Sunday, March 26, 2006
The Ugly American
Don't be afraid, it ends well.
Before 9/11, before the war in Iraq, Americans had a pretty bad rep overseas. I'd witnessed it, been appaled* by it and yet I could never quite reconcile what I personally knew of Americans with this other ugly image.
I've been to the States many times, on vacation, for business. I have so many wonderful American friends whom I treasure, and, friend or stranger I've never been treated less than graciously in the US, so it's easy for me to see how many of my US friends are puzzled by their bad reputation. It wasn't until recently I thought I may have stumbled upon part of the answer. A theory anyway.
It happened one night when a friend was complaining about poor service he'd received at a check-in counter at an airport. The conversation went to service in general and examples of good and bad service we'd received at different times in our lives. Without exception our collective experience of great service occured whilst in the States, and we admired how spoilt and catered to we felt when in the States.
You live in a commerce driven society. The customer is always right, and keeping the customer happy generates repeat business. (I'm going to amend here with an 'in general' because, of course, we've all had bad experiences. but in general, the service in the States is excellent). This level of service is a treat for the rest of us, you guys (Americans) live with it everyday. You probably don't even realise how unique it is. Now let's transplant an average Joe American with that expectation of service into a society where commerce is not the driving factor, where the customer doesn't reign supreme, and you can see where I'm going with this.
There's affront that servers aren't going the extra distance to meet your needs (whatever those may be). Frustration, and a little bewilderment that they (the servers) don't seem to care one way or another if you spend your money in their place of business. Is it any wonder then, that these frustrations boil over? From your view, these people are rude, lazy and incompetent. But. From their view, you are rude, arrogant and demanding for expecting to be treated 'special' because you're waving money around. After all, none of their other customers are acting this way, and they have money to spend too. Of course Americans don't expect to be treated specially from everyone else, they simply expect the same level of service they'd get back home, and therein lies the problem.
There is a difference in how other societies expect to interact with each other within that society. Neither view is right or wrong, it is just different. Anyway, that's my theory to partly explain the ugly American moniker. For my part, I love going to the states and being treated like a pampered princess, it's nothing less than my due afterall.
X
*apalled? meh I can't figure out the spell checker, and i just don't care enough to look it up in my dictionary...so shoot me.
P.S. I may have figured out my blogger probs. Apparently I've been using the wrong browser, and a lot of functions don't work with Safari... switching to Firefox.
Before 9/11, before the war in Iraq, Americans had a pretty bad rep overseas. I'd witnessed it, been appaled* by it and yet I could never quite reconcile what I personally knew of Americans with this other ugly image.
I've been to the States many times, on vacation, for business. I have so many wonderful American friends whom I treasure, and, friend or stranger I've never been treated less than graciously in the US, so it's easy for me to see how many of my US friends are puzzled by their bad reputation. It wasn't until recently I thought I may have stumbled upon part of the answer. A theory anyway.
It happened one night when a friend was complaining about poor service he'd received at a check-in counter at an airport. The conversation went to service in general and examples of good and bad service we'd received at different times in our lives. Without exception our collective experience of great service occured whilst in the States, and we admired how spoilt and catered to we felt when in the States.
You live in a commerce driven society. The customer is always right, and keeping the customer happy generates repeat business. (I'm going to amend here with an 'in general' because, of course, we've all had bad experiences. but in general, the service in the States is excellent). This level of service is a treat for the rest of us, you guys (Americans) live with it everyday. You probably don't even realise how unique it is. Now let's transplant an average Joe American with that expectation of service into a society where commerce is not the driving factor, where the customer doesn't reign supreme, and you can see where I'm going with this.
There's affront that servers aren't going the extra distance to meet your needs (whatever those may be). Frustration, and a little bewilderment that they (the servers) don't seem to care one way or another if you spend your money in their place of business. Is it any wonder then, that these frustrations boil over? From your view, these people are rude, lazy and incompetent. But. From their view, you are rude, arrogant and demanding for expecting to be treated 'special' because you're waving money around. After all, none of their other customers are acting this way, and they have money to spend too. Of course Americans don't expect to be treated specially from everyone else, they simply expect the same level of service they'd get back home, and therein lies the problem.
There is a difference in how other societies expect to interact with each other within that society. Neither view is right or wrong, it is just different. Anyway, that's my theory to partly explain the ugly American moniker. For my part, I love going to the states and being treated like a pampered princess, it's nothing less than my due afterall.
X
*apalled? meh I can't figure out the spell checker, and i just don't care enough to look it up in my dictionary...so shoot me.
P.S. I may have figured out my blogger probs. Apparently I've been using the wrong browser, and a lot of functions don't work with Safari... switching to Firefox.
Comments:
<< Home
You probably have a point X. Being in Australia we don't work on a 'tip' basis. So for some of us going to America we don't realise that its the norm to tip everyone. So in that respect some Australian's might come across as stingy, but its just something we aren't used to. But if I went to the states I'd tip because I know its what you do. LOL
We have so much automation here now we hardly ever see a person, eg we generally have machines to get parking tickets from for a public carpark. Not a person.
Maybe we should cut wages and work on the 'nicer you are the more tips you get' basis and our service might improve.
Nicki
We have so much automation here now we hardly ever see a person, eg we generally have machines to get parking tickets from for a public carpark. Not a person.
Maybe we should cut wages and work on the 'nicer you are the more tips you get' basis and our service might improve.
Nicki
ROFL ... being from the states and not having ever left the country exept to go to Mexico where they would do anything for American dollars ... I never knew the rest of the world was like that.
My sister did make a point, in restaurants in England and Ireland (she has visited those contries) the chef prepares the food the way he or she thinks it will taste best and we Americans are used to the chefs preparing food the way we think it should taste best ... neither way is right or wrong it's just a different way of looking at food preparation.
Rae
My sister did make a point, in restaurants in England and Ireland (she has visited those contries) the chef prepares the food the way he or she thinks it will taste best and we Americans are used to the chefs preparing food the way we think it should taste best ... neither way is right or wrong it's just a different way of looking at food preparation.
Rae
LOL Dee!
I'm actually going to dissent here and say that there are a lot of jerks in this country, and that there are even more people who are simply completely insensitive and oblivious.
For instance, I went to Central Asia with a *really* nice guy... who proceeded to offend every native he met... frequently offering his left hand to shake, gesturing unthinkingly, never ever reading (English) signs in airports, so he was always doing it wrong, and totally surprised and put-out when he would be gently corrected--once getting hysterical at extra fees that we were warned of ahead of time.
People like him aren't doing this on purpose... but they aren't trying very hard, either.
jenne
I'm actually going to dissent here and say that there are a lot of jerks in this country, and that there are even more people who are simply completely insensitive and oblivious.
For instance, I went to Central Asia with a *really* nice guy... who proceeded to offend every native he met... frequently offering his left hand to shake, gesturing unthinkingly, never ever reading (English) signs in airports, so he was always doing it wrong, and totally surprised and put-out when he would be gently corrected--once getting hysterical at extra fees that we were warned of ahead of time.
People like him aren't doing this on purpose... but they aren't trying very hard, either.
jenne
But Dee imagine what you'll miss! LOL
On the other hand my dad is extremely friendly to anyone that serves him and hardly makes a complaint about anything and if you are nice or ask nicely you will get it.
Guess its just down to the old being polite adage. Say it with a smile. Hmmm anymore cliches I could drag out?
Nicki
On the other hand my dad is extremely friendly to anyone that serves him and hardly makes a complaint about anything and if you are nice or ask nicely you will get it.
Guess its just down to the old being polite adage. Say it with a smile. Hmmm anymore cliches I could drag out?
Nicki
LOL, I try to do most things with a smile, but I do get put out when waiters here don't come back to check on me and see if I need anything. Not aggressive, but I'm less likely to tip. I'm the kind of person who thinks that gratuities are thank yous for good service, not expectations a person gets just for breathing, lol.
Nicki--LOL, what will actually keep me locked in my own country is my aversion to long flights. Well, actually, my aversion to flying, but I'm getting better about not throwing up, lol.
Smooches!
Dee
Nicki--LOL, what will actually keep me locked in my own country is my aversion to long flights. Well, actually, my aversion to flying, but I'm getting better about not throwing up, lol.
Smooches!
Dee
OOH yeah Dee forgot about your air sickness you get. ewww I'm not sure how I'd go on a long flight. Might have to save the pennies and travel in a class where the seats lay back and I can sleep.
Hmm what century would that be??
Post a Comment
Hmm what century would that be??
<< Home
