No Hablo Inglés?

The subject was posted in the papers recently when someone wrote in about hiring foreign workers as front-line service staff, and that all front-line staff should at least have some basic knowledge of English. I'm not too sure how the article was written and how it may have offended someone else but I do agree with the fact that front-line staff should have a basic knowledge of English, or at least are willing to learn, and thus, pick it up rather quickly. I'm fine with having foreign workers in the front-line. I actually work with a few foreigners and the first thing we tell them is that if they don't know how to answer or what they're being asked, just call for one of the senior staff to help you out. One reason why we do so is because we work in a rather fast paced environment and the more time u waste, the more frustration you create. Miscommunication also creates frustration, and not only with the customer, you get the wrath of your own coworkers.

Which reminds me...In another reply to the article, the lady wrote that it would be nice to get an answer for your simple queries. The very night I read the article, I had my own experience with one staff who couldn't answer my simple question which was "Do your pizzas have a thin or thick crust?" And I asked her 3 times; 1st try just orally, 2nd try pointing to the list of pizza choices, 3rd try gesturing the difference between thick and thin. She then goes into her native language (which I will not specify so as not to hurt the fragile hearts that the people of the same race might have) and asks if I could speak to her in that language. At this point her coworker comes along and I just asked for his help instead. English didn't sound like his first language either but at least I got my answer and even more information than required. Now in the first place, why do people assume that just because you're of a certain skin colour that u can speak a certain language? Why couldn't she just ask me to wait while she got another person to help me out instead? Well I'm sorry that I cut her off and just called her coworker over, but I was getting frustrated myself and thing is I don't even know how to say what I was trying to ask in the other language.

Wonder if she stays away from the tables she assumes she can't comprehend.