Service

'Service' can mean different things to different people. Our refrigerator is on the blitz and we had someone come out to look at it. The guy who came out took it apart and we were told he needed to come back tomorrow with the correct part. Since he pulled out the old part, and broke it, he can't put it back in so the frig will at least halfway work. That means we have some chance of having all our food go bad. He ends up coming back the next day, spends over an hour "fixing" it and concludes he needs another part and it will take 2 days to get that part. Ugh! So, all our food will definitely go bad and I give everything to our ayi to take home. So, it's not entirely wasted. Also, we were told our washer would be delivered today (July 24th). We even got a call from the store setting up a time. Today, however, we get a call saying they won't have the machine to us until August 1st. That is a large discrepancy of time in just one night.

We set up some furniture to be delivered from Ikea. They had one company deliver it one day and had another different crew assemble it the next day. So, it took like 4 days to get this process done!

Not speaking the language, I have no idea how to "help" expedite these processes by trying to think of solutions. This isn't the only area where service has been...patched...shall we say. Allen has told me on numerous occasions that it's hard to get things done in a timely manner at work. Why? The Chinese are very efficient people, aren't they? But, they really do move slowly.

If you are in a busy place with lots of people, it takes so long to get anywhere because everyone is walking and moving so slowly! Why?

Check out counters move at a snail's pace. Why?

Service and retail oriented shops take forever to "help" you buy stuff. Why?

I have no idea why it seems everything moves so much slower here, especially since many people have the impression that Chinese people move quickly and efficiently. They don't. Is it job security? Is it too hot to move? Is it bad planning? Is it 'all of the above'? I just don't know...and both Allen and I are finding the adjustment difficult.