ibunka TB_U6

First page Table of contents 1 Next page Last page

ibunka TB_U6

Unit 6

- In a Shop

INTRODUCTION TO TEACHERS Politeness is an interesting topic to explore in an intercultural communication class ; people from different cultural backgrounds have quite varied ideas about what kind of language and behavior is “polite” or “rude.” Students who work part-time jobs in service industries usually have many opinions on this topic, since they have experienced both sides of the service encounter. The goal of this unit is for students to see that the ways in which shop staff and customers interact, varies considerably across cultures.

Part 1 ........................................................................................................88 Part 2 ........................................................................................................90 One Step Further .................................................................................93 Cultural Commentary ........................................................................98

UNIT 6 | INTRODUCTION

Part 1

1 - You and Your Culture

Online Form for WARM-UP SURVEY (textbook p.38)

Request access

Preview

Online Form available

Online Form for INTERVIEW (textbook p.39)

Request access

Preview

Online Form available

Example Sentences for INTERVIEW (textbook p.39) Q1: When you go to a store as a customer, how do you interact with the staff? • I usually just nod in greeting. I never really talk with shop staff. • I always return a greeting with a nod and eye contact. Sometimes I say thank you when I pay. • I don't really interact with staff, except for when I need to ask them a question. Q2: As a customer in a store, what do you expect staff to do? • I expect them to bow and use polite language. • I guess I expect sales staff to wrap my item carefully, but they don’t need to see me to the door. • I like it when sales staff smile and it doesn’t look forced. Q3: Do you enjoy having conversations with shop staff? • Yes, I enjoy the interaction with staff, especially in clothing stores. • No, not really. I like to keep conversation to a minimum. • No, not at all. Whenever possible I choose stores where I don’t have to talk to staff. Q4: In a shop, do you prefer to be treated with deference, or to be treated in a friendly manner? • I suppose I prefer to be treated with deference, because that’s what I’m used to. • I prefer to be treated in a friendly manner. It makes the experience more fun. Q5: Have you ever had an unpleasant experience as a customer or shop staff member? • Yes. I once ordered a pair of shoes online, but I was sent the wrong size. The shop exchanged it quickly. • Yes, I sometimes have to deal with rude customers. Once when I was working in a convenience store, a customer threw money at me. • I called an information service about my smartphone contract, but it took me a long time to get the information I needed.

UNIT 6 | WARM-UP SURVEY & INTERVIEW

Script for Model INTERVIEW (textbook p.39)

→ Available as audio track “6-00-Interview6” for listening/note-taking practice.

Q1: When you go to a store as a customer, how do you interact with the staff? Tomoki: I don’t interact with them so much. I make some eye contact, and I guess I usually respond to greetings with a little nod. Q2: As a customer in a store, what do you expect staff to do? Tomoki: Hmmm. I’m used to Japanese service, so I kind of expect staff to speak politely, and bow. It would feel strange or rude if they didn’t do those things.. Q3: Do you enjoy having conversations with shop staff? Tomoki: Yeah, I suppose so. But I don’t like to talk for long. I usually want to buy my items and get out. Q4: In a shop, do you prefer to be treated with deference, or to be treated in a friendly manner?

Tomoki: Being treated with some respect feels normal, so I probably prefer that. Q5: Have you ever had an unpleasant experience as a customer or shop staff member?

Tomoki: Well, as a customer, once something I ordered online was broken when I received it. I called the company, they apologized and sent a replacement the very next day. That was nice. But when I was working in a convenience store, I had to deal with quite a few rude customers.

UNIT 6 | INTERVIEW

Online Form for EXPRESSION 1 & 2 (textbook p.40)

Request access

Preview

Online Form available

Example Sentences for EXPRESSION 1 (textbook p.40) • I think that in Japan, customers tend to stay a long time in cafes more than they do in convenience stores. • I think that in Japan, customers tend to ask for discounts in street markets more than they do in supermarkets. • Staff in hair salons are more likely to chat than those in high-end brand stores. • Staff in family-owned stores are more likely to talk about themselves than those in chain restaurants. • I think that staff in boutiques are more likely to make eye contact with customers than those in department stores. Example Sentences for EXPRESSION 2 (textbook p.40) • I think that a lot of customers in Japan go to convenience stores to shop quickly, but I prefer to look at items slowly and carefully. • I think that a lot of customers in Japan go to high-end brand stores for the quality products and atmosphere and I do too. • I think that many workers in Japan go to bars to reward themselves, but I prefer to relax and refresh myself at home.

Part 2

t 2 - People in Other Cultures

Online Form for PART 2 (textbook p.41-p.43)

Request access

Preview

Online Form available

Answers to COMPREHENSION 1 (textbook p.41) Highlighted words are those from the VOCABULARY boxes.

UNIT 6 | EXPRESSION & COMPREHENSION

1 Jim , Australian, web designer, lives in Japan In Australia it is very common for customers to reply to shop staff when they greet you. If you don't, you might come across as rude. I don’t think this is the case in Japan. I don’t see many people return greetings to staff here.

TRUE FALSE

→ Jim is a little shocked by the rudeness of some shop staff in Japan.

☑

□

2 Kevin , British, teacher, has lived in France When I was living in rural France, I soon learned to greet everyone, including other customers, when entering a shop. This is not what people did in the industrial town in the UK where I grew up.

TRUE FALSE

→ Kevin found that shop greetings are more common in France than in his home country.

☑

□

3 Sarah , Canadian, homemaker, has lived in Japan Sales staff in Canada often believe that greeting people in a friendly, more casual manner leads to a better customer relationship. So, many retail workers welcome customers with a friendly greeting and try to engage them in conversation.

TRUE FALSE

→ According to Sarah, it’s common for sales staff in Canada to chat with their customers.

☑

□

Answers to COMPREHENSION 2 (textbook p.42)

4 Jerry, American, teacher, lives in Japan The quality of the service in stores in the US is quite inconsistent. Sometimes you are well looked after, but other times you get the sense that the person working hates their job and is just mailing it in. I never get that feeling in Japan, even in places such as fast food restaurants. The staff here are trained in providing service at a very high level. No matter the job, they have a very professional attitude , and it’s one of the things I love most about this country. 5 Chloé , French, translator, lives in Japan Here in Japan the service is excellent but sometimes it feels a little impersonal. In France staff and customers greet each other, and sometimes exchange little jokes. I like that. But you can also have unpleasant surprises. Sales staff sometimes forget things. And they may even refuse to take responsibility for their mistakes.

UNIT 6 | COMPREHENSION

6 Ravi , Indian, researcher, lives in Japan In Japan, shop staff are very polite and smiling but a bit "robot-like". The welcome is uniform and standardized wherever you are. The service is impeccable, efficient and fast, but also a little cold.

Example Sentences for DISCUSSION (textbook p.42) • I found Ravi’s response to be the most relatable. In my experience, convenience store clerks in Japan are polite, but they treat me as if they were just doing their job according to a manual. This is a common practice in Japan, but I think it might feel cold to people from overseas. • I found Chloé's response to be the most surprising. In my country, even part-time workers have to take responsibility when they make a mistake. There may be differences between Japan and France in awareness of where the responsibility lies.

Answers to CULTURE SHOCK (textbook p.43)

7 Gus, Irish, actor, lives in Spain I remember being quite surprised by a few things when I visited a souk market in Morocco. The stall-holders were quite aggressive, holding the arms of passers-by and guiding them into their shops. But once I was inside, I enjoyed the interaction with the stall-holder. He sat me down, poured me some tea, and we had a nice chat before he even started talking about products and prices. I guess in a culture where you haggle over prices, personal conversation is a good way to begin.

TRUE FALSE

→ Gus was most surprised at the price of tea in the market in Morocco.

☑

□

8 Catherine , French, accountant, lives in Japan I sometimes get reverse culture shock when I go back to France on holiday. I have gotten used to the politeness and thoughtfulness of the Japanese. Back in France, one day, while paying at the checkout of a supermarket, it seemed to me that the cashier had been rude. I told her, "You could speak politely". A customer standing in line behind me defended her by saying, "But she was polite". I was shocked!

TRUE FALSE

→ Catherine’s idea of “polite service” changed while she was living in a foreign culture.

☑

□

UNIT 6 | COMPREHENSION, DISCUSSION & CULTURE SHOCK

Extra Discussion Questions 1. Have you ever had a bad experience in a store, as a customer or as a member of staff? 2. Which chain store in Japan do you think has the best service? Why do you feel this way? 3. Do you prefer to use the self-checkout system when you shop in a store? Why do you think people choose this way of shopping? 4. Do you think that the Japanese spirit of omotenashi is effective and positive in all cultures? Why or why not?

One Step Further Step Further

Online Form for ONE STEP FURTHER

Request access

Preview

Online Form available

Suggested Answers for ONE STEP FURTHER Activities (Google Form)

p.84-p.85 | LOOKING FOR PATTERNS Here are some example answers for the Google form. 1 Japanese / female / interpreter / has lived in France Cultural Pattern A: so polite and commercial that I feel it’s superficial / In France, where I've lived, shop staff are not always polite nor pleasant, but as a rule there is some eye contact and some “human contact” / There are always greetings and thanks from both sides

Cultural Pattern B: In Japan, where I grew up and where I live, the shop staff greet and thank customers very politely. Their behavior is often impersonal

UNIT 6 | ONE STEP FURTHER

2 Australian / male / teacher / has lived in Japan Cultural Pattern A: In most of our own home countries there’s a kind of obligation to reply to staff greetings / I always made a point of acknowledging the staff who took the time to greet me / I felt that I owed the staff as much 3 Canadian / male / company employee / lives in Japan Cultural Pattern A: I could guess that they were bragging 4 American / male / publisher / has lived in Japan Cultural Pattern A: She laughed and rolled her eyes / She looked as though she thought I was either a smart aleck or an idiot. 5 American / male / teacher / has lived in Japan Cultural Pattern A: it’s a lot more relaxed, and some staff do use humor to keep things light and casual 6 French / female / teacher / has lived in China and Japan Cultural Pattern A: In China, I found that shop staff tended to be "clingy" and followed me everywhere, pressuring me to buy something. They openly showed their disappointment when I didn't buy anything. 7 Chinese / female / college student / has lived in Japan Cultural Pattern A: shop staff in China will try to actively push certain items, but customers generally ignore them and buy only the items they want

Cultural Pattern B: we are not required to respond

Cultural Pattern B: everyone was shouting

Cultural Pattern B: I lived overseas for a long time so

Cultural Pattern B: none

8 American / female / basketball coach / has lived in Turkey and Japan Cultural Pattern A:

Cultural Pattern B: I can remember the staff working at a McDonald’s were just as cheery and nice as the staff working at the nicest department stores

if you’ve been to a fast food restaurant in the States you probably found that not everyone working there is actually happy to be working there

UNIT 6 | ONE STEP FURTHER

9 Canadian / male / teacher / lives in Japan Cultural Pattern A: At neighbourhood shops and family businesses, the interaction is more personal 10 French / female / teacher / lives in Japan Cultural Pattern A: customers to say hello to shop staff when entering a store, and say goodbye when leaving / when they are not engaged in discussion with a colleague / to give personalized advice and joke

Cultural Pattern B: none

11 Japanese / female / career counselor / has lived in France and Morocco Cultural Pattern A:

Cultural Pattern B: If you say it back, they say it again / Leaving without responding to them

In America, the customer says, "Thank you," when receiving their change or a receipt / the customer speaks last.

UNIT 6 | ONE STEP FURTHER

6 In a Shop

One Step Further ACTIVITIES

Here are some more responses from the Ibunka Survey on the topic of communication in shops. We can see that most responses fall into two basic patterns.

)25 7($&+(56

92&$%8/$5<

SURVEY

LOOKING FOR PATTERNS

CULTURAL PATTERN A: &XVWRPHUV DQG VWD΍ RQ HTXDO IRRWLQJ ΖQ VRPH FXOWXUHV VKRS VWD΍ DQG FXVWRPHUV communicate more or less as equals. The tone is UDWKHU IULHQGO\ DQG ZDUP

CULTURAL PATTERN B: Customers treated as “royalty” In other cultures, the customer is treated with UHYHUHQFH DQG VWD΍ JHQHUDOO\ XVH SROLWH LPSHUVRQDO ODQJXDJH DQG EHKDYLRU WRZDUG WKHP

Read through the Ibunka Survey responses below. Highlight in one color the words and phrases that hint at &XOWXUDO 3DWWHUQ $ &XVWRPHUV DQG VWD΍ RQ HTXDO IRRWLQJ DQG LQ DQRWKHU FRORU WKH SDUWV WKDW UHȵHFW Cultural Pattern B: Customers as “royalty.” You can work and discuss this in pairs or small groups.

In Japan, where I grew up and where I live, the shop staff greet and thank customers very politely. Their behavior is often impersonal. Sometimes it's so polite and commercial that I feel it’s XZUJWƳHNFQ . However, in rural areas, there is more human communication. In France, where I've lived, shop staff are not always polite nor pleasant, but as a rule there is some eye contact and some “human contact”. I feel that it's very warm. There are always greetings and thanks from both sides, and that's pleasant. -DSDQHVH IHPDOH LQWHUSUHWHU KDV OLYHG LQ )UDQFH 1 In Japan, many foreigners face the confusion of, "Do I reply to irasshaimase?" In most of our own home countries there’s a kind of obligation to reply to staff greetings, but in Japan, where shop staff are so very friendly and helpful, we are not required to respond. Though I spent some time in Japan, I always made a point of acknowledging the staff who took the time to greet me as I entered their store or section. Whether it was a smile, a nod or a konnichi wa, I felt that I owed the staff as much. $XVWUDOLDQ PDOH WHDFKHU KDV OLYHG LQ -DSDQ 2 To share an anecdote YMJ ƳWXY YNRJ . JSYJWJI YMJ KTTI XJHYNTS TK F IJUFWYRJSY XYTWJ NS Japan, I was shocked. I couldn’t understand why everyone was shouting and making so much noise. I could guess that they were bragging about the freshness or quality of the food, but I didn’t understand why they would need to do that. &DQDGLDQ PDOH FRPSDQ\ HPSOR\HH OLYHV LQ -DSDQ 3 4 I lived overseas for a long time so I had reverse culture shock upon returning to the U.S. Once in a supermarket, the clerk asked, "Paper or plastic?" I wasn't sure what the question meant. She laughed and rolled her eyes and then held up two bags, a paper bag and a plastic bag. She looked as though she thought I was either a smart aleck or an idiot. $PHULFDQ PDOH SXEOLVKHU KDV OLYHG LQ -DSDQ 4 1 2 3

LPSHUVRQDO VXSHUȴFLDO SOHDVDQW IURP ERWK VLGHV

FRQIXVLRQ D QRG WR RZH a DV PXFK

DQHFGRWH WR EUDJ

UHYHUVH FXOWXUH VKRFN XSRQ UHWXUQLQJ WR UROO RQH V H\HV

DV WKRXJK a VPDUW DOHFN

Ʉ One Step Further Ʉ I Ʉ8QLW Ʉ I ɄΖQ D 6KRS 84

In the States it depends on the store, but overall it’s a lot more relaxed, and some staff do use humor to keep things light and casual. I also think the staff will try to read the body language of the customer and their initial reaction when they are spoken to, in order to see if they should carry on a conversation or leave the customer alone. $PHULFDQ PDOH WHDFKHU KDV OLYHG LQ -DSDQ 5 .S (MNSF . KTZSI YMFY XMTU XYFKK YJSIJI YT GJ "clingy" and followed me everywhere, pressuring me to buy something. They openly showed their disappointment when I didn't buy anything. )UHQFK IHPDOH WHDFKHU KDV OLYHG LQ &KLQD DQG -DSDQ 6 In my experience, XMTU XYFKK NS (MNSF \NQQ YW^ YT FHYN[JQ^ UZXM HJWYFNS NYJRX GZY HZXYTRJWX generally ignore them and buy only the items they want. &KLQHVH IHPDOH FROOHJH VWXGHQW KDV OLYHG LQ -DSDQ 7 In Japan I felt like as a culture they are all about hospitality. I can remember the staff working at a McDonald’s were just as cheery and nice as the staff working at the nicest department stores. This isn’t to say anything bad about McDonald’s, but if you’ve been to a fast food restaurant in the States you probably found that not everyone working there is actually happy to be working there. From what I saw, Japanese people take pride in everything they do and want to do it to the best of their ability. $PHULFDQ IHPDOH EDVNHWEDOO FRDFK KDV OLYHG LQ 7XUNH\ DQG -DSDQ 8 +NWXY YMJ HTZSYW^ \MJWJ . LWJ\ ZU ITJX STY MF[J F XNSLQJ ZSNƳJI HZQYZWJ *[JS FRTSL people who belong to the same ethnic or linguistic culture, behavior varies. As for interactions between staff and customers in shops, I think it really depends on the shop. At neighbourhood shops and family businesses, the interaction is more personal. At chain stores the interaction is more impersonal. &DQDGLDQ PDOH WHDFKHU OLYHV LQ -DSDQ 9 It's normal in France for customers to say hello to shop staff when entering a store, and say goodbye when leaving. The shop staff also do this, when they are not engaged in discussion with a colleague. The service varies a lot from one shop clerk to another, but salespeople do not hesitate to give personalized advice and joke with their customers even if they are not regulars . ƳSI NY [JW^ UQJFXFSY )UHQFK IHPDOH WHDFKHU OLYHV LQ -DSDQ 10 One of the things that was hard to adjust to was the end of a purchase, and leaving a shop or convenience store. In America, the customer says, "Thank you," when receiving their change or a receipt. That may be the end of the conversation, or the staff may say something like, "Have a nice day," to which the customer should reply, "You too." In any case, the customer speaks last. In Japan, the shop staff always see you out \NYM F YMFSP ^TZ If you say it back, they say it again. This can result in endless loops. Leaving without responding to them used to make me very uncomfortable. Now, I've learned how to say thank you at the same time on my way out the door! -DSDQHVH IHPDOH FDUHHU FRXQVHORU KDV OLYHG LQ )UDQFH DQG 0RURFFR 11

WR NHHS WKLQJV OLJKW LQLWLDO UHDFWLRQ WR FDUU\ RQ a

FOLQJ\ WR SUHVVXUH a WR a

LWHPV

KRVSLWDOLW\ FKHHU\ WR WKH EHVW RI RQH V DELOLW\

HWKQLF YDU\ IDPLO\ EXVLQHVV SHUVRQDO

WR EH HQJDJHG LQ a WR YDU\ IURP a WR a UHJXODUV

WR DGMXVW WR a FKDQJH

WR VHH a RXW WR VD\ a EDFN ORRSV RQ WKH ZD\ RXW WKH GRRU

Write a paragraph on the topic of communication in shops. Include your opinions and reactions to the cultural patterns you found in these survey responses.

EXPRESSION

...............................................................................................................................................................................................................

Ʉ8QLW Ʉ I ɄΖQ D 6KRSɄ I Ʉ One Step Further Ʉ 85

Cultural Commentary lt l Co entary

Customer as royalty In Japan, customers are generally treated as royalty- and shop staff bend over backward to provide polite and polished service catering to their every wish. This is a well-known feature of Japanese society, and yet it continues to amaze even foreigners who have lived in Japan for some time. The cultural patterns of shop interactions that exist in other cultures present a more horizontal relationship between customer and shop staff- the customer provides payment and the vendor provides goods or services. Both parties have their roles and responsibilities, and if one of them does not ‘play their role’ properly something feels amiss. Irasshaimase! One of the manifestations of this difference is seen in greetings. In Japan, typically only the shop staff are required to greet the other party. Staff typically greet customers as they enter a store, and give a send-off greeting or thank them as they leave. The customer is not required to do or say anything in response. In France, for example, if you forget to say hello to the shopkeeper in a bakery for example, odds are that he or she will repeat their greeting while looking at you strangely, until you greet them back . After all, staff are not “serving robots,” so they deserve your respect. British respondent Kevin even notes (page 41) that “When I was living in rural France, I soon learned to greet everyone, including other customers, when entering a shop. “ In that situation, everyone present in the shop is considered to be a member of a small community of human beings who are equals. It so happens that a Yinancial transaction occurs between the shop staff and one customer at a time, but this is far from being the only feature of this situation. Friendly = Polite? There are also norms with regard to the kind of tone staff and customers use toward each other. Canadian respondent Sarah says on p.41 “Sales staff in Canada often believe that greeting customers in a friendly, more casual manner leads to a better customer relationship. So, many retail workers welcome customers with a friendly greeting and try to engage them in conversation.” The emphasis here is on “friendly” and “casual”. This seems to be the case especially in North America and in Australia and New Zealand. It is a fact that French shop staff can sometimes ignore customers (OSF no.10, p.85: “The shop staff also (greet customers)... when they are not engaged in discussion with a colleague.”) They also “do not hesitate to give personalized advice and joke with their customers even if they are not regulars”, but their interaction style cannot be said to be casual. Horizontal, equal relationships in France do not necessarily involve being “casual”, that is, using relaxed language forms and a In this part of the Ibunka Survey, several respondents summed up the service in Japan as being efYicient and “top-class” in terms of attending to customer needs, but at the same time somewhat impersonal. As Ravi, the Indian respondent on page 42 puts it: “The service is impeccable, efYicient and fast, but also a little cold.” He also uses the expression “robot-like” to describe the typical Japanese shop clerk. Respondents from many countries echo this assessment. French respondent Catherine describes her reverse culture shock in a French shop on page 43, and American respondent David his own reverse culture shock in an American shop (OSF no.4). But almost all the respondents who live in Japan (or Japanese people who have lived abroad) also express a feeling of loneliness or alienation in Japanese service encounters. They wish for a little more “human touch” and a little less conformity with the “manual”. Some describe little strategies they use to re-establish some aspects of such equality, like the Japanese respondent in OSF: “In Japan, the shop staff always see you out with a thank-you. If you say it back, they say it again. This can result in endless loops. Leaving without responding to them used to make me very uncomfortable. Now, I've learned how to say thank you at the same time on my way out the door!” Some non-Western cultures are also discussed in this unit, which reYlect staff behavior which, from the “customer is king” Japanese perspective, might seem rather forward or over-personal. Irish respondent Gus describes his experience of shopping in Morocco and comments “I guess in a culture where you haggle over prices, personal conversation is a good way to begin.” (p.43) OSF respondents in No. 6 and 7 describe the Chinese shop clerks they had interactions with as pushy and “clingy” and one describes how “they (the shop staff) openly showed their disappointment when I didn't buy anything.” friendly tone of conversation. Missing the human touch

UNIT 6 | CULTURAL COMMENTARY

References and further reading If students are interested in extending this topic further, you could direct them to look at online reviews of shops and restaurants for interesting comments regarding “good” and “bad” service. It is quite fascinating (and a heads-up for future overseas travel) how a certain kind of interaction can be construed as polite in one culture and utterly rude in another.

UNIT 6 | CULTURAL COMMENTARY

Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13

Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online