# Good Service



## mogo51 (Jun 11, 2011)

Whilst I have had a few things to say about lack of customer service in Philippines, such was not the case this morning.
A few days ago I put a currency regulator into get repaired by a local in San Fernando.
The guy said he would txt when ready, which he duly did yesterday afternoon. Went this morning and picked it up. He was most courteous when we put it in, then again this morning. 
He is in a wheel chair from polio but has a great smile and an excellent attitude. A real pleasure to deal with, so far all good with the regulator, told me it was the transistor?? whatever that is! But now back to working I am happy.
A good start to the day.


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

Good service should be recognized & publicized and I try to do the same but near as I can recall I have only been able to do this once since moving here. It seems that good service and/or workmanship is somewhat sparce in this corner of the world and most of us have become used to quite a bit substandard and shabby workmanship that is the norm here. Sometime back I installed a pressure system from my well to the house. Bought the pump unit from Ace Hardware in SM City and most of the other supplys locally. The owner of the local hardware store where I bought most of the piping and valves required asked if the reason I was doing it myself was cause I was too cheap to pay someone to do it. I told him the reason I was doing it was to ensure that the job was done right the first time. Don't really think that he appreciated it as he supplys most of the local so-called builders, but I feel he really knows the truth. I'm sure the word has been spread about the 'Kano' who thinks he can do better. 

Fred


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

Where truly good service is so rare it really stands out when you find a place or person that is there to do a job and with service and quality. I/we have found really good service in most sit-down restaurants and most all shops and grocery stores. This is especially true of Marquee Mall in Angeles. Compared to SM malls, Marquee Mall is family oriented and friendly. Even the CDR King employees there are on the ball for the most part and always enjoy them.

I like Ace Hardware in SM Clark and the workers at the LTO office there are the best. The bank employees at our Metrobank branch are almost like family and service is A-1.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

I think the problem is if you ask a local you will just get the the local jobber builder/carpenter/plumber and you are unlikely to get a good job done and the locals know no better. If you go to a professional company you can get a good job done.


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## mogo51 (Jun 11, 2011)

Yes Fred, funny you should mention that, as it is exactly what has nearly driven me to distraction recently. 
It is the best experience I have had here, I think that if we are going to exposure shortcomings, that we appreciate when things go well the other way. This guy was such a pleasure to deal with.


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## mogo51 (Jun 11, 2011)

Am a Metro Bank customer also, very good service in the main. Pure Gold here Ok, CSI usually pleasant but SM outside appliances, are brain dead.
LTO for me were great also. DYI San Fernando unimpressive. At Bauang though, ok.
So it is a bit of a lottery I think.


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

Gary D said:


> I think the problem is if you ask a local you will just get the the local jobber builder/carpenter/plumber and you are unlikely to get a good job done and the locals know no better. If you go to a professional company you can get a good job done.


I would beg to differ with you on that statement. After using a local builder to erect the block fence around our lot ( when done we found one fence was misplaced its entire length one meter out of line and another side misplaced by 1.37 meter its entire length, and a cost overun of about 200% from quoted) we decided to have a well known in Iloilo City House Builder to construct the dwelling. They did finish it on time and at the estimated cost but there are numerous problems with the electrical, plumbing, jalousie window fitment, door fitment, and drainage that had to be corrected and to this day we still have a terrace sloped towards the front door so that every time it rains there is a 1/2 inch deep pool covering the terrace and leading to the front door and all three entrance doors stick badly. I feel they just don't have any pride in their workmanship and seem to have a 'don't give a sh*t' attitude. 

I have stated this over & over again that there will have to be some kind of 'mental adjustment' to the thought process of this entire country or it will forever remain as a 3rd world standing. 

Fred


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

fmartin_gila said:


> I would beg to differ with you on that statement. After using a local builder to erect the block fence around our lot ( when done we found one fence was misplaced its entire length one meter out of line and another side misplaced by 1.37 meter its entire length, and a cost overun of about 200% from quoted) we decided to have a well known in Iloilo City House Builder to construct the dwelling. They did finish it on time and at the estimated cost but there are numerous problems with the electrical, plumbing, jalousie window fitment, door fitment, and drainage that had to be corrected and to this day we still have a terrace sloped towards the front door so that every time it rains there is a 1/2 inch deep pool covering the terrace and leading to the front door and all three entrance doors stick badly. I feel they just don't have any pride in their workmanship and seem to have a 'don't give a sh*t' attitude.
> 
> I have stated this over & over again that there will have to be some kind of 'mental adjustment' to the thought process of this entire country or it will forever remain as a 3rd world standing.
> 
> Fred


LOL, sorry Fred not laughing at you but what my bl**dy lot will bring. Can I ask were you on the ground when these works were accomplished or out of the country? I intend to be there every day for fences and a large extension, surveyor first to mark the boundaries. We are in the back blocks so to speak (Bacnotan La Union) and there will have to be lots of research on my behalf to find a decent builder at a fair price,,,,,, good luck with that Steve.

I find Find Filipino websites frustrating with lack of information and rarely cost,,,,,,, call us for an appointment etc. I particularly find this with solar sellers in our neck of the woods but have found relative info and costs Manila based and 3 times the price of OZ; the mind boggles. Could be cheaper to import, pay the duties and freight,,,,, will look into that, Hope to find a good electrician, perhaps Mogo or others could advise in our area.
My/our turn is coming Fred, please wish us better luck that you had.

Cheers, Steve.


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

Actually we lived during the construction timeframe in a rental apartment across the street from the site. I think the main thing I could emphasis in what I have learned from this experience is 'DON'T ASSUME ANYTHING AND VERIFY EVERYTHING'. A supposedly good friend of the Asawas was kind of overseeing the fence building and as we found out he was not that good of a friend. During the house building, I kind of assumed that since they had a good reputation and were a well established company that they were trustworthy to do a good job and only checked in to see the progress every couple days. All in all, I spose it may not be that bad for here, but is very disappointing to move into a newly constructed house and find so many things done in such a shabby manner. One could always fall back on the old saying that "if you want it done right, you have to do it yourself". That is the primary reason I elected to install my pressure water system by myself and it has performed flawlessly since installation, even though I had never done it before, only read up on the subject.

I would wish you "GOOD LUCK". Keep in mind that there is no Better Business Bureau here so no Govt agency or anyone else to complain to.

Fred


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

fmartin_gila said:


> Actually we lived during the construction timeframe in a rental apartment across the street from the site. I think the main thing I could emphasis in what I have learned from this experience is 'DON'T ASSUME ANYTHING AND VERIFY EVERYTHING'. A supposedly good friend of the Asawas was kind of overseeing the fence building and as we found out he was not that good of a friend. During the house building, I kind of assumed that since they had a good reputation and were a well established company that they were trustworthy to do a good job and only checked in to see the progress every couple days. All in all, I spose it may not be that bad for here, but is very disappointing to move into a newly constructed house and find so many things done in such a shabby manner. One could always fall back on the old saying that "if you want it done right, you have to do it yourself". That is the primary reason I elected to install my pressure water system by myself and it has performed flawlessly since installation, even though I had never done it before, only read up on the subject.
> 
> I would wish you "GOOD LUCK". Keep in mind that there is no Better Business Bureau here so no Govt agency or anyone else to complain to.
> 
> Fred


Points taken Fred, Buyer beware.

Cheers, Steve.


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## hogrider (May 25, 2010)

Had a case of good service in ACE in SM in Davao recently. I was shopping for hanger rail to fit inside our wardrobes for hanging clothes. I had measured the widths of the wardrobes so was all set when I entered the store. A very friendly sales lady asked me what I needed and I explained what I was after. She understood immediately and took me to the section of the store where the items were located. The rail was in fairly long lengths so I worked out that there was going to be fair bit of wastage. She asked me for the lengths I needed, proceeded to find a tape measure, grabbed a couple of the rails and led me to the far end of the store. Her and some of her colleagues between them, measured out the lengths I needed and proceed to cut them to size right in front of me. All with many beaming smiles and for no charge. I was really impressed, not just because I had saved a few pesos by not having to buy more than I needed, but the friendly manner in which it was done. So pleased in fact, I took a photo.


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## Manitoba (Jun 25, 2014)

fmartin_gila said:


> Actually we lived during the construction timeframe in a rental apartment across the street from the site. I think the main thing I could emphasis in what I have learned from this experience is 'DON'T ASSUME ANYTHING AND VERIFY EVERYTHING'. ....


As a 40 year veteran of the construction industry, I can safely say that you don't get the job you expect, you get the job you inspect.

If you were around the site and got this quality of the finished product the workers quickly realized you were not at all familiar with construction and quickly took the easy route and left you with a bad product.

You looked at the builder's qualifications but got a "good friend" of unknown quality as a building inspector to supervise the works. The inspector's qualifications are as important if not more important than the builders. Why didn't you verify the inspector's qualifications?

Would you hire a "good friend" to perform surgery on you? Why would you not hire a professional to ensure a quality final product be it a doctor for surgery or an engineer for construction?

I have all too often seen owners go the cheap route of inspection and quality assurance standards only to regret it later when they find major problems in the finished work. These problems can often take years to show up. 

Good construction is expensive. Poor construction is even more expensive because you have to pay for the poor construction, pay to have it removed and then pay for good construction and you lose your building for the period of the repairs. Sometimes the repairs are impossible to do completely so you will live with a bad final result forever.


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

Manitoba said:


> As a 40 year veteran of the construction industry, I can safely say that you don't get the job you expect, you get the job you inspect.
> 
> If you were around the site and got this quality of the finished product the workers quickly realized you were not at all familiar with construction and quickly took the easy route and left you with a bad product.
> 
> ...


As I said - LESSON LEARNED.

Fred


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

fmartin_gila said:


> As I said - LESSON LEARNED.
> 
> Fred


A lesson learned for all Fred and thanks for your wise input Manitoba. 

Cheers, Steve.


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## mogo51 (Jun 11, 2011)

bigpearl said:


> LOL, sorry Fred not laughing at you but what my bl**dy lot will bring. Can I ask were you on the ground when these works were accomplished or out of the country? I intend to be there every day for fences and a large extension, surveyor first to mark the boundaries. We are in the back blocks so to speak (Bacnotan La Union) and there will have to be lots of research on my behalf to find a decent builder at a fair price,,,,,, good luck with that Steve.
> 
> I find Find Filipino websites frustrating with lack of information and rarely cost,,,,,,, call us for an appointment etc. I particularly find this with solar sellers in our neck of the woods but have found relative info and costs Manila based and 3 times the price of OZ; the mind boggles. Could be cheaper to import, pay the duties and freight,,,,, will look into that, Hope to find a good electrician, perhaps Mogo or others could advise in our area.
> My/our turn is coming Fred, please wish us better luck that you had.
> ...



But then you have to get it installed Steve - now therein lies the problem.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

mogo51 said:


> But then you have to get it installed Steve - now therein lies the problem.


Install it myself I will (Yoda). 
Like Manitoba I too have been in the construction industry for over 40 years, still a licensed plumber in OZ. My/our hope is that if we are at ground zero every day,,,,,,, we will be living in the house and will get what we want and what we contracted to pay for. I am a hard task master,,,,,, ask the better half and I certainly know what we want and we will make that clear to the architect, engineer, foreman/supervisor and the workers before contract and works begin. Perhaps I am naive and time will tell.
Wish us luck finding decent professionals and trades.

Cheers, Steve.


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

bigpearl said:


> Install it myself I will (Yoda).
> Like Manitoba I too have been in the construction industry for over 40 years, still a licensed plumber in OZ. My/our hope is that if we are at ground zero every day,,,,,,, we will be living in the house and will get what we want and what we contracted to pay for. I am a hard task master,,,,,, ask the better half and I certainly know what we want and we will make that clear to the architect, engineer, foreman/supervisor and the workers before contract and works begin. Perhaps I am naive and time will tell.
> Wish us luck finding decent professionals and trades.
> 
> Cheers, Steve.


Word to the wise Steve. I assume the workers will be using mostly your tools as most workers here do not have their own. Collect tools and do a tool count every night. Same almost holds true with even nails or anything else they can make off with. You'll think everything you own grew legs if you don't!


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## mogo51 (Jun 11, 2011)

Hi Fred, are you busy over the next few weeks, if not could you come up and reinstall my pump that has been a total PIA since they reinstalled it several months ago.
Own room good food and cold beer during the stay.
Ha HA.
It is still bloody leaking. Only comes on once a day????


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## mogo51 (Jun 11, 2011)

Asian Spirit said:


> Word to the wise Steve. I assume the workers will be using mostly your tools as most workers here do not have their own. Collect tools and do a tool count every night. Same almost holds true with even nails or anything else they can make off with. You'll think everything you own grew legs if you don't!


That pretty well sums it up how it was during my renos. Thankfully now finished. Filipinos are not used to complaints or confrontation.


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

mogo51 said:


> Hi Fred, are you busy over the next few weeks, if not could you come up and reinstall my pump that has been a total PIA since they reinstalled it several months ago.
> Own room good food and cold beer during the stay.
> Ha HA.
> It is still bloody leaking. Only comes on once a day????


Tempting. At least the wages sounds good.

Fred


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