LenaC's trip to Tver

[ScottinCrimea]

NEVER tell your Russian GF/fiance/wife that you don't feel well unless you want a long lecture on what you did to cause it, such as breathing cold air after a shower, sitting on a cold bench, eating the wrong food combination, etc. and then being subjected to a series of cures that are often worse than the disease itself.

[RK]

She says that the style of clothing has changed dramatically over the years.  No high heels and classy dressing any more but American style jeans and sport shoes prevail.  She is also put off by seeing many young (17 to 20) people walking the streets drinking open bottles of beer.

I just returned home from Kharkov yesterday and noticed a lot of the same thing. Don't get me wrong about the girls dressing...they look great and yes, there were a lot of high heels and skirts, but I also noticed an increasing number of jeans and sport shoes.

[KenC]

RK.
Lena and her family went to the town center on Wednesday as it was Russian Independence Day and she said the level of dress was much better.  So I guess you're right in saying they still know how to dress to impress!

Scott,
Talk of remedies.  I remember my wife and MIL attacking me to rub vodka on my back to get rid of bronchitis.
KenC

[I/O]

Talk of remedies.  I remember my wife and MIL attacking me to rub vodka on my back to get rid of bronchitis.
KenC

Can't see much wrong with that.  Most guys wouldn't mind two good looking women "Rubbing" them any way they want. 

I/O

[ScottinCrimea]

KenC, that's one of the more benign uses of vodka in illness.  Try the vodka/salt combination for stomach problems!

One thing I did notice on my last visit to Kiev was that the dress standard was becoming more relaxed and Westernized with more women wearing flip flops and loose unflattering clothes and more men in shorts and untucked t-shirts.  I have yet to see the same trend in Simferopol and I hope it never gets here, but I have not doubt that eventually I will be seeing the teens in pants hanging halfway down their asses and the women in sweat pants, baggy t's and sandals.  It won't make it nearly as enjoyable to walk the streets.

[Rvrwind]

I have yet to see the same trend in Simferopol and I hope it never gets here, but I have not doubt that eventually I will be seeing the teens in pants hanging halfway down their asses and the women in sweat pants, baggy t's and sandals.

As much as I hate to say it Scott - Brace Yourself, its comin', like it or not. I have seen the trend change here over the past two years big time. A lot more "Punkers" than I care to admit. What we did to cause God to inflict these Devil spawn upon us is unknown to me.
For he most part the ladies may be dressing down some to be a bit more comfortable but as Lena C noted they can still dress to impress when need be!
Yes times are changing & soon you will barely be able to tell the difference between the west & the east! Might take a few mre years but it is inevitable, unfortunately.

[KenC]

Lena wanted to change her return flight to a later date.  Of course Aeroflot could not do this over the phone and Lena had to travel to their Moscow offices to make the change.  God, how terribly inconvenient!  I told her that it was another example of Russian customer service!  Six hours on the road to do something so damn simple.

While in Moscow, Lena reports many beautiful women dressed well on the streets.
KenC

[Jazzyclassy]

Lena wanted to change her return flight to a later date.  Of course Aeroflot could not do this over the phone and Lena had to travel to their Moscow offices to make the change.  God, how terribly inconvenient!  I told her that it was another example of Russian customer service!  Six hours on the road to do something so damn simple.

While in Moscow, Lena reports many beautiful women dressed well on the streets.
KenC

Oh it is always like that in moscow , if you want to change for example sim card or your number, or if you want  to change flights  you will have to go to their offices it is just crazy we all hate such absolutely insane system in Moscow , it is such a bugger for example this time my boy and I will have to go 3 times to the office of Real Russia agency  for him to register , so in 7 days we will have to go 3 times to their office.

In Russia we almost do not have any service at all

The other day my parents and I went to IKEA to buy my papita  a bed , so we picked a bed ordered it paid for it and paid for the delivery and they told that the next day they will  deliver it, I stayed at home cos it was a day off 12 of june, so they brought the bed and in the evening when my papitochka was arranging it he found out that they delivered one wood without special socket  so he called them and complained that how come you did not deliver that part of a bed and they were like la la la bla bla bla  if you want to have it come to IKEA we work till 22.00 and we will try and search it for you , my papita went mental but he is very calm guy he was like ok I will drive to your place, and you know that IKEA is situatated not so close it takes like a hour to go there, so it was a horrible experience with this crazy russian service , my papita even told them and you are competing  with western service , crazy people
And of course after such experience one has a bad impression and there are such situations every day in Moscow

My mamita now only laughs about the system cos she knows it is just stuck up and so irritating, I do not think that the situation in Moscow will somehow change in the nearest future. For example to check my balance on my credit card I need to go outside and find AMT which accepts my particular Visa electron card  moreover if I want to take money from the card I need to take the metro and go to my working place cos there I can take money and they wont charge me. When my boy can check up his balance over the computer, you see it is all prehistoric here

[KenC]

That truly sucks, Jazzy,
When Lena first came to America, she had a negative outlook on many things American.  She thought "lazy Americans", which is true, but she has also come to appreciate how efficient our systems work for the consumers.  Through years of competition, service generally has become better and better.
KenC

[Jazzyclassy]

That truly sucks, Jazzy,
When Lena first came to America, she had a negative outlook on many things American.  She thought "lazy Americans", which is true, but she has also come to appreciate how efficient our systems work for the consumers.  Through years of competition, service generally has become better and better.
KenC

Oh it sucks for sure , sometimes many people feel like they are stuck somewhere you know like you are stuck in some cave with savages you are not developing , you are only arguing and scolding things, it only produces negative emotions:(

yeah well let's hope maybe some miracle will come and change these things in Moscow and Russia

About many women dressed in nice outfits:) yeah that is true:) of course we have a lot of beautiful women and even if they wear some cheap clothing , many of them got nice bodies, well there are of course very young women who have double chin already and you know these big hanging hips and no waist but they wear little shorts in order for every man to see how fat they are.
I earlier thought that sometimes I should not wear this or that , but after I saw some young girls wearing such provocative clothing with their fat jelly belly bodies I realised wow I should not even be bothered to scold myself for being not so perfect in some places, cos in comparison with them I am a skinny bone person:))))

[ScottinCrimea]

People in the FSU have no concept of repeat service and longterm customers.

[Rvrwind]

Through years of competition, service generally has become better and better.

So true.....

yeah well let's hope maybe some miracle will come and change these things in Moscow and Russia

The only thing that will change it Jazzy, is you, the consumer! When you get bad service or are forced to wait neglected while the waitress gossips with other waitresses & employees, the same goes for store clerks, you leave & take your business elsewhere. The owners will eventually figure out they are losing money because they are not serving the customers & perhaps will fire negligent employees or train them to do a proper job.
I find for the most part the attitude here is "You should be grateful we open our doors for you to buy our crap!"
Wrong attitude, but until the Russian consumers start to complain & take their business to better companies that serve them better & demand better service for their rouble, nothing will change. We have the same situation in the MOB business, men still use agencies with less than savory practices yet complain when they get burned. Don't give them your money & they will either shape up or close their doors, very simple concept.
Consumers have much power & if as a collective they demand certain services or refuse to spend their money there, the service will change. It has to or the company goes bust. Simple concept simple logic, unfortunately I find all too many Russians willing to accept crappy service & never say a bad word.
I will not, I bloody well let them know & also let them know I will tell everyone I know how crappy they are. I try to let the owner know as he is the one who will lose the money. The hired help don't care but should as if the company goes bust, they are out of work!

People in the FSU have no concept of repeat service and longterm customers.

That's because instead of the consumers trying to make it known that they want better service, they tolerate it. Until the consumers get some balls, nothing will change.
Jazzy I think your father did the right thing! Bloody well let them know you are unhappy. I would go even further with a place like IKEA & send a letter to their head office in Norway or Sweden or wherever they hail from complaining of the service. You would be very surprised at the results. You see IKEA is not a Russian company & their attitude towards customer service is much different & I assure you they would do something about it. Most big corporations that are not Russian would as it is in their best interest.
I once, years back sent a letter to the head office of Zellers, a Canadian Department store chain, complaining of the treatment I received. Not only was the employee in question fired, but the store manager was reprimanded & demoted for not listening to my concerns & I also received a $1000.00 Zellers credit for my being treated the way I was. The consumer has power, they just have to take the initiative to wield it.

[ScottinCrimea]

Unfortunately, there is a real disconnect there with them relating poor customer service to lost business.  Even customer complants they see as an issue with that customer only and only worry about the next customer coming in the door and how they can take him for the maximum possible.  I really don't know what it will take to change that.

[Rvrwind]

I really don't know what it will take to change that.

It will take the consumer that is unhappy to impress upon them that anybody he/she talks to will hear about how bad the place is. Spread the word, they'll get it sooner than later!
I don't know what would happen in Russia, but in Canada you can make a sign & walk up & down in front of the store decrying their service for all to see & no one can stop you as long as you are not disrupting the traffic flow or hindering people from entering or exiting the establishment.
I've seen this done & it doesn't take the business long to buckle. Unfortunately free speech in Russia is not something that is tolerated very well. Liable to wind up in a gulag for standing up for your rights in this blissfully free & democratic regime!!

[Jazzyclassy]

         Jazzy I think your father did the right thing! Bloody well let them know you are unhappy. I would go even further with a place like IKEA & send a letter to their head office in Norway or Sweden or wherever they hail from complaining of the service. You would be very surprised at the results. You see IKEA is not a Russian company & their attitude towards customer service is much different & I assure you they would do something about it. Most big corporations that are not Russian would as it is in their best interest.
              

You know Richard, my dad is not that scandalicious as I am and he is absolutely wise guy , when he knows in this situation he can do nothing, he just gives them a serious you know uhappy remark but calmly he wont send any letters or anything , but if  that sort of thing could happen when he was buying a car then yes my dad could write letters and do anything to  gain a good service in a calm way of course.

Oh guys what are we talking about here, if Russian government would not give my dad his well deserved pension and he had to go through court for 2 years in order to achieve his pension value of 2000 rubles per month  and he is physical trainer teacher for 22 years, they do not value people here, we do not have social support here, so it is useless to talk about service , even if you pay a lot of money for service they will somehow manage to make mistakes and produce bad impression

[KenC]

I think the only way customer service will improve in Russia is when the Russians understand that they have choices.  The days of "Oh well, it is Russia" and acceptance of what ever is given, are numbered.  Open market competition will change things once the Russian consumer understands the power of choice.

On Lena's previous visit to Tver she took her Mother to the store to purchase a toaster.  The young female store clerk couldn't be bothered and pointed and told Lena that the toasters were "over there somewhere."  Once they found the toasters, Lena dragged the clerk over to explain the features of one over another.  She got into a verbal argument with the clerk and demanded to see her boss.  Lena explained to the boss that either he help them with the selection or they will purchase the toaster elsewhere.  Of course she also took the time to complain about the clerk's attitude and lack of interest too.  The boss graciously helped them and she made the purchase.  It was a good lesson for the clerk, boss and Lena's Mom.  It's gonna take a while.
KenC

[I/O]

KenC and Jazz:  Yes it will take a while, but things are very slowly changing just a little in some areas and as Richard points out and LenaC examples, it starts with ONE person actually doing something constructive about it. LenaC may not have been everyones friend on the day, but she did more than simply complain.  She forced their hand and that is what needs to happen over and over and over again.

I/O

[Sohkay]

I think the only way customer service will improve in Russia is when the Russians understand that they have choices.  The days of "Oh well, it is Russia" and acceptance of what ever is given, are numbered.  Open market competition will change things once the Russian consumer understands the power of choice.

Ken,
You're correct, I believe, that increased choices will force retailers and service providers to improve customer service. And there's another factor in that equation. Stronger and enforced consumer protection laws.

I now see one of the major benefits to the rule of law is when it acts as a check and balance to human greed. Obviously we can't change greed, but we can write and enforce laws that say for example, you can not sell baby clothes that burn, or if you sell someone a new car, that car must have certain minimal safety features, or the dealer MUST honor the warranty.

Efforts like this will also serve as some level of check on corruption. Although, I also see the advantages of the Patrick Swayze approach in the movie, Roadhouse to eliminating corruption.

Is Lena enjoying hersself? Is she happy to see family and friends? And how is it to have the house to yourself?

[Phil dAmore]

Not to move the thread too off topic, but this seems like a good time to mention that at least in spots, customer service is improving.

Some time ago I was having a problem with my antique (c.1998) digital camera.  I went to a local computer/camera store and had no less than 3 people, including the manager spend about an hour and a half trying to resolve the problem.  Now, I didn't buy anything that day, but guess where I went when it was time to buy a new printer?  Yep, the same store.  And they remembered me!

The whole "Ето россий" attitude has got to go.

We now return you to the original subject.  Thank you for your attention.

[catzenmouse]

When I talked to Elena last evening she told me she was shocked at how much the prices have gone up on everything. Most things have doubled in price since we were there last June and some things have tripled in price. She was also not so fond of the bus, tramvay, and especially mashroutka's as she used to be.

Ken

[I/O]

She was also not so fond of the bus, tramvay, and especially mashroutka's as she used to be. Ken

IIRC correctly it went something like this.  "Nows I's liking very much in yoos maaachine driving, not is primitive such Russia is."

I/O

[KenC]

Ken,
Is Lena enjoying hersself? Is she happy to see family and friends? And how is it to have the house to yourself?

Shokay,
Lena is enjoying herself a lot now that she feels better.  She is very happy to visit with family and friends.  Her best friends are in Moscow and she will visit them next week.

I enjoyed the first week and a half alone, but now I am starting to miss Lena quite a bit.  As far as "existing" without her, I am fine.  I am a neat person, a good cook and never minded to throw a load of laundry in now and then.  Where I do miss Lena is that she is always cleaning something like the sink, the counter tops and vacuuming.  So even though the house was neat and tidy, it did need a woman's cleaning touch until the cleaning ladies showed up today!
KenC

[ecr844]

RK.
Lena and her family went to the town center on Wednesday as it was Russian Independence Day and she said the level of dress was much better.  So I guess you're right in saying they still know how to dress to impress!

Scott,
Talk of remedies.  I remember my wife and MIL attacking me to rub vodka on my back to get rid of bronchitis.
KenC

That's funny as this past winter I got Bronchitis myself. My RW told me that she had a cure which she and her mom used to help her sister be 'cured' of it for life. She said it had to do with a concotion of herbs, tree sap, and a number of other mystery ingredients, one of which sounded suspiciously like turpentine. Needless to say I think and hope she forgot about this as she seemed quite keen to 'tie me down' and administer the necessary 'aid'...
ecr844

[ScottinCrimea]

I've found that it's better to submit to the "cure" then to spend the time and energy to fight it.  But then  tying you down might be something that you would enjoy.

On the other issue, I have found places in Simferopol that have good customer service and I make sure to frequent these places whenever the need arises.  Over time you learn where to go to get what you need and quit worrying about the other places.  Their bad customer service can be someone else's problem.

[Simoni]

I enjoyed the first week and a half alone, but now I am starting to miss Lena quite a bit.  As far as "existing" without her, I am fine.  I am a neat person, a good cook and never minded to throw a load of laundry in now and then. 

Marina has been gone 3 weeks now, and yes, I miss her a lot.  But we share dozens of sms per day, so we are in close contact.

But hey--enough negatives!  Here are some positive things to celebrate about being alone here!

~ I can spend more time on RWD

~ I can watch all the golf on TV I want

~ No scolding when I drop food on my shirt

~ No food around here to eat--I'm losing weight!

BUT BEST OF ALL....

~ I can leave the toilet lid up ALL the time....kwel