10.03.07
US service
Back and settling in.
Several notable aspects of my trip (gee, Sarah, its a long time since you got out, you are making such a big deal of what used to be a regular part of your life). The main one being I have turned into the World’s Worst International Executive Traveller. I’m not a great traveller at the best of times. M has observed before that I start to get panicky once I’m away for 5 days. Car journeys as a child usually featured me puking at some point. However, it did train me into discretion. I can be sick and no one would notice.
So, the journey was hellish. I went through Heathrow for several reasons so it meant an early start and adding about 7 hours to a long journey anyway. (Aer Lingus introducing direct flights in a few weeks so if I have to go back will be much easier). 11 hours in the back of the plane…HELL. Then I never adjusted to the time difference. So crashed out at 7pm and awake at 3am where I spent the time pondering things you could do without pondering. So I felt terrible and have carried that bad hangover feeling with me for the past few days.
But! I am home and all is well and America is as peculiar as ever which gives one plenty to think about. Still, the work was different and interesting and it was great to catch up with my friends.
Shopping. I know I complain about the place shopping has in the life of the western middle class woman, but I have to say the standard of service, the $1.40 to €1 rate and the lower price anyway of premium brands, made my day in Macy’s great fun.
The service was without doubt the most outstanding I have ever experienced. In Ireland, no matter what shop you go into, the main purpose of the assistants is to make clear that you needn’t think you are any better than them just because they are on the other side of the counter. Refusal to make eye contact, flinging change on the counter (or managing to put it in your hand without looking at you which takes considerable effort) grumpily announcing that all sizes are on display and consciously avoiding one’s attempt to attract attention. These are the features of the standard shop assistant here. In the US service is seen as a profession and while obviously there is a sales element to the whole procedure, the attitude is healthier and incredibly pleasant.
Let me describe some of the experiences in Macy’s.
I had brought a small bag with me so I wouldn’t have to check in luggage on the way out. My intention was to buy a stack of clothes and some new luggage out there. Luggage prices here are mad so I’d been stalling on a couple of pieces for at least 18 months. After visiting the men’s department where I got some great stuff for my shopping averse husband, I went to the luggage section and got a nice suiter which he really needed (we end up checking into hotels while he drags his suit around on a hangar..SHAME 
By the way the main labels were on average 50% cheaper than here.
The luggage woman was incredibly nice and amongst other things pointed out that I was entitled to an 11% visitor discount of all my purchases. She had engaged me in chat and ascertained my status. Anyway, I am arranging the clothes in the suiter when a man, with Macy’s badge, walks by, sees me, and practically acosts me for packing the clothes the wrong way. His name was Ivan. He takes over and not only packs everything for me (and I’d been to the Gap for the kids so lots of stuff wasn’t from Macy’s) but shows me HOW to pack professionally and gives me loads of travelling tips. He was amazing. He didn’t work in the department, had no idea who I was or what I had purchased and it was his genuine pleasure to help out. Never ever ever would this happen in an Irish store.
Anyway, I interviewed him and it turned out he was the manager of the Impulse section in Macys, home to Seven jeans. At this point I hadn’t bought much for myself but I was definitely in the market for jeans. So I head down there and he goes off about his business. Another assistant rushes round getting various styles for me to try on which I do and am assessing fit in the mirror when he walks by again. “No!” he exclaims and points out two creases at the hip. “This is all wrong”. ” Oh too tight?” I enquire. No – too loose AND he goes on to explain -the following is of minority interest only so those bored at this point can look away now.
Ordinary jeans (Levis etc) contain lycra, so they shrink to fit. Premium denim is made from polysomething or other, which shapes to fit. So you should always go down a size with premium denim. Once you can button it, buy it because it will loosen as time goes on, even if it feels to tight now. If you get it too big those creases get bigger and bigger and as he asked “you want to look like a boy when you sit down?”. Well no I don’t!
Further he explained that tumble drying “blows out” these amazing fibres and the jeans collapse. Suddenly I understood why my beautiful, once white, now greyish James jeans looked desperate now. So the first assistant was sent off to bring back too small jeans. I got a pair which at maximum will be tumbled dried on low for 5 minutes just to soften them up. Should get a few years out of them.
THEN on the ground floor I decided to get a watch for my mother. It’s her birthday Friday and she helps out hugely. Sending down dinners, impromtu babysitting etc. I pick out a watch and Howard wraps it up, performs the transaction and the walks around to the customer side of the counter and presents me with the purchase. Shakes my hand and bows! while wishing me a wonderful day etc. I am blown away, delighted, and my mood is sky high despite tiredness and wanting to be at home.
The contrast with Ireland couldn’t be starker. This is why I HATE shopping. It’s such a miserable experience anyway and grumpy hostile class conscious staff makes it so much worse. (That’s why when we were buying stuff for the house, every time, I went with the pleasant supplier rather than the cheapest one). There are exceptions obviously but honestly, what is the Irish problem with service?
Justin Mason said,
October 3, 2007 at 1:05 pm
actually, I got some really kick-ass service in Brown Thomas recently, but then I was buying a pretty pricey suit.
US dept stores (like Macy’s) are the ultimate in service. I’m convinced you won’t get better service anywhere in the world, and I agree, it makes a huge difference.
Conor Delaney said,
October 3, 2007 at 3:00 pm
The service is amazing, people embrace their jobs, even if it is not the job they want to be doing. A bit unsettling at first…
BTW easiest way to San Fran is via Shannon. Fly from Shannon to a US hub and then connect to San Fran, emigration is in Shannon so no queue on the other side and I think Shannon airport may be slighly more pleasant than Dublin or Heathrow. Plus it has free Wifi.
Paul Newton said,
October 3, 2007 at 3:19 pm
Welcome home, I know how you feel around the customer service issue, I actually run programmes in customer service and you’ll find a couple of recent experiences over on
I have wondered about this one for some time too, I don’t think it’s so much a class thing, as much as the fact that we don’t see the value in making people feel special.
There’s a balance along the scale
rude – - – - – - – -customer service – - – - – - -smarmy
that we just don’t get. My experience of being a customer is that people gravitate towards either end of the scale, some being downright rude (perhaps your class thing) others being false, condescending, and slobbering all over you.
Those who are rude despise the smarmy… and rightly so… but use it to justify remaining rude.
Those who are smarmy know they are better than the rude ones and use that to justify remaining smarmy.
I don’t want rudeness, but then I don’t want to be called sir and have my arse licked either.
Good customer service is unobstrusive, available, friendly, helpful, engaging and really good business sense.
If we had a good tipping culture in Ireland we’d be a lot better at it.
Godiva said,
October 3, 2007 at 9:38 pm
John Butler wrote a funny piece a few months ago in the Irish Times Saturday magazine about working in Macys one summer. At first he thought it was all about speed – like the supermarket checkout – but then he copped on it was all about service and learned to slow it down.
The hosiery counter in Arnotts are so rude. They’d carry on a conversation between themselves forever rather than serve you.
The girls in Mac in BTs are friendly and helpful.
I much prefer shopping in London than Dublin. It can even be fun. I’ve never really been afflicted with the shopping bug though, just couldn’t be bothered. It’s so time consuming.
Paddyanglican said,
October 3, 2007 at 10:08 pm
Sarah – Have to agree with everything you have said – my experience of the US is confined to Boston & New Hampshire but I was hugely impressed with the attitude to customer service which really shows us Irish up in a poor light. Recently I was taking part in fundraising for our parish school extension (yes I know that the church should have nothing to do with education
) and was bag-packing in a certain national grocery chain. I worked with irish, polish and russian check-ot staff on my shift and there was a very noticeable difference in attitude. The Irish staff ignored the customers, spoke to each other and were for the most part totally disengaged with their jobs and almost rude while the non-nationals were friendly, spoke to and made eye contact with the customers and me (no – not what you think though I might be tempted to flatter myself) and generally engendered a pleasant working environment. What is wrong with us? I dont know the answer but I thing it is symptomatic of something far more serious than poor customer service?
Brendan said,
October 3, 2007 at 10:28 pm
I’m in New York once or twice a year and do all my shopping there and it is not just because of price. What you didn’t mention is restaurants. Why is it American waiters and waitresses take pride in their work and seem to actually like their jobs? Irish people think that they are just angling for a tip but it seems to me that the yanks take real satisfaction in serving their customers. They set out to exceed your expectations.
Sarah said,
October 4, 2007 at 9:02 am
Yup agree with all that and the restaurant issue. I noticed that the waiters, especially in hotels, tend to be grown ups ie not just young ones punching in time while they wait for their real career to start. It’s a profession – not a lowly job. Service is seen as something honourable not a skivvy. Maybe the Irish have a problem with it because service was in previous generations the only job available to them? But then I am not sure I give much credence to all this race memory stuff. Maybe we just have a bad attitude…
brian t said,
October 4, 2007 at 9:07 am
I had a similar experience earlier this year, in Macy’s in Fort Collins CO. It felt weird to have a salesperson who was actually interested that I bought the right thing. I got a Nautica outdoor jacket at an excellent price off the Sale rack. I only found out weeks later that it was a girl’s jacket, but the only way you can tell is by the zipper, so I’m not bothered in the slightest – unless I want to fly 7068km* to take it back…
* via the Great Circle Mapper (gc.kls2.com)
Darren Barefoot said,
October 4, 2007 at 11:36 am
Having lived in Ireland for a couple of years, I totally agree. But why? Why is there such a lousy attitude toward service industry jobs?
On Irish and American Customer Service said,
October 4, 2007 at 11:36 am
[...] Irish friend Sarah recently wrote a post about a trip to the USA, and the stark difference between customer service in Ireland and stateside: In Ireland, no matter [...]
Charity said,
October 4, 2007 at 4:17 pm
Wow, Macy’s must work really hard on hiring quality people all the way around. We bought my engagement ring and our wedding rings two years ago from Macy’s in Quaker Bridge Mall, Lawrenceville, NJ. We also had our registry there, and everyone we worked with was very nice!
I’m sure I’ve run across bad customer service in the US. I bet having a charming foreign accent and money to burn didn’t hurt either!
Dan Sullivan said,
October 4, 2007 at 4:28 pm
I would agree about the difference in service though I’d add one wrinkle in that people in the US that are being served do two things that Irish customers do not do, one is tip (and I’m not at all keen that we should go down the road of tipping for everything) and the other is exchange pleasantries with the staff. You will find if you take the time to look out for it over the coming weekend how often Irish people as customers are rude, ignore the staff and fail even to say please or thank you.
This isn’t meant to be an excuse more a suggestion that the issue isn’t about a lack of service perhaps more about being pleasant to people we do not know, or a lack of manners.
Graham said,
October 4, 2007 at 10:09 pm
I always try to be pleasant to sales staff/waitstaff etc, in Ireland, but so often they are utterly rude. The most annoying is when sales staff continue a personal conversation, either ignoring the fact that you’re there waiting to pay for something, or they see you and begin dealing with the purchase, but still carry on talking to their colleague.
Brian t, your jacket probably was a mens jacket. There is not the same sex specific zipper side with US made clothes. Mens jackets in the US have the zipper on the right side in the same way as womens jackets here.
Paul said,
October 5, 2007 at 8:34 am
Sarah — For you the North American way was a noverly experience, and in fairness your particular experiences were better than i ever received.
But If you lived in the USA for a few years.. you’d soon get tired of the mostly Robotic, superficial and ingenuine ways of the Americans and miss the Irish way.
Paul Newton said,
October 5, 2007 at 4:19 pm
You might be interested to know that macy’s motto is
“Be everywhere, do everything and never fail to astonish the customer”
fairly good job there I’d say.
P
Gerry said,
October 8, 2007 at 7:07 pm
what a load of old shite. I’ve been in america a lot recently and, in particular in restaurants it’s a trial. I’ve got to listen to some automaton listing the organic, acorn fed beef special for five minutes, mispronounce everything in French (it is not a fill-ay), and then serve up the same tasteless beef I could have bought in tesco in Ireland. And Entree does NOT mean main course, the clue is in the name. How did this misunderstanding occur?
They do understand the possibilities of eggs though, i’ll give them that but my view is that the better the restaurant in the US the worse the experience. A good diner is about is as good as it gets.
As for shopping, I can’t be doing with it, Every 5 steps it’s “can I help you today?”. Always very specific with the time as if the option to help me tomorrow is a realistic one. And why I have to give a guy a dollar for filling a glass with beer and bringing it to me as I sit at the bar…
jspruit said,
January 5, 2008 at 10:13 pm
I think that some of this article touches on the ‘grass is greener on the other side’ phenomenon that we all experience from time to time, particularly when traveling. When I am in the states I enjoy the service and attention at stores/restaurants initially as it is something that I generally miss out on here in Ireland; but then after a bit I get slightly jaded with the service and wish that it was not laid on so thick. When I am here in Ireland, I quite often wonder if it would not hurt the employees to be just a bit more pleasant. I would also like to point out to your previous poster ‘Gerry’ that the American way of spelling and pronouncing a steak ‘filet’ varies from the British way of ‘fillet’; hence the difference he heard when in American restaurants.