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Posts like this really irk me, because it gives all the islands a bad name when I know rudeness and bad service are the exception and not the norm.
So I am going to start posting my good/bad experiences and hope that others will do the same.
Good - Friends of the Park store St John. I called looking for book by local author. They didn't have it. Asked if there might be someplace else I could check. She told me "bookstore in Market Place" but she didn't know name. I knew of video store in vicinity so called them from phone book. Recording says open at noon. Called back at noon to ask if they also own bookstore. No. Asked if they had phone # and she gave it to me. Called "bookstore" which is actually Papaya Cafe. They have book and offered to hold for me. May not make it to St John until Monday.
Bad - bookstore at Crown Bay. Went to purchase book, and they were not open with ship at dock. Waited until 10 am. No sign indicating when store open. Could see book in window. No phone number in phone book.
Will post more interactions separately.
Posted : December 20, 2014 7:36 pm
Message Removed: Please revisit board rules.
Posted : December 20, 2014 9:30 pm
Topic starter
Most of the service I experience is bend over backwards personal, friendly service. Would like those businesses to be recognized.
What irks me is when I tell a business I'll come back rather than wait and they want to argue with me to convince me to wait. Not a good idea.
Service won't improve if nobody expects it to. I find that most are eager to improve and welcome suggestions. Not having phone numbers and hours posted on exterior doors is a huge annoyance for me, and I will be more vocal about that with businesses I patronize.
Posted : December 20, 2014 9:57 pm
This is all very generic and applicable to AnyPlaceWorld. I'm not sure what the purpose is on this forum unless it's to garner opinions from all comers on "who's best and who's not" in the USVI which is all very subjective and dependent on what provider and what customer happens to be "off" on any particular day.
When something about a business irks you then take it up directly with the business.
Posted : December 20, 2014 11:11 pm
Realize where you are, Understand their culture/lifestyle and get over it. It hasn't changed for a very long time and probably won't for another very long time.
Posted : December 21, 2014 1:33 am
You mean it isn't all "well, where I come from!" business style in the Caribbean? If I allowed frustration to even barely affect my daily life I probably would have left 30+ years ago. I just use the businesses that satisfy my needs and am happy when I find a new one, and in turn don't bother to ever return to the ones that disappoint me over time. Unless I am not dealing with the owner directly I tend to give every business more than a second chance, -- if the owners responses to me are disappointing I never bother a second time - attitude comes from the top down.
Posted : December 21, 2014 3:59 am
Not having posted hours and phone number is an annoyance to me as well. Posted hours that are not kept are just as, if not more so, annoying. I was a stickler about that when I owned a shop.
H. Stern in Havensight... the woman working there when I visited over the summer was extraordinary. She was very helpful and polite even though she knew I was a local just looking around to check out the shops so I could tell people on the forums what was out there when they had questions. I wasn't met with that attitude in any other shop I visited in Havensight.
Posted : December 21, 2014 9:13 am
Topic starter
Stjohnjulie, thanks for your comments on H. Stern. I haven't been in there in a few years, so good to hear they are still exceptional. No wonder they're still around.
Posted : December 21, 2014 9:23 am
This is all very generic and applicable to AnyPlaceWorld. I'm not sure what the purpose is on this forum unless it's to garner opinions from all comers on "who's best and who's not" in the USVI which is all very subjective and dependent on what provider and what customer happens to be "off" on any particular day.
When something about a business irks you then take it up directly with the business.
I agree with Old Tart's comments 100%.
Jumbie
Posted : December 21, 2014 9:44 am
ms411, you cant really rate the one as bad service as they were not open.
my mothers newspaper has what is called onions and orchids. it is where people write good and bad experiences in her town. not just with businesses but if someone cuts you off in traffic, or if you have a neighbor who has loud barking dogs, or someone helped you up from falling or someone went out of their way to help you at the store or if you have a gripe about something in the paper. well you get the idea. and sometimes people do provide feedback to the original writer.
i like the idea ms411
Posted : December 21, 2014 10:13 am
Not having posted hours and phone number is an annoyance to me as well. Posted hours that are not kept are just as, if not more so, annoying.
I've spoken with the owner of the new chicken place at STX five corners. Every time I stopped there, they were closed. Doesn't even have an OPEN/CLOSED sign on the door. He seemed indifferent when I told him it affects his business. So now I just drive on past since I can only assume that they are closed.
Besides, I found another (better) restaurant to get my chicken and fries fix that I would not have tried if they had been open.
Posted : December 21, 2014 10:30 am
The Daily News used to have a segment called Halos and Pitchforks many years ago where people could praise or vent. Too bad they discontinued it.
My niece goes to the genealogy library when she's on island visiting from the Cayman Islands. There are times when it's not open on the posted day or time. We waited once for a couple hours and nobody showed. Called the tel.# on the door but just got a recorded message. That particular day we saw numerous people wishing to use the library. One fellow was off a cruise ship so had no option to come another day plus had a taxi van drop him off. Some had taken the safari and walked. It's a volunteer staff but wish they had a number that people could call that was actually answered by a real person. My niece often stays in St. John with her mother when visiting so her trip involves a ferry and safari ride, plus a wasted day.
Posted : December 21, 2014 12:09 pm
Topic starter
Alana, you can call the number for the Enid Baa library which is the number for the new library, and ask for Mrs. Lugo. She's the archivist and may be able to help you get access.
I was wondering how they were going to keep it staffed.
Posted : December 21, 2014 1:48 pm
Thank you. I'll pass the info on to my niece. I'm sure she knows Mrs. Lugo as she's used the archives from the library as well.
She does lots of research, on our family history as well as for articles she writes for the St. John Historical newsletter, etc.
Posted : December 21, 2014 3:04 pm
cruzaniron, where do you get your chicken now. i really like the chicken at 5 corners.
Posted : December 21, 2014 4:53 pm
cruzaniron, where do you get your chicken now. i really like the chicken at 5 corners.
Believe it or not, I really like the fried chicken at Fung Kong at Golden Rock.
But you need to get there around 45 minutes to an hour after they open when they cook the first batch, or you might end up with warmed chicken. The french fries are really good aslo. And they have the best steamed dumplings of all the Chinese places that I have tried.
Posted : December 21, 2014 6:05 pm
Topic starter
I've been dying for some good dumplings! Do they have the hot oil and vinegar to dip them in?????
Will be on St Croix when the next special event ferry runs.
Posted : December 21, 2014 8:29 pm
so-really good customer service can be had at Marshall Sterling in Gallows Bay. the people that work there ALWAYS have a smile on their face and are nothing but nice.
Posted : March 12, 2015 11:12 am
Another name for this thread could be Cheers and Jeers. Cheers to good service. Jeers to bad service.
Posted : March 12, 2015 6:41 pm
