Are the Dutch simply the rudest and least professional people in Europe?

[dikkertjedap]

Just wondering ....

I find the treatment of customers in many shops simply shocking. Shop assistants seem to have to chew gum and are attached either to their mobile or chatting away with other cashiers or a friend and will let you wait quite happily. If you dare to say 'Excuse me ..' they will actually tell you 'I am busy, I will help you when I have time'.

For many personal services you have to pay, even if you cannot make it or they cannot make it. For example, if swimming lessons fall on Christmas Day or New Year's Day, there won't be a lesson but you still have to pay. If you want to cancel because of Holidays, you still have to pay. This seems with all sports, at least where I am based.

If faulty goods (or no goods) are delivered then it is the customers' fault. BY DEFINITION. It is never the provider, NEVER EVER.

People seem to be full of themselves, think they know a lot, whereas in many cases it simply makes you cry or laugh. Many pretend to have qualifications and it turns out they don't. So you pay a premium and then find out they are fully unqualified. Clearly no inspections whatsoever.

If a child falls of a climbing frame at school, it will take a considerable time for a staff member to come over, stroke the child over the head and tell it: 'So, now all okay, go and play'. No checks for bumps, no ice, no letter to parents.

Many parents to not seem to use car seats/booster seats (I thought it was EU law?). So at childrens' parties they are all bundled in a car, 8 on the rear seat, no seat belts, no seats.

Mind you, at my local Dutch Ikea store you can get tampons or sanitary towels, in case you need them, but don't forget they are called: female hygiene napkins. Don't dare to point out that this is slightly incorrect, because they will laugh in your face and tell you they are fluent English.

Not what I expected.

Rant over.

[lottiegarbanzo]

That's interesting. A Canadian relative lived in the Netherlands and commented on how so very many things were apparently 'not possible' that were clearly entirely possible if the person could be bothered. I put this down to a contrast with North American service culture, where the customer is always right and every effort will be made, even if they are crazily, unreasonably wrong. Sounds like six of one, half a dozen of the other, interesting to read it wasn't just his perception!

[dikkertjedap]

Yes, things not being possible .... I so recognise that.

I have the feeling that many Dutch people indeed don't give a toss whether they do a good job or not. If I see any Asian people I tend to seek them out as they are much more keen to sort things out and find a solution if necessary.

[dreamingbohemian]

No, Cote is right, it's the French.

Here in France, there is only one way of doing anything. If you don't abide by that, prepare to be corrected.

I love so many things about living here but sometimes this really ruins it all for me

[Mu1berryBush]

and further south too.

I had a spanish finger waggled at me sternly while its owner said "eso no se hace" at me in fierce tones when I asked for something a little bit outside of the box.

[LineRunner]

Oh wow, the 'not possible' gambit.

I saw two English girls win out against a hotel barman (in Israel) who said it 'wasn't possible' for them to have milk in their coffee (complete with shrug).

They went on and on at him about how it was a four star hotel and they wanted milk and he could flipping well walk to the kitchen and get some if he'd run out, and what kind of four star hotel didn't have any flipping milk anyway next to a coffee machine, they were paying a lot of money to stay in a four start hotel and he'd already charged them for the coffees they now wouldn't even want to drink, and in the end he went to the kitchen.

I felt like applauding.

[ethelb]

@linerunner it was probably not available due to kosher laws. They weren't very culturally aware.

[ZZZenAgain]

sounds like Brazil is more my kind of thing. Netherlands sounds tough. Have only been there on holiday and I didn't pick up on any of this

[Mu1berryBush]

in a four star hotel though, it's kind of exempt or separate from the local culture. if they have won those stars they should give non kosher people milk in their coffee.

[Bonsoir]

dreamingbohemian - "Here in France, there is only one way of doing anything. If you don't abide by that, prepare to be corrected."

Indeed. France, the country where every new idea is a bad idea.

[bemybebe]

lol at klootzak :)
service is dreadful in most shops/services, that i agree with. don't even mention estate agents, what is shocking here is norm over there
but I do like the dutch, hey I am married to one

[lljkk]

I have been living in England for 15 years and I still get it wrong at times.

ditto, only I am American, and it's 22 years for me. We are the favourite target for foreigners bashing anyway.

As an American, must say I find customer service in a lot of British shops to be appalling. Kinda amusing.

[Takver]

"I had a spanish finger waggled at me sternly while its owner said "eso no se hace" at me in fierce tones when I asked for something a little bit outside of the box."

Where were you in Spain? Because my experience of living in the south is that people will never, ever, ever say "No" to you directly - they beat the British hands down at politeness.

You just have to figure out then when they mean "yes" as in 'yes, I'll do x y or z, you'll have a quote tomorrow' and when they mean "yes" as in 'no, actually I'm booked up for the next 6 months, and I really don't have time to do your job at all, but I couldn't possibly be so rude as to turn you down'

Similarly, in banks & similar I never ever had the "computer says NO' attitude you get here in the UK - it was always 'right, how do we work our way around the system to sort out what you need doing'

Apart from my family being here, I miss Spain!!!

[LineRunner]

ethelb it wasn't a kosher situation. They'd just run out of milk and the barman didn't care. The bar and lobby was always dairy. The main dining room was meat.

[LineRunner]

Mu1berrybush All hotels in Israel are kosher. Which is why when you are in the dairy section, you expect milk to be available. There weren't even non-dairy creamers offered (which there should have been, in case someone's recently eaten meat), just a nice big shrug for the guests.

[lottiegarbanzo]

Oh yes, customer service here is really bad (i find the American 'friendly' style pushy and intrusive but at least an effort is made and help there if wanted). So if Brits think service is bad, it must be!

[Mu1berryBush]

Takver, I was in Elche. I travelled between Elche where I worked and santa pola at the weekends.

[Mu1berryBush]

and the one with the waggly finger was in Elche!

[Takver]

I guess it varies, Mu1berry - I guess people in rural Devon aren't like those in Swindon



Or maybe the good people of Sorbas (outs self) are just particularly charming and you should all take your holidays there

[dreamingbohemian]

Exactly Bonsoir

I've even been corrected by the weed dealers at the train station. Imagine a country so uptight that even the stoners are pedants

I might be slowly losing my will to live here

[DolomitesDonkey]

I'm still not gettingall your complaints - I think I've become assimilated.

Our estate agent (makelaar) went above and beyond - only slightly odd thing was when he pointed and said "that's my Mercedes" rather than just "I've parked over there". Ziggo, Tele2, Vodafone, you name it - when I talk to people they help. Any of you use Glossybox? Wow! I cannot tell you how helpful the owner/admin were when I ballsed up my credit cards.

Worse "service" I've seen here is the fulfillment of a basic prescription - all chemists in town are as lousy as each other - 5 people visible and not one can serve? Total inefficiency and times will change and they'll be bitten on the arse. Generally you're in the chemist to get something you need, not just a general passing time. You want it, you want out and to bed.

Mind you I got my own back when they tried to charge me 160 euros for a Mirena coil. I said I wasn't paying that much and that they could send it back. I think that's still being talked about in their staff room!

I think I'm pretty much used to the directness now, and I really do appreciate the lack of faff - the Brits (I find now) dance around the issue rather than just saying "no". I've gained a lot of professional confidence here, I've watched my colleagues tear up their proposed pay increases and throw them back at the boss - in the UK we'd never do that unless we wanted our P45!

I've had a few comments along the lines of "you've put on a lot of weight" - but like the "dead father" thing, rudeness I don''t think is an attribute of race, some people are just rude. The guy that said that to me is given a wide berth by many... I told him that his comments were inappropriate and give him his dues, he's not said anything since.

[Salbertina]

I think you're in culture shock... Been there also but not V the Dutch. It gets better, best not to compare ti UK if possible

[VBisme]

I am Dutch, I have never been called rude (as far as I know) but I have often been called direct and honest. But that might have been the English way of saying rude

Sorry Crunchbag, that is the English way of saying that you're rude.

In a business sense if someone calls you "brave" then they mean your idea is stupid and possibly career limiting.

[Jessje]

Now I'm really laughing... I'm Dutch and just moved recently to UK from another European country. We have been here 5 months now and believe me I'm craving for some Dutch SINCERE kindness.. Yes, here in UK people in the shops say "Dear" to you and expressions as "Here you are love" etc. Sounds very nice.. but is it meant? I have lived in many different countries and have never felt so unwelcome. My children are both in local schools and I'm trying my best to make social contact with other mums. Even helping out at school etc. But still I keep being ignored! Please explain because I'm very home sick for a good cup of coffee with some kind people.

[drjohnsonscat]

jessje all it means is that some people aren't very good at making friends. Honestly that is all it means. You have probably already spotted that the British version of politeness in a lift is to ignore everybody (so we can all preserve our illusion of personal space) whereas the French version is to say Bonjour to everybody in the lift! British people are naturally quite reserved on the whole but it doesn't "mean" anything.

I have Dutch relatives so am a little aware of the nature of Dutchness and it's not that different to the nature of Britishness (apart from the directness issue). Keep plugging away and you will find someone to break the ice with. I had this issue at the school my children go to for a few months - then something happened that forced me into close proximity with someone, we ended up laughing at each other's jokes and hey presto, ice broken. It turns out everyone thinks everyone else has loads of friends and is really cool when actually noone does or is.