At Subway today at lunch.....

[BedokAmerican]

It seems to be the norm here.

A while ago, the local ATM system was down, and you couldn't get money from any of the local banks' holes in the wall.

I really needed cash so i went in the main office of UOB (I bank with them) and joined the queue for cash withdrawals.

The queue was extraordinarily long. And it kept getting longer, as people who needed cash walked in to get some.

Behind the counter are two trainees, each looking about 11 years old, and one supervisor, hopping between stations giving instructions (a bit like "now you press there.... no, not there. there.... good.... now you see this screen? you want to check that and that... yes... and then you press there....) Each customer was taking an aeon to see to, the trainees were looking like hares in a shooting range and the supervisor seemed completely unconcerned.

I did not blow my top on the poor trainee as she was stressed enough, but I did call a supervisor aside and told them it was not acceptable to have their ATMs out of service and trainees behind the counters during people's short lunch breaks. She blinked at me and reacted much as if i'd suggested they do the whole service in medieval Danish. I gave up.

I did actually make a remark about the trainee as well today. Said to one of the older employees, if it was possible to take over the cash register to shorten down the expedition time. She looked at me like I was trying to rob her.... Sometimes it is like the people here have been given instructions and they follow them to the point and dot. Doesn't matter if there is a special situation that requires special attention or the shit is about to hit the fan, they just continue. The system is more important than the outcome. Lately I visited a pizzeria and chose a pizza and asked the waiter if I could have some fresh chilies on it? She replied in distress, I have to go ask my manager.... she came back and said that I could have fresh chilies but it would be 1$ more. Okay I said, please add fresh chilies. 15 minutes later the pizza arrived... without the chilies... sometime I am just about to give up

That kind of stuff can be frustrating. I was at MOS Burger a few days ago and ordered one of the burgers and told the cashier "no mayonnaise" and she said it doesn't come with mayo. I then politely said none of that white sauce and pointed to the photo and she said there's no white sauce and those are onions in the photo. I reluctatenly said ok and placed the order. What comes out? A burger with white sauce crap! I had to scrape it off, along with the cheese before eating it because I didn't feel like waiting in line to get them to remake it. I'm sure a complaint would've fallen on deaf ears.

[Fortan]

That kind of stuff can be frustrating. I was at MOS Burger a few days ago and ordered one of the burgers and told the cashier "no mayonnaise" and she said it doesn't come with mayo. I then politely said none of that white sauce and pointed to the photo and she said there's no white sauce and those are onions in the photo. I reluctatenly said ok and placed the order. What comes out? A burger with white sauce crap! I had to scrape it off, along with the cheese before eating it because I didn't feel like waiting in line to get them to remake it. I'm sure a complaint would've fallen on deaf ears.

I usually go through all of the waiting to make them correct that kind of errors. I am probably special when it comes to that but if I can just change one persons perception of service a year, it's worth it

[nakatago]

That kind of stuff can be frustrating. I was at MOS Burger a few days ago and ordered one of the burgers and told the cashier "no mayonnaise" and she said it doesn't come with mayo. I then politely said none of that white sauce and pointed to the photo and she said there's no white sauce and those are onions in the photo. I reluctatenly said ok and placed the order. What comes out? A burger with white sauce crap! I had to scrape it off, along with the cheese before eating it because I didn't feel like waiting in line to get them to remake it. I'm sure a complaint would've fallen on deaf ears.

I usually go through all of the waiting to make them correct that kind of errors. I am probably special when it comes to that but if I can just change one persons perception of service a year, it's worth it

Automata--that's what they are! They can only follow a strict grammar, otherwise, it won't compute for them!

[movingtospore]

You mean like this?

Love it! Encounter it almost every day in some way or another. Particular from the counter service at the banks!

[BedokAmerican]

Speaking of Subway...I noticed the cookies seem to be overcooked at the shops here. Not soft and chewey like back home, but I'm pretty sure it's the same recipe. Oh well, I'm probably better off without the sugar anyway.

[scarbowl]

Speaking of Subway...I noticed the cookies seem to be overcooked at the shops here. Not soft and chewey like back home, but I'm pretty sure it's the same recipe. Oh well, I'm probably better off without the sugar anyway.

This varies by location. They aren't all the same. LOVE their chocolate chip and their brownies!

[DrPaulMasters]

it can be really frustrating, like the petrol station that decides to change cashier in the middle of the rush hour, so there's a massive queue and i'm running late. I walked up to the counter, dropped the money on the desk, and said 'this is probably for you'
she asked me to wait in line, but i politely declined saying that i was in a rush.
at this point she became rather agitated and tried to insist that i waited in line.
I said 'you have the payment, and it's not my problem if you decide to change cashiers during the busiest part of the day. I'd love to stop and chat about this, but i really am in a rush'.

The next week, i happened to be at the same petrol station in the middle of the afternoon, where they were changing cashiers... about three hours before the rush hour. Flabbergasted doesn't cover it.