Asian customers

[Dextraneous]

My point is that bad customers come from all walks of life and therefore the title of the thread itself is, for me, too narrow. If you want to talk about stereotypes, why limit it to just one?

The obvious likely rejoinder about "why don't I start up a "jew", a "black afro caribbean" thread etc etc etc is an obvious one.

IMHO this thread might have been a little more acceptable if it was headed something like "Culturally Difficult Customers", of something like that.

You know that I ain't some commie pinko, but I do find the restrictions of this thread a bit, well, uncomfortable for some reason.

 

[cajar]

No offence Dex, but people who make that point tend to be watching from a distance. It's easy say you dont stereotype when you watch from a distance, but when you are at the coal face getting screwed over by a certain type of customer more than another, you begin to accept the stereotype has some truth in order to look after your own interests. If that makes us all racist then so be it.

 

[JBR]

If you are a tradesman and your experience is that certain groups of people (and for the do-gooders I mean ANY social group, not necessarily the ones you so love to defend) are bad payers or argumentative, and you could do without the hassle, there is no reason why you cannot decline their kind offer of work.

Just don't say anything publicly. Big Brother is likely to be listening.

For the record, I take people as I find them, not by the colour of their skin. Not that that will stop the racism accusers, of course.

 

[Whitespirit66]

And another thing...........

I have Chinese, Jewish, Czech, Greeks and even a few Jocks amongst my customers, because I have found them to be as likely as the white, indigenous population to be problematic or defaulters. Unfortunately, Asians are in another league so have to shop elsewhere.

I admit that the thread title probably encouraged the anecdotes, but read through this thread again. Quite a few saying the same thing. It's for a reason and they can't all be wrong.

 

[Brigadier]

With the cricket match fixing scandals of a year or two ago (tying in with experience of haggling / non-payment), I surmised that the miscreants perhaps saw it as a form of haggling rather than cheating. Haggling is an accepted cultural norm in the sub-continent, as well as north Africa. How many white British haggle?

 

[skhudy]

the tread has moved on from the OP.

I'm guessing by Asian, this thread is the main about South Asian i.e people from Pakistan / India / Bangladesh.

In any ethnic group there will always be a certain % who are best to be avoided for various reasons, (edit added *but*) but there is one group who tend to be involved in more criminal entrepreneurial activities more than any other, be it fraud, or money related issues or other.

The umbrella of "Asian" which is often used in the news for a certain group, a lot of other Asians find offensive!

 

[LastMagicBean]

a lot of other Asians find offensive!

Good.

Haggling, shoulder lurking robbers.

 

[Whitespirit66]

, a lot of other Asians find offensive!

I won't be able to sleep tonight.

 

[Dextraneous]

No offence Dex, but people who make that point tend to be watching from a distance. It's easy say you dont stereotype when you watch from a distance, but when you are at the coal face getting screwed over by a certain type of customer more than another, you begin to accept the stereotype has some truth in order to look after your own interests. If that makes us all racist then so be it.

Point made and taken.

 

[JBR]

The umbrella of "Asian" which is often used in the news for certain groups, a lot of other Asians find offensive!

The use of the term 'Asian' has come about because of fears of being accused of racism when using words such as 'Pakistani'. The shortened version has, of course, become unusable despite words such as 'Afghani' being perfectly acceptable and I predict that, the way things are going, the complete word will soon be seen by some as being offensive.

My own view is that 'Asian' is an unsuitable term to use unless you are referring to everyone in that vast and very diverse continent.

By the same token, I hate being referred to as a 'European' for obvious reasons!

 

[jockscott]

Why, when racism is mentioned, it's always us "whites" who are accused of it? Do you think it doesn't happen the other way round? Believe me it bloody well does. Last year I did some work for a South Asian family and the chap was quite honest, telling me about the "white ba*****s that live in "his" neighbourhood. (mind you he was also quite vociferous about people from a neighbouring country to his homeland)

 

[longdogs]

Back to cajar's original question:

There seems to be two types of Asian living in this Country, the poor ones who tend to rent properties from landlords or social services and the better off ones who own their own homes. The latter are quite often considered wealthy in their Country of origin and possibly used to having servants back home to do their work for them.

When they arrive in Britain, they still consider tradesmen to be their servants and try to pay them accordingly.

I'm sure it comes as a huge shock to them when they find that it doesn't work like that.

No racism intended, just based on experience.

 

[trent78]

Ok, so I've spent a lot of time in Malaysia and in the Philippines, and that is Asia too. However, it's very different for those people, or as far as I know it is.

When I was renting in the UK (Rugby to be exact) my landlord was an Indian guy. He was a millionaire (in terms of UK pounds). Owned a few restaurants around the place. However, interestingly enough, whenever I had a home-bound issue, he would always fix it himself. Plus, he was running all his restaurants (and I do mean running around in them - serving customers and working in the kitchens). It just seems to be an Indian/ Pakistani "thing". Money matters more than anything else in life. They are tight to say the least.

On the other hand, I had a Singaporean Indian girlfriend for a few years way back. She was anything but tight. Totally different mindset, due to her Singaporean (Asian) upbringing, which obviously was not "tinged" by her Indian heritage.

 

[RogueHanger]

On the other hand, I had a Singaporean Indian girlfriend for a few years way back. She was anything but tight. Totally different mindset, due to her Singaporean (Asian) upbringing, which obviously was not "tinged" by her Indian heritage.

Despite your experience I'm surpised that you haven't realised.
I find that Asians, in general, are almost ambarrassingly generous to their friends and family, but in business they try to strike the best bargain possible. Also, they'll happily try to strike the best bargain on behalf of their friends and family.

 

[diy_fun_uk]

Luckily, Bristol isn't too multicultural: yet.

oh lucky bristol ...

of course the white man NEVER haggles over prices or stands over workmen when in their property.

there was a 2-3 part thingy on tv a year or so ago about a multicultural part of britain ... now let me think was it bristol emmm no don't think it was. anyways there was a tradesmen on the prog that advised he had embraced working for asians and his business was flourishing. i think he said something about cultural differences but he just worked around them and he'd built up trust in that community.

come to think of it was it bristol, emmm nah don't think it was. lucky bristol ...