Those who visit Hong Kong regularly would have noticed the big
change in the service level of the people there. They used to scold
you if you come in the shop and don buy, they tell you not to touch
the merchandise if you have no intention to buy, if you bargain for
a low price they insult you and they shout loudly the little or no
tips you left for all to hear. Now, they let you try out all shape
and sizes and if you finally don buy, they thank you and ask you to
come back again when new stock arrives.
They even learn mandarin (they used to speak cantonese to the
taiwanese) and even change their attitude towards "ah chan", the
mainlanders whom they look down upon.
Why the big change?
my hong kong friends told me the retail sales went through a very
very bad time after the financial crisis and they knew they had to
change to survive.
some said the competition from neighbouring shenzhen was offering
cheaper prices and Hong Konger know service is the only thing that
give them the upper hand in the competition.
some said they now know the guai lou cannot afford and the japanese
are not big spenders anymore and they have to depend to the asians,
especially the mainlanders, so asians are getting the good service
now.
the reasons may be one or all of the above, one thing is certain,
they did not have the government taking the lead, they did not wait
for the government departments to set example, for they had just
come under a communist government, a new political system call one
country two systems, and they had no idea what changes might be
ahead.
may be we should change the government??
