Tubby Beaver 209 Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 Does anyone else get annoyed at the amount of times shop staff say this when you go into their shop?? It winds me up no end!!! Just went into my local 7-11 and it happened to coincide with the arrival of a train, so there were loads of customers who came in at the back of me.....2 shop staff, took it in turns like a double act to say this for every customer who came into the shop.....they must've said it about 20 times in the space of 2 minutes!! It was like a weird Japanese shop version of kabaddi!! Shut up!! I just wanna buy a beer in peace!! Say it once or twice and it sounds sincere, say it a million times in 10 seconds and its about as sincere as saying nothing at all!!! Its ridiculous the amount of times staff say that....phew, rant over!! Link to post Share on other sites
hellyer 216 Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 What does it mean and how is it pronounced? Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted May 31, 2012 Author Share Posted May 31, 2012 basically "Welcome/thank you for coming to my shop" and its pronounced "ee-ra-shai-ma-seeeeeeeeee" If you've ever went into a shop in Japan, its the shit that the staff are constantly saying to you Link to post Share on other sites
ippy 66 Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 jesus, if you think thats bad imagine being the poor bastard who not only has to say it every time someone enters a 7/11, but has to listen to every other asshole in the store shouting it out. And all for a minimum wage. Also having to stop what youre doing and run to the checkout because someone might have a 2 minute wait to buy their stuff. Oh and you have to deal with utter assholes who dont have the common courtesy to offer even the most remote pleasantry because you're shop staff and that makes you beneath their utter contempt. God id hate to do that job. In fact id hate to do any retail job in japan. At least in the UK you can skive a bit and/or make your customer feel like a jerk if they dont say hello back. Link to post Share on other sites
sanjo 2 Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 I often wonder how staff at Yamada Denki and K's Denki put up with their songs that seem to be on constant replay. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted May 31, 2012 Author Share Posted May 31, 2012 jesus, if you think thats bad imagine being the poor bastard who not only has to say it every time someone enters a 7/11, but has to listen to every other asshole in the store shouting it out. And all for a minimum wage. Also having to stop what youre doing and run to the checkout because someone might have a 2 minute wait to buy their stuff. Oh and you have to deal with utter assholes who dont have the common courtesy to offer even the most remote pleasantry because you're shop staff and that makes you beneath their utter contempt. God id hate to do that job. In fact id hate to do any retail job in japan. At least in the UK you can skive a bit and/or make your customer feel like a jerk if they dont say hello back. but thats a self fulfilling prophecy.....just stop shouting shit out!! (but hurry along to the till, cos I've been waiting over a minute!!) Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 You know what, I think I went through a phase of finding it annoying but now it's just background. And you know what (2), it sure as heck is more pleasant than the UK welcome you get from some shop staff which is often "what the f#$$% do you want?", then literally throwing the things you bought into a bag and thrusting it at you with a 'hey, I'm well cool' frown and full on attitude. They have zero pride in what they do and you just know they want to get out of there. Contempt is what they seem to have. There are obviously exceptions but the general lack of "service" in the UK and the attitude of staff really winds me up something. It, as they say, does my head in. I make a point of trying to use those exceptions and letting them know that I appreciate good service. Link to post Share on other sites
NoFakie 45 Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 I like a hearty irrasshai on the few occasions I go to izakayas. Sounds a bit weird for people to be dishing it out in a conbeni. Maybe the boss is an aisatsu-is-all-that-matters type. The tape loops in Yamaki Denki etc. are definitely the worst. Link to post Share on other sites
HeatherLocklearRocks 1 Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 My local bank is a sea of constant aisatsu. Thing that gets me is that it's not only the ladies (always ladies) on the counter, but all of the dudes behind as well. Busy working on whatever they are working on, but still manage to throw out those greetings when someone goes in! Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 I'm kind of in Pie Eaters camp on this one. Back ground noise...... but, more often than not I find myself amazed at the level of enthusiasm in a job that pays minimum wage. I find the girl at the grocery store checkout who raises her voice two octaves and announces the price of each item she checks with a long drawn out "en".... to be much more annoying. Sounds like she just sucked off a helium balloon. And what's up with the guys that talk like they have their nose plugged up for the next stop announcements on the trains...?? I know the answer but annoying nonetheless. Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 After living in Japan I notice it much more, and perhaps even annoy my family back home banging on about it. They are numbed to it and kind of accept it.... which is perhaps part of the problem. People should not accept it. Like the way you go into a Starbucks or wherever and there's 20 empty tables all of them with cups, trays, sugar and milk splashed about everywhere. A real mess. Looks like they have been in that state for hours, and there's no staff even remotely interested in clearing it up. Even when you call them over to clean it up, they come with a scowl on their face and give it a half-hearted wipe. That kind of thing. It just does my head in big time. I don't complain about service in Japan, it is generally amazing and puts lots of other places to real shame. Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Having said that, I love it back home when you go to a place that has really genuine, sincere, good and friendly service. That's a delight too. But unfortunately, getting rarer. Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Definitely...!! On a trip back home it doesn't take very long to appreciate what we take for granted here. Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 What makes it even more mind-blowingly mind-blowing for me is when they expect a tip as well! I think I've done tips before, won't get onto that now. Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Ya...I'd get banned or at least a reprimand from SJ if we went there... Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 No doubt come summer I'll be pushed into bringing up tips again, Chriselle. Perhaps you could join in! My tip to them is usually not "10%", but rather please improve your service by "110%". People should not encourage poor/average service by giving tips. It only encourages it. Japan has it spot on, on that subject. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted June 1, 2012 Author Share Posted June 1, 2012 yeah, I'm all for the service you get here.....but they don't need to bellow out irrashaimase every half second. Its annoying....the service would still be good without that. There's a Beckers Burger shop at the train station where I live. When I used to go in, a ripple of "irrashaimase" would flow along the counter and into the kitchen....with the guys on the grill poking their heads out and getting in on the act....ridiculous!! Link to post Share on other sites
norcal 5 Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 I dont mind it so much, but those girls that speak through their nose in a high pitch voice get rather irritating. Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 After living in Japan I notice it much more, and perhaps even annoy my family back home banging on about it. They are numbed to it and kind of accept it.... which is perhaps part of the problem. People should not accept it. Like the way you go into a Starbucks or wherever and there's 20 empty tables all of them with cups, trays, sugar and milk splashed about everywhere. A real mess. Looks like they have been in that state for hours, and there's no staff even remotely interested in clearing it up. Even when you call them over to clean it up, they come with a scowl on their face and give it a half-hearted wipe. That kind of thing. It just does my head in big time. I don't complain about service in Japan, it is generally amazing and puts lots of other places to real shame. Off topic a bit, but reminds me of how aghast I was at behaviour a few weeks back ... My first thoughts were 'THAT would never happen in Japan'. I went to Canberra to watch my son in a State Schoolboys Water Polo comp, but the scenario meant I needed to get him something to eat when we got in ...and everything was shut except the 24hr Maccas on the next block, so I went over there. Massive queue due to a local concert crowd and I had to wait about an hour. I watched this guy come to a table (long high bench that would seat maybe 20 people) that people had left thier rubbish on, it wasn't a lot of rubbish, and the bin was pretty darn close. He could have moved it into a tighter pile it of his way easily, or put t in the bin, but no... He demonstrably swept his entire arm across the top of the table sending all the rubbish flying across the floor in every direction. He didn't look around him, or show any expression, and neither did his companions - among them girls. If this is the attitude in the community, then when we hire our workers out of that community it is no wonder they have no customer service skills. Link to post Share on other sites
brit-gob 9 Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 That's really... sad. Got to wonder how society got itself like that. Link to post Share on other sites
Error404 0 Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Anyone know of a Western guy or girl who works somewhere and does it? That would be funny. I don't mind myself, like pie-eater I appreciate the excellent level of service here. I can put up with the stuff that comes along with it. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted June 1, 2012 Author Share Posted June 1, 2012 Anyone know of a Western guy or girl who works somewhere and does it? That would be funny. I don't mind myself, like pie-eater I appreciate the excellent level of service here. I can put up with the stuff that comes along with it. A friend of mines (Canadian) used to work in a cafe in Motomachi, Yokohama and she used to have to say it. She took the job to improve her Japanese, so sje wasn't bothered about having to say it....but pretty funny. Another friend of mines used to have a pizza shop on Enoshima, he can't speak a lick of Japanese so just used to bellow "WELCOME" to everyone who came in Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 When we do our pen shows my wife says it early and often. I try to slip one in once in while but I may as well not as my lack of conviction makes for a pretty pathetic ira...sha..i...ma..sen. It's like bowing....gaijin just shouldn't do it. Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 I try to slip one in once in while.... You should really be concentrating on the work, shouldn't you Chriselle? Link to post Share on other sites
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