Head Scratchers

[Lumpy_Custard]

Sorry if my rant is in the wrong place 

 

Many things here in Thailand are what I would call ‘’ head scratchers ‘’  things that I've seen and wondered about , things that to me some times don’t make any sense . 

One such ‘’ head scratchers ‘’ is to do with sales assistants , especially in large retail outlets . So there I am wandering around a large Home Pro store and every where I look there they are , legions of sales assistants . The majority with their heads bent downwards looking at their mobile phone. Every sales aisle I walk along there they are again , more sales assistants . Many times these sales assistants vastly out number the paying customers . I can’t really fathom out why so many sales assistants are needed . Yes I know they can point me in the right direction to the product I am looking for , but come on why are so many sales assistants needed. 

What am I missing , why so many sales assistants . 

 

 

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[Chaimai]

I understand that most of those assistants are paid for by the respective manufacturers...... hence the emphasis, quite often, on a particular brand.

 

 

Just hearsay - I have no evidence (other than personal observation) to support that comment.

[Lumpy_Custard]

48 minutes ago, Chaimai said:

I understand that most of those assistants are paid for by the respective manufacturers...... hence the emphasis, quite often, on a particular brand.

Just hearsay - I have no evidence (other than personal observation) to support that comment.

I just asked my Thai wife about why so many sale staff in these Home Pro type stores and she said that these large type stores need a large number of sales staff primarily because on any one given day many of the sales staff will just not turn up for work , they give no notice that they will not be coming to work , they just don't bother going in to work as they know only to well that their store employer will take no action when they just don't turn up . So the store management has to constantly employ a large number of sales assistants , to cover for the regular sales staff  that on a daily basis just can't be bothered to get out of bed. 

some how my wife's explanation rings true. 

.

[Chaimai]

Have you known your wife for very long?

 

Then again, that logic might explain why there are so many police in Thailand...

[TWS60]

Would be interesting to actually ask a general manager of a HomePro about it, flat out. 

[JamesE]

I went into HomePro on Sunday and had to run a gauntlet of perhaps twenty sales associates - and their associated sawatdees and wais - followed by a similar number once in the store and not a single "can I help you find something?" Asked once and was sent in one direction and then asked at my destination and was guided to the correct spot. All for a ฿20 box of "sacrues". It was a very nice HomePro, though...

[LoongFred]

10 hours ago, JamesE said:

I went into HomePro on Sunday and had to run a gauntlet of perhaps twenty sales associates - and their associated sawatdees and wais - followed by a similar number once in the store and not a single "can I help you find something?" Asked once and was sent in one direction and then asked at my destination and was guided to the correct spot. All for a ฿20 box of "sacrues". It was a very nice HomePro, though...

They are paid by the vendor and not Home Pro. Look at their badges. Most don't speak English so if you need an English speaker you need to ask.  Usually they'll find someone. My Home Pro had a girl in the nuts and bolt section that really tried to help and had her English translator out. She was disappointed when I spoke Thai so I switched to English.  She could aways find a way to be understood in English and I recommended her to several other falangs.  That was 3-4 years ago and I need to see how she's doing with English today.

Some of the product representative have been at our Home Pro for several years and appear to do pretty well

 Of course they want you to buy their brands but have been ok when asked about other brands.

[Shark]

On 11/13/2021 at 8:54 PM, Lumpy_Custard said:

primarily because on any one given day many of the sales staff will just not turn up for work

she actually is right to some extent here, having run businesses for a while this is really truth. Thais can just vanish. So on a shift if you need 1 you plan minimum of 2. If you need two you plan four. The overhead capacity is gigantic but yes Thais don't work like foreigners either.... they're too smart for this they get paid for playing with their phone so why work hard...

[LoongFred]

14 hours ago, Shark said:

she actually is right to some extent here, having run businesses for a while this is really truth. Thais can just vanish. So on a shift if you need 1 you plan minimum of 2. If you need two you plan four. The overhead capacity is gigantic but yes Thais don't work like foreigners either.... they're too smart for this they get paid for playing with their phone so why work hard...

Actually, Thais in well paying job show up even on days off. They want to protect what they have.  Low pay workers feel they have little to loose so coming to work is the same. In the USA we had problems with sick time abuse with lower paid and lower job skilled staff. I took a lot of effect to turn this around.  The professional staff on the other hand was never a problem.

My answer would be to work with the staff, maybe pay market rate +, but tell they are needed and you don't want to overstuffed and would rather pay them more but only if they have good attendance.  Those that don't comply should be shown the door. The staff will understand if they are treated fairly with respect.

[Shark]

Just now, LoongFred said:

Actually, Thais in well paying job show up even on days off. They want to protect what they have.  Low pay workers feel they have little to loose so coming to work is the same. In the USA we had problems with sick time abuse with lower paid and lower job skilled staff. I took a lot of effect to turn this around.  The professional staff on the other hand was never a problem.

My answer would be to work with the staff, maybe pay market rate +, but tell they are needed and you don't want to overstuffed and would rather pay them more but only if they have good attendance.  Those that don't comply should be shown the door. The staff will understand if they are treated fairly with respect.

Don't compare it with USA and don't assume anything about low pay as pay isn't a factor for a lot of Thais, it's happiness - Does this make me happy if the answer is no even the pay is 100K a month they won't be coming. Money might now be a more important factor but at the beginning of the pandemic I was paying above market rate but still this didn't stop Thais from doing a less paid job at a noodle stand because this made them more 'happy' and no they weren't working like slaves either.

Thais also need their buddies in a shift to keep them in line. Alone they're like a mouse without a cat.

[LoongFred]

6 hours ago, Shark said:

Don't compare it with USA and don't assume anything about low pay as pay isn't a factor for a lot of Thais, it's happiness - Does this make me happy if the answer is no even the pay is 100K a month they won't be coming. Money might now be a more important factor but at the beginning of the pandemic I was paying above market rate but still this didn't stop Thais from doing a less paid job at a noodle stand because this made them more 'happy' and no they weren't working like slaves either.

Thais also need their buddies in a shift to keep them in line. Alone they're like a mouse without a cat.

You need to be proactive and find out their motivations, by asking them. Many have multiple things that motivate, with respect and pay being pretty high. Also being flexible to their needs is important. 

[Shark]

Just now, LoongFred said:

You need to be proactive and find out their motivations, by asking them. Many have multiple things that motivate, with respect and pay being pretty high. Also being flexible to their needs is important. 

Dude they are Thai, they will simply not give you a reason and just never appear.

I've paid 400-800% going rate and this still didn't keep them. So please keep your western management techniques to yourself, because they're not working for Thailand. Pay isn't high of importance stop spreading bullshit a Thai just wants to feel Sanook this means he will even go for a minimum paid job or even less then minimum if he/she thinks this makes her happy.

Western Management doesn't apply to ASEAN countries. Believe me. A thing called cultural differences applies here, directness, honesty, loyalty doesn't come with the Blue/gold-bloodline.

[Vince]

On 11/13/2021 at 5:54 AM, Lumpy_Custard said:

I just asked my Thai wife about why so many sale staff in these Home Pro type stores and she said that these large type stores need a large number of sales staff primarily because on any one given day many of the sales staff will just not turn up for work , they give no notice that they will not be coming to work , they just don't bother going in to work as they know only to well that their store employer will take no action when they just don't turn up . So the store management has to constantly employ a large number of sales assistants , to cover for the regular sales staff  that on a daily basis just can't be bothered to get out of bed. 

some how my wife's explanation rings true. 

.

And so, having so many associates, it doesn't matter if you don't show up, and since there are so many extra staff the management is lax about enforcement. 

Hmmmm.... Might be true?

[Lumpy_Custard]

Row after row , shopping aisle after shopping aisle , there they are 

[BillO]

On 11/13/2021 at 6:20 PM, Lumpy_Custard said:

Sorry if my rant is in the wrong place 

Many things here in Thailand are what I would call ‘’ head scratchers ‘’  things that I've seen and wondered about , things that to me some times don’t make any sense . 

One such ‘’ head scratchers ‘’ is to do with sales assistants , especially in large retail outlets . So there I am wandering around a large Home Pro store and every where I look there they are , legions of sales assistants . The majority with their heads bent downwards looking at their mobile phone. Every sales aisle I walk along there they are again , more sales assistants . Many times these sales assistants vastly out number the paying customers . I can’t really fathom out why so many sales assistants are needed . Yes I know they can point me in the right direction to the product I am looking for , but come on why are so many sales assistants needed. 

What am I missing , why so many sales assistants . 

.
I get what you are saying but most are very helpful. It’s good to see young people working. In America at our Home Depot or Lowes  it’s mainly older semi retired people because the younger people don’t want to work.