Customer service or the lack thereof

I am someone who takes customer service very seriously.  I have worked in retail and food service for many years and I understand just how important it is to give great customer service.  I have always prided myself on being amazing in this sense and have been rewarded greatly for it from employers as well as my regulars.  Now because of this I have become quite critical (surprise surprise Melissa is critical of something) about the service I receive at shops and restaurants.  I am not a jerk about it and it would take something pretty serious for me to actually complain, but I pay attention and the service I receive will affect my desire to return to the establishment and will absolutely affect the tip.  I understand everyone has bad days and sometimes things are just crazy and I try to take that into account but I know there are also just people who are terrible at customer service. 

I have been quite shocked at the service here in Spain.  I don’t know why this is but it seems to me that they do not actually understand that they are not just cashiers or waitresses but they are customer service representatives.  I have never been in a place I felt was so rude before.  Now that is not to say there have been no friendly people in shops or cafes, but the large majority do not even smile most of the time.  You might get a quick hello when you walk in but most of the time they do not even say one thing to me until I am paying and I am told what the price is.

In some ways I appreciate this because I do not know how to say much anyway so it saves me from having to explain that I don’t understand them, however it is terrible service.  I feel like I do not matter in the slightest and coming from a country where we bend over backwards for customers it feels strange.  I have asked people about this who are from here and they do not seem to notice but they say it is how it has always been.  They think we are too polite. Imagine that Canadians are polite. 

It is not just the sales people or waitresses though it is also the customers.  I so rarely hear anyone say please I am starting to wonder if perhaps I just learned the wrong word for it.  I asked my Spanish instructors and they informed me that people here are just rude.  They know it and they are OK with it.  I mean if it is part of the culture I will accept it but I am not going to change who I am and I am polite!  I say please and thank you, I hold doors for people and I smile a lot.  So even though I am met with resistance here it’s just who I am and I wont apologize for it.  OK who am I kidding I am Canadian of course I will apologize but I will only sort of mean it.

Also they do not tip here.  This is a strange thing for me.  It has taken me all the months I have been here to get used to it and honestly I still feel guilty when I walk away without leaving something behind for the waitress.  We did not know that not tipping was a thing here so when we first got here we were met with a lot of strange looks when we walked away and left a few euros behind or gave cab drivers 5 or 10 euros extra.  Ross was the one who found out about this and told me but I didn't believe him.  I would still try to leave money behind and he would get mad at me for not listening to him.  It is just such a strange thing for me to get used to.  Some of my friends here feel the same and said it is difficult for them to not leave a tip.

In some ways I like that we are not forced to supplement someones income with our tips but I do wonder how much they are being paid.  I mean is it enough that they do not need our tips or are they just used to making very little?  I feel strange asking people how much money they make so I don’t but I am very curious.  The only time we really leave a tip anywhere is if there is a large group of us having dinner together and the bill is close to 100 euros but even then we still only leave like 4 euros.  I do not know if it is ever something I will get used to or maybe I will have a hard time tipping again back home.  Probably not since I have worked in a place where tips are counted on and I know how nice It is to get them each week.  Interesting adjustments I am learning to make here.