# I need some info regarding the German way to live



## FelixTheCat (Feb 20, 2014)

Cheers everybody !

I've no clue how to write this thread without insult some people. So, first, I'd like to ask for apologize because it's not really my intention...

I'm Brazilian, living in UK for 4 months and I'm really not happy here. For several reasons, but the main reason is the British society that's I consider mediocre.

To avoid comparison with Brazil and ppl judge as non partial, let's make a comparison with USA because it's similar to Brazil in this sense.

In UK, buy products or consume services , is like ask for a favor. Sounds like people is doing a favor for you when they sell something. Wanna be a subscriber of Broadband ? Wait 10 business day to install. Wanna open a bank account ? proof you deserve it ! We don't need you as client !

So, we rarely will see agressive campaigns from a company trying to conquer the cutomers of the competitors. There is no wild competition in the mostly market sectors. No agressive promotions. Shops closes early, etc... It's very different of Brazil and USA where (for example) the manager of the bank should open as much new account as they can otherwise he will be fired if the new accounts is bellow then as expected. You can take your car and buy a luggage 3:00am at Wallsgreen - Impossible to do such thing in UK.

After some months here I started to suspect that the reason of a society that's live in a inertia is because the benefits of the government. I'm not sure, but I believe that if I was a manager of a bank and my boss decides to push me because I need to open new accounts probably I will dismiss myself. So, I believe that when someone works to a company it's like a favor as well - You need to threat the employee like someone that's doing a favor for you.

Now, let me try to get into the point: I respect the British way to live, but in my opinion it's create a society without competition. Companies don't compete with others, employes don't compete themselves for promotions. Everyday is just a quiet day and this is very different of my way. I'm used to work under pressure - And I love it ! I'm almost 40 and basically my entire life I was working with bosses telling me to do the things otherwise I could be fired or my promotion could be given to another person. I'm the kind of guy that's wakes and consider the idea to be fired and starts to think about for how long the savings can support me and my family - Because the government will not provide me benefits !

Probably I'm a poor guy that's need competition all the time and I don't deserve a good life with no stress and I'm stupid because I don't know how to enjoy it. It's okay, but I really wish to live a more wild life. And now the question...

*What about the German Society ? * Is it on the same pattern ? Agressive offers from Deutsch Telekom to grab clients from Tim ? Your colleague tracking your steps to discover your mistaken and point to your boss ? Overshifts without receive a salary just to proof how valuable you are for the company ? I really wish to know about how is to live in German because I'd like to move to a country where I could feel a thrill again.


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## Nononymous (Jul 12, 2011)

FelixTheCat said:


> In UK, buy products or consume services , is like ask for a favor.


In Germany, to buy products or consume services, is like forcibly removing a person's kidney.


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## Tellus (Nov 24, 2013)

In Germany customers are centerpoints, always disturbing.


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## thegypsyinme (Jan 17, 2014)

Welcome to RIP OFF BRITAIN! We are leaving the UK end of July. We have recently arranged with our telecom company to close our acc. at the end of the month which will cost us £30. To cancel the car insurance is a further £47.70. British companies never think of the customer only of themselves and their fat bonuses. We lived in Germany for many years and always felt we were valued customers. Good luck


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## ALKB (Jan 20, 2012)

FelixTheCat said:


> Cheers everybody !
> 
> I've no clue how to write this thread without insult some people. So, first, I'd like to ask for apologize because it's not really my intention...
> 
> ...




Not sure you will find Germany (or any other European country) any more to your liking.

Shop opening hours are much more restricted in Germany than the UK. Don't leave your shopping for Sunday or you might need to travel to the main train station and pay horrendous prices at the only open supermarket in town.

You might fare well in the hospitality industry, though. Hotels and restaurants are always happy to run their employees (at every level) into the ground without pay for overtime.

By the way, who or what is Tim?


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## Tellus (Nov 24, 2013)

thegypsyinme said:


> and always felt we were valued customers.


once upon a time...


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## thegypsyinme (Jan 17, 2014)

It was also "Once upon a time" in GB ;-)


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## FelixTheCat (Feb 20, 2014)

Nononymous said:


> In Germany, to buy products or consume services, is like forcibly removing a person's kidney.


What ? What it means ?? 



thegypsyinme said:


> Welcome to RIP OFF BRITAIN! We are leaving the UK end of July. We have recently arranged with our telecom company to close our acc. at the end of the month which will cost us £30. To cancel the car insurance is a further £47.70. British companies never think of the customer only of themselves and their fat bonuses. We lived in Germany for many years and always felt we were valued customers. Good luck


LOL



ALKB said:


> Not sure you will find Germany (or any other European country) any more to your liking.
> 
> Shop opening hours are much more restricted in Germany than the UK. Don't leave your shopping for Sunday or you might need to travel to the main train station and pay horrendous prices at the only open supermarket in town.
> 
> ...


Tim = Telecom of Italy...not present in German ? Sorry, my bad !

Btw...Shooping 3:00am is not exactly a parameter..it was just a demonstration about how strong is the competition involving USA market. When you live in a country where companies is always pursuing market share , stuffs like this can happen: ppl capable to do some shopping at 03:00am.

It's okay if in German the shops closes very early...But I'm trying to extract if Germany is like US or Brazil...a war zone...where companies will try to attract you with aggressive promotions, Telecom can install your Broadband in 24 hours otherwise the competitor will do it...Free freight on online orders...All in the name of the wild capitalism that's consumes our soul and make us seek all the time.


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## ALKB (Jan 20, 2012)

FelixTheCat said:


> What ? What it means ??
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Having lived in the US, I can tell you that no place in Europe is like the US.

No competitor of Telecom would be able to install broadband in 24 hours (as far as I know) simply because they all rent the lines from Telecom. 

If the capitalism of the country it originated from - it's called Manchester Capitalism for a reason - is not strong enough for you then I think you might find Germany disgusting. Unions are still rather strong. By law, employers have to pay up to six weeks of continuous sick leave (after that the health insurance does), average of 5 weeks holidays per year plus bank holidays. Some employers even still pay additional holiday pay or a 13th salary (it is becoming rarer and rarer, though).

I sometimes miss Germany fiercely when sitting at my desk with 38 degrees fever because my high-pressure, pile-up-the work UK employer does not pay a single day sick leave.


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## Nononymous (Jul 12, 2011)

You should go nowhere near Germany if your criteria for happiness is fierce competition and aggressive customer service. Stop wasting your time here, move to the US.


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## beppi (Jun 10, 2013)

UK has the most open and competition-oriented economy in Europe. Expect even less customer service elsewhere!
Of course there are stressful and unfriendly work environments in any country, but in general Germans like their 6 weeks annual leave, regular 9 to 5 jobs and employee-friendly regulations (e.g. nobody is ever allowed to work more than 10 hours in a single day, or 48 hours in a week, and it is impossible to lay somebody off for working too little).


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