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Fake It Until You Make It - Where Is The Integrity Line?

Kevin88660

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By American Standards.

The Germans think American waitstaff are terribly rude, they are always bugging you when you want to be left alone to eat your meal in peace. They ask How are you? and smile at people who are not their friends.

Walmart lost billions because the Germans hated all the forced smiling and would pay more to avoid it.

That is why so many of the foreigners in Germany go to Irish bars or what have you with similar culture, if there is an area in USA, with enough German visitors, I bet glum faced staff would do well.

After all why else would no one offer SUCS in Germany and out-compete anyone?
I am based in Singapore. We read business books written by American authors/guru and emulate them.

Cultural difference is an excuse for not willing to serve well.

Lloyd Blankfein recalled that in the 80s when his colleague was abused by his client on the phone and was about to put the phone down, he rushed to stop him from putting the phone down. He later became the CEO in the bank which also emerged as a top investment bank t in U.S.

The American standard in Business, Service and marketing eventually proved competitive in the market place and is exported all over the world.

Europeans believed that their personal time is sacred and not to used for business. Then there will always be someone more hungry to eat their lunch.
 
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LittleWolfie

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Cultural difference is an excuse for not willing to serve well.

[\QUOTE]

Then how do you explain wallmart's failure in Germany? They were offering American standard customet service and as you put it,"Germany is known for bad customer service"

Surely they should have out competed Aldi/Lidil and the like by now?

Europeans believed that their personal time is sacred and not to used for business. Then there will always be someone more hungry to eat their lunch.

Giving up your lunch is fine, making your prospect give uo theirs is another.
 

Kevin88660

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I cant really explain walmart failure in Germany. I have no idea about it.

I just don’t see German way of service as a deliberate strategy of pleasing customers in an unique way. I guess they cannot be bothered about it.

And it happened that for some customers they preferred the service personal to be straight forward in simple transactional sales. But this is the exception not the norm.

Americans are very good in selling/marketing and servicing. There is a reason why all business textbooks related to these fields are written by Americans.

And in services that are more advisory in nature Americans are more willing to answer emails and phones at off work hours than continental Europeans.
 

LittleWolfie

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I cant really explain walmart failure in Germany. I have no idea about it.

And it happened that for some customers they preferred the service personal to be straight forward in simple transactional sales. But this is the exception not the norm.
I can; the exception is in the norm in a task-orientated culture.

I think Singapore is closer to the American culture.
 
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Kevin88660

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I
I can; the exception is in the norm in a task-orientated culture.

I think Singapore is closer to the American culture.
In low margin sales such as supermarket retail Singapore focus on processing speed. The best customer experience is a shorter queue. There is not much chit chat and smile also.

Singapore has been an entreport city for a long time. A lot of service focus is on high processing speed with minimal mistakes. A large service volume with with minimal errors and minimal staff support possible is the underlying business logic to make money. Things like loan application or an insurance claim also fall into this category. A faster turn around times is always more worthwhile than a smile on the face.

In higher margin services and sales the role models are American “gurus”. Lots of management staffs have American business/marketing/sales book. This is in areas where the nature of the business process is more of an advisory role.
 

Ernman

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Cultural difference is an excuse for not willing to serve well.
I'd like to suggest an important twist to this reality. Success in business requires understanding and adjusting to cultural differences. I've traveled and done business all over the world and find that I am more successful when I try to accommodate the culture of my customer. Even when I get it wrong, I think my customers appreciate that I'm trying to view the situation through their filter. Maybe that is the ultimate customer service expression?
 

Kevin88660

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I'd like to suggest an important twist to this reality. Success in business requires understanding and adjusting to cultural differences. I've traveled and done business all over the world and find that I am more successful when I try to accommodate the culture of my customer. Even when I get it wrong, I think my customers appreciate that I'm trying to view the situation through their filter. Maybe that is the ultimate customer service expression?
I agree in theory.

But when do we draw the lines to say Germany has a different way of doing things or it simplify has a low standard of service that over the long run has lowered the customer’s expectation?

For advisory and consulting roles, not answering emails or phone calls at off work hours is just uncompetitive.
 
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Ernman

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But when do we draw the lines to say Germany has a different way of doing things or it simplify has a low standard of service that over the long run has lowered the customer’s expectation?

For advisory and consulting roles, not answering emails or phone calls at off work hours is just uncompetitive.
The market will decide. This may be the opportunity for young German entrepreneurs to displace established German firms by providing better service.
 

Ernman

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I enjoy how these threads can morph over time. Look back at the original post and see that the recent rabbit hole into cultural differences is way off. Just like having a conversation with friends over coffee or other beverages...never know where it will take you.
 

LittleWolfie

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The market will decide. This may be the opportunity for young German entrepreneurs to displace established German firms by providing better service.

Or maybe the market has already decided and they will fail,unless they try and make it better for Germans.
 
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Esquire

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As a solo practice lawyer who opened a law practice right out of law school ... I can say, without reservation, I could not have gotten to where I am today ... but for "fake it till you make it ."

Sometimes ... that's what you have to do.

The way I looked at it ... "fake it till you make it" roughly translated into "bust your a$$ and figure it out fast." It meant I needed to do a lot of research on my off time ... ask around if need be ... or perhaps, if the issue was particularly challenging, enlist the support of someone more experienced.

Looking back , however, the job I did (the first time around) was rarely perfect ... but it was always good enough. I somehow found a way to rise to the occasion. And when the next case came along with a similar set of facts, I knew exactly what I was up against, and was ready to go.

If, on the other hand, I turned down these first-time opportunities, I would never have acquired the experience and knowledge that I have today.

Hell ... even today ... there are still fact scenarios that may come across my desk that would be completely new to me.

For example ... if Jeff Bezos walked through my door and asked me if I could handle his billion dollar divorce ... I'd shake his hand with a confident smile and say "absolutely!"

Have I ever represented a billionaire? No. But you bet your a$$ I wouldn't turn him away.

I would do what I always do ... I would figure it out fast ... and rise to the occasion.

I guess the only exception to this rule is criminal law. That's not somewhere I would feel comfortable "faking it till you make it." I'm sure it's fun work. But I'm not (ever) rolling the dice with someone's freedom.
 

Kevin88660

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As a solo practice lawyer who opened a law practice right out of law school ... I can say, without reservation, I could not have gotten to where I am today ... but for "fake it till you make it ."

Sometimes ... that's what you have to do.

The way I looked at it ... "fake it till you make it" roughly translated into "bust your a$$ and figure it out fast." It meant I needed to do a lot of research on my off time ... ask around if need be ... or perhaps, if the issue was particularly challenging, enlist the support of someone more experienced.

Looking back , however, the job I did (the first time around) was rarely perfect ... but it was always good enough. I somehow found a way to rise to the occasion. And when the next case came along with a similar set of facts, I knew exactly what I was up against, and was ready to go.

If, on the other hand, I turned down these first-time opportunities, I would never have acquired the experience and knowledge that I have today.

Hell ... even today ... there are still fact scenarios that may come across my desk that would be completely new to me.

For example ... if Jeff Bezos walked through my door and asked me if I could handle his billion dollar divorce ... I'd shake his hand with a confident smile and say "absolutely!"

Have I ever represented a billionaire? No. But you bet your a$$ I wouldn't turn him away.

I would do what I always do ... I would figure it out fast ... and rise to the occasion.

I guess the only exception to this rule is criminal law. That's not somewhere I would feel comfortable "faking it till you make it." I'm sure it's fun work. But I'm not (ever) rolling the dice with someone's freedom.
Totally agree.
 

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