我认为中国的服务人员特别不擅长与外国人打交道
2023-10-21 兰陵笑笑生 14780
正文翻译

I think customer service people in China are not great at dealing with foreigners

我认为中国的服务人员不擅长与外国人打交道

I was recently in South Korea and Japan and love how they deal with foreign customers. I use gestures or broken local dialect and they understand and give me no hassle and don’t ask me additional questions. I felt like they are aware that I’m a foreigner and try there best to make me feel comfortable. I was even in remote areas and they still gave me no hassles.
It’s a hassle a lot in China and I am currently living there.The workers will just blabber in Chinese and try to advertise me something . I make hand gestures to tell them what I want and they always ask me additional questions in Chinese or hassle me in Chinese to download app or something.. I don’t know what their problem is. I’m obviously not Chinese and it’s obvious I don’t understand. I know basic Chinese and tell them I don’t speak Chinese and they still blabber in Chinese and hassle me. I feel stressed to go out a lot. I just want to buy stuff and not be bothered.
I feel like they are making my life harder and they don’t care at all.

我最近去了躺韩国和日本,很喜欢他们对待外国顾客的方式。我使用手势或蹩脚的当地语言,他们都能理解,不会给我添麻烦,也不会问我额外的问题。给我的感觉是他们知道我是外国人,并尽力让我感到舒适。即使在偏远地区,他们也没有给我添麻烦。
在中国就很麻烦了,我现在就住在这里。员工们只会喋喋不休地用中文向我宣传广告。我做手势告诉他们我想要什么,他们却总是用中文问我其他问题,或者用中文让我下载应用程序什么的。我不知道他们是怎么回事。我显然不是中国人,也显然听不懂他们在说什么。我懂基本的中文,告诉他们我不会说中文,他们还是用中文喋喋不休地烦我。导致我每次出门都感觉压力很大。我只想买东西,不想被打扰。
我觉得他们让我的生活变得更加艰难,而且他们根本不在乎。

评论翻译
KristenHuoting
I've travelled extensively in Japan and in China. I have to agree but elaborate on one point.
Japanese shops and business' tend to see a foreigner as another potential customer. When I walk into a store in Japan I am greeted by the Japanese version of 'hello, what do you want to buy?' Because of fucking course I am, I am walking into their shop, I obviously want to get something. If it's a clothing store, they'll point me to the clothes they have in my size. If it's a restaurant, they'll realise quickly that I don't understand and point to something in their menu and ask me if I want it by nodding their head and a thumbs up.
Business done.

In China, despite speaking mandarin I am often greeted by multiple service staff fighting visibly to be the one that doesn't serve me. Loudly proclaiming "我不会英语, 怎么办!" as if it's a complete and total mystery what possible reason I could be in this noodle shop for.
原创翻译:龙腾网 https://www.ltaaa.cn 转载请注明出处


Business made significantly more awkward for no real reason.

我在日本和中国旅行过很多次。我同意你的观点,但还想延伸一下。
日本的商店和企业往往会将外国人视为一个潜在客户。在日本,当我走进一家商店时,他们会用日语招呼“你好,你想买什么?”。因为我他妈的当然是来买东西的啊,我走进他们的商店,我显然是想买点什么东西。如果是服装店,他们会指给我看有什么适合我的尺码。如果是餐厅,他们会很快意识到我不懂,然后指着菜单上的东西问我要不要,并点头竖起大拇指。
生意完成。
在中国,尽管我会说普通话,但经常会有多个服务人员向我打招呼,互相推诿,明显地争着成为不为我服务的人。他们大声喊:“我不会英语,怎么办!”好像我来这家面馆的原因是一个彻头彻尾的谜团。
无缘无故地让生意变得棘手了起来。

coffeecircus
Tbf, they treat the locals just as poorly, if not worse.
Customer service is incredibly bad in China, unless you are at the highest levels of establishments in a T1 city.
Compare it to HK, it’s worlds apart

老实说,他们对待当地人的态度同样糟糕,甚至更糟。
在中国,客户服务差得令人难以置信,除非你是在一线城市的最高级机构。
与香港(特区)相比,简直是天壤之别。

masokismi
Compare it to HK, it’s worlds apart
lol I was with you until this part, some of the rudest waitresses I’ve ever encountered were in HK

“与香港(特区)相比,简直是天壤之别。”
哈哈,我本来还同意你说的,直到看到这句,我遇到过的一些最粗鲁的女服务员都在香港(特区)

kungpaogeedeng
Lived in mainland for years and never was any retail staff or person I interacted with in govt, school, etc., ever outright rude to me. Never.
Slow to get the point or unhelpful? Yes. But rude? No.
Only encountered rudeness in HK from locals who spoke english and maybe had a chip on their shoulder toward whitey.

在大陆生活多年,从来没有任何零售店的员工或政府、学校等部门的人对我无礼过。从来没有。
不明白重点或不提供帮助?有的。但粗鲁?没有。
我只在香港遇到过会说英语的当地人粗鲁无礼的对待,也许是他们对白人心怀怨恨。

原创翻译:龙腾网 https://www.ltaaa.cn 转载请注明出处


netgeekmillenium
Mainland service is rude. But still better than HK.

大陆的服务很粗鲁。但还是比香港(特区)好。

LeadershipGuilty9476
At least they can usually understand you

至少他们(香港的服务人员)通常能理解你的意思
原创翻译:龙腾网 https://www.ltaaa.cn 转载请注明出处


parke415
If anything, that makes their rude behaviour even more reprehensible.

如果说这会造成什么不同的话,那就是他们的粗鲁行为更应受到谴责。
原创翻译:龙腾网 https://www.ltaaa.cn 转载请注明出处


Fair-Row-8641
Agree. I was a tourist once in HK and had a breakfast at this famous breakfast place run mostly by elderly men. There was this couple, a local and a White girl, who were taking their sweet time enjoying their breakfast. One of the elderly man noticed they were taking too long and asked the local guy to, what I presume, finish their meal already. The guy was embarassed by the whole incident and probably regrets introducing the girl date to the place.

同意。我有一次来香港旅游,在一家主要由老人经营的著名早餐店吃早餐。有一对情侣,一个是当地人,一个是白人女孩,正在悠闲地享用早餐。其中一位老人发现他们花的时间太长了,就要求那个本地人--我猜--把他们的饭赶紧吃完。那名男子对这件事感到很尴尬,可能很后悔把女伴介绍到这里来。

MsChan
All HK popular restaurants are like that though. Especially at cha chaan tengs where margins are little, time is money. Heck the Australian Dairy Company is literally infamous for their rude/no frills service.

不过,香港所有受欢迎的餐馆都是这样。尤其是茶餐厅,利润微薄,时间就是金钱。澳洲牛奶公司的粗鲁/不修边幅的服务简直是臭名昭著。

No_Picture_1212
Hk has shit service man, dont know about other cities but Shanghai was great for customer service.

香港的服务人员很糟糕,不知道其他城市的情况,但上海的客户服务很棒。

parke415
In my experience, customer service was far superior in Shenzhen compared to Hong Kong, with Macau somewhere in between. I think this is a special case, though, because Shenzhen is wealthy. I found that while Hong Kong waitstaff at fancy restaurants were great, anything mid-tier or low-tier had incredibly curt and even rude waitstaff.

根据我的经验,深圳的客户服务远优于香港,澳门介于两者之间。不过我认为这是一个特例,因为深圳很富裕。我发现,香港高级餐厅的服务员都很好,而中低档餐厅的服务员则非常粗鲁甚至无礼。

Hugh_Mongous_Richard
Hahaha you’ve never actually been to HK then. Way worse imo.

“和香港比起来,天壤之别。”
哈哈哈,那你根本就没去过香港。在我看来,香港糟糕多了。

Cheap-Candidate-9714
Had this happen to me a few times. Bad customer service? Yes. I also think it comes from place of insecurity of the people involved. Cultural capital has a much bigger meaning amongst Chinese than it does foreigners.

“大声喊:我不会英语,怎么办!好像我来这家面馆的原因是个彻头彻尾的谜团。”
这种情况在我身上发生过几次。糟糕的客户服务?是的。我也认为这是由于相关人员缺乏安全感造成的。文化资本在中国人中的意义远远大于外国人。

GoldenBull1994
European unx
I’ve been in Chinese restaurants in America and have still been ignored.

我去过美国的中餐馆,但仍然被忽视。

jazz4
Awful or rude service in Chinese restaurants in London too. When Asian friends eat here they jokingly say “wow such an authentic experience.”

伦敦中餐馆的服务也很糟糕或粗鲁。当亚洲朋友在这里吃饭时,他们开玩笑地说“哇,很地道的体验。”

Danobex
You just know the food is gonna be authentic (delicious) when the service is bad

当服务很糟糕时,你就知道食物会是正宗的(美味的)
原创翻译:龙腾网 https://www.ltaaa.cn 转载请注明出处


takeitchillish
Many places don't even greet their customers in China. I feel also China is becoming less tourist friendly, because like every place needs you to download an app and connect with your wechat or with your phone number.

在中国,很多地方甚至不跟顾客打招呼。我还觉得中国对游客越来越不友好了,因为几乎每个地方都需要你下载一个应用程序,然后用你的微信或电话号码绑定。

DanTheLaowai
United States

Really? Most everywhere I go still hits you with the 欢迎光临. Sure, some are more enthusiastic than others, but it's still there.
真的吗?无论我走到哪里,大多数时候会受到“欢迎光临”的欢迎。当然,有些人比其他人更热情,但还是有的。

UsernameNotTakenX

I remember the shop attendant would say the 欢迎光临 in local grocery store whenever a person walked in and then they later changed to an electronic door device. Then they just stopped doing it altogether. That was in the space of 10 years.
我记得在当地的杂货店里,每当有人走进来,店员都会说欢迎光临,在他们改用了电子开门装置之后就完全停止打招呼了。是这 10 年里的事情。

takeitchillish
That is often in malls. In mom and paps stores they often just say nothing on the streets.

这些欢迎通常是在商场里。在街边的夫妻店里他们常常什么也不说。

noodles1972
I mean really, why should they. How often do you get greeted when you walk in the door of a small convenience store anywhere?

啊?他们为什么非得打招呼。当你走进一家小便利店的门口时,有多少次你会受到热情欢迎?

takeitchillish
In Sweden? Every single time when I enter a store and buy something at the counter people with greet you and show simple courtesy with words like "hi, thanks, have a nice day"... In China, it is not uncommon that the person is just quiet throughout the whole interaction.

在瑞典?每次我进商店在柜台买东西时,人们都会向我打招呼,并表现出简单的礼貌,比如“嗨,谢谢,祝你有美好的一天”……而在中国,在整个交易过程中一言不发是常有的事。

SuperSpread
They are busy contemplating their life choices

他们正忙着思考自己的人生选择

Careful_Drop_6995
I spent 6 weeks in china and never experienced that everyone was very polite

我在中国呆了六个星期,从来没有经历过这些,每个人都很有礼貌

Hugh_Mongous_Richard
Always strange for me to hear these stories because I have never once had this happen to me. Maybe my mandarin is just better? I dunno. Whenever I speak Chinese everyone gets pretty friendly and I get free stuff.

听到这些故事我总是觉得很奇怪,因为我从来没有遇到过这种情况。也许我的普通话说得更好?我不知道。每当我说中文的时候,每个人都会变得非常友好,我还会得到免费的东西。

jimmycmh
what they think in their mind is: it’s so embarrassing that i don’t speak english. i’d better ask someone for help

他们心里的想法是:我不会说英语真是太尴尬了。我最好找人帮忙

xain1112
I live in China and I've encountered this so many times.
Them: super fast Chinese
Me (in Chinese): Sorry, my Chinese isn't great, can you speak slower?
Them: agrees then doesn't change their speed even slightly

我住在中国,遇到过很多次这样的情况。
他们:中文说得超快
我(用中文): 对不起,我的中文不好,你能说慢点吗?
他们同意,然后速度丝毫不变

Suecotero
They are terrified of having to deal with a foreigner and making some embarrassing mistake. In other countries there's usually some experience with the fact that foreigners are just people, but for many in China you are basicly a martian.

他们害怕与外国人打交道,害怕犯一些令人尴尬的错误。在其他国家,人们通常会有一些和外国人打交道的经验,知道外国人也是人,但在中国,对许多人来说,你基本上就是一个火星人。

tiempo90
I experienced exactly this in Taiwan unfortunately, when I was foolishly expecting everyone to be the "friendly Taiwanese" Reddit stereotype.
They saw me, Asian, and I started talking to them in English. They asked, "speak Chinese?" Is said "no", and they looked at each other and said, "sorry no service" and started laughing. Was very insulting and I prompty left.
(I have another example from Taiwan but nvm)
It truly sucks to have that experience, being overlooked because (or ridiculed) because you can't speak the local language, and you look like someone who should be able to.

不幸的是,我在台湾就遇到过这种情况,当时我傻傻地抱着reddit上“每个台湾人都很友好”的刻板印象。
他们看到我,一幅亚洲人的面孔,我开始用英语和他们交谈。他们问“会说中文吗?”我说“不会”,他们面面相觑,说“对不起,没有服务”,然后开始大笑。我感觉受到了侮辱,当即离开了。
(我还有一个在台湾的例子,不过就不说了。)
因为你看起来应该会说当地语言而不会说导致被忽视(或被嘲笑),这种经历真的很糟糕。

Sesamechama
I experienced this exact same situation in Korea. Sometimes it’s hard being Asian in Asia.

我在韩国也经历过同样的情况。有时在亚洲做亚洲人很难。

DarthFluttershy_
It's not just that, but trying to deal with someone you can't communicate with is super frustrating in customer service. In other countries they may be less apt to assume you can't speak their language just by your looks, but if you go into a restaurant and show you don't know their language you'd better believe all the wait staff is in the back arguing about who's gonna have to deal with you.

不光是这样,在客户服务中,与无法沟通的人打交道也是一件非常令人沮丧的事情。在其他国家,他们可能不会仅凭你的长相就认为你不会说他们的语言,但如果你走进一家餐厅,并表示你不懂他们的语言,那你最好相信所有的服务员都在后面争论让谁来接待你。
原创翻译:龙腾网 https://www.ltaaa.cn 转载请注明出处


Suecotero
Pointing and smiles goes a long way, but in China it sometimes feels they'd rather die than look a little silly. Face culture is the worst imo.

使用手势和微笑可以起到很大的作用,但在中国,有时人们会觉得他们宁愿死也不愿看起来有点傻。在我看来,面子文化是罪魁祸首。

newpua_bie
This is actually a great observation. I recently went to a trip that spanned both Japan and China. Our stay in Japan was very short, but I remember once going to a small convenience store to buy some late-night food. Neither of the two clerks seemed to speak any English, but they kept smiling and making gestures (to which I replied with my gestures) and eventually everyone figured out that I want my sandwich warmed and a coke to go plus whatever other stuff I was buying.
In China I got basically no service from anyone if I wasn't with my Chinese wife. Part of that is that is probably you can only pay with the phone (not even cash, which was a surprise), but even in hotels and stores next to hotels it seemed like an impossible task to get anything done. Even when I used a translator app it seemed like there's still a massive language barrier in basic communication.
Of course Japan has a much longer and stronger history of being a tourist destination, but it really is like night and day. During my couple of weeks in China I felt constantly that as a foreigner I pretty much don't matter and will be ignored in all contexts that require any communication (unless meeting relatives, of course).

这其实是一个很好的意见。我最近参加了一次横跨日本和中国的旅行。我们在日本逗留的时间很短,但我记得有一次我们去一家小便利店买夜宵。两个店员似乎都不会说英语,但他们一直微笑着做手势(我也用手势回应他们),最后每个人都明白了我想要三明治热一下,可乐外带,还有其他要买的东西。
在中国,如果不是和我的中国妻子在一起,我基本上得不到任何人的服务。部分原因可能是你只能用手机支付(甚至不能用现金,这让我很吃惊),但即使在酒店和酒店旁边的商店里,要完成任何事情似乎都是不可能的任务。即使我使用了翻译应用程序,在基本交流方面似乎仍然存在巨大的语言障碍。
当然,日本作为旅游胜地的历史更悠久,实力更雄厚,但两厢对比确实是天壤之别。在中国的几周时间里,我一直觉得自己作为一个外国人是无足轻重的,在任何需要交流的场合都会被忽视(当然,见亲戚除外)。

surfinchina
Maybe. But when I was in the north sometimes the shopkeeper would make me wait, ring the local English Teacher who would come down and help out. Took ages but it was very sweet. Another time a Restaurant guy (it was quiet) who could speak English didn't have what I wanted. He closed hs shop and took me down the road to another reataurant that did. Did the interpreting and I got a great meal. I never went to South China, maybe it's different there.
I think if you smile a bit it helps.

也许吧。但我在北方的时候,有时店主会让我等着,打电话给当地的英语老师,他还真会过来帮忙。虽然花了很长时间,但我觉得超贴心。还有一次,一个会说英语的餐馆老板(很安静)没有我想要的东西。他关了店,亲自带我到路边另一家有的餐馆。还帮我做翻译,让我美餐了一顿。我没去过华南,也许那里的情况不一样。
我觉得如果你多笑笑,会有帮助的。

AllUrDogeRBelong2Us
Can I ask what part of China you’re in? I lived in Yunnan for a few years and even though there were a lot of inconveniences, in general Chinese customer service and treatment in general, was better for me than it was for local Chinese people.

我能问一下你在中国的哪个地区吗?我在云南住了几年,尽管有很多不便,但总的来说,中国客户服务和待遇对我来说比当地中国人要好。

Beancounter8163
Have you tried going to the states and talking in Chinese?

你尝试过去美国用中文交谈吗?

JunkIsMansBestFriend
South Korea? Maybe in tourist spots but it was my coldest experience ever. Chinese are much warmer.

韩国?也许你是在旅游景点吧,但在那里我遭遇了有史以来最冷漠的经历。中国人热情多了。

707scracksnack
I must be lucky. I've vacationed in 5 different provinces in China since covid ended and only a few times I've gotten shop workers asking if I needed help or what I'm looking for. I usually just told them I'm browsing and they leave me alone when they hear me struggling to speak Mandarin in full but slow sentences. I also live in the southern part of China and it's pretty much the same. Most just look at me the moment I walk in their shop and will greet me and leave me alone to browse before buying something. Or silently pay attention to me from afar. If I actually need help finding something, all of them have been happy to help but haven't shoved anything down my throat that I don't need or pushed memberships on me.
I also don't like being bothered when shopping and this goes for anywhere outside of China but I think they're just doing it because they get a commission of sorts for any customer they help. Which clearly they need. I'm not sure if customer service is as bad as you're explaining but I'd just look at it as they need money and customers are exactly that. Be patient and understanding.

我一定很幸运吧。自从新冠疫情结束以来,我已经在中国的 5 个不同的省份度假,只有几次店员问我是否需要帮助或我在寻找什么。我通常只是告诉他们我正在浏览,当他们听到我努力用完整但缓慢的句子说普通话时,他们就让我自己待着了。我也住在中国南方,情况也差不多。大多数人只是在我走进他们的商店时看着我,然后向我打招呼,然后让我在买东西之前独自浏览。或者远远地默默关注我。如果我真的需要帮助找到一些东西,他们所有人都会很乐意提供帮助,但没有把任何我不需要的东西强加给我,也没有强迫我成为会员。
我也不喜欢在购物时被打扰,这适用于中国以外的任何地方,但我认为他们这样做只是因为他们帮助了任何客户,就能获得某种佣金。这显然是他们所需要的。我不确定客户服务是否像你解释的那样糟糕,但我认为他们需要钱,而客户在他们眼里正是如此。请耐心并理解他们。

原创翻译:龙腾网 https://www.ltaaa.cn 转载请注明出处


ens91
I've travelled all over China, and I don't know what you're talking about. I can walk into a noodle shop in the rural fuck end of nowhere, or the centre of shanghai, and they'll sit me down and serve me, even when I couldn't speak Chinese. My only issue with customer service here, is, especially on the phone, when you tell them you can't understand very well and to please speak slower and use simple sentences. Like someone else said, they agree, then continue to speak at the same pace or faster, saying exactly what they said before, and they often speak louder, like that'll help. Honestly, you just sound like colonial brits calling anyone who wasn't white "savages" because they didn't speak English, wear British clothes, or use a knife and fork. Get over yourself.

我走遍了中国,我不知道你在说什么。我可以走进一个偏僻的乡村或上海市中心的面馆,他们都会请我坐下来为我服务,即使我不会说中文。我对中国的客户服务的唯一问题是--尤其是在电话中--当你告诉他们你不太明白,请放慢语速并使用简单的句子时。就像其他人说的那样,他们同意,然后继续以相同的速度或更快的速度说话,准确地说出他们之前说过的话,而且他们经常说得更大声,好像这样会有帮助似的。老实说,你的口气就像殖民时期的英国人,把不是白人的人称为“野蛮人”,因为他们不说英语,不穿英国衣服,不用刀叉。别自以为是了。
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stinkload
"The workers will just blabber in Chinese"
Ummm do you mean they speak their language in their country? The nerve of some people!
You are mos def part of the problem mate. Culture shock is a bitch and it creeps in but shitting on people for speaking their language in their country because you don't understand is a bit of a stretch. Is customer service shit in China ? Yep. Should unpaid, overworked workers bend over backwards to make you feel better because you moved to a country where you don't speak the language....

“员工们用中文喋喋不休”
哦,你的意思是他们在自己的国家说自己的语言吗?有些人的神经真是大条!
你绝对是问题的一部分。文化冲击是个困境,它会悄然蔓延,但因为你听不懂而对那些在自己国家说自己语言的人横加指责就有点夸张了。中国的客户服务很糟糕吗?是的。难道就因为你搬到了一个语言不通的国家,就应该让那些工资微薄、工作过度的员工点头哈腰让你感觉好一点吗?....

thekroeterich
As somebody who has lived in Germany for a substantial amount of time, I am often very pleased with Chinese costumer service. They regularly try to help me get the best offers by telling me about vouchers I didn’t even know about and helping me activate them in my phone. This was always the case, even with my in the beginning very poor Chinese.
But then there is the other side of people simply ignoring me because they don’t even want to try and speak English or use their phones to translate. Or people fighting about who is going to serve me because their English is shit. Like can’t even say „Hello, how are you?“-shit. Which is probably why they have the job they are having, serving mostly local customers or Chinese tourists in some mall.
What gets me sometimes is the „no“-mentality. When you ask something they will likely just say they don’t have it instead of checking. A lot of customer service people have really low motivation to work. I was kicked out of a shop once at 17:20 because they wanted to eat dinner at 17:30 and needed to close 10 minutes early to go over to the dinner place. I was kicked out even though I was actively looking at a product which I wanted to buy. They didn’t even ask me if I want to buy this, just told me I should leave. If I was their boss I would’ve been mad.

作为一个在德国生活了相当长一段时间的人,我经常对中国的客户服务感到非常满意。他们常常帮助我获得最佳优惠,告诉我一些我根本不知道的优惠券,并帮助我在手机上激活它们。即使我一开始中文很差,也总是这样。
但也有另一面,人们会完全无视我,因为他们甚至不想尝试说英语或用手机翻译。或者人们因为谁来为我服务而争吵不休,因为他们的英语太烂了。就好像连“你好,你好吗?”都不会说--淦。这可能就是他们从事现在工作的原因,在一些购物中心主要为当地顾客或中国游客提供服务。
有时让我不解的是他们的“不”心态。当你问到某样东西时,他们很可能直接就说没有,而不是去核实一下。很多客服人员的工作积极性都很低。有一次,我在 17:20 被赶出了一家店,因为他们想在 17:30 吃晚饭,需要提前 10 分钟关门去吃饭。我被赶了出来,尽管我正在看一件我想买的商品。他们甚至没有问我是否想买这个,只是让我离开。如果我是他们的老板,我一定会生气的。

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