Some Thoughts On Service Staff Here

[giblet]

May I add a few more things to the list?

Train your staff to check the change before they give it back. I get incorrect change so often at expat places (and it's always short) that I've started to think it's always deliberate. But I'm sure it's not always deliberate, so train your staff to check the riel before they give them back so I don't think they're stealing.

Train your staff to bring the cutlery out before the food. How often do I have a plate of food put down in front of me and nothing to eat it with? This leads to five minutes of torture while I eye my food and the waitress disappears to adjust her hair and get the cutlery. Along the same lines, bring out napkins without being asked and if I ask for a glass of water, please please please just bring it out immediately rather than waiting for my food to be ready or your sister to arrive or the the next four Korean pop songs to be over.

[Playboy]

... or the the next four Korean pop songs to be over.

K-Pop must die.

[Sok Poupe]

... be followed at half an arm's distance and peered at suspiciously by someone who knows nothing of even the shop's stock.

That! They'll lurk right behind you, but if you were to ask a question, they can't speak a word of English. Can't blame them for that really (although it might be considered a useful asset for someone working in retail in such an international town as PP), but if they do, you'll find out they know nothing about the stuff that's on sale. So what the hell were they doing there?

(did WTM cause all this up-close following?)

[gavinmac]

I like #4, but Khmer staff don't hover and stare at you all the time. They actually have an uncanny knack of totally disappearing just when you need them to bring you the check.

[Playboy]

I like #4, but Khmer staff don't hover and stare at you all the time. They actually have an uncanny knack of totally disappearing just when you need them to bring you the check.

True, they only hover and stare when you do not want them. If you want another drink, or an extra side order, or the bill, wssshh - they are gone.

[rascal]

On a recent visit to Phnom Penh, I raced into a supermarket to grab a few ingredients needed for a cook-up.
I entered the store and started wandering around and before I knew it, I had a member of the staff following me around like a puppy dog. Not getting into my face mind you, but she certainly made it clear that she was checking out my every move.

I was having trouble finding what I wanted to buy and since my mate had already assured me he had purchased the same Olives in this store, I was confident I would track them down somewhere.

After pacing up and down most of the isles and not finding the elusive Black Olives, and since my personal body guard was still shadowing my every move, I decided to ask her where I could find the Black Olive department..
The look on her face was pleasure enough, she couldn't understand a word, nor talk any English.

After one more lap of the store, and consulting other workers, to no avail, I gave up on the Olives and headed for home. I told my mate that I couldn't find the bloody Olives and, after I explained my experience with the over-keen shop assistant, we had a chuckle over my personal bodyguard who followed my every move. My mate told me that my problem lay with then fact that I didnt pick up a shopping basket before i entered the store.. Apparently those shopping baskets make things look more Khmer-like, more business like, more like your hands are too busy to steal something..lol

On my next visit to the same supermarket, I made sure I grabbed a basket before entering, even though I still only wanted to grab two or three items.. The same girl latched onto me, and followed my every move again..lol

After my fourth or fifth visit to the same supermarket and having the same girl jump into my shadow to watch my every move, did I hand the basket to her, for her to carry for me, rather than just stand there gawking at me.. It took a lot of sign language and /or charades to get my idea across, but she did cotton on to what I wanted, eventually, and she complied, happily. Happy enough that she called over other workers to join in on the spectacle...lol..

From that day on I made sure I did all my shopping at that supermarket. I think the shop assistant even liked to see me turn up. Maybe she enjoyed the half an hour with a crazy barang who tried to teach her some English.. Well, at least she learned to pronounce my name.. Good enough for me...

Sooner or later things work out for the best... I love Cambodia...

[cambod]

She probably saw u pick up ground beef and pineapples and knew u were up to no good...

[rascal]

lol.. you're a cunny funt Mr Cambod..
cheers.

[dv8inpp]

Anyone who believes the saying "there are no bad kids, only bad parents" can add to that "there are no bad staff, only bad management".

I have a favorite bar in Cebu city where the staff always seemed to know instinctively that you're ready for another beer. Took me months to work out that the boss had educated them to watch the angle of the bottle as the customer takes a swig and listen to the sound of the bottle being put back on the table.

Earlier this year I spent a month of nights in Cavern bar on 104 and there were a couple of girls serving that did just that. I don't remember ever having to reorder a beer. That's down to management.
KennyF

But don't confuse the owners with the management.

[A Wannted Man]

IMHO what gets me about the whole service thing here is the lack of balance, either you feel that they're so attentive it's positively intrusive or you feel that you have to stand on-top of the table to get even the slightest bit of acknowledgement that you even exist. You don't want extremes of any nature just enough that you feel they're paying attention but not enough to make you feel awkward, it's a fine balance and what I think they don't understand is pay attention but not too much that you put off the customer, agree with the bring the kids into work, whatever the work environment kid's should not be allowed, sounds harsh but it's a unspoken rule of thumb that should followed.

[Playboy]

... I hand the basket to her, for her to carry for me ...

From that day on I made sure I did all my shopping at that supermarket.

I think the shop assistant even liked to see me turn up. Maybe she enjoyed the half an hour with a crazy barang who tried to teach her some English.. Well, at least she learned to pronounce my name.. Good enough for me ... Sooner or later things work out for the best... I love Cambodia...

You do realise that means that you are now engaged to her.

[mookuy]

I really don't like being stared at when I'm eating.

Less irritating for me, but very common, is bringing you a menu and then standing there until you order. It's especially ridiculous if it's a long, multi-page menu. It takes 5 minutes to read a menu, let alone decide what you want. Just ask the customers if they want a drink and come back to take the order.

Of course I sound like a carmudgeon but I do realise that they are only trying to give you good service. If possible, though, restaurant-runners, can you try and stop them doing it.

Much more important though is: don't stare at people while they're eating!

[tatt2ed]

I went to penical this morning and had a shadow, but he didn't get all that close and I was disappointented since I was going to try the backup, step on, bump into tactics. Sounded like fun. Ever ask anyone in Lucky where something is? 95% of those I have asked don't know English, but at least 50% of the customers are Barang.

[SunSan]

I've always been understood and shown to where I would find the item.

Are you at the Korean Lucky's at Sovanna?

[cambod]

1) Don't open up a restaurant if u can't print more than 3 menus for the whole place.

I can understand if I'm on a cozy date and we're practically sitting in each other's laps and u give us a menu to share, but if a group of 4 sit down, GIVE US 4 MENUS!

Math 101

2) If u're out of something, don't wait until u've brought everyone else their food to inform me, "Oh sorry sir, finished. What else u want?"

3) Don't call it fresh juice/milk on the menu if it comes from a can, carton, bottle, etc...