Manila

[QUOTE=Frenzy3;1306778]It was all over the news, they had a office setup with 20 or so staff selling fake drugs, not a good biz idea, as they can arrest you here just for running a biz that can compete with a local biz. .[/QUOTE]Every country requires you to license your business, and if you don't then you risk getting busted. Philippines is no different.

In the Phils, there are way too many people who will report any foreigner who tries to run a business if he / she doesn't have all the paper work completed. I wrote on here late last year about a Korean who lived in my condo who was deported when somebody reported him for running a large business on black money. Lost everything, and he and his family were kicked out with red marks in the passport.

It is even riskier if you run an unlicensed business selling fake stuff. Double whammy.

The killer is in the incrediblly complicated process to license a business. There are 38 different signatures required; in Australia you need 3 (I learned this from a local Aust. NZ website article complaining about how difficult it is to do business in the Phils)

[QUOTE=Red Kilt;1306793]The killer is in the incrediblly complicated process to license a business. There are 38 different signatures required; in Australia you need 3 (I learned this from a local Aust. NZ website article complaining about how difficult it is to do business in the Phils)[/QUOTE]Thanks for update.

RK it seems that PI is keen to avoid other than local business. Sound like the French years ago when one man would count all the goods coming from the UK to slow down matters LOL.

Your story does not surprise me at all and am sure it will get more complicated if too many foreigners start to make too much money being professional when compared with the locals.

Our chat yesterday about Globe sums up the issues in this counrty. No clue at all and I actually like Globe due to Singtel LOL

[QUOTE=Wicked Roger; 1306795]. SNIP.

Our chat yesterday about Globe sums up the issues in this counrty. No clue at all and I actually like Globe due to Singtel LOL[/QUOTE]Quite extraordinary. I have had a similar experience to you in the Nokia office in Megamall WR.

Go in early to beat the rush. Hahaha silly me. Get ticket (#55). They are currently serving #25.

There are 8 desk spaces, but only 2 people working at the counter, with around 30 people waiting (there weren't enough seats for everybody).

I asked the guard why they don't have more staff as Sat and Sun are the busiest days of the week.

Response: They have day off sir.

Me: But surely you should have more staff rostered than this?

Guard: shrugged and said something about people needing to have a day off.

I walked out 10 minutes later ceremoniously tearing up my # 55 ticket and giving it to the guard when one of the 2 staff left for her morning tea (merienda) break and nobody replaced her. What really gave me the shits was that I could see a couple of employees in a back room laughing and chatting away oblivious to the carnage in the front office

I know this series of events parallels WRs experience at Globe yesterday because when he texted me there was smoke coming out of my BB lol.

I love so many things about the Philippines (after all, I choose to live here) , but doing any kind of business requiring customer service is not one of them.

[QUOTE=Wicked Roger; 1306795]Thanks for update.

RK it seems that PI is keen to avoid other than local business. Sound like the French years ago when one man would count all the goods coming from the UK to slow down matters LOL.

Your story does not surprise me at all and am sure it will get more complicated if too many foreigners start to make too much money being professional when compared with the locals.

Our chat yesterday about Globe sums up the issues in this counrty. No clue at all and I actually like Globe due to Singtel LOL[/QUOTE]You've got to wonder what's going to happen in 2015 once ASEAN integration takes place, the tariff barriers fall, and businesses here have to begin to compete with real companies in the region.

GE

[QUOTE=GoodEnough;1306859]You've got to wonder what's going to happen in 2015 once ASEAN integration takes place, the tariff barriers fall, and businesses here have to begin to compete with real companies in the region.GE[/QUOTE]I can anticipate what is going to happen. Wherever and whenever possible prices and fees will align to upper levels, drawn by the corporates working on global schemes. Otherwise they will not be able to economically control the flow of goods from one country to the other through third party traders. It is still in mind a letter received from the national HQ of a global enterprise, starting that, in view of the EU barriers falling and the introduction of euro, from date so and so, their price lists would have been levelled up by 10 percent, to align with other markets. Of course mongering services are not globally managed as such, but the prices up of many commodities, products, services, will easily draw the rest of the economy to pair with the increased general cost of life.

[QUOTE=GoodEnough; 1306859]You've got to wonder what's going to happen in 2015 once ASEAN integration takes place, the tariff barriers fall, and businesses here have to begin to compete with real companies in the region.

GE[/QUOTE]Words that spring to mind are

1. Carnage.

2. Greater unemployment (as ASEAN companies take over PI firms and 'streamline'). Is that possible LOL.

3. The rich get richer

4. The poor get poorer.

5. Corruption is worse.

Thats enough for now GE, but what ever it is it won't be good and am sure the filipinos will blame anyone who points out their weaknesss (and bans any foreigner who God forbids does a You Tube on it LOL)

Very sad.

RK: I did not say that also at Globe there was the tea break issue (so only 1 person with 45 people waiting when I counted) and there were other employees in the back. The lady I spoke with about my nearly 3 hour wait was unapologetic and looked annoyed I complained. Welcome to the Philippines customer service mantra

[QUOTE=Wicked Roger;1306907]RK: I did not say that also at Globe there was the tea break issue (so only 1 person with 45 people waiting when I counted) and there were other employees in the back. The lady I spoke with about my nearly 3 hour wait was unapologetic and looked annoyed I complained. Welcome to the Philippines customer service mantra[/QUOTE]Filipinos are institutionally conditioned to poor service and waiting. Whilst in London, I visited the Philippine Embassy where I was given a number and took my place in an electronic queuing system. Shortly after I arrived the electronic board suddenly decided to go crazy and reset itself to zero. I immediately drew the faulty board to the attention of a member of staff. As expected he denied their was a problem despite the evidence of his eyes. Only one Filipino joined me in protesting at the problem board. The other fifty or so sat quiet as mice even though they had lost their position in the queue. I was totally astonished and then remembered that I had seen similar behaviour in The Philippines. They sit meek, quiet and uncomplaining in the face of the most atrocious customer management.

Same as your lady, the consulate member of staff was pissed that I (and a Filipino) should have the temerity to question his dictatorial authority. He would have ignored me as a troublemaking foreigner, had not the Filipino who also complained prove himself to be far higher on the status pecking order than the miserable consulate counter jockey. So the situation was addressed and rectified.

It was amazing. I felt myself transported back to The Philippines although I was in comparatively highly efficient (compared to Manila) London

So I have questions about using my Smart Buddy sim in my phone. I head to the Smart store in the mall. 4 employees standing at the door, greeting customers and pointing out the customers should take a number. 4 female clerks behind the counter, each at a computer terminal, seated, each helping a customer. About 4 customers waiting in front of me. Seemed fine as I grabbed my number and took a seat. Could perhaps one of the 4 employees at the door answer my question? No sir, that's their job (pointing to the seated CSR's). I sit and wait. 15 minutes. 20 minutes. That's right, you read that right. Each of the 4 CSR's was glued to her computer, seeming to ignore the customer in front of her, occasionally writing something on paper. Then, finally, one of the seated customers with a CSR departed. An opening! The next customer in line took that spot. I thought, golly, I'll be able to get a CSR in less than an hour! What a treat!

It took only another 5 minutes before my number was called. 25 minutes. I asked my questions, two simple questions: a) why was my load disappearing daily, completely, since I had unlimited all-network txting, and I never use the phone for data (turned off) , and I had made no phone calls? And be) how do I get a month's unlimited data plan?

Both of these threw the CSR for a loop. She was about 25 years old. After 5 minutes of her consulting with another CSR from the back of the store, she went to work on her computer. Again, staring at the screen, writing things on paper, not speaking. Lunch time, and people are pouring into the mall, and lining up at the Smart store. We've gone from <10 customers when I arrived, to more than 25 now, waiting with numbers. The crew of 4 at the door is directing new customers to grab a number (does it take 4 people to do that?). I ask the CSR how long she's been with Smart."Two years sir." Really? Two years, and you don't know the answer to my second question off the top of your head? Really? (I didn't say that, I was just thinking it in my head)

20 more minutes go by, and not a single CSR has finished with a customer. Now 30+ customers waiting, a line out the door."Take a number sir!" The CSR had finally found my account, and figured out that some company was txting me an advertisement to go to their website. I had been txt back and asked them to stop txting me. Each time I returned txt, there was a p20 charge. P20? The website in the txt had the word SMART in it, similar to:

[url]www.smart.com.ph[/url]

, or such. I assumed it was related to the Smart Buddy card. The CSR said its completely unrelated. I asked her how to stop their inbound txts, and she set the phone to stop receiving them. Nice. Whew! Only 30 minutes to figure that out!

Next, how to get unlimited internet for my visit?"Oh. Your not Filipino sir?" What. The. Fuck? Some of you have met me, and I think its safe to say that its not possible to believe that I'm pinoy (or latino) , as I'm blond / blue. No, you college-educated bimbette, I'm not pinoy. She said if you're foreinger, you must show some I'd that proves you live in phils, make an account, pay several thousand pesos each month, etc. I told her that I was only interested in paying up front for a limited time of unli internet access on the phone. Its a smart phone, it talks to wifi, bluetooth, satellites, cell towers, tethers, etc. Can I just pay 2000-3000 pesos up front and get unlimited internet for a few weeks? Consternation. She got the CSR from the back again. More discussion and looking on the computer. Now going on 45 minutes, and one of the other CSR's frees up, and goes on a break. Down to 3 total. 40 customers in line. Nobody complains.

Shortening the rest: Its been an hour, I get no answers to some of my questions. I'm ready to leave, the CSR is still looking for options on her computer, rarely speaking to me. I mention I must go now, as she has kept me there past my starvation interval. I was clean-shaven when I walked in, but now I needed a razor. She apologizes for not finding an answer for me. I swept my arm around to the waiting customers. See them hun?"Yes." Probably I should have had answers or non-answers in 5 minutes of your time. You spent 50 of 60 minutes with me staring at the computer, keeping them waiting."Yes sir." We talked briefly about the difference in timeframe for our cultures. When I mentioned how much I make in an hour (in pesos) , and told her that when I wait in line, I see that time as money lost, you should have seen the look on her face. Time=money is surely not a pinoy concept, as they have more time on their hands than they know what to do with, and not enough money for anything.

[QUOTE=Westcoast1; 1307013]Each of the 4 CSR's was glued to her computer, seeming to ignore the customer in front of her, occasionally writing something on paper.

Again, staring at the screen, writing things on paper, not speaking.

Shortening the rest: Its been an hour, I get no answers to some of my questions. I'm ready to leave, the CSR is still looking for options on her computer, rarely speaking to me. .[/QUOTE]WC1.

This is the problem, they are trained that the computer will answer your question not them. Reminds of the UK TV series "Little Britain" when the travel agent always replies to each customer "the computer says no"

Seems there is limited product knowledge just a reliance on a PC.

Frustrating and one needs lots of patience. My frustration was somewhat kept in check by looking at the cute Dell girls trying to sell laptops and looking scrumpious (really cute) and then later getting a phone number of one for next time.

Wc1.

They speak English but they do not understand English

See [url]http://info.smart.com.ph/internet/mobile-internet/unli-surf/[/url] Text unli 300 to 211 for unlimited Internet 1 week. You need to text the "setup "to 211 first some times.

[QUOTE=Westcoast1;1307013]. SNIP . and told her that when I wait in line, I see that time as money lost, you should have seen the look on her face. Time=money is surely not a pinoy concept, as they have more time on their hands than they know what to do with, and not enough money for anything.[/QUOTE]I have tried to use your excellent line WC1 several times over the past 15 years with various filipinos including high-ranked diplomatic people.

Each time I get a blank stare.

The concept of time = money is totally lost on them. There are official holidays scheduled for all manner of flimsy reasons, and another day of "work" is lost.

good work frenzy. sorry i didn't have a chance to catch you in cebu last month.

after seeing this webpage form frenzy, with simple instructions on how to get unli internet, one would think the multiple csr's at the mall smart store would have known how to do this, or looked it up on their website. one of the amazing examples of how what the customer wants, has nothing to do with what the provider is providing. welcome to the peens!

i ran into an american guy in cdo. he lives in northern mindanao now with his wife, for some years. he was in a coffee shop, chatting me up, and web browsing on his phone. my phone would not hit the web. i asked him how he did that, as there was no wifi in the vicinity."easy man. i just re-up every month an unlimited internet plan on my smart card for 1200." that's all he said. he didn't give me details. hence, when sitting (wasting my time) in the smart store in the mall later, i knew it could be done, and i was beginning to realize just the depth of bad service there.

not to be too critical of smart. i marched into a globe store in another mall and asked the same question. if i put a globe card in my phone, how do i get a week or a month's unlimited internet access? that caused some consternation also. two csr's spoke, then the went and fetched another csr."robert will know it." (hence, those two didn't know how). robert came out and explained the same thing the smart lady had said, about having my permanent residence i'd, applying for an account, paying ahead of time on the account each month, and so on. no robert, i want to get an unli plan just by paying some pesos up front, without making any application, and similar to your unlimited txt plans. the blank stare.

obviously with frenzy's simple instructions, it makes the globe and smart csr's look even dumber. as an employer, i just can't imagine paying csr's to sit 50 of 60 working minutes and stare at a computer? yet, if you watch them, they do a lot of that. i guess i should ***** about something else now.

The Philippines has slow and notoriously bad service. In Japan, people pretend to take care of the customers but it is a WE don't / YOU can't mentality when pushed. I also found the same thing in Taiwan. Its all the same in SE ASIA!

[QUOTE=Westcoast1;1307129]Good work Frenzy. As an employer, I just can't imagine paying CSR's to sit 50 of 60 working minutes and stare at a computer? Yet, if you watch them, they do a lot of that. I guess I should ***** about something else now.[/QUOTE]Who knows. Maybe some of them are just chatting on DIA trying to hook up with someone! LOL

I go to MBC, aka LA Cafe in Ermita. It's Sunday, that means few people, or what? No, the ground floor is packed! Upstairs its almost empty though (11pm). Probably because you have to pay 100 in cc to get in there. Now, I'm not that fond of freelancer places so I have no expectations, I just come to have a look. But the place is ok, a large bar where you can chat with the other customers, and lots of girls of all kinds. And that's exactly the problem, too many of them are absolutely not attractive at all, and those are the most near-going, constantly pestering. After a while they give up. This place would be a lot better if they had some door policy to keep the riff-raff out. There are a few good-looking girls in between, maybe I should have taken one of them out, but as said before, I am a bit sceptical to freelancers. So I go back in taxi alone. The driver refuse to put on the meter saying he wants 400 peso. I insist that he use the meter, and so he puts it on."But 50 extra, because now we already have started!" I say "ok" and it costs me 150 in total.