Comments on: I want to export this to the rest of the world! http://bjorn.dufwenberg.com/2007/04/22/i-want-to-export-this-to-the-rest-of-the-world/ thoughts, not from japan anymore Sun, 20 Apr 2008 01:18:46 +0000 hourly 1 By: bjorn http://bjorn.dufwenberg.com/2007/04/22/i-want-to-export-this-to-the-rest-of-the-world/#comment-1379 bjorn Wed, 25 Jul 2007 06:09:19 +0000 http://bjorn.dufwenberg.com/2007/04/22/i-want-to-export-this-to-the-rest-of-the-world/#comment-1379 Exactly right. I lived in Munich in Germany for a while, and they had this strangely Soviet-esque system in clothes tores there. If you were walking around, cheking stuff, someone would come and try to "help" you, without being asked for it, even without indication of needing help. If you then made any sign of liking what you tried, they would almost tear the clothes out of your hands, give you a little note with their number on (for commission purposes), and then run off with the clothes to the cashier. Then, to get your clothes, you would have to stand in three lines - one to give them your little notes, one to pay, and one to get your actual clothes. Bizarre. Exactly right. I lived in Munich in Germany for a while, and they had this strangely Soviet-esque system in clothes tores there. If you were walking around, cheking stuff, someone would come and try to “help” you, without being asked for it, even without indication of needing help. If you then made any sign of liking what you tried, they would almost tear the clothes out of your hands, give you a little note with their number on (for commission purposes), and then run off with the clothes to the cashier. Then, to get your clothes, you would have to stand in three lines – one to give them your little notes, one to pay, and one to get your actual clothes. Bizarre.

]]> By: Anders Gardebring http://bjorn.dufwenberg.com/2007/04/22/i-want-to-export-this-to-the-rest-of-the-world/#comment-1378 Anders Gardebring Tue, 24 Jul 2007 09:39:03 +0000 http://bjorn.dufwenberg.com/2007/04/22/i-want-to-export-this-to-the-rest-of-the-world/#comment-1378 The service level is simply amazing. I remember from my all to short visit to japan (5 weeks) the amazing service level. I remember buying a bottle of wine in an apartement store, the wrapping for this product when the staff was finished looked better than the christmas wrappings at the NK departement store here in Stockholm (and mind you, the NK wrapping is very nice compared to many other stores). Or how all of the staff drop everything they do and say "Irraishaimase" when you enter a store, making you feel just that little bit of extra welcome. Or how the staff always look happy, give you smiles and immaculately count your change. In fact, I never ever checked I had gotten the correct change after a couple of days. I knew I had. And yet, somehow, you never get the feeling of being pressured into buying anything, as you can be with overly "helpful" staff in Europe. The service level is simply amazing. I remember from my all to short visit to japan (5 weeks) the amazing service level. I remember buying a bottle of wine in an apartement store, the wrapping for this product when the staff was finished looked better than the christmas wrappings at the NK departement store here in Stockholm (and mind you, the NK wrapping is very nice compared to many other stores).
Or how all of the staff drop everything they do and say “Irraishaimase” when you enter a store, making you feel just that little bit of extra welcome.
Or how the staff always look happy, give you smiles and immaculately count your change. In fact, I never ever checked I had gotten the correct change after a couple of days. I knew I had.
And yet, somehow, you never get the feeling of being pressured into buying anything, as you can be with overly “helpful” staff in Europe.

]]> By: bjorn http://bjorn.dufwenberg.com/2007/04/22/i-want-to-export-this-to-the-rest-of-the-world/#comment-1365 bjorn Wed, 25 Apr 2007 07:10:19 +0000 http://bjorn.dufwenberg.com/2007/04/22/i-want-to-export-this-to-the-rest-of-the-world/#comment-1365 Sure I could find a job. But could I find a job I would find interesting, challenging, and rewarding? I'm not so sure about that. Maybe in the future, because I'm sure I will return one day. Maybe the day I hear someone in Sweden say "Sorry for being rude, but would the honored customer like..." (and meaning it), I will immediately leave for Japan to see what level the service-mindedness is at there. What if there is only a finite amount of service-mindedness to go around in the world, and Japan has gotten most of it? That means that (due to population size differences) Sweden could have the same level of service-mindedness as Japan, without the Japanese level decreasing by more than 6 or 7 %. And then we can live on happily forever after, in Sweden or Japan, and the rest of the world be damned! Sure I could find a job. But could I find a job I would find interesting, challenging, and rewarding? I’m not so sure about that.
Maybe in the future, because I’m sure I will return one day. Maybe the day I hear someone in Sweden say “Sorry for being rude, but would the honored customer like…” (and meaning it), I will immediately leave for Japan to see what level the service-mindedness is at there.

What if there is only a finite amount of service-mindedness to go around in the world, and Japan has gotten most of it? That means that (due to population size differences) Sweden could have the same level of service-mindedness as Japan, without the Japanese level decreasing by more than 6 or 7 %. And then we can live on happily forever after, in Sweden or Japan, and the rest of the world be damned!

]]> By: Martinsson http://bjorn.dufwenberg.com/2007/04/22/i-want-to-export-this-to-the-rest-of-the-world/#comment-1364 Martinsson Tue, 24 Apr 2007 18:14:49 +0000 http://bjorn.dufwenberg.com/2007/04/22/i-want-to-export-this-to-the-rest-of-the-world/#comment-1364 Well, why don't you stay in Japan then? I'm sure you'll be able to find a job if you look around. Anyhow, I totally agree with you. I have never been (or will probably never go) to a plave where the level of service mindness is higher than in Japan. (I wonder how our fellas at IKEA will cope in the long run...) Well, why don’t you stay in Japan then? I’m sure you’ll be able to find a job if you look around. Anyhow, I totally agree with you. I have never been (or will probably never go) to a plave where the level of service mindness is higher than in Japan. (I wonder how our fellas at IKEA will cope in the long run…)

]]>