Speaking polish to polish customers

NeilCr

motorguy wrote: »

One thing i would say is, if i went to live in another country i'd make sure i learnt the local language PDQ rather than finding businesses which facilitated my lack of understanding of the local language.

That is to say, happy to have immigrants coming here to live, but do us the courtesy of learning our language as i would (have to) do in your country if i was living there.

Two different issues here. I agree with you about learning the language.

However, if you were living abroad and were having your hair done by another ex pat would you not, naturally, talk in English? And feel comfortable doing it.

I agree that it is the employer's decision. And I take bugslet's point about ratios. But, I do still wonder why it matters so much to the other customers. When I'm having my hair done I am mostly concerned with chatting to the hairdresser

Comms69

Owner has made a business decision- end of.

motorguy

NeilCr wrote: »

Two different issues here. I agree with you about learning the language.

However, if you were living abroad and were having your hair done by another ex pat would you not, naturally, talk in English? And feel comfortable doing it.

I agree that it is the employer's decision. And I take bugslet's point about ratios. But, I do still wonder why it matters so much to the other customers. When I'm having my hair done I am mostly concerned with chatting to the hairdresser

Its not about the individual customer though, its about the needs of the business.

Its down to ratios. If English became a significant language in use in the shop then i could understand why the owner may wish to curb that, if it discouraged locals.

Marvel1

Remember people, if you move to Wales, learn the language and don't speak English (it's got what from this thread on some posts).

JReacher1

cjdavies wrote: »

Remember people, if you move to Wales, learn the language and don't speak English (it's got what from this thread on some posts).

Not actually true as wales has two official languages. English and Welsh. I would recommend if you move to wales that you learn one of these languages.

clairec79

I think the manager could easily say the initial greeting when a customer arrives should be in English but if the customer then uses another language which the staff member can speak (be that Polish, Welsh, German etc) then they can continue the conversation as the customer wishes

And people in Wales don't switch speaking to Welsh just when an English speaker wanders in - they were already speaking Welsh, but often the odd word of their other language will slip in, my children go to a Welsh medium school, when at home they will speak English the vast majority of the time - but certain things are always referred to by their Welsh name (school subjects etc, the canteen) and I know when watching an interview with someone in Welsh there was one word he clearly couldn't think of in Welsh so added it in English and continued without missing a beat - most speak a form of Wenglish a lot of the time

TELLIT01

It does seem counterproductive to limit the interaction between staff and customers. If the customers can explain themselves more clearly in their native language, and the staff can understand, surely it has to be positive on both sides.
If I was the owner / manager I would certainly expect all staff to speak English to other staff at all times irrespective of their nationality.

Murphybear

NeilCr wrote: »

I agree with you.

I live in a part of the country where there are a number of Eastern Europeans. In general they converse with each other in their native tongues and, if they are speaking to an English person, they speak in English. I see nothing wrong with that. If I was abroad and went into a barbers where there was an English member of staff then I think it would be natural - and nice - to be able to converse in English.

I, honestly, struggle to see why people get offended in a transient situation, like a hairdressers, where as GlasweJen says there is no real need to be involved in another conversation. _shel's example is a bit different

There is another issue about learning the language if you are living in a foreign country. I think you should - although just how good we British are at that, ourselves, is open to debate.

I went to Zermatt a few years ago. I went into a shop and addressed them in my very best (but oh so rusty) schoolgirl German:D. They responded in excellent English :rotfl:

MacMickster

If there are a large number of Polish expats who use this shop then, with the owners attitude, there is a clear opportunity for the OP's friend to set up their own salon in competition with the current business.

theoretica

Often when I am around people who are speaking a language that I don't understand they will acknowledge this and my presence with something like 'excuse us speaking Welsh/Estonian/German' which is an appreciated politeness - and something which could easily be done by the worker in question.



I don't assume people speaking a different language are gossiping about me - after all they don't have a list of which languages I understand, so how could they know it was safe? And when I do understand enough to gather what is being spoken about it has always been about something else.