niksha

Just got back from england and what a trip after 22 years a lot has indeed changed.!!The manners are totally gone down the loo. It seems as if nobody has the time of day for you and are in a bloody hurry even to say good morning . that is the most disappointing thing on my trip i reckon. First nite there went down to the chiipe and got chips, baked beans and a cheese and onion pie. O god have i ever missed them!!Next morning, digestives and coffee and mix in a few jam tarts, bakewell tarts and swiss rolls i was on my way!! No bloody wonder i came back 10lbs heavier in a month!!!

ukdiver

agreed about the manners and the way you get treated over the now....its a bloody shame it is.

we go back each year and seem to see a change every time.....sad very sad.
when there is no one there to visit anymore we won't be going back/

demi

its really bad, especially since coming back in huge gaps its really clear to see the differences

Englishtart

So why do we think it has changed then? or is it just that we get used to the OTT customer service manners here in the US? I can't really comment, because I haven't been back in over 7 yrs, but I am hearing comments like these a lot recently. Is it just that the recession has made everybody miserable? or was it changing before this?

washsaint

Having only recently moved to the US, my own experiences are:

UK customer service is truly appalling. US service may be considered by some to be OTT but at least there is good service (from banking down to restaurants). UK service sucks big time.

UK people have been getting more and more miserable. We have been struck by how friendly people are here (who we have never met) that welcome us to the US. People are far less reserved over here and seem to have a brighter, more optimistic outlook in general.

UK weather is appalling!

UK is extortionate! Prices for goods (food or anything else) are crippingly high - and getting more expensive.

Englishtart

I think some of what you have experienced so far, could depend on where you moved too. I'm not disagreeing with you about the UK, just can't give a personal exp' because it's been a while since I was there.

What I meant by 'OTT customer service' here, is that when I first arrived in the US, it was annoying that I couldn't just walk into a store and look around, without some commission paid salesperson stalking me! I guess you get used too it, but I still don't like it.

HumphreyC

Well, I'm still in the U.K at the moment, though not for much longer.

True but - sticking to restaurants which tend to be the worst offenders - if you go to some of the ones just outside central London (usually immigrant run) you get very good customer service and decent food. Round here in this part of East Anglia the restaurants and takeaways are uniformly poor. The reason being that the locals put up with it and the competition just isn't there. There's always exceptions to the rule though. I think we just need an attitude change where we don't put up with the crap you usually get with customer service here, then the places that do carry on as before will go out of business.

If I remember correctly there are a lot of miserable buggers in New England. That's probably why I'm moving there.

And yet if you go to the USA forum people are complaining about the humidity and the extreme cold, in the Australia forum they are complaining about the hot temperatures, in Canada they are complaining about the winter, in New Zealand they say its too cold etc etc etc. Maybe the weather is just the weather and we just need to deal with it.

True but this is due to the broader economic crisis and hikes in petrol prices. I imagine other countries are suffering similar problems.

lisag8070

to throw my two pennies worth in:

Ok I have been back in the UK for over a year now from living in the US for 8 yrs and can honestly say IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHERE YOU ARE in both countries...I have lived in the Mass area and thought them to be more cold towards everyone whereas the Southern states really do show you the Southern hospitality..but everyone's experience is different.

I lived in Manchester for 6 months and I was pleasantly surprised at the courteous manner of customer services here..whenever I needed to sort something out by phone,. it got sorted..that people do say hello to me when I walk down the street, and they definately do say thank you when my DD holds the door open for them..and we always chat to everyone who's stood at the bus stop at the same time as us.

Swings and roundabouts for all..maybe I have an open and honest face and my DD is a chatterbox and will talk to anyone, who knows..I have a happy outlook on live, maybe that comes through, who knows..but it ain't all that bad..no better nor no worse than the US, just different..

Dan725

I agree with Lisa, its all a bit swings and roundabouts.

While people in the UK might be grumpy buggers and not deliver your food with a smile, it feels more real to me. Come an emergency or something that is really important, I feel that more people there would be more inclined to lend a hand -but here in the US, where it's all well mannered surface smiles and very nice, come the day when help is really required, I wouldn't be surprised to be hearing crickets. But again, this is just a perception and all really depends on individuals, it's not a national thing.

robin1234

I'm not convinced that the UK is more expensive across the board. I was just visiting the UK and was struck by how reasonable the prices were in M&S for clothes, for instance. I bought shirts and basic khaki pants for work etc - also good old M&S underwear - all better quality & much less money than they would have been in a comparable department store in the US. And remember in the UK, the advertised price is what you pay - none of that pesky variable sales-tax that you pay in most states/cities.

Car insurance, homeowners insurance, property taxes ... all significantly cheaper in the UK compared to the US (for most consumers, depending on circumstances.)

robin1234

Also health care is cheaper in the UK than here

robin1234

I agree. I'm kinda sick of the glassy-eyed interactions at the supermarkets etc. that I frequent here.
"Hi how are you today."
"Did you find everything you needed."
"have a nice day."
If you present them with an actual problem or complaint, they've lost their place in the script.

chrisbeale

As a Brit I think I fall into the 'not shiny-happy all the time, but genuine when needs be and the first to help in an emergency' category, and I can say it's true for a lot of us, but not true for some people I know who wouldn't put you out if they had a bucket of water and you were on fire (there's a phrase along the lines of this but probably against the rules ) and I can't speak for Americans really. I cannot fake being pleased, and sometimes even when I get the best present ever I'm still like "Oh, thanks" - I'm a miserable English git. But I'd happily jump into the proverbial for almost anyone in trouble.

Duncan Roberts

I disagree somewhat. Like others have said, it really depends on where you are. However, if you really want to see how friendly and good US customer service is, use it when you have a problem.

lisag8070

excellent point...I was talking about service in general, but you hit the nail on the head, the Customer service peeps in the US are paid to say these things, its part of their job description...(although yes you will find peeps that are genuinely nice people and enjoy their job) but when it comes to the crunch, that's a whole other kettle of fish..