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English instructor calls on convenience store workers to be more amiable

Lawson's Station accused of failing to appreciate key customer

TOKYO, Japan (GTA) -- Alan Gladstone blasted Ikebukuro Lawson Station employees for their 'by-the-books' approach and would like to see them show more flexibility in their customer-service.

Shinagawa Lawson's clerk appreciates gratitude.

The volatile instructor condemned what has been a source of irritation for the past half-year.

"I know they tell me irashaimase and mata okoshi kudasai; but does it come from the heart? Is there any warmth?" Alan questioned. "Or is it simply some cold, unfeeling, corporate manual that rings up a box of chocolate Calorie-Mate and bottle of Pepsi-Nex?"

"Oh, I've been going to the same store for the past 6-months. Faithfully; I don't even go to the AM/PM across from Sukiya," Gladstone explained. "You know what? Everything they do is planned out in a big thick manual they have under the counter. Where to stand. How to talk. When to distribute a spoon. All written by somebody who went to college and figured it all out."

Miyako Kato, a spokesperson for Lawson Station defended store policy. "On an average day, 1000 customers may pass through a single Lawson's franchise," she stated. "Although it is our goal to offer heart and smile service, it is 'difficult' to comply with Gladstone's expectations for extra 'personal' feeling.'"

Store staff and second-year high school student Miki Watanabe objected to Gladstone's depiction of convenience store staff as 'robotic' and 'half-dead.'

"(The convenience store) staff is such a difficult time. Somebody buys a carton of milk, so I ask 'STRAW O-TSUKAIMASU KA?!' They also get pasta, now what I have to ask, 'ATATAMEMASU KA?,' 'FOOKU KA HASHA OTSUAKAMAIMASU KA?'"

"Very sorry, if I'm too slow and forgot to ask if they want separate bags. I will be in Kiyotaka-Manager's report."

Watanabe disagrees with Gladstone's depiction of staff as 'robotic' and goes as far as to suggest that customers could be to blame.

"Nobody says hello or friendly words to me. Just a grunt or throw down their chocolate and sausage product. Then gesture at a cigarettes. Nobody says 'Thank you for heating my pasta, Miki,' or 'Thank you, I am walking with dog and will throw away a poop in your trash. I appreciate you will dispose of it.'" she stated.

"No, people will only look and speak at me when they want some helps. 'Help me use such a shrinking button on copy machine!', 'Oh, help me search an address of a shop.'"

Gladstone still hopes to find a compromise with the Lawson's family, acknowledging he has not always been the best of customers. "I'm willing to take the first step. No more, walking up to the register while searching for coins in all four pockets would be something I could do. I'm also willing to stop reading the newspaper before placing it back in the rack," he stated.

The Gaba Teachers Association: Serving teachers at Gaba Japan, Nova Japan, Geos Japan, Aeon Japan, ECC Japan, and Berlitz Japan since 2005. The Gaba Teachers Association is dedicated to reporting the latest news from the English school industry. This is a site for that covers all news that impacts those who teach English in Japan. If you are teaching English at NOVA, GEOS, Berlitz, ECC or any other Eikaiwa school, check us out.
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