My disappointing NYC experience!
Feb 3rd, 2000, 04:44 AM
#1
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My disappointing NYC experience!
I feel I just have to write in and let others know about my recent holiday to NYC. This was my second trip to New York , and after first visiting two years ago I had always been extremely keen to get back. The vibrancy and energy of New York has always been attractive.
Unfortunately I have had a number of bad experiences on this trip that will ensure my next visit will not be very soon.
I have never in all my experience of travelling met a (generally) ruder bunch of people than New York retailers. Would it kill them to smile once in a while, or even carry out a civil conversation?
The majority of the time I felt that I was encroaching by entering a store, and I lost count of the number of times the person behind the counter would be on the phone to a friend and continue their conversation without even missing a beat while they took my money.
The only people that were remotely friendly were the hotel porters that hovered around and seized your bags off you, and then informed you that they would have to receive a tip for carrying my bags out of my hands ten metres inside a door.
Don't get me wrong. I am still thrilled by the magic of New York. But I will not be rushing back in a hurry when the experience is so undesirable.
Native New Yorkers are probably saying right now that this will not be a great loss. Indeed I have followed this forum myself for the past 12 months and have heard people whinge before.
But I realy feel that the excuse that New Yorkers are just like that is no longer acceptable. I am sure Mayor Guiliani has been trying to improve tourism, with his cleaner cabs and reduced crime. Customer relations should now be the next course for all New York shop staff!
Some positives, though.
The Barbizon Hotel - absolutely fantastic! You can get some cheap rooms here through the Las Vegas consolidator group.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
New York Cabbies
Some Negatives
Holiday Inn Midtown Manhattan - very disappointing service. We were locked out of our room, accused of not having paid, shared our room with a mouse/rat? .
Unfortunately I have had a number of bad experiences on this trip that will ensure my next visit will not be very soon.
I have never in all my experience of travelling met a (generally) ruder bunch of people than New York retailers. Would it kill them to smile once in a while, or even carry out a civil conversation?
The majority of the time I felt that I was encroaching by entering a store, and I lost count of the number of times the person behind the counter would be on the phone to a friend and continue their conversation without even missing a beat while they took my money.
The only people that were remotely friendly were the hotel porters that hovered around and seized your bags off you, and then informed you that they would have to receive a tip for carrying my bags out of my hands ten metres inside a door.
Don't get me wrong. I am still thrilled by the magic of New York. But I will not be rushing back in a hurry when the experience is so undesirable.
Native New Yorkers are probably saying right now that this will not be a great loss. Indeed I have followed this forum myself for the past 12 months and have heard people whinge before.
But I realy feel that the excuse that New Yorkers are just like that is no longer acceptable. I am sure Mayor Guiliani has been trying to improve tourism, with his cleaner cabs and reduced crime. Customer relations should now be the next course for all New York shop staff!
Some positives, though.
The Barbizon Hotel - absolutely fantastic! You can get some cheap rooms here through the Las Vegas consolidator group.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
New York Cabbies
Some Negatives
Holiday Inn Midtown Manhattan - very disappointing service. We were locked out of our room, accused of not having paid, shared our room with a mouse/rat? .
Feb 3rd, 2000, 05:06 AM
#2
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Posts: n/a
What a shame and I'm sorry you had a lousy time. As a native NYer I have to admit that the problem you mention about rude sales clerks seems to be an epidemic, not only in NY. I guess you just can't get good help anymore, but I usually speak up(after all I am from NY)and then they get off the phone. Or, I just leave without purchasing the item. IMHO Macy's is the worst offender. Don't let this experience deter you from returning, it's still a great city with tons of great things to do besides shopping.
Feb 3rd, 2000, 06:03 AM
#3
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Barry,
I am not a native New Yorker...and I do emphathize w/your experience. As I live near a large metropolitan area, I can assure you the rude behavior from store clerks is rampant elsewhere..and there is absolutely no excuse for such behavior. However, it seems that most retailers are finding it very difficult to hire employees and are even offering perks to entice applicants. Good customer service in retail stores seems to be disappearing in our nation's cities.
Think Lori is correct...ditch the stores and see the sights, museums, and all the other attractions Manhattan has to offer in the event you return to visit.
I am not a native New Yorker...and I do emphathize w/your experience. As I live near a large metropolitan area, I can assure you the rude behavior from store clerks is rampant elsewhere..and there is absolutely no excuse for such behavior. However, it seems that most retailers are finding it very difficult to hire employees and are even offering perks to entice applicants. Good customer service in retail stores seems to be disappearing in our nation's cities.
Think Lori is correct...ditch the stores and see the sights, museums, and all the other attractions Manhattan has to offer in the event you return to visit.
Feb 3rd, 2000, 10:22 AM
#4
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The previous posters are correct in that retail stores in major metro areas have a problem finding good help. One issue is how lack of manners, another is poor training and lack or role models and a mjor one often overlooked is lack of incentive. The retail trade is the lowest paid industry in the US (for sales clerks and cashiers) next to fast food, is not unionized and offers little in the way of job security. Many major retal chains staff heavily when they first open in a new location and then cut back to insufficient levels of help once a custome rbase is established. Payroll is one of their few controllable expenses but it's inexcusable. I don't shop in NY simply because I have no interest. I also believe that some of the peopl ewho exhibit rude behavior are native NY'ers but are folks who must commute under less than pleasant conditions from outside the city and take out their frustration on those around them. I recently relocated to north Jersey adjacent to NYC (5 miles away) and find many of the people here, particularly store clerks, to be surly and indifferent at best, often downright rude and unfriendly. I've experienced this in NYC only in stores or establisihments in midtown where there is a constant flood of tourists. Elsewhere in Manhattan I find people to be personable, reasonably friendly and generally well mannered. My girlfriend and I went to Toronto ten years ago and head an experience akin to your recent one in NYC, including obviously racist treatment of us in a restaurant (she is African-American). The only people who were friendly had their hands out. I finally returned there two summers ago and intentionally avoided the major tourist areas. This time I found the peopl eto be friendly and genuinely warm. My visit was wonderful and I intend to return. I hope you'll give NYC another chance - it truly is the greatest city in the world but even it has its bad days!
