Bisdak Babbles

The quality of customer service here in Japan never fails to amaze me. The shop attendants are really polite, they (almost) never lie nor shower the customers with half-meant praises just to make the customers buy something.

There’s this stall of cheap bags and wallets at the station and there’s a wallet in there that I wanted to buy. One day, I was bent on buying that wallet, but while I was closely scrutinizing that wallet, the old lady attendant approached me.

Old lady: Onee-chan ne, wakai kara … blah blah blah…

I forgot the actual Japanese words she said but based on my limited Japanese and linguistic instinct, she was trying to tell me that what she’s selling are for middle-aged to old women and men. The store was located in the 3rd floor and she advised me to go to the second floor where I could find wallets that are “fit” for my age… the younger ones.

I didn’t know what to say in Japanese so I just blurted out my overused “Hai, wakarimashita. Arigatou gozaimashita“, then marched down to the second floor.

That, among the countless instances when I wasn’t able to buy something I’ve always wanted because of those honest comments, convinced me that Japan’s customer service is superb! I wish I won’t face a bad customer service experience in the future. I don’t like taking my words back.

Her comment also left me a bit bothered… do I have the tendency to prefer things made for older women? mmmm…..

*お姉さん - onee-san/onee-chan - could mean “older sister” or “miss”
*wakai - young
*Hai, wakarimashita. - Yes, I understand.
*Arigatou gozaimashita. - Thank you very much.