The Customer is Always Right

i've always worked in a service-oriented industry, so it is common for me to handle customer concerns, or worse, complaints. but did i tell you that customers here in the UAE is a far-cry from what i've been accustomed to in the philippines?


1. "where's the manager?" that's always the question whenever our staff encounters problematic customers. they would not deal with the lowlies, but rather only with the decision-makers. i guess this is a european influence, or maybe, they are born with this assertiveness.


2. "no Filipini, i need arabic" ok, here's when they bluntly tell you i do not like to talk to you, period! that's when our emirati employee comes in handy. and this is the time when i get frustrated with my arabic skills, although really, even if i know how to speak the language, they want someone from their own race.


3. "why before, they always allowed my son to ride here, and now no?" (yes, that broken english) this rational for insisting their kids to go to our rides even if the kid does not meet height restriction has been so infamous that we already learned the antidote: "sir, we are very strict with this safety rule given to us by the manufacturers to avoid accidents. so tell me who's the ride operator who allowed you this, and i will fire him immediately." almost all the time, they cannot point a person. really! but then, i'd give them a plus point for trying soooo hard just to let their kids into our rides :)


4. "i came all the way from oman just to get these free rides!" there's really nothing wrong with this statement, except that they are asking for redemption of free ride vouchers which are two months expired! yes, they have a talent in switching the burden on you. this is when a certain level of judgement call is needed among our managers.

just yesterday, my operations manager called for SOS. we had a very angry customer and insist on talking to his superior. i ushered him to come to my office. i let him vent out his complaints and then i stated my side, which is the same as what my manager said. he became more furious, insisting on allowing his child on a ride, breaking the height restriction rule which is a cardinal sin for us! and since he sensed i will not allow that to happen, he then accused us of inconsistent implementation of rules depending on our mood. he ended up asking for my name, to which i gladly gave my business card, and telling me that he will call the owner to complain about this. i told him "sir, it is perfectly ok as it is your right. once again i apologize for the inconvenience we have caused you. " he said to me to stop apologizing, saying that i ruined his life and his child's enjoyment, and went out of my office and he said "f**k you!"

my operations manager apologized that he had to elevate that seemingly simple concern to me. i told him that any given day i'd take in a hundred of this kind of complaint, rather than one accident just because we've given in to this safety restriction.

well, all in a day's work....