Customer Service in Korea Sucks (for the most part)
A while ago, I read that the Sumsung Blue Black mobile phone would debut in Korea this month through KTF. Then, the other day, I was reading the Korea Times and it was mentioned that the Blue Black would be coming out this week.
It being a lovely spring day, I decided to walk to the local giant KTF outlet (as opposed to the millions of little ones dotting the neighborhood) and see when, where, and how much the new phone was going to set me back.
I walked into the store and approached the nearest employee and had the following exchange in fluent, flawless Korean:
Me: I saw in the news that the Samsung SGH-D500 mobile phone would be released thorugh KTF this week. Do you have a fixed date and price for it yet?
Her: Foreigners can’t buy cellphones.
Me: (caught off-guard by the non sequitur…even tough I should have been expecting it.) huh?
Her: Foreigners can’t buy cellphones.
Me: Yes they can.
Her: I’m sorry, but no. Foreigners can rent phones with prepaid plans, but they can’t own them.
Me: Nothing to be sorry about. Yes. Foreigners can own phones. I own one and have oned one for almost 10 years.
Her: No. you are probably renting yours or someone co-signed for you.
Me: No. I changed from LG to KTF last Autumn and own my own phone.
Her: But that’s not possible with KTF.
Me: Would you like to place money on a bet? Here’s my KTF membership card.
Her: Does it have a foreigner’s name on it?
Me: Yes. Look. My name. Right there.
Her: That’s strange. Anyway our branch doesn’t allow foreigners to buy phones.
Me: Why are you arguing with me? I don’t care what your policy is. Even if I could, I wouldn’t buy a phone from you now. I simply want to know when the SGH-D500 will come out and how much it will cost.
Her: Why, if you can’t buy one?
Me: Do you know when they will come out?
Her: No.
Me: Do you know how much they will cost?
Her: No.
Me: Have a nice day…and, by the way, it might be better for business if you didn’t argue with people, especially when the other person is right.
I wish this were an isloated incident. But discourteous, insulting, dismissive customer service is the norm here. It is VERY refreshing when I get good service from a business or person. I show my gratitude by mentioning their friendliness and I return usually with other people. I also do the opposite. The fastest way to make sure that I never go back to your business is to blow me off or to give bad service.
UPDATE: Read here for my next adventure in Customer Service.