Customer Service

We went shopping today for household items and had two distinct customer service experiences.

1) In a store with a variety of household goods and appliances we bought a microwave and a fan. While we were at the check out a young man came and took the microwave and the fan to a separate location where he proceeded to open both boxes. He then plugged in the microwave and heated up a small cup of water to prove to us that it worked. Then he put it all back in the box and another man taped it shut. The fan was similarly tested. (The phones and speakers we bought were not). This practice, though strange to us, is not all that bad of an idea here where most stores will not accept returns.

2) Later, Debbie was at the grocery story and as her order was being rung up a small container of yogurt with one of those aluminum foil peel tops tipped over and split open. She was then asked (in Spanish and through pantomime), "Do you want us to tape it shut or do you want to eat it here?"

Different. Not better, not worse, just different.