I love China, but does China love me?
This summer I traveled through China with my 16-year-old daughter and 23 other wonderful travel companions. From Beijing to Pingyao, Xi’an, Chengdu, Liyang, Dali, Kunming, Pingan, Yangzhou, and then on to Hong Kong, where we left the country. What wonderful experiences we had! Business is booming in China, and many of the products we use come from there, but how do they measure up in terms of customer experience? Is this topic just as hot there as it is in the Western world?
I can answer that right away. No, it isn't. I didn't experience true hospitality. There was no drive to provide genuine service or go the extra mile for me or my travel companions.
Two examples still stand out to me. I wanted to exchange euros for Chinese yuan at a bank in Beijing. It was 4:15 p.m., and I had to fill out a form. I showed my passport as identification and was told to wait. I could see what was happening behind the bulletproof glass and felt as if I were in the TV series “Toren C.” Bureaucracy, people passing papers, counting money, my passport being passed from one employee to the next—all dressed in the same androgynous uniform. After 30 minutes, I began to feel really uneasy and asked how long it would take (my travel companions were waiting). I was told to wait again, and at 5:00 p.m., they returned my euros and passport. The bank was closing, and there was no way to exchange any money at that point. I had to sneak out the back door; the front door was already barred.
In PingYao, we went to dinner (with the whole group) at Sakura Café, a backpackers’ hangout found in China, Laos, and even Thailand. We ordered food and drinks, but the staff seemed more interested in each other. They had their backs turned to the restaurant, left dirty plates on the table for two hours, and never seemed eager to refill drinks. What a waste of sales and service opportunities! This was no exception. Ignorance, loudness, drivers who smoked on the tour bus, rudeness, and above all, an inability to communicate due to a lack of English proficiency.
The focus is on getting the job done
Our Beijing tour guide recognized the lack of a service-oriented attitude and felt bad about it. She certainly did everything she could to make us feel welcome and happy. But she explained the lack of interest and drive to improve service. This stems from the upbringing of generations during the Cultural Revolution and the influence of the Communist Party. People had a job, did what they had to do, and didn’t have to listen to customers. They are trained to follow the rules and, most importantly, to listen to their bosses. They are not encouraged to improve, learn, and go from good to great.
There is hope. We ended our trip in Hong Kong. Now a special administrative region of China, where there is no censorship on social media and the service is top-notch. A special mention goes to Aqua, a great restaurant and bar on the 29th floor with spectacular views of the Hong Kong skyline. Let’s hope this Hong Kong attitude toward service spreads throughout China.
Although the service wasn’t great, the Chinese really did love us. There was a huge rush to take pictures and selfies with these tall, “strange” Dutch people to show off at home, at school, or at the office. We were greeted by people on the streets, monks, and older ladies in the park who wanted to introduce their grandchildren to us. So yes, China loves me. Not in the “customer experience” sense, but on a human level, and I have to say, “It feels mutual.”
Do you recognize this customer service experience of mine? Do you have any other explanations or funny stories? Please share them below.
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Nienke Bloem is often referred to as the Customer Experience speaker in the blue dress.
She is a global CX thought leader, educator, and keynote speaker who inspires audiences with best practices and proven methodologies. She runs a speaking practice, a CX game company, and a training business; she lives and breathes Customer Experience and is the author of two books on CX.
Her two-day Customer Experience Masterclass is known as the best program to prepare for the CCXP, and she is the go-to person for CX leaders who want to advance their leadership and achieve immediate results from their Customer Experience transformation programs. Since 2020, she has been hosting a CX Leadership Masterminds program and helping leaders enhance their leadership skills and deliver an engaging CX story, including a solid CX strategy. In addition, she is a modern-day pilgrim and has drawn parallels between her journey and leading customer-centric transformations.
With over 20 years of corporate experience, she speaks the language of business. Her keynote speeches and training programs on customer experience are inspiring and practical. She is one of the few Recognized Training Partners of the CXPA, and her mission is to make customer experience work and help you achieve business results.
