About Speaking Mandarin, and Commerce
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Let me share with you all, my experience. I am not against the Chinese language, Mandarin, as I am a Chinese myself - but more accurately a Teochew with a little mix of Portugese.
Some months ago, I made a phone call to one of the many auto accessories shops in Singapore, and I enquired about the brands, models, and prices of their car audio products. A girl on the other end of the line asked me in Mandarin if I can speak Mandarin. I replied in Mandarin that I can only speak a little, but am more comfortable speaking English. She simply said that NOBODY there can speak English, and suggested that I get someone who speaks Mandarin to make the enquiry for me.
Tell me, is this customer service in Singapore, or China? Is this customer service, or has the Speak Mandarin Campagne done more than what it was expected to do?
I have experienced on many occasions, when I step into a shop, a petrol kiosk, buying a movie ticket, and even at government offices, that I am greeted and spoken to in Mandarin. Has the standard medium of communication in Singapore for commerce business and trade been changed to Mandarin instead of English?? Or was it because out of convenience, the sales person, service provider, or officer, speaks to me in Mandarin because he/she does not know how to communicate in English?
Whatever the reason, I know that in the service industry, service providers should never assume the customer prefers to speak Mandarin. In fact, service providers are supposed to make customers feel comfortable - by speaking whatever language the customer prefers.
So now I see buses with large bold letters pasted on the rear ends that shouts "Speak Good English". Where's the co-relation? I don't see it!
It doesn't necessarily mean that when you are comfortable in Mandarin, others around you should too. -
im facing the opposite
sometimes i have problem finding ppl who can speak mandarin -
The aunties and uncles at the market don't know how to speak English. So, how?
Singapore <> English. Singapore <> Chinese. Singapore = Mix Mix
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err....
i find myself in both situations at times.... meeting singaporean chinese who can't speak mandarin at all and, in situations when there is someone who is a non-chinese in the group but the others in the group carried on with their comfortable mandarin conversations......
mayb at the end of it, it is just about respect... when u r at a place when u know the aunties and uncles do not speak ang moh, then speak mandarin lor... but if u r in an unknown situation or when there are non-chinese around, then start off with english/singlish lor...
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Hehehe, the problem I have is always the opposite. Many people stared at me, probably thought I was from China just because i started speaking mandarin. Don't assume that everybody in singapore sure know how to speak english. We are in a multi racial society, aren't we?
anyway, there are many auto shops around, why jump when you have only called up one shop? -
Haa~ reminds me of my CSM. He confined 3 indian men for speaking tamil {on charges that they were speaking bad about him in tamil} and called the whole coy to tell us that the national language of Singapore is English, Chinese and Hokkien and nothing else
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lol i got the opposite sometimes, when i greet someone english, i get a reply in mandarin(china accent) and i feared that i have offended the customer,
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got once i went to see doc......he is indian......
when i sat down he started fiak fiak chinese.......not bad leh.....quite fluent.....
then i reply in english......he look at me, stunned "oh! u can speak english!" -
u must have looked like "ah soh"! hahaOriginally posted by FireIce:got once i went to see doc......he is indian......
when i sat down he started fiak fiak chinese.......not bad leh.....quite fluent.....
then i reply in english......he look at me, stunned "oh! u can speak english!"
Hey shutterbug, don't u know that quite alot of our shops and offices are staffed with PRC nationals? -
Er, so chek ark ar?Originally posted by greengoblin:Haa~ reminds me of my CSM. He confined 3 indian men for speaking tamil {on charges that they were speaking bad about him in tamil} and called the whole coy to tell us that the national language of Singapore is English, Chinese and Hokkien and nothing else
H.Chen -
Tell the lady that the basic form of customer service is to be fluent in at least two of a country's basic language.It all boils down to professionalism.Same as bus drivers who scold passengers and abusive conductors who think they're the Yakuza reborn of the transport industry.
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that's the wayOriginally posted by greengoblin:Haa~ reminds me of my CSM. He confined 3 indian men for speaking tamil {on charges that they were speaking bad about him in tamil} and called the whole coy to tell us that the national language of Singapore is English, Chinese and Hokkien and nothing else -
National language is Malay lah.Originally posted by greengoblin:Haa~ reminds me of my CSM. He confined 3 indian men for speaking tamil {on charges that they were speaking bad about him in tamil} and called the whole coy to tell us that the national language of Singapore is English, Chinese and Hokkien and nothing else 
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not tamli mahOriginally posted by crazy monkey:National language is Malay lah. -
like tat abit racist. how he know the 3 men toking bad abt him ?Originally posted by greengoblin:Haa~ reminds me of my CSM. He confined 3 indian men for speaking tamil {on charges that they were speaking bad about him in tamil} and called the whole coy to tell us that the national language of Singapore is English, Chinese and Hokkien and nothing else -
i have a fren (a quarter indian) who is a chinese teacher
but she can fiak fiak fluent tamil
last time i stay little india
one afternoon i came home with my mom.....in the lift with 2 indian ladies......they fiak fiak fluent chinese.....
so hor, next time u think u can scold ang moh hokkien vulgarities behind their back, better think twice. (refer to I do, I do movie)