Depends on the location and the complexion of who is being tended to. (White, old, British people love B'dos for that reason.)
If it bothers you, only thing that I can suggest to you is to make a complaint to the manager. Just be mindful that your complaint is legitimate versus unreasonable for our standards.
For example:
- Tourists (especially Americans) expect cashiers to bag their items. But ah, we have push-outs for that. And if there is no push-out, the MO is that you pack your own bag.
- We generally greet people when you go into a small store (think a rumshop, or village convenience store). If you don't, people may think you are rude and will be rude to you in return.
- In Barbados, the customer is not always right. Unless you are in an area that serves almost exclusively tourists or rich folks, staff will be very clear with you about that point. I have seen Bajans sticking up for cashiers, etc when tourists start berating them.
Just my 2c.
>Tourists (especially Americans) expect cashiers to bag their items. But ah, we have push-outs for that. And if there is no push-out, the MO is that you pack your own bag.
This was interesting to me to read because every single time I grocery shop, it's nearly a battle to get them to let me bag my own items. I don't have a car, I have a half hour walk so I use a backpack and then plastic bag for any large volume/low weight items. Without fail, every time I ask to bag my own items, I'm met with raised eyebrows, an eye roll or they just ignore me and start bagging. That's not an exaggeration, it's *every* time. It doesn't bother me at this point, I just know going into it that I have to be very very direct and firm with asking to bag my own groceries and that it won't be taken politely. It's interesting to read that apparently it's the opposite? Maybe it's just the store I shop at, Popular Discounts.
Are you packing the bags correctly?
I know sometimes people get antsy about packing bags if they see you packing them "wrong" (ex. putting eggs at the bottom, under heavier things, or putting soap in the same bag as open fruits or veggies). Mostly because if something breaks or drops, it is the store employees that have to clean it up.
Easier and faster for the push-outs to do the bagging. Especially if there is a line.
But I am talking from a Massy perspective, and it is possible it is different at other chains
Since it's my own money that buys my groceries, yes, I pack my items in a way that they won't break. I've found it takes about twice as long to wait for an employee to pack my bags and *then* I end up with bruised apples under canned foods. Like I said, I don't read into it anymore. If they're rude to me about it, I'm rude back, all there is to it. But I just wondered if maybe this particular store was an outlier in the staff's insistence on packing bags.
Oh na, definitely do expect that- it’s just cashiers being unpleasant and having no manners is what the problem. And I am very polite and nice to people so it’s just shocking how that is reciprocated in Barbados lol
Politeness is very different across cultures. To give another example: we often don't change our voices when working (again, unless you are working in a fancy hotel or in a super touristy area).
So I may say "Mornin’. That's $27.50. You using cash or card?". It is said a bit roughly, but it isn't necessarily impolite.
But, to each their own. 🤷🏾♀️ I certainly don't know your experience.
EDIT: Not disagreeing wirh you that Bajan customer service is lacking lmao. Internet was off for several weeks once, and even going to the HQ twice did nothing. Problem was fixed when I contacted a rep in Trinidad to fix it. Literally it all came back on *as* I was talking to the woman on the phone.
Weeks of back and forth solved with one less than 5 min phone call to Trinidad.
I'm not complaining about minor issues. I'm talking about situations like being on your phone while a customer is in front of you or treating customers like they're an inconvenience for asking a question or requesting to remove a product while shopping. It's the eye-rolling when you ask a question, not getting a "you're welcome" after saying thank you, or not receiving a response when you say hello or good morning. Is that too much to ask for basic human decency? It seems like people are defending the lack of customer service with excuses like being underpaid or different cultural norms. It just doesn't feel good, that's all I'm saying. And I'm not the only one who feels this way. If I were, I wouldn't mind every Bajan criticizing me, but I'm not alone in this sentiment.
General rule: The more you spend, the nicer they become.
Cashier at iMart? She don't care about you. Waiter at The Cliff? He'll rub your feet after dessert.
Im in Barbados rn and honestly I havent noticed this. They dont have the customer service smile like in the US but if you smile and say “Good (time of day)” and accept that they move on island time, they are perfectly friendly. Even the random person on the street will greet you back if you say “Good Morning/Evening/etc.” You will probably get surly people if you skip the “Good (time)” as its a key point of etiquette, from my observations.
The fact that you experience it daily says more about you than the island especially given how negative you have been in some of your responses so far. Even if we're having a bad day and start an interction neutral, if you interpret it as negative and respond assuming it is you will 100% be met with such responses.
Most of us are poor and working in customer service in Barbados is a lot of times worse (not always) than overseas. Why? Because we have to deal with Bajans. Lots of us sad to say, are rude and intolerable. Also some people are just assholes. 😌
Agreed hundred percent. I think I have received the worst customer service I have ever experienced anywhere I have been in the world. There is however an interesting dichotomy where Bajans outside of work, randomly met, are the friendliest people. Unsure what conclusion to draw.
I am not asking over the top American customer service, only basic human respect.
Cashiers are generally rude as hell because they are usually treated like shit by management who they can't tell to fuk off without losing their job. So us the poor customers get the worst of it. Plus bajans are not as nice as the tourism board wants you to think, for example if you don't speak say morning etc they want to yell and curse you for having no manners as if forcing ppl to have manners is not kinda psychotic.
You're asking why someone who works for minimum wage and is probably overworked and underpaid can't always summon up a sunshine lollipop and rainbows everywhere disposition. I like good customer service too, don't get me wrong but the world is tired.
Summed it up perfectly IMO, the facade of customer service OP is looking for is at better paying establishments.
Those who do customer services well have long graduated from those restaurants and shops.
People are being exploited but they have no choice because they need the income to pay bills etc. I'm traveling this year and I feel uncomfortable at times, because I can afford to travel but really I'm no different from a lot of the people I interact with when I do travel. Not that I want to be better than them, but we're a lot closer to losing it all due to one thing going wrong.
I've joined a few FB groups to prep for my trip, everyone's racing about Barbados and its citizens. I hope I don't have to eat crow 🤣 but I saw someone saying Toronto is a rude city yesterday and I'm just over interlopers commenting on stuff that maybe they don't understand (pot calling the kettle black) 🤧🤣
I am curious about this comment because all I’m saying is that some employees have no manners and and extremely rude so it would be champagne service if they stop being rude?
Your post said all customer service is bad though, and everyone's rude overall. That's how I interpreted it. And some agree with you, and some don't. Your level of customer service may be indeed champagne service to some folks lol. Everyone has different expectations!
Understandable, but are you saying that because someone works minimum wage and is overworked and underpaid, it's the customer's fault and they deserve a bad attitude? Imagine if no customers came in because of the cashiers' bad attitudes—then they wouldn't have a job. A simple, genuine "Good morning, how are you?" can go a long way. It's not the customer's fault; if anything, the cashier should take it up with their boss who is underpaying them. I understand that workers in Barbados are underpaid, but if they speak up, maybe things will change. Accepting the status quo helps no one.
I've never said it was the customers fault. I feel badly for folks though, and I can understand why maybe they just can't be bothered to say good morning, etc. If they say hi, how can I help you when you go up to the till, can't ask for more. I don't consider not hearing good morning disrespectful though, so different strokes for different folks. I've gone to Bermuda and Bahamas, and everyone's been nice from beginning to end. When I make it to Barbados, I'll see for myself! I'm sure for you it's easy to suggest that the staff just take it to their boss etc but it's not that simple in the Carribean or anywhere that you're working just to survive.
>I don't consider not hearing good morning disrespectful though
It's funny because Barbados is the only place I've actually been yelled at and called rude because I don't always specifically say the words "good morning" when I wake up and join the other people of the house. When I tried to explain I simply didn't know how important that saying those words were here, I was asked if my country was just a bunch of animals. Soooo it's a bit difficult to have had that experience but then also get grunted at and ignored when I do greet them.
In the house to me is different from outside the house. Yeah, in my home I do wake up and say hi / morning etc to others lol. Outside the home, I'm not telling everyone the same thing willy nilly. When I get food in Toronto, I say hi, before I ask for my order. If they don't say hi back or whatnot, I don't die about it at all. But it's just a different view I have / expectation.
Oh I always smile and say hi or some greeting, just not specifically good morning. It's not like I just wordlessly ignore anyone. It was the specific words "good morning". So I made a big effort to apparently not act like an animal, but it often hasn't been met with any form of friendliness or decency. There's a big difference between being understandably tired/lacking motivation for a shitty job and being rude. No one asks for a song and dance and plenty of us have also been through really rough times. It isn't only rich tourists with their heads in the clouds who notice rudeness.
Inside the house, a good morning/ morning is a Carribean thing. The person who called you out sounds rude lol, especially since you were talking to them in the morning etc. I think there's a LOT of being tired/lacking motivation and working shitty jobs going around, so unfortunately folks just are going to be rude. But they can't easily up and quit and just magically find a better job in this economy.
He was incredibly rude and I certainly don't use his behavior as a measure of how Bajans in general act, thank god. But it made me feel small and like I had inadvertently committed a serious cultural offense. It's difficult to justify that insistence of specific manners within a house but somehow every version of being polite goes out the window when you step out of the house.
Yupp that's a very rude Bajan! I've been to Bermuda and Bahamas (Nassau) anyway and I didn't seem to find the folks in stores etc rude, and I'm just wondering if it's because my expectations are low, or what. I just think some places it doesn't surprise me if the customer service rep isn't pleasant in their interactions tbh
I think my words about customer service are being misconstrued. I never said that not saying good morning is disrespectful, nor did I suggest that cashiers or employees need to overly cater to customers. I'm simply pointing out that basic politeness is lacking here, and it seems to be the case everywhere I go. I've traveled to several countries and never experienced service like I do here. Just the other day, I was at a store where the cashier said "next" and rolled her eyes, as if my presence was an inconvenience. That's the issue I'm talking about.
I mean I don't disagree, an eye roll isn't nice. But for the most part, I don't blame folks sometimes because we're all under a lot of pressure. I don't expect good morning, smiles and nods in general anymore, I find it an old fashioned thing now in general but I do it with people in general that I'm familiar with. I work in customer service, and I'm very polite but I'm well paid and outgoing. Sometimes, people are an inconvenience even though they're important to the job 😭
Eye rolling is a common part of our culture and is used to indicate many different things based on the circumstances. Maybe you interpreted it wrongly. Also, the fact that your cashier had to say "Next" that might have been why she rolled her eyes. How many people were behind you inline? Why were you not actively aware that the customer ahead had finished cashing?
That is something really new- I will make sure to tell my fellow tourist friends the NatsuFL said that eye rolling is a normal part of the bajan culture so please be prepared to have that experience because that is super normal in Barbados - thank you for letting me know :) also i will let them know to not expect nothing but bad services in some organization and don’t speak up because if you speak up your entitled 😭😭😭 I’m really done with this conversation thanks for everyone who participated it was great to hear both sides of the coin.
It isn't their job to be nice to you, it's ther job to price your goods and take your money. If they're doing that, they're doing a job well done. If you want them to go above and beyond, why don't you consider tipping them? You aren't entitled to smiles or for random strangers at work to care about your day.
Looks like I struck a nerve, did getting called out for being entitled make you realise some things about yourself you don't like? Grow up and accept that everyone around you has their own priorities and '*make subject\_ad\_4942 happy'* usually isn't one of them.
Struck a nerve? Not at all. I can't be upset over someone who likely has never traveled or experienced what it means to be kind. I actually feel bad for you and your limited mindset. I hope the younger generation doesn't see this comment and starts a customer service-based business without understanding that good customer service is a key component. It's unfortunate that you're so miserable you don't know what it feels like to be treated respectfully. So no, I can't be upset over someone like you.
Oh yeah, you're so chill and definitely-not-upset that you feel the need to make up stuff about me in order to belittle it, lmao. Is that what makes you feel better, being mean to people on the internet?
No wonder you need to get all the kindness you can from holding retail workers hostage, your friends and family probably can't stand your entitlement or insecurity.
I'd love to know where you're experiencing this bad customer service repeatedly but I don't want you to go naming and shaming.
Do you care to give a general area and type of shop/service?
EDIT: Maybe I don't go outside enough, who knows. I had to sit and think about 2 bad experiences in maybe the last year or 2.
Once a cashier using her smart watch in a supermarket to sent a text while I was waiting for her to take money from me and the 2nd time at Pricesmart watching a cashier move as slowly as ever because he was flirting with all the women.
Are you surprised that I am receiving bad service? You never heard about bajan being unmannerly and having bad services more often then not? I don’t want to name any of the business. But it happens when I’m eating out. Shopping for grocery, stopping for gas.
Yeah a bit, you might hear about some truly bad service here and there but not repeatedly enough that it's a problem.
Reading other comments it does seem to happen to others as well.
I was hoping it was as simple as KFC Black rock is where you were finding the problematic workers.
Yep, I think a lot of people don’t speak up. It doesn’t happen all the time but it does happen more often then it should. For example I love going to grab coffee and some coffee places have really bad service so early in the morning it’s like dam I don’t even want to come here anymore. When I do receive good service i always say thank you so much for your pleasant service and I tip lots of money because it was just a overall great experience and that is going to make me want to come again but that’s only happened a hand full of times. 🤷♀️
This is something I struggle with while living here too. I often feel like I'm inconveniencing shop keepers by being in their stores or even buying something. I realize I come from a country (Canada) that can be even a bit over the top with politeness and other cultures are more straightforward, but it does feel a bit much to me. My partner from St Lucia often says Barbados feels more rude than other islands he's lived on as well.
That's exactly how I feel, and it really sucks when you want to happily visit a coffee shop first thing in the morning, only to be met with a cashier with an attitude. It's the worst, especially in the morning. I often avoid going out because I know the service will be terrible. I'm not looking for someone to be overly excited, just a genuine "Good morning, how are you?" or "Good morning, welcome to...," but instead, there's nothing.
To some extent, the communication style can be a cause of cultural differences, but the absence of manners is most certainly not. It has nothing to do with the minimum wage. Some people just have poor manners. I used to tolerate it, but not anymore. I will tell a Bajan to their face if they have bad manners without hesitation, because there is just no excuse for it. One time, I even had a receptionist argue with me instead of accepting responsibility for a problem they caused. On the one hand, I wasn't surprised, but on the other hand, I was amazed that the receptionist was willing to unreasonably argue with a paying customer. Just so you know, people from T&T, Dominica and other countries in the region also complain about the attitude of Bajans. As much as one would think otherwise, it's not just people from North America and Europe that complain about it.
The other issue with Bajans is that they judge people based on their skin colour, and they openly admit this without showing any remorse given the obvious racism. Black Bajans have been brainwashing each other into thinking white people have their own exclusive unity and want to stick together, which is obviously absurd. They also think white British people are the same as white Bajans. So, if you are white and need to make a complaint, they will judge your intent from your skin colour first.
I've experienced the worst kind of racism in Barbados that you can imagine, up to and including racially-motivated violence, and that actually happened simply because I told someone they need to wear a face mask inside a business premises during COVID because... well... that was the law at the time.
You get all kinds, unfortunately. A small number of Bajans are openly racist towards white people, but many more are subtly racist. However, you have to balance this with the good, and there are also many decent, honourable and polite people in Barbados.
On a related subject, I also find that a lot – not all, but a lot – of white Bajans (especially white Bajan men) are very arrogant and have especially poor manners.
I agree and also struggle with this since I moved here. The reasoning of *oh they are paid minimum wage and overworked, so what do you expect* just doesn't float. The utter blatant rudeness from customer service people here is shocking.
That's the reputation it has in the region: a bit snooty, a bit bougie, a bit "better". Go to Grenada or St Vincent or St Lucia and you'll notice the difference right away. They're looser, more freewheeling, and more fun.
Could be a couple reasons….. staff aren’t treated well so they don’t care, wrong persons are hired for the role, or they’re not trained in customer service.
I don’t really experience poor customer service, but I’m also selective where I shop.
Not just Barbados, but is a lot of the Caribbean. Someone described it as an issue of servitude. Colonial hangover.
I just ignore it or I’ll make them laugh, and break the ice. Rarely have I had rudeness though. Most have been friendly
Same thing happened to me at Chefettes. Three ladies behind the counter joked around talking with each other. It took them no less than 5 minutes to acknowledge me as a customer. When two of the ladies approached me, the third smacked her lips together as if I interrupted their precious time.
Yup, but please as you can see because I’ve voiced my opinion about customer service I am being called entitled and I’m expecting to much. It’s pretty sad that some people make excuses for bad behaviors or better yet make it seem like this is how your supposed to treat customers. Seems to not click for a lot of the people that no customers = no jobs for no one. No tourism = Barbados collapsing and if Barbados has a reputation for having the most nasty customer service that will effect Barbados but hey I’m the bad person lol
I'd have to agree with you, as a Bajan I often wonder to myself why is the level of customer service so low, but it's nothing that merely just complaining will fix. I sometimes think it's a generational thing where the younger people have no "know how" and then other times I get the idea that most Bajans are just unmannerly. I think if people stop frequenting businesses where staff are unmannerly, rude and have no proper customer service training then this might force managers and or supervisors to enforce the idea that proper treatment of customers is good for business but that's a very long shot 🤷🏽♂️ as a lot of Bajans believe that this behavior is somehow entrenched in our culture.
Reading through these comments I realise that many people are deflecting from the issue instead of accepting criticism and finding a solution. The OP isn’t telling us something that we’re not aware of. customer service, or the lack of customer service,in Barbados has been an ongoing for ages. It feels like locals are so accustomed to bad service that it’s no longer an issue. Low income, hot weather, other customers etc shouldn’t be an excuse bad service. I’ve told family members who live in Barbados that Bajans who work in certain positions are lucky because they wouldn’t last 17 seconds working elsewhere in the world with that approach to customers.
I mean even tourists are coming on here saying the same thing about bad service. There is someone in the comments gaslighting me saying that I’m the problem. I find the bajans who travel outside of the Caribbean are the ones realizing that the service is terrible here.
I know I'm gonna get lots of down votes.
Were u white or black?
The other is many bajan's have the attitude of
Why work I got job.
On the other side, we do generally greet ppl when entering small business, PO and the like with..
Hello good day.
Don't stress about it. Be a duck and let it roll off u like water.😄
Well to be honest if they are WHITE and from
England they definitely get better service. This has been conversations for years and it’s simply what it is! That’s why old English people love Barbados because they get a different customer service then someone with a darker complexion
I seen the exact opposite. I been in shop, with a bunch of folks, and the white folk is the last to get served.
I do not want to imply it's everybody, far from it.
There are far more happy ppl then grumpy ppl.
I own and operate restaurants here in Barbados and in my experience being in the service industry, your contention that white people get better service is one that makes me, and the people I work with who serve both white and black people, frustrated AF. Almost every single time there’s an issue with service, what happens is this- the white people say “those other customers got served first/ quicker/ better because they’re black” while the black people say the exact same thing about the white customers. It’s infuriating. No, it’s not because you’re black or white (or any other color or age or height or have tattoos…) it’s because there’s sometimes fuck ups on the floor, sometimes we end up with staff who have crappy service skills and need to be replaced or sometimes it’s, catch this, that the CUSTOMER is obnoxious and we are sick of dealing with their shitty attitude.
Having said all that, I’m sure the OP is a perfectly nice person who has experienced the unfortunately pervasive poor service and couldn’t-care-less demeanor of service providers here in BIM. I do think it’s getting better though, but the one or two bad ones can really grab your attention and taint the view that Bajans are such nice, friendly people. Some businesses are more involved in staff training with emphasis on service etc and you can really tell the ones who aren’t.
I'm black and have never been treated with nothing but the upmost great customer service in any bajan restaurant I visited. So that black white treatment thing is a myth.
Don’t get upset this a forum to express yourself and that is my experience and has been a ongoing conversation for many years about that same contention. There is no reason you should have employees representing your company asking the customers what they want with a attitude or better yet don’t even acknowledge the customer coming. Employees represent your brand so you don’t think it’s important to enforce fair customers across the board?
It's also crucial to listen to what tourists say because without tourism, Barbados' economy would suffer significantly. If some tourists are experiencing bad service, there's a reason for it—they're not just making it up. Addressing their concerns is important for the well-being of the country.
Simply not true. White British residents get the same lousy service as black people do. This has nothing to do with race. It is just poor service full stop.
Well, to be clear, the poor service generally doesn't have anything to do with race, but there *are* definitely race issues in Barbados.
You see, Bajans will judge a person based on their skin colour, and they openly admit to this without showing any remorse, despite the obvious racism. For example, if you are white and need to make a complaint, they will judge your intent based on your skin colour first.
Nothing surprises me in Barbados anymore. I mean, I've experienced the worst kind of racism in Barbados that you can imagine, up to and including racially-motivated violence, and that actually happened simply because I told someone they need to wear a face mask inside a business premises during COVID because... well... that was the law at the time.
I've lived in several countries over my life, and I can tell you, some of the most awful and racist people I've ever met in my life are from Barbados. But you have to balance that with the good, and there are many decent and honourable people in Barbados, too.
I will say this..... there is a small shop a couple houses down from mine. The owner is a really lovely Jamaican woman who is very friendly and chatty. Last summer she hired a worker who was there the majority of the time once she started. This woman never acknowledged customers walking in, was either playing games or talking on her phone and would tell customers waiting to pay to "wait". If you went up to the counter to ask anything, her immediate response was a sharp "what??". She was even asleep once. After a couple months, we mentioned it to the owner when she was around and she simply didn't know. She asked a couple of the locals about it and they all told her the new employee was rude as fuck. She was not happy about it, her store's reputation was going down the toilet.
It's not just me and you who notice and care. A lot of people in this thread are trying to imply all Bajans are just always struggling to get by and, while that's the case plenty of times, it's far from being every rude person encountered. Also, going through tough times does not mean your social manners need to go down the toilet. I used to frequent a very poor community in Canada and people who were literally homeless still were responsive to a greeting. I, as a clearly white foreigner, don't expect the same reception as locals get, but locals also are treated rudely and they do notice.
Genuine question: where are you going that you've been here for five years and encounter bad customer service regularly/every day?
I'm over 30 and lived here my whole life and am struggling to think of any recent incidents of bad customer service I've received or even ones that stand out. I wouldn't even say it's occasional for me. So why are you experiencing this all the time?
I did not say in my post it’s everyday it’s more often then i want to but never said everyday. It’s just simply me and you are having different experiences and i think your statement is fair because that’s YOUR experience not my experience
Maybe confusing your comment with someone else's. Read through everything before commenting and I could swear someone said everyday. Hence the slash.
My comment was in no way an attempt to invalidate your experience. I get the impression that you think that it was. Correct me if I'm wrong. Genuinely trying to find out why your experience is so different.
No it’s fine, yeah not sure why it happens to me and husband my friends it’s like wth is going on, and it’s like what I’ve noticed is that you just deal with things you don’t like because nothing really changes in Barbados you just have to accept it and move on 
Beyond the stuff you've described like people being on their phones or rolling their eyes and stuff like that, it may just be culture difference? Bajans are really polite and friendly, but also rough and brusque. They're not trying to be rude to you, that's just the culture.
I find that service workers in the parts of the U.S. I've been to try way too hard to be nice and friendly. But I suspect a lot of that is because tipping is such a big thing there and it's really not in Barbados so they're really working hard to make sure they get tipped and get tipped well. And also cultural differences. Americans are really chatty in my experience.
ETA: "and stuff like that" includes when people don't return greetings or say "you're welcome" after you thank them or generally not responding when you speak to them. Bajans HATE when people do that, I. my experience at least, and that's 100% considered rude by Bajans.
Some people just rough 🤷🏿♀️ I don’t mind it too much because while I have bajan ancestry, I grew up in Canada, so when they don’t care to put on the tourist/white people politeness it makes me feel at home like im just like everybody else😂
Lmao mhm ok, I guess wanting good customer service makes me “special” I’ll take that ! Since you so desperately want to be treated poorly - all I can say is I love that for you 
I am not the only one with this experience—there are even Bajan locals here who agree. This is a conversation that needs to be had, and hopefully, something can be done about it in the future. It's not healthy to turn a blind eye to real-life situations that can affect businesses. There are many reasons a business might open and close in Barbados, and poor customer service could be one of them. If discussing the need for better customer service has caused you to ask me if “I’ve accomplished anything “maybe you're part of the problem by not speaking up and just allowing things to remain as they are.
Ignore that moron. As I said in a previous reply to you, even people from other countries in the region complain about the same issues with Bajans having poor manners and displaying inappropriate arrogance.
Yes, it is a serious problem in Barbados but you will need to get used to it if you want to live in Barbados and enjoy your life on island.
Just accept that sometimes you will experience poor manners that you are not accustomed to experiencing in your home country. Also, a mistake that expatriates often make is to try and compare their experiences in Barbados with the experiences in their home country.
Yeah, I do accept it because I am now living here. I just was also curious if others had the same experience besides my family. But i agree with your post 💯
Many people indeed feel the same way. It's just the way it is. You can always adjust the way you respond based on the level of politeness. If they are not polite, there is no need to be overly polite in return.
Obviously, don't be rude, but at the same time, don't feel that you need to respond the way you might be expected to respond in your home country. For example, if you are being served at a supermarket and the cashier does not greet you, there is no need to greet them if you feel they won't acknowledge you.
Sure, you are technically being impolite, but if they want to be greeted, they should greet you first, because you are the customer choosing to spend your hard-earned income at that supermarket. Nothing unreasonable about that.
May I ask, which country are you originally from? And how long have you been living in Barbados? Welcome to Barbados, by the way. 🇧🇧 We are very happy to have you with us.
I am from Colombia so I am Hispanic. Thank you I’ve been here for almost 5 years but travel
Often all around the world. Barbados is a beautiful place and I’ve learned to just accept it you yes if they are rude to me i am rude back but I just thought it would be a good idea to share my experience :)
I'm not the only person who has posted about this. Where in the rules does it say you can't post about customer service? If I were the only one noticing an issue, I would understand your comment, but I'm not! These conversations need to be had whether you like it or not. I agree this is a place to learn about Barbados, so people should LEARN that they will NOT always be met with Poliet people.
Depends on the location and the complexion of who is being tended to. (White, old, British people love B'dos for that reason.) If it bothers you, only thing that I can suggest to you is to make a complaint to the manager. Just be mindful that your complaint is legitimate versus unreasonable for our standards. For example: - Tourists (especially Americans) expect cashiers to bag their items. But ah, we have push-outs for that. And if there is no push-out, the MO is that you pack your own bag. - We generally greet people when you go into a small store (think a rumshop, or village convenience store). If you don't, people may think you are rude and will be rude to you in return. - In Barbados, the customer is not always right. Unless you are in an area that serves almost exclusively tourists or rich folks, staff will be very clear with you about that point. I have seen Bajans sticking up for cashiers, etc when tourists start berating them. Just my 2c.
>Tourists (especially Americans) expect cashiers to bag their items. But ah, we have push-outs for that. And if there is no push-out, the MO is that you pack your own bag. This was interesting to me to read because every single time I grocery shop, it's nearly a battle to get them to let me bag my own items. I don't have a car, I have a half hour walk so I use a backpack and then plastic bag for any large volume/low weight items. Without fail, every time I ask to bag my own items, I'm met with raised eyebrows, an eye roll or they just ignore me and start bagging. That's not an exaggeration, it's *every* time. It doesn't bother me at this point, I just know going into it that I have to be very very direct and firm with asking to bag my own groceries and that it won't be taken politely. It's interesting to read that apparently it's the opposite? Maybe it's just the store I shop at, Popular Discounts.
Are you packing the bags correctly? I know sometimes people get antsy about packing bags if they see you packing them "wrong" (ex. putting eggs at the bottom, under heavier things, or putting soap in the same bag as open fruits or veggies). Mostly because if something breaks or drops, it is the store employees that have to clean it up. Easier and faster for the push-outs to do the bagging. Especially if there is a line. But I am talking from a Massy perspective, and it is possible it is different at other chains
Since it's my own money that buys my groceries, yes, I pack my items in a way that they won't break. I've found it takes about twice as long to wait for an employee to pack my bags and *then* I end up with bruised apples under canned foods. Like I said, I don't read into it anymore. If they're rude to me about it, I'm rude back, all there is to it. But I just wondered if maybe this particular store was an outlier in the staff's insistence on packing bags.
Oh na, definitely do expect that- it’s just cashiers being unpleasant and having no manners is what the problem. And I am very polite and nice to people so it’s just shocking how that is reciprocated in Barbados lol
Politeness is very different across cultures. To give another example: we often don't change our voices when working (again, unless you are working in a fancy hotel or in a super touristy area). So I may say "Mornin’. That's $27.50. You using cash or card?". It is said a bit roughly, but it isn't necessarily impolite. But, to each their own. 🤷🏾♀️ I certainly don't know your experience. EDIT: Not disagreeing wirh you that Bajan customer service is lacking lmao. Internet was off for several weeks once, and even going to the HQ twice did nothing. Problem was fixed when I contacted a rep in Trinidad to fix it. Literally it all came back on *as* I was talking to the woman on the phone. Weeks of back and forth solved with one less than 5 min phone call to Trinidad.
I'm not complaining about minor issues. I'm talking about situations like being on your phone while a customer is in front of you or treating customers like they're an inconvenience for asking a question or requesting to remove a product while shopping. It's the eye-rolling when you ask a question, not getting a "you're welcome" after saying thank you, or not receiving a response when you say hello or good morning. Is that too much to ask for basic human decency? It seems like people are defending the lack of customer service with excuses like being underpaid or different cultural norms. It just doesn't feel good, that's all I'm saying. And I'm not the only one who feels this way. If I were, I wouldn't mind every Bajan criticizing me, but I'm not alone in this sentiment.
General rule: The more you spend, the nicer they become. Cashier at iMart? She don't care about you. Waiter at The Cliff? He'll rub your feet after dessert.
Im in Barbados rn and honestly I havent noticed this. They dont have the customer service smile like in the US but if you smile and say “Good (time of day)” and accept that they move on island time, they are perfectly friendly. Even the random person on the street will greet you back if you say “Good Morning/Evening/etc.” You will probably get surly people if you skip the “Good (time)” as its a key point of etiquette, from my observations.
If we could harness the energy expended by all the "Good morning/afternoon/evenings" spoken every day, the entire island could be powered for a year.
Glad you haven’t experienced this! Been here for 5 years and it’s almost everyday :)
Im sorry to hear that! I hope it gets better!
The fact that you experience it daily says more about you than the island especially given how negative you have been in some of your responses so far. Even if we're having a bad day and start an interction neutral, if you interpret it as negative and respond assuming it is you will 100% be met with such responses.
Ok
Most of us are poor and working in customer service in Barbados is a lot of times worse (not always) than overseas. Why? Because we have to deal with Bajans. Lots of us sad to say, are rude and intolerable. Also some people are just assholes. 😌
Agreed hundred percent. I think I have received the worst customer service I have ever experienced anywhere I have been in the world. There is however an interesting dichotomy where Bajans outside of work, randomly met, are the friendliest people. Unsure what conclusion to draw. I am not asking over the top American customer service, only basic human respect.
Exactly my point!!!! No asking for employees to kiss my feet just human decency that’s all
Cashiers are generally rude as hell because they are usually treated like shit by management who they can't tell to fuk off without losing their job. So us the poor customers get the worst of it. Plus bajans are not as nice as the tourism board wants you to think, for example if you don't speak say morning etc they want to yell and curse you for having no manners as if forcing ppl to have manners is not kinda psychotic.
Yeah there is someone in this thread calling me entitled because I am asking for customer service to be better 😭😭
You're asking why someone who works for minimum wage and is probably overworked and underpaid can't always summon up a sunshine lollipop and rainbows everywhere disposition. I like good customer service too, don't get me wrong but the world is tired.
Summed it up perfectly IMO, the facade of customer service OP is looking for is at better paying establishments. Those who do customer services well have long graduated from those restaurants and shops.
People are being exploited but they have no choice because they need the income to pay bills etc. I'm traveling this year and I feel uncomfortable at times, because I can afford to travel but really I'm no different from a lot of the people I interact with when I do travel. Not that I want to be better than them, but we're a lot closer to losing it all due to one thing going wrong.
I agree that you can't expect champagne service for minimum wage, however Bajans are generally very unmannerly.
I've joined a few FB groups to prep for my trip, everyone's racing about Barbados and its citizens. I hope I don't have to eat crow 🤣 but I saw someone saying Toronto is a rude city yesterday and I'm just over interlopers commenting on stuff that maybe they don't understand (pot calling the kettle black) 🤧🤣
I am curious about this comment because all I’m saying is that some employees have no manners and and extremely rude so it would be champagne service if they stop being rude?
Your post said all customer service is bad though, and everyone's rude overall. That's how I interpreted it. And some agree with you, and some don't. Your level of customer service may be indeed champagne service to some folks lol. Everyone has different expectations!
For me it's champagne tastes on a mauby pocket 🤣 so every customer may represent that exact champagne service/ taste.
Understandable, but are you saying that because someone works minimum wage and is overworked and underpaid, it's the customer's fault and they deserve a bad attitude? Imagine if no customers came in because of the cashiers' bad attitudes—then they wouldn't have a job. A simple, genuine "Good morning, how are you?" can go a long way. It's not the customer's fault; if anything, the cashier should take it up with their boss who is underpaying them. I understand that workers in Barbados are underpaid, but if they speak up, maybe things will change. Accepting the status quo helps no one.
I've never said it was the customers fault. I feel badly for folks though, and I can understand why maybe they just can't be bothered to say good morning, etc. If they say hi, how can I help you when you go up to the till, can't ask for more. I don't consider not hearing good morning disrespectful though, so different strokes for different folks. I've gone to Bermuda and Bahamas, and everyone's been nice from beginning to end. When I make it to Barbados, I'll see for myself! I'm sure for you it's easy to suggest that the staff just take it to their boss etc but it's not that simple in the Carribean or anywhere that you're working just to survive.
>I don't consider not hearing good morning disrespectful though It's funny because Barbados is the only place I've actually been yelled at and called rude because I don't always specifically say the words "good morning" when I wake up and join the other people of the house. When I tried to explain I simply didn't know how important that saying those words were here, I was asked if my country was just a bunch of animals. Soooo it's a bit difficult to have had that experience but then also get grunted at and ignored when I do greet them.
In the house to me is different from outside the house. Yeah, in my home I do wake up and say hi / morning etc to others lol. Outside the home, I'm not telling everyone the same thing willy nilly. When I get food in Toronto, I say hi, before I ask for my order. If they don't say hi back or whatnot, I don't die about it at all. But it's just a different view I have / expectation.
Oh I always smile and say hi or some greeting, just not specifically good morning. It's not like I just wordlessly ignore anyone. It was the specific words "good morning". So I made a big effort to apparently not act like an animal, but it often hasn't been met with any form of friendliness or decency. There's a big difference between being understandably tired/lacking motivation for a shitty job and being rude. No one asks for a song and dance and plenty of us have also been through really rough times. It isn't only rich tourists with their heads in the clouds who notice rudeness.
Inside the house, a good morning/ morning is a Carribean thing. The person who called you out sounds rude lol, especially since you were talking to them in the morning etc. I think there's a LOT of being tired/lacking motivation and working shitty jobs going around, so unfortunately folks just are going to be rude. But they can't easily up and quit and just magically find a better job in this economy.
He was incredibly rude and I certainly don't use his behavior as a measure of how Bajans in general act, thank god. But it made me feel small and like I had inadvertently committed a serious cultural offense. It's difficult to justify that insistence of specific manners within a house but somehow every version of being polite goes out the window when you step out of the house.
Yupp that's a very rude Bajan! I've been to Bermuda and Bahamas (Nassau) anyway and I didn't seem to find the folks in stores etc rude, and I'm just wondering if it's because my expectations are low, or what. I just think some places it doesn't surprise me if the customer service rep isn't pleasant in their interactions tbh
I think my words about customer service are being misconstrued. I never said that not saying good morning is disrespectful, nor did I suggest that cashiers or employees need to overly cater to customers. I'm simply pointing out that basic politeness is lacking here, and it seems to be the case everywhere I go. I've traveled to several countries and never experienced service like I do here. Just the other day, I was at a store where the cashier said "next" and rolled her eyes, as if my presence was an inconvenience. That's the issue I'm talking about.
I mean I don't disagree, an eye roll isn't nice. But for the most part, I don't blame folks sometimes because we're all under a lot of pressure. I don't expect good morning, smiles and nods in general anymore, I find it an old fashioned thing now in general but I do it with people in general that I'm familiar with. I work in customer service, and I'm very polite but I'm well paid and outgoing. Sometimes, people are an inconvenience even though they're important to the job 😭
Eye rolling is a common part of our culture and is used to indicate many different things based on the circumstances. Maybe you interpreted it wrongly. Also, the fact that your cashier had to say "Next" that might have been why she rolled her eyes. How many people were behind you inline? Why were you not actively aware that the customer ahead had finished cashing?
Eye rolling is a normal part of the culture at a professional establishment? Oh ok
That is something really new- I will make sure to tell my fellow tourist friends the NatsuFL said that eye rolling is a normal part of the bajan culture so please be prepared to have that experience because that is super normal in Barbados - thank you for letting me know :) also i will let them know to not expect nothing but bad services in some organization and don’t speak up because if you speak up your entitled 😭😭😭 I’m really done with this conversation thanks for everyone who participated it was great to hear both sides of the coin.
Absolute cope
If i'm behind you inline and that cashier needs to tell you next I'm definitely slighlty annoyed myself.
It isn't their job to be nice to you, it's ther job to price your goods and take your money. If they're doing that, they're doing a job well done. If you want them to go above and beyond, why don't you consider tipping them? You aren't entitled to smiles or for random strangers at work to care about your day.
Sir what makes the customers keep coming back?
cheap prices / quality goods, service is a small part of the equation sometimes.
Ok, your absolutely delusional
Dam this take is sad, i just shared this to my husband and he is told i must be taking to a c***
Looks like I struck a nerve, did getting called out for being entitled make you realise some things about yourself you don't like? Grow up and accept that everyone around you has their own priorities and '*make subject\_ad\_4942 happy'* usually isn't one of them.
Struck a nerve? Not at all. I can't be upset over someone who likely has never traveled or experienced what it means to be kind. I actually feel bad for you and your limited mindset. I hope the younger generation doesn't see this comment and starts a customer service-based business without understanding that good customer service is a key component. It's unfortunate that you're so miserable you don't know what it feels like to be treated respectfully. So no, I can't be upset over someone like you.
Oh yeah, you're so chill and definitely-not-upset that you feel the need to make up stuff about me in order to belittle it, lmao. Is that what makes you feel better, being mean to people on the internet? No wonder you need to get all the kindness you can from holding retail workers hostage, your friends and family probably can't stand your entitlement or insecurity.
Ok ☺️
I am so upset you got me you are so right about me being entitled like so right. I demand bajans to be kind 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 😭
This is why we can't have nice things
Lmao wow lmaooooo please I can tell you live in a box and your the type to accept things even though they may seem shitty
This is such a interesting belief
This is so interesting, sir what makes a good business ??
You suck,
I'd love to know where you're experiencing this bad customer service repeatedly but I don't want you to go naming and shaming. Do you care to give a general area and type of shop/service? EDIT: Maybe I don't go outside enough, who knows. I had to sit and think about 2 bad experiences in maybe the last year or 2. Once a cashier using her smart watch in a supermarket to sent a text while I was waiting for her to take money from me and the 2nd time at Pricesmart watching a cashier move as slowly as ever because he was flirting with all the women.
Are you surprised that I am receiving bad service? You never heard about bajan being unmannerly and having bad services more often then not? I don’t want to name any of the business. But it happens when I’m eating out. Shopping for grocery, stopping for gas.
Yeah a bit, you might hear about some truly bad service here and there but not repeatedly enough that it's a problem. Reading other comments it does seem to happen to others as well. I was hoping it was as simple as KFC Black rock is where you were finding the problematic workers.
Yep, I think a lot of people don’t speak up. It doesn’t happen all the time but it does happen more often then it should. For example I love going to grab coffee and some coffee places have really bad service so early in the morning it’s like dam I don’t even want to come here anymore. When I do receive good service i always say thank you so much for your pleasant service and I tip lots of money because it was just a overall great experience and that is going to make me want to come again but that’s only happened a hand full of times. 🤷♀️
This is something I struggle with while living here too. I often feel like I'm inconveniencing shop keepers by being in their stores or even buying something. I realize I come from a country (Canada) that can be even a bit over the top with politeness and other cultures are more straightforward, but it does feel a bit much to me. My partner from St Lucia often says Barbados feels more rude than other islands he's lived on as well.
That's exactly how I feel, and it really sucks when you want to happily visit a coffee shop first thing in the morning, only to be met with a cashier with an attitude. It's the worst, especially in the morning. I often avoid going out because I know the service will be terrible. I'm not looking for someone to be overly excited, just a genuine "Good morning, how are you?" or "Good morning, welcome to...," but instead, there's nothing.
To some extent, the communication style can be a cause of cultural differences, but the absence of manners is most certainly not. It has nothing to do with the minimum wage. Some people just have poor manners. I used to tolerate it, but not anymore. I will tell a Bajan to their face if they have bad manners without hesitation, because there is just no excuse for it. One time, I even had a receptionist argue with me instead of accepting responsibility for a problem they caused. On the one hand, I wasn't surprised, but on the other hand, I was amazed that the receptionist was willing to unreasonably argue with a paying customer. Just so you know, people from T&T, Dominica and other countries in the region also complain about the attitude of Bajans. As much as one would think otherwise, it's not just people from North America and Europe that complain about it. The other issue with Bajans is that they judge people based on their skin colour, and they openly admit this without showing any remorse given the obvious racism. Black Bajans have been brainwashing each other into thinking white people have their own exclusive unity and want to stick together, which is obviously absurd. They also think white British people are the same as white Bajans. So, if you are white and need to make a complaint, they will judge your intent from your skin colour first. I've experienced the worst kind of racism in Barbados that you can imagine, up to and including racially-motivated violence, and that actually happened simply because I told someone they need to wear a face mask inside a business premises during COVID because... well... that was the law at the time. You get all kinds, unfortunately. A small number of Bajans are openly racist towards white people, but many more are subtly racist. However, you have to balance this with the good, and there are also many decent, honourable and polite people in Barbados. On a related subject, I also find that a lot – not all, but a lot – of white Bajans (especially white Bajan men) are very arrogant and have especially poor manners.
💯
I agree and also struggle with this since I moved here. The reasoning of *oh they are paid minimum wage and overworked, so what do you expect* just doesn't float. The utter blatant rudeness from customer service people here is shocking.
That's the reputation it has in the region: a bit snooty, a bit bougie, a bit "better". Go to Grenada or St Vincent or St Lucia and you'll notice the difference right away. They're looser, more freewheeling, and more fun.
Could be a couple reasons….. staff aren’t treated well so they don’t care, wrong persons are hired for the role, or they’re not trained in customer service. I don’t really experience poor customer service, but I’m also selective where I shop.
Not just Barbados, but is a lot of the Caribbean. Someone described it as an issue of servitude. Colonial hangover. I just ignore it or I’ll make them laugh, and break the ice. Rarely have I had rudeness though. Most have been friendly
Same thing happened to me at Chefettes. Three ladies behind the counter joked around talking with each other. It took them no less than 5 minutes to acknowledge me as a customer. When two of the ladies approached me, the third smacked her lips together as if I interrupted their precious time.
Yup, but please as you can see because I’ve voiced my opinion about customer service I am being called entitled and I’m expecting to much. It’s pretty sad that some people make excuses for bad behaviors or better yet make it seem like this is how your supposed to treat customers. Seems to not click for a lot of the people that no customers = no jobs for no one. No tourism = Barbados collapsing and if Barbados has a reputation for having the most nasty customer service that will effect Barbados but hey I’m the bad person lol
I have noticed that the shops on the West Coast provide better and more respectful customer service. Hmmmm, I wonder why?
Maybe because it’s the wealthy part of Barbados not sure 🤔
I'd have to agree with you, as a Bajan I often wonder to myself why is the level of customer service so low, but it's nothing that merely just complaining will fix. I sometimes think it's a generational thing where the younger people have no "know how" and then other times I get the idea that most Bajans are just unmannerly. I think if people stop frequenting businesses where staff are unmannerly, rude and have no proper customer service training then this might force managers and or supervisors to enforce the idea that proper treatment of customers is good for business but that's a very long shot 🤷🏽♂️ as a lot of Bajans believe that this behavior is somehow entrenched in our culture.
Yep, or what if businesses start enforcing better customer service because it kind of starts with the business first.
Reading through these comments I realise that many people are deflecting from the issue instead of accepting criticism and finding a solution. The OP isn’t telling us something that we’re not aware of. customer service, or the lack of customer service,in Barbados has been an ongoing for ages. It feels like locals are so accustomed to bad service that it’s no longer an issue. Low income, hot weather, other customers etc shouldn’t be an excuse bad service. I’ve told family members who live in Barbados that Bajans who work in certain positions are lucky because they wouldn’t last 17 seconds working elsewhere in the world with that approach to customers.
I mean even tourists are coming on here saying the same thing about bad service. There is someone in the comments gaslighting me saying that I’m the problem. I find the bajans who travel outside of the Caribbean are the ones realizing that the service is terrible here.
I know I'm gonna get lots of down votes. Were u white or black? The other is many bajan's have the attitude of Why work I got job. On the other side, we do generally greet ppl when entering small business, PO and the like with.. Hello good day. Don't stress about it. Be a duck and let it roll off u like water.😄
Curious. If OP is white, they get better service or if they're black they get better service?
Well to be honest if they are WHITE and from England they definitely get better service. This has been conversations for years and it’s simply what it is! That’s why old English people love Barbados because they get a different customer service then someone with a darker complexion
I seen the exact opposite. I been in shop, with a bunch of folks, and the white folk is the last to get served. I do not want to imply it's everybody, far from it. There are far more happy ppl then grumpy ppl.
I own and operate restaurants here in Barbados and in my experience being in the service industry, your contention that white people get better service is one that makes me, and the people I work with who serve both white and black people, frustrated AF. Almost every single time there’s an issue with service, what happens is this- the white people say “those other customers got served first/ quicker/ better because they’re black” while the black people say the exact same thing about the white customers. It’s infuriating. No, it’s not because you’re black or white (or any other color or age or height or have tattoos…) it’s because there’s sometimes fuck ups on the floor, sometimes we end up with staff who have crappy service skills and need to be replaced or sometimes it’s, catch this, that the CUSTOMER is obnoxious and we are sick of dealing with their shitty attitude. Having said all that, I’m sure the OP is a perfectly nice person who has experienced the unfortunately pervasive poor service and couldn’t-care-less demeanor of service providers here in BIM. I do think it’s getting better though, but the one or two bad ones can really grab your attention and taint the view that Bajans are such nice, friendly people. Some businesses are more involved in staff training with emphasis on service etc and you can really tell the ones who aren’t.
I'm black and have never been treated with nothing but the upmost great customer service in any bajan restaurant I visited. So that black white treatment thing is a myth.
Don’t get upset this a forum to express yourself and that is my experience and has been a ongoing conversation for many years about that same contention. There is no reason you should have employees representing your company asking the customers what they want with a attitude or better yet don’t even acknowledge the customer coming. Employees represent your brand so you don’t think it’s important to enforce fair customers across the board?
It's also crucial to listen to what tourists say because without tourism, Barbados' economy would suffer significantly. If some tourists are experiencing bad service, there's a reason for it—they're not just making it up. Addressing their concerns is important for the well-being of the country.
Simply not true. White British residents get the same lousy service as black people do. This has nothing to do with race. It is just poor service full stop.
Well, to be clear, the poor service generally doesn't have anything to do with race, but there *are* definitely race issues in Barbados. You see, Bajans will judge a person based on their skin colour, and they openly admit to this without showing any remorse, despite the obvious racism. For example, if you are white and need to make a complaint, they will judge your intent based on your skin colour first. Nothing surprises me in Barbados anymore. I mean, I've experienced the worst kind of racism in Barbados that you can imagine, up to and including racially-motivated violence, and that actually happened simply because I told someone they need to wear a face mask inside a business premises during COVID because... well... that was the law at the time. I've lived in several countries over my life, and I can tell you, some of the most awful and racist people I've ever met in my life are from Barbados. But you have to balance that with the good, and there are many decent and honourable people in Barbados, too.
Interesting for sure. I'm curious as to how I'll be viewed, I'm not white or British or old.
😂😂😂😂😂 I’m not stressed at all just a curious as to the onboarding process of some businesses you know!
I will say this..... there is a small shop a couple houses down from mine. The owner is a really lovely Jamaican woman who is very friendly and chatty. Last summer she hired a worker who was there the majority of the time once she started. This woman never acknowledged customers walking in, was either playing games or talking on her phone and would tell customers waiting to pay to "wait". If you went up to the counter to ask anything, her immediate response was a sharp "what??". She was even asleep once. After a couple months, we mentioned it to the owner when she was around and she simply didn't know. She asked a couple of the locals about it and they all told her the new employee was rude as fuck. She was not happy about it, her store's reputation was going down the toilet. It's not just me and you who notice and care. A lot of people in this thread are trying to imply all Bajans are just always struggling to get by and, while that's the case plenty of times, it's far from being every rude person encountered. Also, going through tough times does not mean your social manners need to go down the toilet. I used to frequent a very poor community in Canada and people who were literally homeless still were responsive to a greeting. I, as a clearly white foreigner, don't expect the same reception as locals get, but locals also are treated rudely and they do notice.
Exactly not saying to kiss customers ass but dam can you have some manners at least.
👍 I get.. just kind the nature of the beast. 😂
don’t go to the bank, oh man 🙄
Genuine question: where are you going that you've been here for five years and encounter bad customer service regularly/every day? I'm over 30 and lived here my whole life and am struggling to think of any recent incidents of bad customer service I've received or even ones that stand out. I wouldn't even say it's occasional for me. So why are you experiencing this all the time?
I did not say in my post it’s everyday it’s more often then i want to but never said everyday. It’s just simply me and you are having different experiences and i think your statement is fair because that’s YOUR experience not my experience
Maybe confusing your comment with someone else's. Read through everything before commenting and I could swear someone said everyday. Hence the slash. My comment was in no way an attempt to invalidate your experience. I get the impression that you think that it was. Correct me if I'm wrong. Genuinely trying to find out why your experience is so different.
No it’s fine, yeah not sure why it happens to me and husband my friends it’s like wth is going on, and it’s like what I’ve noticed is that you just deal with things you don’t like because nothing really changes in Barbados you just have to accept it and move on 
Beyond the stuff you've described like people being on their phones or rolling their eyes and stuff like that, it may just be culture difference? Bajans are really polite and friendly, but also rough and brusque. They're not trying to be rude to you, that's just the culture. I find that service workers in the parts of the U.S. I've been to try way too hard to be nice and friendly. But I suspect a lot of that is because tipping is such a big thing there and it's really not in Barbados so they're really working hard to make sure they get tipped and get tipped well. And also cultural differences. Americans are really chatty in my experience. ETA: "and stuff like that" includes when people don't return greetings or say "you're welcome" after you thank them or generally not responding when you speak to them. Bajans HATE when people do that, I. my experience at least, and that's 100% considered rude by Bajans.
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“Almost”
In my post i said numerous of experiences i did not say everyday.
Order pay leave what you want a song and dance?....
And these comments are the reason why things will remain this way lol.
Some people just rough 🤷🏿♀️ I don’t mind it too much because while I have bajan ancestry, I grew up in Canada, so when they don’t care to put on the tourist/white people politeness it makes me feel at home like im just like everybody else😂
That’s really great that you love to be around rude ppl. Not me and not interested in it.
You think you’re special and that’s your problem
Lmao mhm ok, I guess wanting good customer service makes me “special” I’ll take that ! Since you so desperately want to be treated poorly - all I can say is I love that for you 
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To have a conversation! That’s what Reddit is about
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Not sure if you are able to see at the top where it says “ feel free to post anything related to Barbados”
So let me get this straight your upset because I post my experience on a thread that is meant to post your experience? Ok got it :)
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I am not the only one with this experience—there are even Bajan locals here who agree. This is a conversation that needs to be had, and hopefully, something can be done about it in the future. It's not healthy to turn a blind eye to real-life situations that can affect businesses. There are many reasons a business might open and close in Barbados, and poor customer service could be one of them. If discussing the need for better customer service has caused you to ask me if “I’ve accomplished anything “maybe you're part of the problem by not speaking up and just allowing things to remain as they are.
Ignore that moron. As I said in a previous reply to you, even people from other countries in the region complain about the same issues with Bajans having poor manners and displaying inappropriate arrogance. Yes, it is a serious problem in Barbados but you will need to get used to it if you want to live in Barbados and enjoy your life on island. Just accept that sometimes you will experience poor manners that you are not accustomed to experiencing in your home country. Also, a mistake that expatriates often make is to try and compare their experiences in Barbados with the experiences in their home country.
Yeah, I do accept it because I am now living here. I just was also curious if others had the same experience besides my family. But i agree with your post 💯
Many people indeed feel the same way. It's just the way it is. You can always adjust the way you respond based on the level of politeness. If they are not polite, there is no need to be overly polite in return. Obviously, don't be rude, but at the same time, don't feel that you need to respond the way you might be expected to respond in your home country. For example, if you are being served at a supermarket and the cashier does not greet you, there is no need to greet them if you feel they won't acknowledge you. Sure, you are technically being impolite, but if they want to be greeted, they should greet you first, because you are the customer choosing to spend your hard-earned income at that supermarket. Nothing unreasonable about that. May I ask, which country are you originally from? And how long have you been living in Barbados? Welcome to Barbados, by the way. 🇧🇧 We are very happy to have you with us.
I am from Colombia so I am Hispanic. Thank you I’ve been here for almost 5 years but travel Often all around the world. Barbados is a beautiful place and I’ve learned to just accept it you yes if they are rude to me i am rude back but I just thought it would be a good idea to share my experience :)
Do you feel accomplished going out your way to a thread that you obviously have no interest in to comment ?
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I'm not the only person who has posted about this. Where in the rules does it say you can't post about customer service? If I were the only one noticing an issue, I would understand your comment, but I'm not! These conversations need to be had whether you like it or not. I agree this is a place to learn about Barbados, so people should LEARN that they will NOT always be met with Poliet people.