Author: The Traveling Professor/Friday, March 25, 2016/Categories: Paris
Another cultural issue visitors have with the French is their different attitudes on customer service. In North America, a common philosophy is “the customer is always right”. That’s not always the case in France. A complaint about a meal or a hotel room is sometimes only responded to with an apology, but not much more. Although things are changing, don't expect them to replace or "comp" a meal if it is not to your satisfaction. A refund may not be in order for products or services as readily as it is in the U.S.
On our last small group tour to Paris, I had some of my travelers try an experiment. I simply asked them to say "bonjour" to just about everyone they encountered. It could be construction workers, passersby on the street, clerks in stores, or people on the bus. It was a perfectly positive experience and I think it also helped new travelers to Paris feel more comfortable to deal with the Parisians.
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