ONE of my close friends is a very simple person. An engineer and head of her own trading company, she is most at home in jeans and casual shirts, and can live without makeup or flashy jewelry.
She was just telling me a few days ago how some business establishments could be so judgmental.
Recently, she went to a high-end department store because she needed to buy a whole new set of makeup to replace her whole kit. She went to the counter of a well-known international brand. Another customer, a woman who was dressed well, was there too and asked about lipsticks. The counter personnel kept on attending to the woman, showing her all the different colors of lipstick they have and encouraging her to try them on. My friend would ask for some items, which they would give her, but they did not really attend to her in the same way or offered to put on makeup on her.
In the end, my friend bought a whole set of cosmetics from that brand while the woman left with just one lipstick purchase.
“I told them they should have attended to me with the same level of attention they gave the other woman. It turned out I bought more than she did,” my friend said. “I could relate to Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman when she was discriminated on in a Beverly Hills store because of how she looked.”
In another incident, my friend and her husband used the valet service at the five-star hotel they go to regularly for the buffet. Now her husband is the more “maporma” between them and would always be the one to hand over the car keys to the valet and claim the car. One time, her husband had to talk to someone, and so my friend gave the claim stub to the valet counter. Other wealthy-looking people also came to claim their cars after her. My friend did not say anything but noticed that the other people were serviced first.
After what seemed like thirty minutes later, she was still waiting for their car when her husband came out and wondered why it is taking so long. When the valet, who knew my friend’s husband by this time, saw him, he greeted my friend’s husband, “O boss, kayo pala. Yung claim stub niyo po?” My friend’s husband told him that his wife has been there a long time waiting for their car. The valet said they should have been informed that it is for him so they would get their car first.
My friend could not let this pass and asked the valet if this is how they service customers – favoritism for the wealthier-looking ones? And so she told them that from then on, they should not expect a tip from them. They have been back to that hotel a number of times but my friend still refuses to give the valets a tip.
Another friend of mine who used to work in the administration office of a bargain center in Divisoria told me how interesting it is to see people in plain shirts and tsinelas coming in and paying their leases in cash by the bayong. “They are the unassuming rich. It’s true—you should never judge a book by its cover,” she said.
36 Feedbacks on "Don’t judge a customer by the way he looks"
johnny
That’s sad but i think it’s our culture thing. Those who dress well treated better than the one who’s not. The only thing they doesn’t know that sometimes, those who dress well are the ones pretending they’re rich and those who dress simple are the ones playing poor/humble. It’s your choice where to belong.
tol
This is very true. I’ve heard a story from my friend who was shopping in a dept. store in Mla. while on vacation from the US. According to her, hindi siya pinansin ng sales lady dahil naka shorts, t-shirt and tsinelas lang siya. When she took out her credit while she was paying, that’s the only time she was given attention and was aksed what else she needed. She said something to these sales lady that they should not discriminate the customers.
It happened to me too while I was still living in the Phil., I was so mad because I wanted to check out something from the enlosed shelf, the sales lady won’t pay attention to me even if I asked, maybe because I looked like a probinsyana.
I hope these salespeople would attend classes on how to provide good services to customers. It’s about time they should learn to not to discriminate customers. It’s irritating especially for those who came from other countries and are used to being treated equally no matter what you look like while shopping.
I also noticed that the department stores in the Phil. have the most salespeople and it’s one of the jobs they can depend to earn a living, so they might as well get the right education and be trained well on how to provide good customer service.
weng
This is so true. I agree that it is mostly on uneducated sales associates, they have less training on handling customer service and sales professionally. Every country has a big gap between rich and poor. It is always nice to keep our foot on the ground wearing just “Tsinelas”.
edgar
you can’t blame the salesladies. it’s the way we were raised. we always defer to those who have money. it’s exactly the reason as to why people grab at every opportunity to get rich, legally or otherwise. that money can buy them respect if not people.
patrick
I have been in the states for almost 5 years now. I have experienced racism. People will judge you because of your color. Its unacceptable! We are all created equal. regardless of whats your status in life.
The story in this article is all about judging someone whos not what she is. My point is what if shes not really rich?? what is shes poor?? Still she deserve the same treatment other people gets. We should all go back to the same values that our grandfathers had before. Thats what our country needed. Lets prioritize morality. Just as our Supreme Court Chief Justice is fighting for. Magbabago lang lahat pag nabago ang systema. Its nice to live in a place were everyone is equal. Presidents doesnt have to put all the generals as her cabinet members just for her protection. If you are not guilty of anything why the he** would you put a general as the secretary of energy, transportation, Public works and Highways, etc. How many generals do we have in the cabinet? Including the Chief of Staff and the PNP chief? Nakakahiya pero yang ang totoo. Im not asking for a saint to lead our country. Im just asking that we should start now to make changes. Im asking for all our countrymen to make the right decision. And for every decision that we make may we ask GOD for guidance and lead us to what our country really deserves,
keyboardstyli
I agree.
People are so gullible, that’s why a lot of these types of people (those that discern & discriminate without further basis) are easily deceived as well.
lourdes villamil
as they say “only in the Phils”. experienced the same. it’s really annoying and frustrating.
Fely
Discrimination is true even in other countries and even in other service providing establishments - hospital, hotels, gov. offices, etc. - not only in shopping malls. They would say, if you don’t like their service, go somewhere else. TOO BAD!
tutubi
it happens to me a lot…i look like a teenager at my age but i see it as a two-edged sword. sometimes i like the effect and sometime i don’t ;(
Butch Vera
I wear simple looking shirts, pants, & shoes. But branded.
I used slightly old cars than the later models.
Why? So as not to attract criminal elements.
miles
Looks like this world is only kind for good-looking people. Try to watch Susan Boyle’s first performance in the latest Britain Got Talent. I thought only Filipinos could treat their countrymen like “s” when one doesn’t pass up to their “taste.” Seems like all cultures do!
mangrey
don’t judge the book by its cover….yes because the book can’t tallk and you will not be able to learn the content unless you open and read it.
your friend is not a book. she can talk without being a mayabang for which she is not. your friend is a very simple person and she presented herself as such and as such she was treated. what do you think of the salesgirl, a manghuhula to know that she is somebody. the stablishment is not a manghuhula either.all it wants is to be able to serve the needs of all its customers the best way they can. your friend was able to buy what she needs a set of makeup. the other cusromer was also able to buy what she needs, just a lipstick.
the point am driving at is that customers are not books and that all books are not treated the same. other books are on sale with big discounts.
the difference is customers are people who can talk and immedietely can ripremand a sales person for not attending to his/her needs, that is if they fail to assist your needs. if you want special attention then talk and tell the attending person in amanner that she will never forget you and when you comeback she can attend to your needs immedietely.
huwag mong maliitin ang bumili ng isang pirasong lipstick. she practices the art of how to be entertained when buying.
Dindo
Discrimination in business establishment is very rampant in our country..”Wealthy looks” is always their first criteria in serving a customer..Kung di ka mukang mayaman,shabby treatment ang aabutin mo,which should not be the case.Here in London, though may discrimination sa work (lets accept it)pero sa services,lahat equal..Fine dining resto,shopping mall,supermarket,etc..they treat all with equality beacuse your are a customer,regardless what amount you’re buying,what food you are eating,what clothes you are wearing..Well,mentality na kasi ng mga Pinoy yan OR nasa management na din kung pano nila i-train ang staff on how to entertain customer..AND wala tayong law, like here in London, protecting costumer/consumer about their Legal Rights to Goods and Services..Dito nakain mo na, di mo lang nagustuhan lasa o pagkaluto,pede mo pang ibalik.No questions asked..Yun nga lang,minsan naabuso naman.
Cheers!
Jailor
Something is missing here,hindi siya gaanung pinansin kasi,who was in the counter first, the first one deserved to be served w/ priority,kung nakikisingit ka lang & gave you a chance to interefere, that saleslady is nice with the friend.its unethical to interfere while the saleslady is entertaining someone.
Asedillo
Sometimes kasi kahit di ka wealthy looking basta well spoken ka at you looks smart ok ka na, so probably tell your friend to be smarter next time. She already notice the problem pero she did not care to act on the spot, so I guess she deserved the consequences -:)
Isa pa, normally wala naman sa yaman yan eh nasa yabang. Even sa work, makakadinig ka minsan sasabihin ng iba, eh mas matalino ako dyaan nung nag-aaral kami, nangongopya pa nga sa akin yan pero tignan mo ang position nya mas ok kesa sa akin, sipsip kasi. Hehehe it happens most of the time.
Erap
Nako dear, advise ko sa friend mo wag sya pupunta ng abroad. Baka ma-shock siya at isipin nya na dine-discriminate sya kapag nagpunta siya sa mall / boutique at hindi siya inasikaso or pinansin doon. Bihira kasi sales lady specially dito sa Aussie and NZ, normally kahera lang or meron lang 1 or 2 empleyado.
Wag balat sibuyas….Kung ako ang sales person at asikasuhin ko ang mas mayaman sa mahirap meron ba akong mapapala or makukuhang tip sa kanila, hehehe suntok sa buwan yon dear, so malamang mas maganda pakisamahan yung nakasabay ng friend mo na customer kaya siya ang napili tutukan…Ano sa palagay mo….
nzo
its a sick world……
cecile
On the other side of the coin, I think we should still be humble at all times, even if we are customers. Unless, our rights are being trampled upon already or that our lives become endangered. (And especially if we’re dealing with service people who may not be that “wide-minded” or “knowledgeable” as we are. Although it’s also their supervisors’ responsibility to give them good training in dealing with customers.) By the way, it’s ironic that many of your examples in your story are female, yet your title uses a male pronoun. Better if you’d be more gender-sensitive or politicially correct
onetamad
I’m poor, but dress well. I still get treated like a poor person, though.
Tolongges
I’ve noticed that at the malls, guards usually let well-dressed people through without carefully checking their belongings. If I were Abu Sayaf, I would invest in a nice pair of clothes; that way, their operatives would easily sneak through sloppy security.
john
only shallow people don’t judge by appearance
-oscar wilde
Kuripot
I think the idea here is that customer service workers should treat all customers fairly, regardless of how they look.
The time and effort that maporma customers spend in learning that “art of being entertained when buying” is not the issue. Issue is treating all potential customers the same.
Tengo
Discrimination also happens in security check points at mall entrance. When I enter the mall wearing my eyeglasses and a short sleeved dress, SGs seldom check my bag and never do body search. They even call me sir and most of the time allow me to pass without being “searched”. But when I’m wearing tees without my eyeglasses, they would 100% search me and my belongings.
wilyam
I agree with this observation but as you said this is not true in the Philippines only. I remember shopping in HK once, and one very “dismayed salesperson” curtly told me that Giordano is at the other side of the street.
But in my case, I am already prep-up for the kind of service that I get in the mall. I don’t like flashy clothes because I don’t like being bombarded with sales pitch by credit card, car, insurance agents or get the attention of the criminal elements.
Only insecure people get hurt when they think they did not get the service they deserve. You always have that option to get out if you think you are not being served well. Or to make matter even, don’t tip. Pay to the last centavo and take your time when paying.
Ren Aquino
There is discrimation everywhere. I’ve experienced it many times.
gigi
it happens that too to my 10 year old kid. everytime my son follows a queue in a fastfood or department store to purchase something, he’s always being left unattended by the cashier or being passed by the person next to him. it always ended me having a fight with the cashier or with the person next to him. tit doesnt have to be that way if only our fellow citizens would abide by the rules– to follow queues– no matter how young the person ahead of them. thjey should give equal services to a young fellow in the same way the treated old ones.
happy
Yes, I agree with you we should not judge the book by its owned cover, never underestimate the looks of the person outside cause there are real and true rich people are just to simple that never show off. I remember a friend of mine who is former pharmacist who treat and help the a poor looking old man nicely. She ask the old man, how can she help him. Seeing the old man alone and seems need assistant but the old man refuse and seems don’t wanna talk but still my friend treated him nicely and offer her umbrella hence its raining that day and the old man has no umbrella and just alone. .. The old man, just look at her and take the offer. My friend forgot that incident but surprisingly she sees that old man in other places and that man talk to him until they became friends and offer her a very nice job and let her run a pharmacy that the old man owned. At first she was kind hesitant of that the old man offer. The old man explained his side that my friend has a good heart and He knows that she can be trusted to his business because of what she did to him last time they meet. Isn’t it a blessing for those who help to anyone no matter how she or he looks? fortunately that old man is a multi millionaire and owned several business her in the philippines. That the story ended.
pocholo
I couldn’t possibly count the number of times this has happened to me. Im an HR Director but a lousy dresser. My skin is dark, never went to have my face done. I am a typical syano by any standards. But being a director has its perks including a fat salary.
I remembered when I signed in for a company with a free car that went with the signing of the employment contract. they gave me the check, I encashed it and went to the nearest Honda dealer to buy myself a CRV. As expected, I was looked down with consternation from the guards to the agents. When I noticed that noone was really attending to me, I politely raised my hand to attract the attention of a group of agents who were doing their morning coffee. Hesitantly, one approached me and without me even saying a word, warned me that the unit would cost PhP1.2M. I always delight in throwing back insults in a most sophisticated way. So after she had said her piece, I non-challantly said, “Pabili nga ng isa.. yung kulay white?” She may have thought that I was high on drugs so I made a follow through statement and showed a brown envelop filled with PhP1.2M. Bayaran ko ng cash.
Hahahaha.. that was a complete high. It took the poor cashier the whole morning just to count the money.
Same is true in Bonifacio Highstreet. I have a fettish for good undies. I went to the CK store, and the lady at the counter didnt ever bother to greet me. So I called her and told her to follow my cue. I said I want one of that, and that, and that… for a total of 8pieces which was approximately PhP12k.
Unassuming people would always have the last laugh by just remaining cool and then show off your fat wallet. argghhh… kaawa naman ang pinoy.. never learned.
bong
I also experienced these in one of the shops in makati, they judge you by the way you dress. these behaviour of salespeople only shows they lack training and seminar from their management. Otherwise if they’re intelligent enough, they won’t be there on the first place.
I was checking the price tags of all electronic items in a shop and converting each one to another currency using my very old mobile phone (which is honestly not available in shops anymore), when a salesman asked me what im looking for, i told him im checking the prices first, i know he’ll suspect im a spy from a competitor, but who cares, im a potential customer and i want to make sure i get good bargain. he again insisted, i told him wait, im buying a laptop for my younger sister, he gave me that suspicious smile. but i didn’t mind, i continued calculating each laptop on display and each model using my very old phone. i know pc’s and laptops are cheaper in pinas due to japan and taiwan being our neighbor and intel chips being produced in manila itself, though there are taxes from govt which are negligible and NM. i paid using my credit card, they required a valid ID to support my credit card, i gave my ATPL license issued outside of pnas. suddenly, from nowhere, salesladies flocked! flirted! gave good jokes, i just grinned. finally, i got out of the shop with two handful of shopping bags containing external HD, external CD drive, a laptop, mouse and other laptop peripherals and a digital cam without giving a single tip to anyone. NOT a single tip. NO! not even to that cute flirt, not a tip, not even a goodbye. simple. no hard feelings, you do your job, i’ll do mine.
mangrey
pasensya na po kayo, isa lamang akong mahirap pero marunong makisama. ito pong ginagamit kong broadband ay pagaari ng matalik kong kaibigan. hindi siya mayaman , maykaya kahit papaano. akoy tuwang tuwa dahil nakabasa ako first hand ng ugali ng mga may hawak na malaking salapi. mga matapobre sa talikuran. ay nako nakakatuwa talaga. mayroon pa la talagang ganyan. ako kaya kung magkapera ganyan din kaya ang maging ugali ko? ay ambot na lang.
ping litson
Talking about looking simply plain or maporma, Im an OFW who takes annual vacation and most of the time, plain OFW lang ang itsura ko as in naka-rubber shoes, tees/polos and maong with matching dark glass and as always, the people behind the ticket counter in NAIA will treat you also as plain OFW, which means, pipila ka, kung over bagagge ay pababawasan, etc, etc.
The last time na I departed NAIA, I changed my attire to formal with matching suitcase and coat, which for me is a little bit hassle because I’m more comfortable with the rugged looks. But to my surprise, the supervisor in the counter told me that they will upgrade my seat to Business Class which really surprised me. So from now on, pauwi man or pabalik, kontodo porma na ako.
Anyway, we can’t blame the people in sales/marketing because most of them are high school graduate, no offense but its the reality. And putting them on training will just add additional expenses to the company.
cecilia
it also happens here in Dubai…if you go to a jewellry store the kabayans will not entertain you. I had a friend who visit a jewellry store and wearing abaya..Abaya is the traditional dress of the muslims here in Dubai..and when she entered the store immediately our kabayans entertained her and calling her madam….bwa hahah kala nila ang dami ng pera ng friend ko…
lechonmanok
haaaaaaaayyy nako…
i would like to share my experiences sa mga ganitong tipong mentality ng mga pilipino, hindi lang ng mga sales lady,etc…pati narin ng mga mga taong nasa matataas na posisyon i.e. manager ng banko sa BDO!
BDO service sucks like ass….lalo na yung mga nasa bayan2 like Pateros..hahaha…
one story: i went to BDO pateros to open TIT (treasury in trust account) for our family business. i went there na super casual,not casual pa nga actually, kind of a mess coz i used the motorcycle going to the bank, at umuulan nun kaya i was kind of marumi at jologs.anyway, you can imagine how i looked, pero i didnt expect na gaganunin ako kasi its BDO “we find ways” ika nga.but what did i get, pinatayo ako ng nasa marketing nila nang hindi pinapansin for what seemed like forever pero talagang 5 mins lang yun, pero syempre muka akong gago non diba.the manager was taking orders for something, the person who was supposed to cater to my needs talked to her friend while i stood up there waiting na parang wala lang.so,patience parin nde ko na pinansin,pero i moved my bank eversince…BPI rocks btw.
cowboy from hell
I have read all of the comments in this article and I find it very interesting.
Everything actually depends on our concept of customer service. A lot of people seek better service because they think they have more money than the other person in the counter. Some think that they look better so the person in front of them should give them better service, etc.. I agree when someone said that it’s just insecurity. It all boils down to pride and self-respect. If you want better service you have to state what you need and approach someone for it and don’t just stand in one corner and wait for someone to notice you. We, ourselves do the same sometimes when we are placed in their shoe. Sometimes its actually our fault why certain things happen to us, like dressing something like “jologs” when you are going to a place of business. It doesn’t matter if it’s raining or there’s a storm, you still have to dress according to the occasion. I am not attacking your point of views or the way people think, it’s just that it’s the best example that I can state so everyone in the forum will understand what I am trying to arrive at so please don’t get me wrong. So if you want to be treated nicely, you have to change the way you think and everything will follow.
aida
Yap it happened also in one bank in commonwealth. If we will go to our clints and its accessible in mrt or lrt then taxi, we rerely use our car. One time our client gave a check and we would like to encash it, we arrive 5 mins before 3 o clock we arrived riding in a tricycle , and unfortunately the guard never allowed us to enter ..my husband told me if we arrived with car they will surely entertain us. here in the phils you dont know talaga what kind of dressing you would be, one time i came abroad and as ordinary ofw porma white shirt and maong jeans..hahha pinoy eh levis …grabe they were very snubbish in the airlines..when i came back i dressed naman as a chinese woman haha sa custom naman hinaharang ako because of the tax daw coz i brought home lcd…when i told na ofw ako , they kept their mouth shut…
Another one a lot of our taiwanese friends were shck when they came here in naia a lot of employees daw and porters are asking for pamasko, as i know pamasko sholud be given di ba not to be asked hehe
chris
sorry, can’t relate….. have not had the chance for an encounter like that yet in a dept. store …. but i also dress simply, t-shirt and maong…… my exp is if you linger your eyes a bit longer on a product on display, someone will definitely ask you what you need…. i agree too many saleslady
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