What is a customer?

We Japanese often say "A customer is always right." The more direct translation of this phrase is "A customer is God." It is not only said but is practiced all around in Japan; at a restaurant, at a supermarket, at a car dealer and so on. It's quite natural for Japanese people to feel themselves as a customer somehow superior to the people who are serving them; a sales person, a waiter or a waitress, and so on. Off course the Constitution of Japan secures the equality of people, but everyone can be superior at least superficially when he or she pays money. On the other hand in Canada, it seems that all the people are equal whether they pay or are paid. I was bewildered a bit when I came to Vancouver for the first time, however I've been got used to the human relationship. Anyway, quite a few Chinese people are living in Vancouver, and as far as I see, their relationship between a customer and a sales person is just opposite to the one in Japan; I often see a waitress is serving most arrogantly at the restaurant. She almost throws a cup of tea without any smile. I haven't got used to this yet.

Comments

[Tiffany]

I agree. I feel bad that Chinese services aren't the top service because I'm Chinese. When I'm ever at a Chinese restuarant I never seem to apperciate being there. Other than Western Resturants the service is totally different. I also prefer other restuarants than a Chinese one. I work as a cashier and we want to please/satify customers. We serve them not the other way around. But other times there are rules that have to be broken when a customer is doing something wrong.