A survey was carried out recently to see how satisfied Slovaks were with the service they receive in shops. The survey, called Loyalty Report Slovakia, was conducted by the agency GfK on 810 people in September.
According to the survey, consumers are most discontent with the unfriendliness and unwillingness of shop staff in Slovakia. Respondents also noted how many shop assistants had no knowledge of the stores they worked in. In total these grievances were expressed by 69% of respondents, while the figure for Bratislava was higher at 85%.
Bad service in shops and most restaurants in Slovakia is like an accepted part of everyday life, and it is something that most foreigners living here find hardest to adapt to. As an example, I recently visited the new Baumax store in Lamac hoping to buy kindling wood for my fire, but after being told by three separate store workers that they did not know if they sold it or were not sure where it was, I toured the whole store to find it myself. I got my wood in the end.
Re. Baumax (Ruzinov) branch
Looking for a roll of bubble wrap. Directed to first floor by receptionist.
Next salesperson on first floor directed me to paint section.
Asked a third person near paint section if they sold bubble wrap. He said No.
I checked anyway again at the paint section (not the obvious section to look) but there were rolls there.
The person who said no just couldn’t be bothered to find out or do anything so just said no for his own convenience.
DM (Jesenskeho)
Arrived at 1835 – closing time 1830. Quite natural to be told that they’re closing.
Woman near the entrance juist said “Mame zatvorat”
Not. Bohuzial pan mame zatvorat
Not Prepacte poan mame zatvorat
Not Ospravedlnujem sa ale mame zatvorat
Not Obavam sa pan mame zatvorat.
I could have slapped her.
Ironic that their slogan is “Tu som clovekom”.
For her the slogan should have been
“Tu som otravnym zakaznickom”.
On the other hand some customers can be retarded.
At Lidl (Mlada Garda) the cashier asked the last customer to put a sign up saying the desk was closing.
Some old duffer approached, the customer pointed to the sign, but arrogantly and stubbornly refused to acknowledge it and put his stuff on the conveyor belt anyway.
So obviously some customers are ill-bred, but that doesn’t justify DM’s, Baumax’s or other stores’ salespersons judging all customers by the lowest common denominator.