Hi,

Is it just me or do you find customer service crap in Canada?

I have had numerous really bad experiences since being in Canada, the latest being today at Canadian Tire. I went in with a $1000 budget to but winter tires and rims. After being kept waiting for 20 minutes without an acknowledgement in an ever growing Queue I enquired about package deals only to have the rude automaton behind the desk throw a flyer at me to read in front of an ever growing queue he wouldn't even talk me through the deals and explain the different types of tyres etc. I'm sure I'm no different than the average Brit in that I know nothing about winter/ice tyres? Now I know in shops its probably unreasonable to expect world class service, however a basic level of courtesy and interest, especially when I have $1000 to spend wouldn't be unreasonable to expect. I got so pissed off with the guys attitude I asked to see the manager. 10 minutes later and with no apology the manager listens to my concerns (with a not interested look on his face) then takes me back to the counter and passes me to another autom standing next to the original autom and tells him to "sort me out". The second autom was just as bad as the first. In the end I thought I would cut my losses and spend the cash elsewhere.

I thought British customer service was bad when living in the UK and assumed that as Canadians were generally friendly and patient things would be different over here. How wrong I was!

Anyone else had any experiences?

Ah yes the customer service myth is alive and well.

It seems every retailer in the country acknowledges that good customer service is crucial to their business. Then they completely ignore that fact and don't hire enough staff to provide it. Or they hire young people who have no idea how to provide service of any kind. They don't train them and they don't pay them enough to care.

Until stores and business in general truly believe in providing decent customer service instead of just paying it lip service things will not change.
Perhaps this is our problem, we are so friendly and patient that we put up with this crap service without saying anything.
You did the right thing by voting with your feet and walking out. Perhaps if enough of us do that they will learn.

Its just you.

I don't have a basis for comparison, or at least not a comparison that would be valid in this case, because I've never lived in the UK.

In my experience, you are vulnerable when you're a newcomer in a country because you don't know the lay of the land. For example, in this instance you didn't simply want to buy tires, you also wanted to be educated about them.

When you want to embark on a relatively major purchase that you've never made before, it may be an idea to pick the brains of people around you, e.g., co-workers, before setting out on your shopping expedition.

I find I get good personal attention when I shop at small and medium-sized specialty stores. An example of the latter in Calgary is Mountain Equipment Co-op, which sells outdoor clothing, camping gear, etc.

It tends to be difficult to find people to answer my questions when I go to department stores (The Bay and Sears) and big box stores (Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Office Depot, Canadian Tire, etc.).

That said, on my most recent trip to Canadian Tire, I was forced to return several times and ask directions from the "greeter" (the person near the entrance who directs shoppers to the department they're looking for). He was extremely congenial and helpful.

Ah there you are.....!

It seems the same world over now, large corporations cut back on staffing levels to keep share holders happy, they employ kids with nothing between their ears. As the saying goes "you pay peanuts you get monkeys".

As demonstrated in the UK recently this does not always work, with the number of large chain stores going bust. The companies blame it on the ecomony but every one that has gone under is famous for its dreadful customer service!!

In Canada I really only noticed the poor service from banks, trying to cash canadian dollar travellers cheques!! Is this something that is not widely used in Canada. Each time I tried I went through an inquisition.

My passport is insufficient proof of id, why a i carrying travellers cheques, what am I doing in canada, how long do I intend to stay in CAnada,best of all Why do I want to cash them???!! All of these in an interview room in the bank accompanied by the bank manager!

I really felt like I had stolen them, this happened 3 times in different banks in Halifax, trying to cash $200 at a time. I then went to a small branch in Cape Breton in a small village, and cashed them immediately with no fuss, you would expect it to be the other way around.

I guess this is something I will learn to adapt to, and will chill out a bit.

IMHO Dont think Canada is any better or worse than UK......

Yesterday for example had excellent advice and customer service in Lay-Z-Boy store ordering new furniture. Lady was helpful, knowledgable, gave good advice and cut a good deal. Then went across the street to Future Ship to look at monster TV's. (Proceeds from house sale burning a hole in my pocket!) and could I get the huddle of 8 sales assistants standing around joking with each other to talk to me? Could I hell! So walked out TV less much to the relief of Mrs AX (Who found that 'why do we need a big tv' was much less effective than 'you could use that money to put a deposit down on an ATV' as an approach! )

I think the point about younger staff is kinda valid although like all things it pays not to generalise. Interesting that B&Q back home makes a point of recruiting older, more experience staff and so does Home Depot here. (leastways in St. John's.) Have had excellent service in Home Depot as a consequence.

I'm surprised to hear that about Future Shop. Those people are paid almost entirely on commission. I've always found them terribly eager to help.

I'm with you on Home Depot. "You can do it, we can help" is not just a slogan.

Pretty much evrything we've ever bought from Canadian Tire has had to go back and that always causes problems for the belligerent staff at the CT in the NW here.

IMHO The Home Depot has far superior staff.

For electrical stuff I prefer Best Buy as the guys there are not on commission.

And Judy, the MEC is my favourite shop here. An awesome place with great staff. But then the staff are outdoor enthusiasts themselves.

Overall I find customer service better here than in the UK.

The major failing for almost all organization's is that they simply do not train their employees on handling difficult customers and customer complaints.

As a wrinkly and semi retired management consultant I do not hesitate to complain since it's the only way many companies can be roused from their complacency.

It's also a co-op - for a $5 initial investment, you get to vote in board elections every year - you can correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think they have any institutional investors.

Saw 04,

Funny I had the same experience this past week getting tires and rims. The difference was that I was getting them from a dealer that should have known better. THe advice I got was good enough, the quote although hi was acceptable but then when I went to get them!!! Firstly they lost the original quote and tried to charge 400 dollars more. Secondly I had asked for the UAS attachments to be fitted for our baby seat - they ordered the wrong ones so they could not fit them. The shuttle bus that was supposed to pick us up from work and drop us back at the dealer didn't show up. In the end we had to make our own way there. And to top it all off the car was supposed to be washed - a two year old could have done a better job! If this had happened at Canadian tire then I would have understood but as I am paying over the odds to ensure good service and advice then it was a little below par.

However, i have had very good experience with MEC so it is not all bad.

Phil

Correct, although I bought my $5 share back in 1994 and have yet to vote in any elections.

It's a great place and epitomises why I like living here. Go on Friday lunchtime and it's packed with people buying "stuff" for their weekend adventures in the great outdoors.

I just find it more difficult to identify when I'm being told a lot of nonsense here.

I think OP is generalizing a bit, I have bad customer service in both Ontario and UK....someone mentioned that the "younger" people that these places hire are not trained properly..agreed...many are there making minimum wage b/c a parent or partner have forced their lazy butts off the couch...and as it is not their business they do not care...

Argos in UK I found to be the worse customer service....I went in last Christmas to get some Christmas lights, had them in my hand, went to pay...the young cashier physically took them from me and said "oh someone has put those on layaway" I said well then you should not have had them out to the general public...first come first serve honey...NO way was he going to give them back, I was FURIOUS...and contacted their UN-customer service line and complained, never even received an apology...have never went back..

Customer service can be good one day and horrid the next....regardless of where one lives...maybe b/c I am older I believe that you are always polite to a customer (doesn't mean I think the customer is always right tho)
I have walked into stores and found staff lounging around gossiping about the night before, If I want help I just say out loud, "Does anyone actually work here" not rudely of course but it gets their attention or "slow day today girls?" they usually then look a bit embarrassed and apologize and I get the help I need.