Sales clerks who can't speak English
 

I won't go into the details but sales clerks who can't speak and understand English should not be hired. It does a disservice to the store. FishHawk

SEE THE MANAGER
 

ask them where the translator is....
and hopefully the manager speaks english.

maybe he owns the store..............:hs:

Easy fix -- pay $5 for a $10 item ... you'll hear english without error.

I love when you go to Dunkin Donuts (which really suck but my wife loves the coffee) and you get this, ":huh: :huh: :huh: :huh: :huh: :huh: " I just luv that. I call it my international interpersonal experience right here at home.

Customer service positions rally do need to understand the english language!!!!!!!:rollem:

Learn the ENGLISH language or get out of the country !!!:af:

I wonder, have any of you complained to the store owner that you'd like to patronize their shop but find it a frustrating experience?

This isn't an attack, just an observation. It would seem as though the market is just responding to the lowest common demoninator.

-spence

Work With It
 

Well, I guess maybe we should first think of the pay scale.

How many Americans are willing to work for $7.00 an hour or so and put up with the biatching customers that so many Americans give out ?

Give it up and live with it until Americans who would rather be on welfare and disability face the facts and get a job. But then again, at $7.00 or $8.00 or even $10.00 an hour, they'd lose money compared to their welfare checks and faked disabilities.

NewBoater:af:

I gotta agree with newboater on that one, although it may not be true across the board, I think it is most of the time.

On a lighter note, I was watching our friend Charlie Moore and he was in Panama and was excited that they actually have Dunkin' down there, then he tried to order and they couldn't understand him and he said "wow..just like at home!!"
:rotf2:

I agree. I do alot of entry level hiring, and an applicant must have a command of the English language. Just for situations like yours.
:chatter

I have to say, this is a regional phenomenon. When I go "home" to visit family, I am reminded that good service IS possible. Without question, the DD in my hometown has the best service HANDS DOWN of any chain coffee shop I have ever seen, and the prices are much cheaper there. With a couple after work beers in me and missing home on the holiday, I could easily hijack this thread and preach to all you who have never lived outside of NE that people do live differently in different parts of the country. I have never experienced the incredible amount of soulless leaches on the public that exist around here. Nepotism, corrupt unions, scumbags, scam artists, you name it. If you have lived here all your life, it's hard for you to understand. There are no "non-english speakers" in my hometown. The closest thing they have to foreigners is the couple that owns the Chinese restaurant and one Indian doctor and his family. Also no police. State police barracks 16 miles away. No crime, no need. You don't get funny looks if you hunt and fish. If you DON'T hunt and fish, well then you'll get some looks. Monday is opening day for rifle, that means no school, statewide. You can get a nice 4 bedroom 2.5 bath house with 10 acres for under 200 grand. Why am I not there? When my kids get to college or their mother moves them away, I will be. But I will come back to catch stripers! Sorry bout the jack...

This is what I love.

First they get....

"I hate when people sneak across the border into our Country" so someone fills the right paperwork out and comes here to America for a better life, and they do it the right way.

Then they get.

"I hate when people come to our country looking for a handout"....so this person takes a job at Dunkin Donuts so they can EARN a living.

Then they get ....

"If you can't speak English, Get out of the country".....because we all now that all the Italian, Greek, and German immigrants all spoke Perfect english before They ever set foot on American soil.

I guess that big Green Broad holding that torch in NY harbor needs to be turned into a Condo......she seems to have lost her meaning

Some of my relatives came from Europe and they learned English real quick once they got here. It was out of necessity because if they didn't then they wouldn't get work. The problem everyone(me included) has with the latest wave of immigrants is that they refuse to learn English at all and we are making it so they don't have to. It's not a matter of speaking "perfect" English, it's a matter of not speaking it at all that bothers folks. It is a slap in the face to all that have come before them that had to conform or not make it. There were no concessions made for them so why should we make them for these people? I have no problem with someone coming here to better their life, it is what made our country what it is today. Just try and at least learn the language so people can communicate with you. If not then don't work drive through.

Brovo FDad Bravo. My Maternal Great-Grandfather was Shanghiaed and brought to this Countryfrom the Azores by American whalers, he served in the as a Life Saver at Coast Guard Beach in Truro, He raised 13 kids, He ran a dairy and asparagus farm too. And he was always disparaged for his lack of command of English. It's time to give them a break.

Define "Real Quick" I doubt they learned it in a couple of weeks, I'm pretty sure it took a couple of years to learn it. and you have no idea how long that guy behind the counter has been here.....could have been here only a month

Thats not true....plenty of people come here and try and learn english....just because you run across the occasional A$$Hole that likes to hide behind the "No Comprende" Card does not mean that all of them aren't trying. I work with people that came here and after awhile they learned the language. It takes time....and patience

There is a big difference between not learning it and not being able to make it.......and "Learn the language or get the 'F' out"

So....Because people treated your relatives like crap back then why not return the favor now. Do you think your relatives might have appreciated some help instead of attitude. Did you ever try and help somebody who was struggling with the language to find the right word or did you roll your eyes and give them the "What are you doing here" look.

WOW ! There is a lot of different opinions or thoughts about this "ENGLISH" thread.
Hey ,let's go eat some turkey!!!!

English is one of the most difficult languages to learn. I honestly doubt they learned it "real quick".

My Grandparents, both sides (3), were immigrants.. one Grandfather already spoke english pretty well, and adjusted quickly.. both Grandfathers had lined up factory type jobs before getting here, thru other immigrants.. turn of the century, Ellis Island stock.. the one that spoke english fairly well, married the daughter of another immigrant, she was born here, and spoke fluent english. My Dad's folks learned as fast as they could, his Dad did well in fairly short order, as did most of the men, you work where it is spoken all day, you are bound to learn it, but his Mom had a real tough time.. she understood, but couldn't quite put the words in the right order.. hence, she avoided situations where she had to speak much.. frustrated the hell out of her... to tears many times my Dad always said.. but, she did try..never really got a handle on it.

However.. the ones that deal with the public, it's tough, but they should have some basic command of the language.. and I think that should be recognized by the management. I understand, that more often than not, the people that apply for the lower pay scale jobs, are going to be immigrants, and that is what they get, but, I think it would be worth their while to try and help these folks somehow, learn the basics of the language, would be money well spent on the business' part.

I talked to my Grandfather this morning and asked him how long it took his father to learn English. He said that his dad told him that he learned the basics within a few months and after a few years he was fluent(although he always had an accent). His mother was another story, it took her a lot longer but she did learn it and never allowed anything but English to be spoken in the house. That sounds a lot different than what's going on now. My kids go to school with kids that were BORN here and enter school without knowing any English at all since their parents never bothered to learn it. All I'm saying is that if you want to live here, at least make an effort to learn how to communicate with everyone else. Again, I have no problem with someone who is legitimately trying to learn. I have all the patience in the world with them. It's the "no comprende" crowd that I have a problem with.

Maybe we should all learn Spanish so they don't have to conform to our society. Then we'll piss off the French speakers and we'll have to learn that so we don't offend them. That in turn will offend the Italians so we'll all have to learn Italian too. Where will it end? I say no concessions for anyone and the heck with who gets offended. This whole thing is nothing more than political correctness gone too far.

Maybe we should just give them classes(or tell them where to take them) when they apply to live here and solve the whole problem once and for all. Oh wait, that would mean that you would have to come here LEGALLY to begin with. Maybe that's the real problem after all? Last I heard, when you break the law you get some form of punishment. Why doesn't the law apply to ILLEGAL immigrants? Instead they are talking about giving them amnesty, citizenship, and a free ride to college. How come when I get a speeding ticket the officer doesn't give me a check? That would make as much sense. Rewarding someone for breaking the law. Effin politicians.

Anyway, that's my opinion on this and that's all I have to say. I'm not going to post anymore on this subject because all it's doing for me is getting me irritated. Everyone has their opinion and they're more than welcome to them. That's one of the things that makes this country great. I'm going to eat some turkey now and stop thinking about anything for the day(except fishing when I can finally escape the family;) ).

What's funny JKLett is that I agree with most of what your saying....its just that I see people assuming that when someone doesn't speak english that they aren't trying. A lot of them are trying and could probably use a hand. I guess I'm just looking for people to be a little more understanding. and i just don't like see everybody lumped together.

Anyways hope you enjoyed your turkey and have a pop or two.

They only thing they have to know is the change.

Learn a little spanish and speak it to them, whoever them is, and you'll see they will reply in at least broken english when they know you speak or at least understand a little of what the, whoever them is, saying.

My complaint is when the clerk, English speaking or not, doesn't greet me when I am spending my money at their business. You know what I mean? That vacant look when you get to the register??? I always say Hello or How are ya, and often get no response at all. Then, I must be a sucker because I say Thanks, have a good one when I finish paying and leave without the clerk saying a word.

The other night I ordered a pizza from Papa Gino's by phone, gave them my phone number, confirmed who I was and order away. I was told 22 minutes, fine. When I arrived at anempty Papa Gino's, the three clerks behind the counter ignored me for 2-3 minutes before asking me with a puzzled look, "Can I help you?" I gave them my name and after searching around the place I was told, we never took your order, did you call the other store? I took out my cell phone and hit redial, their phone began to ring.... "Would you like to place your order now?" I ended up buying a pound of hamburger and grilling outside......

I just can't take it sometimes!!!!!!

my fathers parents came from a foreign country ( PEI canada ) but they speak english there . My mothers parents came from another country and were made to speak english to work . My in laws came from a foreign counrty and thier bro's and sis's did too , all spoke english with an accent . I lived in a foreign country and learned the languge ( ok ) and I found that if I showed that I tried to learn they would open up some and speak english to me . they learn english in school in some countries . If you have been here for any length of time you should have learned some english if not shame shame shame your the only one to blame .

how about foreign gay and lesbiens ? think they speak a muff - led english ?