They make it hard though.
Doing business is tough even in good times, so creating unnecessary obstacles and having a bad attitude culture are a huge problem.
A couple of those things have come up again.
Dubai Marina at JBR, going to The Walk.
There are plenty, maybe a hundred, shops and restaurants. All wanting and needing customers to spend money with them.
Parking for the customers? The usual lack of planning has thousands of apartments with too few parking spaces for residents and very little parking space for the thousands of visitors the businesses need.
Now an increasing amount of the limited space is being reserved for valet parking - which simply means paid parking.
Here's a section, both sides of the road. Park yourself but it's Dh20.
Forget it, I'll go somewhere else. So the retailers here lose out.
If the retailers complain I know what the response will be.
The corporate version of 'if you don't like it you can leave' which is the normal business culture of so many companies here.
There are plenty of examples of it in the archives on this blog, going back to 2006.
One of the first I came across was when the pay TV box packed up soon after it was installed. I phoned to complain, was told they didn't do service and when I asked what I was paying for the answer was simply 'do you want to cancel your subscription'.
Plenty of comments have been left on those posts with similar stories.
A restaurant manager told me a similar story again yesterday. A huge drop in footfall to the location since other attractions such as Dubai Mall opened, so they asked the management of the mall for some promotions to attract people again.
'If you don't like it you can leave. I can always get someone else to take over your shop'.
It's not only infuriating it's terrible business practice, arrogant in the extreme.
3 comments:
It's not only infuriating it's terrible business practice, arrogant in the extreme.
Its the truth though.
I once watched a guy at a restaurant in Dubai mall... on the weekend... at lunch time, complain to the manager... And he didnt care, and the guy acted like because he was a customer, he need be treated in the way he wants, he said many times that he would never come back.
The manager bobbed his head, but didnt care. Look around, the place is FULL, not full, but FULL. And the people standing outside it's doors are doing so for a good 20 minutes.
The manager doent care. And frankly shouldnt. The sheer volume at many businesses means they can do away with any form of customer service.
Sad truth. They dont care simply because they dont have to.
Those who do need to, Do.
I learned this long ago, and did something about it. I now do 90% of by purchasing online. Because at 9,000 miles away, they do things better than at Dubai Mall, even though Im standing right there.
It isnt going to change soon, so go online, you'll be happy.
Hopefully things are starting to turn around... look how many empty retail spaces there are in Times Square, Marina Mall and Oasis Centre. It's become difficult to fill empty units and it's not going to get better soon.
Perhaps people will realise and a good quality of service will slowly filter down to the customer.
I also buy on-line as I'm tired of hearing "Not coming in Dubai" or "Not in stock" - I purchase from people who do hold stock and understand customer service.
I've gone one step further. I've left Dubai for good, and am back in the West. Where life is much more organized and better. In other words.........FREEDOM.
My custom and money is actually respected and appreciated at locations where a physical presence is required. Even the online purchases and facilities available are way ahead of Dubai and if anything does not go to plan, it is fixed with sincerety and respect. Not the 'if you don't like it, then go elsewhere attitude' that Dubai is famous for.
Thank God.
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