 or so - no big deal money wise but They cant talk to me until I can quote a ref number off a letter and I have now been told for four weeks that the letter will be with me in five days.... up to now Ive had a tenner hush money off them

    So. believe me, its not just spain - its endemic where numpties are reading system messages from screens and calling it customer service.

    Sorry you didnt meke the GME this year - I'll be in BCN in august if you and ryan are about for a beer...
    reply
  • ValenciaSon

    1 year ago

    Sounds like you may need a portable generator. I just heard on TVE that the electric bill in Spain is going up by 5% next month.


    I have similar customer support problems with Verizon FIOS.



    Good luck.
    reply
  • Andre Ribeirinho

    1 year ago

    You could be living in Portugal and the story would be just the same. Nothing really changes every year and whoever is in charge doesn't really care if 1.000 have a problem getting service. The other 30 million pay on time so that's fine for them. Quality process is a non-existent thing.

    How do I deal with it in Portugal? I keep pilling up bureaucratic stuff and then on one week I try to sort all of them out. I guess that doesn't work in the case of electricity. To that I agree CusCus, get a bottle of wine and enjoy the moon :)
    reply
  • Jose

    1 year ago

    What can I say being Spanish...?. sigh... well... Vicodin help us a bit.....


    Regards,



    Jose
    reply
  • ValenciaSon

    1 year ago

    Sounds like you may need a portable generator. I just heard on TVE that the electric bill in Spain is going up by 5% next month.

    I have similar customer support problems with Verizon FIOS.

    Good luck.
    reply
  • Jose

    1 year ago

    What can I say being Spanish...?. sigh... well... Vicodin help us a bit.....

    Regards,

    Jose
    reply
  • Julie

    1 year ago

    Hi Gabriella


    If that can be of any relief : the same happens in France, quite regularly, with all administrations and services that know we cannot do without them.





    We recently had such problems with our Internet provider, and a colleague even told me that France Telecom created two phone lines for his appartment, he then took an Internet access for one of the lines and, when they finally decided to suppress a line, obviously, they suppressed the one with the Internet access... And it will take him another three weeks to get the line shut, the Internet access cancelled, to open a new line and re-activate an Internet access.



    Good luck !



    best regards,



    Julie
    reply
  • Julie

    1 year ago

    Hi Gabriella

    If that can be of any relief : the same happens in France, quite regularly, with all administrations and services that know we cannot do without them.
    We recently had such problems with our Internet provider, and a colleague even told me that France Telecom created two phone lines for his appartment, he then took an Internet access for one of the lines and, when they finally decided to suppress a line, obviously, they suppressed the one with the Internet access... And it will take him another three weeks to get the line shut, the Internet access cancelled, to open a new line and re-activate an Internet access.

    Good luck !

    best regards,

    Julie
    reply
  • Tyler Balliet

    1 year ago

    Having spent about year in France I can completely understand the frustration. My cousin is from Spain and now that she has lived in the US for a few years, she even complains about this sort of thing when she goes back.


    My buddy is still trying to figure out how to import a proper washing machine into Spain as he constantly complains about how they never work. I guess it's give and take, right?
    reply
  • Tyler Balliet

    1 year ago

    Having spent about year in France I can completely understand the frustration. My cousin is from Spain and now that she has lived in the US for a few years, she even complains about this sort of thing when she goes back.

    My buddy is still trying to figure out how to import a proper washing machine into Spain as he constantly complains about how they never work. I guess it's give and take, right?
    reply
  • Gabriella

    1 year ago

    Thanks everyone for your wonderful comments and insight!


    However, I wonder if we really tackled the big question: Is this story an example of a cultural norm that we should get used to when living in another culture, or is this something that we need to address look at as simply poor customer service?



    Case in point, if my heater is busted in the US, I can order the part and fix it myself. Here in Spain, I cannot. When my heater blew last year, I was at the mercy of the heating company to fix it, on their time frame, because they have a monopoly on their parts. Therefore, I, nor any electrician, could fix it for half the price. Only they can fix their machines for an astronomical amount of money. Is that cultural, or just unfair? And where do I draw the line?
    reply
  • Gabriella

    1 year ago

    Thanks everyone for your wonderful comments and insight!

    However, I wonder if we really tackled the big question: Is this story an example of a cultural norm that we should get used to when living in another culture, or is this something that we need to address look at as simply poor customer service?

    Case in point, if my heater is busted in the US, I can order the part and fix it myself. Here in Spain, I cannot. When my heater blew last year, I was at the mercy of the heating company to fix it, on their time frame, because they have a monopoly on their parts. Therefore, I, nor any electrician, could fix it for half the price. Only they can fix their machines for an astronomical amount of money. Is that cultural, or just unfair? And where do I draw the line?
    reply
  • Andre Ribeirinho

    1 year ago

    I think it's a very cultural form of acceptance. We all complain, we all say that monopolies are bad, but who's voting for those who are elected to continue to allow this?
    reply
  • Andre Ribeirinho

    1 year ago

    I think it's a very cultural form of acceptance. We all complain, we all say that monopolies are bad, but who's voting for those who are elected to continue to allow this?
    reply
  • David

    1 year ago

    One short but contundent answer... what keeps us Zen is... REVENGE!!!




    A pure Spaniard should then go out and get the electricity from a traffic light or whatever. hahahaha... I guess this is also the clue for our wines: temperament.



    So sorry that you get such a bad impression from our big Corporations...
    reply
  • David

    1 year ago

    One short but contundent answer... what keeps us Zen is... REVENGE!!!
    A pure Spaniard should then go out and get the electricity from a traffic light or whatever. hahahaha... I guess this is also the clue for our wines: temperament.

    So sorry that you get such a bad impression from our big Corporations...
    reply
  • Jose

    1 year ago

    Cultural or unfair? Let me think a second... hmmm... I dare that's unfairy cultural #-/




    I don't think it's an spanish culture, but a strong difference between the concept of 'customer service' that exist in US and the one that exist in mediterranean countries...





    Regards,





    Jose
    reply
  • Jose

    1 year ago

    Cultural or unfair? Let me think a second... hmmm... I dare that's unfairy cultural #-/
    I don't think it's an spanish culture, but a strong difference between the concept of 'customer service' that exist in US and the one that exist in mediterranean countries...
    Regards,
    Jose
    reply
  • JIKvig

    1 year ago

    I feel bad about it, but I kinda giggled when I read this... Sorry:-)




    Glad it all turned out ok though
    reply
  • Gabriella

    1 year ago

    Andre and Jose, you both bring up good points, but I wonder if Vitor wasn't hitting the mark when he talked about salaries. When I had my brief employment with a large telemarketing company in the US, my salary was based on commission. The more people who signed on, the more I got paid. Obviously it behooved me to work my butt off to give customers what they wanted so that I equally benefited.


    Here in Iberia, there are few jobs, that I'm aware of, that are commission based. You are paid pitance for your work do and have to struggle to make ends meet as prices for basic goods continue to increase. So where is your motivation to help the customer when you aren't even being paid a respectable salary for the work you do?



    Additionally, I have found that the US inherently believes that the customer comes first. I have not found this mentality here, which is both good and bad. Bad because the customer is typically brushed off as insignificant. On the other hand, the customer is never given too much power as seen in the US model, winning lawsuits left and right because they have upper hand.



    JIKVIG: Please don't apologize for laughing, because you ought to. The scenario is way too ridiculous not to get a good chuckle from it ;-)
    reply
  • JIKvig

    1 year ago

    I feel bad about it, but I kinda giggled when I read this... Sorry:-)
    Glad it all turned out ok though
    reply
  • Gabriella

    1 year ago

    Andre and Jose, you both bring up good points, but I wonder if Vitor wasn't hitting the mark when he talked about salaries. When I had my brief employment with a large telemarketing company in the US, my salary was based on commission. The more people who signed on, the more I got paid. Obviously it behooved me to work my butt off to give customers what they wanted so that I equally benefited.

    Here in Iberia, there are few jobs, that I'm aware of, that are commission based. You are paid pitance for your work do and have to struggle to make ends meet as prices for basic goods continue to increase. So where is your motivation to help the customer when you aren't even being paid a respectable salary for the work you do?

    Additionally, I have found that the US inherently believes that the customer comes first. I have not found this mentality here, which is both good and bad. Bad because the customer is typically brushed off as insignificant. On the other hand, the customer is never given too much power as seen in the US model, winning lawsuits left and right because they have upper hand.

    JIKVIG: Please don't apologize for laughing, because you ought to. The scenario is way too ridiculous not to get a good chuckle from it ;-)
    reply
  • Jose

    1 year ago

    Yep, I do fully agree with Vitor. Many times, when people say how bad is the phone customer service of any company I use to say that 'according to their wage... well... enough to say if they pick up the phone'... while they stare at me... Anyway, have you realized how many rants by second raise an spanish... bad customer service... and for instance, bad service in bars and/or restaurants... Or a topic raised in the blog of Manuel Camblor (La Otra Botella). When a bottle of wine is tainted with TCA, what's the behaviour of a spanish customer and of a USA customer? and the behaviour of the shop or restaurant in both sides of the sea?


    Cheers,



    Jose
    reply
  • Jose

    1 year ago

    Yep, I do fully agree with Vitor. Many times, when people say how bad is the phone customer service of any company I use to say that 'according to their wage... well... enough to say if they pick up the phone'... while they stare at me... Anyway, have you realized how many rants by second raise an spanish... bad customer service... and for instance, bad service in bars and/or restaurants... Or a topic raised in the blog of Manuel Camblor (La Otra Botella). When a bottle of wine is tainted with TCA, what's the behaviour of a spanish customer and of a USA customer? and the behaviour of the shop or restaurant in both sides of the sea?

    Cheers,

    Jose
    reply
  • Andrea

    12 months ago

    Wow, glad I stumbled across this post, feels good to know that everyone living in Europe goes through this crap. Like other commenter's posts, it's just as bad in Portugal, I can't even tell you what kind of craziness I've gone through but I'd say one of the worst was not having gas or hot water in my new apartment for the first month because nobody knew what the correct and up-to date regulations were.......then when I finally got it, 2 weeks later it dies right in the middle of my shower on a holiday here so of course no one was available to fix it. I call the very next morning but because it was a Friday, nobody could come until Monday. Luckily I didn't pay anything because I had a warranty on my gas heater but after all of that I've come to learn that anything ridiculous is possible with European bureaucracy...........just got to be patient......
    reply
  • Daniel

    10 months ago

    This post is just too funny. I was living in Spain for 10 months and it just sucks... It's clearly a third world country.
    reply
  • Lauren

    9 months ago

    Oh man! That is SO similar to our story. I saw your comment on our blog (www.hostelterritory.blogspot.com) I actually contacted Ryan almost two years ago about a post on Craigs List looking for writers. We played email tag, and then things got too busy with our hostel business. I'm glad to see your blog is doing so well.

    You guys should check out Monvinic, the new wine bar/restaurant/appreciation center in Barcelona. It's right next to our hostel, so drop me a line if you ever stop by!
    reply

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