Monthly Archives: May 2012

Comparison of Customer Service in New York and Hong Kong

I had a bad customer service experience recently at a “brand-name” clothing store (meaning I expected more) here in NYC and while walking home, I started thinking about the customer service experience I had in HK vs NYC.  There are no absolutes because every experience is different and if you’ve visited both cities, you may not have the same experience I had but I find that with certain types of shopping, like clothing shopping, HK has it hands down.

Shopping in Hong Kong

  • Clothing – Most clothing stores like Giordano and G2000 open till 11:30pm. And even at that time, the sales clerks are attentive and perky and genuinely helpful. Every time I’ve been in a clothing store in HK, I was greeted with a smile (not a bored smile or a fake smile but a smile, that if faked, appears to seem more warm and genuine than most) and a “Hello, welcome.” As I look around, a sales clerk may come up to me after a few minutes and offer assistance and it is done in a subtle, non-pushy way.  Their hands are politely clasped in front of them or behind them as they explain the latest sale.  The clerks help with sizes and even hold your purchases at the register so you can continue shopping. They are attentive and ask if you want to try something on and if you seem hesitant (as I often do because I hate trying things on), they gently guide you to the fitting area as if to say, “in case you change your mind, this room is set aside, just for you!”
  • MTR (their subway) – I had to interact with the MTR customer service agents regarding my Octopus card (metrocard) and what did I encounter? Great customer service! It wasn’t effusive but the clerk was attentive, greeted me and thanked me. It helps that the MTR doesn’t smell like anything and it is clean and well run.
  • Restaurants – ok this is hit or miss depending on where you go. The local diner? Yah, you are going to get diner service (which in HK can be quite abrupt — better know what you want to order when you get in!)  But when we went to the dim sum restaurant on the 20something floor of the iSquare building? Good service.

Where am I going with this? For a long time, I’ve been immune to the NYC level of service (some call it rudeness, for New Yorkers, it is business as usual) but maybe I need a break from it. I’ve grown up in it and maybe I’m getting old but I welcome a little “niceness,” especially if I am about to fork over some hard-earn money!   And maybe having visited HK and Iceland recently and having experienced top-notch service, I’ve become fed up with NYC customer service where the employees are constantly chatting (joking, laughing) with one another as if that’s the main reason they came to work today.  If you need help, you have to stand in front of them (when you can find one who is “free”) and then repeatedly ask, “Excuse me? Excuse me..um, sir, can you help me please???” Then you may get a roll of the eye and a tone of boredom as the reply comes, “What? What do you want?”  Wow, like sorry that I interrupted your hearty conversation.

I get it – working retail isn’t easy and it’s very tiring physically and emotionally to be on your feet and folding clothes and dealing with all kinds of customers — foreigners, unruly entitled or picky, indecisive customers.  But isn’t that part of the training or management? The goal of retail is to get people to buy and come back and buy more right? Well, I couldn’t find other articles comparing NYC customer service but does anyone feel differently?

I wish all running shoes had a 30 day tryout and return policy

I’ve been wearing Nike Frees for the last few years. I’ve had Nike Free, Nike Free+2 and recently, bought a pair of the Nike Free+3. I’ve had no problems with the first two versions — they felt comfortable from the start and barely need a break-in period. I liked them because of the wide toe box and the sock like fit. But sadly, the Nike Free+3 is a revamped version of the original and many reviews have said that it is tighter around the toe box area.

Against some reservations around the new design, I bought a pair and it is definitely more snug around the toe box. The older versions did not have a separate tongue but this one introduced the tongue, which I don’t like as it keeps shifting to the side. I took it out for a short walk and it was ok. I spend some time breaking it in for a week and while I do like the new sole (which seems firmer than the older models that wore out quickly), the shoe hurt my arch.

After a 3 mile run, I got two blisters, one per foot, right around the inner edge of my feet and that wasn’t fun.  I took a week off and then tried it with 1-2 mile walk/runs on the treadmill and it seemed ok. Then I took it out for a run on the road again and felt the blisters come back. It’s just slightly tighter than the older model around the toe box because after my blisters healed, I took the old Pinkies for a 5 miler and that was great – it was a comfortable and fun run and I didn’t have to limp back.

It’s still new (still in that first 30 days) so I’m hoping that it can be further broken into and “widen” up. I would be disappointed to know I spent $100 on a shoe that ends up hurting my feet more than helping my run.  I need to retire the black ones soon (as much as I don’t want to because that pair is super comfortable) because the heel is so worn away that it affects my posture.

I’m hoping to use the new shoes for a race in Sept but let’s see how they feel in another month. I wish there was a Road Runners Sports store in NYC because they are the only running store that lets you return your running shoe within 90 days, even if you have worn it before — no questions asked! (Granted, you have to join their VIP club, which cost $2 the first year and $24.99 every year after that but they have good discounts for VIP members. The Frees would cost $70-80 instead of $100 if you are a  VIP.) Looks like they have the Nike Free+2 on the Endangered list! It’s $83 and $75 if you are a VIP!!

I bought these at Sports Authority and if there were a policy where I can return the shoes despite having worn them a few times, I would totally return them right now.  But since I can’t, I will just have to hope they get more comfortable over time (or that my blistered feet get so callused it wouldn’t matter anymore).

5 Ways to Onboard Your New Project Manager

You hired a new PM – great! Just remember that it doesn’t matter how wonderful your new PM is, you still have to spend some time showing him or her the ropes in your organization.

1. Review general org chart with your new PM
Most organizations these days don’t have a definite org chart because people are moving in and out too quickly or there are too many re-orgs for anyone to lock the hierarchy down. But that doesn’t mean you can’t try.  You should let the PM know the main players in each team and who rolls up to whom — especially those he will be interacting with — and if there are any “special” characters (hey, every office has those brilliant people that you need to treat with kid gloves to get things done). Introduce them to key folks in Product Management, Design, Software development, Marketing/Sales, Editorial, Customer Service and Business Development.

2. Process Walkthrough
The process from project inception (whether through formal project charters or just some higher-up saying “Let’s do this!”) to discovery (requirements gathering) to construction (development) to testing and launch is different from firm to firm (and sometimes even team to team) so it is important to give your PM a run down of the project process and methodologies (agile? waterfall? lean? hybrid?) used at your firm. Diagram and outline the various environments the developers work in, how code is moved from one place to another,  what the project request and requirements gathering process is, and how to work with the creative teams.  If you can, give your PM a list of all the dev, stg, qa, production links and a login for all the systems he will be monitoring and testing, as well as all the ticket request links (if he needs to request a workorder from the design team or the tech support team or file a bug).

3. Don’t expect your PM to jump into running meetings on Day 1
Most PMs are capable of running from the start but you should bring him around the office and introduce him to folks, let him sit in on meetings he will eventually be taking over, and send a fun introduction note to the company so they know a new PM has started, what he will be working on and here are some fun things he likes to do outside of work.

4. Set Expectations with your PM
Explain to your PM why he is in this role. Is this a troubled team or product and you expect him to turn things around? This helps the PM adjust his approach.  Set some 30, 60, 90 day goals before setting the longer term 6-12 month goals. Also make sure you set up weekly one-on-one time with your PM.  It is important that you do all you can to ensure your new PM gets out of the gate in a good light and gains trust and respect among the team and the other teams he will be interacting with.  The moment a PM is tagged as “ineffective,” “useless,” “clueless,” then it becomes hard to overcome that reputation.

5. Provide some insider tips for the PM
No, not the stock buying kind. It may have taken you 5 or 10 years to learn how to maneuver the political battlefield in the office, or how to get around certain corporate systems or gain favors with the operations team but it doesn’t hurt to relay some of these tips to the new guy. Send over some links to useful intranet and wiki sites that he should bookmark. The diligent PMs will ask lots of questions anyway and jump right in but any tips to the fast track are always appreciated. If you want your PM to succeed and be effective, help him out!