万事如意！
eh, u also another 1 hor, dun troll on my posts...
go read the handbook about irritating another member...
i suggest u better take a nap now or go another thread.
chinese national bus drivers
- Thread starter agentmonkey
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eh, u also another 1 hor, dun troll on my posts...
go read the handbook about irritating another member...
i suggest u better take a nap now or go another thread.
alright i won't say anything to provoke anyone..and i'll try not to be affected by what i read..at least i won't let it show here.
sorry lah, spoil ur CNY mood... :sweat:
but this thread reminded me of a thread about language barrier i started some time back.
http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=383500
I've had my fair share of good and bad experiences with PRC workers in service sector. Take Levis for instance. A branch that served me at Jurong Point was incredibly rude to me (gave me that whole 'that's all we have, take it or leave it' tone), wouldn't even look at me, and even told me the $50 trade in promo was ending the next day (it wasn't. this was some months back). On the contrary, there was a PRC staff at Levis Isetan that was incredibly sweet, super patient, knowledgeable and hardworking even tho I tried on several pairs and didn't buy. I did eventually buy from her the next day tho. Her good service made a very big diff in my decision to purchase.
I've also experienced nice and safe bus drivers from China who greet every passenger with a smile, as well as bad ones. Recently I took 105 to Clementi and the bus was packed. The PRC driver sped throughout the journey, jammed on his brakes everytime he stopped (a lot of us slipped, tripped, some cried 'Ouch' etc but he ignored it), and even beat the red lights while turning at a busy junction.
I don't think PRC or not has anything to do with good/ bad service coz I'm sure we've had good and bad experiences with Singaporean staff or staff of other nationalities. But I have to agree, the language barrier can really pose a problem. Kudos to those who are determined to put in the effort to improve their English though, esp those who insist on speaking it daily to the best of their ability. :thumbsup:
I've also experienced nice and safe bus drivers from China who greet every passenger with a smile, as well as bad ones. Recently I took 105 to Clementi and the bus was packed. The PRC driver sped throughout the journey, jammed on his brakes everytime he stopped (a lot of us slipped, tripped, some cried 'Ouch' etc but he ignored it), and even beat the red lights while turning at a busy junction.
I don't think PRC or not has anything to do with good/ bad service coz I'm sure we've had good and bad experiences with Singaporean staff or staff of other nationalities. But I have to agree, the language barrier can really pose a problem. Kudos to those who are determined to put in the effort to improve their English though, esp those who insist on speaking it daily to the best of their ability. :thumbsup:
The IRONY OF THE MATTER is that:
Travellers know that Singapore's language of commerce is English from guidebooks, internet, etc. This is a fact and this means that we are able to speak English at least to an intermediate level and so this is what the travellers coming here to expect. To them, this means that they will NOT have any communication problems in Singapore and will be able to easily get help on directions or any other information. However, when they are in a bus with a PRC driver, they will be in for a rude shock when the driver cannot even speak basic english and answer a simple question. Reality is not as expected.
English is the official language of commerce in Singapore, which means that English is used in commercial settings and dealing. This includes the service sector such as shops and buses! However, again, reality is not as per on paper. Even for the locals, if the bus driver is a local chinese and you are a chinese, if you were to ask him a question in English, he will most likely reply in chinese! He does not use English as a language of commerce! And the same for shops. I mostly ask shop attendants questions in English, and very often, even when the person is a young person who can speak English moderately fluently, he/ she would reply in chinese just because I am a chinese person and is assumed to be able to understand chinese. It is not a problem for me to get a reply in chinese, but this is just unprofessional not to communicate in the same language when you can and it pisses me off; you should be using the customer's preferred language and not yours! Anyway, the point of the matter is that, English being the language on commerce is a paper fact but in reality, it is frequently not being executed. And I'm not even talking about PRCs here. With PRCs, they don't even have a choice or ability to use English!
And the BIGGEST IRONY OF THE MATTER is that:
Didn't our govt. violently object to the use of our local Singlish and tried so hard to brainwash us into not using Singlish and using "proper English" instead?
And what was the logical reasoning he gave for this? So that foreigners can understand what we are saying.
Think about it, foreigners can still make out what we are saying even with a few "lahs" and "lehs" and rearrangement of sentence structure. How much can this do to change the meaning of a sentence?? And yet, the garmen makes an issue of of this.
And now, with PRC drivers who are at least partially involved in the tourism industry, some of whom cannot speak or understand the simplest English, Singlish, Chiglish even or whatever glish, it is fine... no issue at all.
And yes, it IS the duty of a "bus driver" to assist passengers with their relevant queries. In fact, they are not just drivers or bus drivers. They job title is "bus captain" and they are not just a driver but also a service staff. In fact, their job duties also includes leadership and control of passengers, such as taking control of situations where they are behaving inappropriately, telling them to move to the back, and guiding them on their bus journeys. Tell me what's the job duties of a captain?!?
yeah, its bad when budget travellers who may like to travel as locals do oni to find our modern city has a language barrier.
Travellers know that Singapore's language of commerce is English from guidebooks, internet, etc. This is a fact and this means that we are able to speak English at least to an intermediate level and so this is what the travellers coming here to expect. To them, this means that they will NOT have any communication problems in Singapore and will be able to easily get help on directions or any other information. However, when they are in a bus with a PRC driver, they will be in for a rude shock when the driver cannot even speak basic english and answer a simple question. Reality is not as expected.
English is the official language of commerce in Singapore, which means that English is used in commercial settings and dealing. This includes the service sector such as shops and buses! However, again, reality is not as per on paper. Even for the locals, if the bus driver is a local chinese and you are a chinese, if you were to ask him a question in English, he will most likely reply in chinese! He does not use English as a language of commerce! And the same for shops. I mostly ask shop attendants questions in English, and very often, even when the person is a young person who can speak English moderately fluently, he/ she would reply in chinese just because I am a chinese person and is assumed to be able to understand chinese. It is not a problem for me to get a reply in chinese, but this is just unprofessional not to communicate in the same language when you can and it pisses me off; you should be using the customer's preferred language and not yours! Anyway, the point of the matter is that, English being the language on commerce is a paper fact but in reality, it is frequently not being executed. And I'm not even talking about PRCs here. With PRCs, they don't even have a choice or ability to use English!
And the BIGGEST IRONY OF THE MATTER is that:
Didn't our govt. violently object to the use of our local Singlish and tried so hard to brainwash us into not using Singlish and using "proper English" instead?
And what was the logical reasoning he gave for this? So that foreigners can understand what we are saying.
Think about it, foreigners can still make out what we are saying even with a few "lahs" and "lehs" and rearrangement of sentence structure. How much can this do to change the meaning of a sentence?? And yet, the garmen makes an issue of of this.
And now, with PRC drivers who are at least partially involved in the tourism industry, some of whom cannot speak or understand the simplest English, Singlish, Chiglish even or whatever glish, it is fine... no issue at all.
And yes, it IS the duty of a "bus driver" to assist passengers with their relevant queries. In fact, they are not just drivers or bus drivers. They job title is "bus captain" and they are not just a driver but also a service staff. In fact, their job duties also includes leadership and control of passengers, such as taking control of situations where they are behaving inappropriately, telling them to move to the back, and guiding them on their bus journeys. Tell me what's the job duties of a captain?!?
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At this point of discussion, I think that it is good to bring up their vision and
mission statements.
Vision, Mission and Core Beliefs
Our Vision
Moving people in a safe, reliable and affordable way.
Our Mission
To achieve excellence for our customers, employees, shareholders and
community. To this end, we are committed to delivering safe and reliable
services at affordable prices, being an employer of choice, creating significant
shareholder value and becoming a socially responsible corporate role model.
Core Beliefs
To achieve our Vision and Mission, we are guided by the following beliefs:
We will :
* Be driven by our customers needs
* Strive for excellence in everything we do
* Act with integrity at all times
* Treat people with fairness and respect
* Maintain safety as a top priority
* Collaborate with our partners for a win-win outcome
* Give our shareholders a reasonable return
http://www.sbstransit.com.sg/about/vml.aspx
Of course, these are just words that appear on their website but then again,
commitment to them is another story. As for the core beliefs, I hope that
the order of the listing is also the priority level of commitment.
mission statements.
Vision, Mission and Core Beliefs
Our Vision
Moving people in a safe, reliable and affordable way.
Our Mission
To achieve excellence for our customers, employees, shareholders and
community. To this end, we are committed to delivering safe and reliable
services at affordable prices, being an employer of choice, creating significant
shareholder value and becoming a socially responsible corporate role model.
Core Beliefs
To achieve our Vision and Mission, we are guided by the following beliefs:
We will :
* Be driven by our customers needs
* Strive for excellence in everything we do
* Act with integrity at all times
* Treat people with fairness and respect
* Maintain safety as a top priority
* Collaborate with our partners for a win-win outcome
* Give our shareholders a reasonable return
http://www.sbstransit.com.sg/about/vml.aspx
Of course, these are just words that appear on their website but then again,
commitment to them is another story. As for the core beliefs, I hope that
the order of the listing is also the priority level of commitment.
had nothing against china national but I don't understand is.
When employ Singapore or PR, they had to know basic english which does not apply to china national.
Kind of unfairness
When employ Singapore or PR, they had to know basic english which does not apply to china national.
Kind of unfairness
Are we trying to follow Australia where passenger and not allowed to chat with the driver?
** Remembered seeing a sign like this in Australia. Google only point to a children book: "Don't chat wuth the bus driver"**
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Please-Dont-Driver-Bloomsbury-paperbacks/dp/074755028X
** Remembered seeing a sign like this in Australia. Google only point to a children book: "Don't chat wuth the bus driver"**
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Please-Dont-Driver-Bloomsbury-paperbacks/dp/074755028X
Maybe because China is now the next powerhouse and hence .... we must learn Mandarin to understand them... rather then they must learn English..... Even the Australian PM speaks Mandarin.
Honestly speaking the exodus of PRC globally is so great and also China is no longer the weak man of the east, it is wise to learn Mandarin rather then expect them to learn English. Look at Japan, they speak no word of English but economically and technologically they are so advanced. And we are too Chinese so is it not a shame we cannot speak Mandarin?
that makes non chinese speaking S'porean feel so foreign... :thumbsd:
eh, a country's fortune does not necessarily dictate the language of commerce, that IMPO sounds more like cultural imperialism. :sweatsm: wad if there are more than 1 economic powerhouse? India or some countries in the middle East? how about Russia? :faint:
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I wish I can learn more than one foreign languages.
Promote the use if Mandarin and you are one up... however dont feel discourage if you dont understand as English is still the business language.
Will Mandarin replace English?
Yes it is a great shame for a Chinese not able to speak Mandarin but it is bigger shame
if a Singapore Chinese forget he or she is Singaporean.
I am a true blue Singaporean. But from young my parents made me take Malay as a second language in case Malaysia wanted to take back Singapore after just a few years after Singapore got it's indepedence. So should the great shame be on my parent or me?
nationality comes 1st, english, the chosen language of commerce follows the 1st closely. decades of education using english as a language medium brought S'pore to where we are today. can such changes be made at the drop of a hat?
its a shame the rule is be bent backwards now.
its a shame the rule is be bent backwards now.
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not everyone here is chinese, which was why i brought this thread up in the first place. singapore has a majority chinese population, yes. but we are by no means a chinese nation. even if we're chinese, there a large number of chinese who are brought up differently. same ethnicity, different geography, different culture....as the viets say, "same same, but different!" come to think of it..the vietnamese are of chinese descent (and so are the japs and even peranakans yes?) too, but they developed their own language...
all that said, why should chinese nationals expect us to speak the same tongue as them when what we're used to speaking is perfectly normal in our own country amongst our own people? i grew up surrounded with malay and indian friends, so why would i want to alienate myself from them by sticking to mandarin and just mandarin speaking people?
the only reason a large percentage of the world speaks mandarin is because of the sheer size of china's population..however, it does not accurately reflect how widely spoken it is by the rest of the world.
remember the saying ,when in rome do as the romans do? it's not when in rome, expect the romans to do as you do...
it's not a shame not to be able to speak mandarin in singapore if you're chinese..our circumstance here is different.. of course if you grew up in a place where everyone else is..then yes it would be.
the aussie pm speaks chinese because of circumstance too..he studied in china so he had to adapt to their language...see what i mean? you adapt to where you are, not expect where you are to adapt to you
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