Trini Businesses - Why are you all doing so many simple things wrong!?

[Devourment]

I spent the last 7 years out of Trinidad, mainly in Canada and the UK. I've only been back here fully for the last 2 years.

Maybe I've gotten spoilt to 'my first world' ways. Maybe, my time as an Operations Manager has made me hypervigilant to inefficiency, maybe my experience co-founding a startup in Toronto made me realize how get maximum output from slimmed-down staff.

Or maybe, I'm just a normal first world pleb and I ask the unreasonable......please tell me I'm missing something and they have VALID reasons for the following:

1. Why the f*ck do you close a store at 4:30 or 5PM on a weekday? HOW THE RASS CLAT am I supposed to shop at your business when I'm at work from 8am to 5pm, like a huge portion of the country?
And why close early on Saturays for that matter? That is literally the one day of the week I have to do errands and everywhere closing 12 or 1PM. Madness!! To add to this point, WHY THE ASS don't some of you open on Sundays? Gyms, why close early on Sunday, perhaps the day I feel most rested and energized to workout?

2. No website? Fine, but put your f*cking location and business hours in Google Maps' business profile or Facebook or IG. Keep them updated as well.

3. I don't expect eCommerce, from your business, but is it so difficult to put some of your prices online? Next time I see any Ad, or social media post saying, "Message for price". I WILL NEVER SHOP at your business period!

4. Cashiers.......do you have to be so painfully slow?

5. Responsiveness. 6 months ago, I emailed 7 real estate companies for assistance in BUYING a home. These are all big name realtors. 4 of the 7 never responded. Out of the 3 responses, 2 promised to get back to me, but never did. Only Terra Caribbean did and they were EXCEPTIONAL, the lady responded any hour of the day, always within 2 hours. Always giving new suggestions, following up, arranging site visits. Absolutely spectacular service, very un-trini like.

6. Why must I beg and hound you down for a quote? I asked 3 popular PC stores in Trinidad for a quote for 12 laptops (before the covid school rush), all 3 of them, I had to send multiple emails, even calling to get a quote. Earliest quote was delivered 4 days after.

7. General customer service. It is mostly bad. I'm not talking about simple exchanges, to be fair most aren't bad there. But the second there is an odd request, a query. a concern it is either met with "No, we don't do that". However, I have always noticed businesses in the West offer far superior service and value for money.

8. Mayaro beach house people need to learn from the people who rent out Tobago Villas/Homes. Particularly in style, customer service, ease of transactions and VALUE.

[gastly369]

Welcome back to TT enjoy....

[88sins]

Don't understand why you expecting 1st world business operations practices from small entities a 3rd world country. You need to sip some patron and lower those expectations bruh.

It's partly due to the workforce, and partly due to owners and management.
When you only paying minimum wage, and you not paying overtime, it isn't easy to get what you asking for (open late during the week and all day Saturday and Sunday). If workers there from 8-4, that's 8hrs. After that is staff supposed to be paid the overtime premium but you not paying them. So what is their motivation to want to put in the extra hours?
And you feel is you alone value your Saturday and Sunday time off or sumn? Same way you got things that you need to get done on a weekend, the workers at these places have thkngs to get done on a weekend too, and they not living for a low paying job.

Better you adapt to your new normal, you eh want to take on trying to change Trini businesses. Is a job that go take real wuk, and it not even paying you in thanks.

[Gladiator]

Yeah can't understand for the life of me why Bhagwansinghs cant open till 5PM.

[Troll]

Yall got water there in trini yet

[shake d livin wake d dead]

Still dont understand why license office closing fuh lunch...like stagger the facking hours nuh...yuh giving people appointments at 1130...but closing fuh lunch...

It have plenty powersellers who fit the profile of what the op is complaining about. After sales services just like them stealerships..

Welcome op...welcome

[Ripe Chenette]

Yall got water there in trini yet

Yea but it comes in brown or get cut off every once in a while.

[MaxPower]

I spent the last 7 years out of Trinidad, mainly in Canada and the UK. I've only been back here fully for the last 2 years.

Maybe I've gotten spoilt to 'my first world' ways. Maybe, my time as an Operations Manager has made me hypervigilant to inefficiency, maybe my experience co-founding a startup in Toronto made me realize how get maximum output from slimmed-down staff.

Or maybe, I'm just a normal first world pleb and I ask the unreasonable......please tell me I'm missing something and they have VALID reasons for the following:

1. Why the f*ck do you close a store at 4:30 or 5PM on a weekday? HOW THE RASS CLAT am I supposed to shop at your business when I'm at work from 8am to 5pm, like a huge portion of the country?
And why close early on Saturays for that matter? That is literally the one day of the week I have to do errands and everywhere closing 12 or 1PM. Madness!! To add to this point, WHY THE ASS don't some of you open on Sundays? Gyms, why close early on Sunday, perhaps the day I feel most rested and energized to workout?

2. No website? Fine, but put your f*cking location and business hours in Google Maps' business profile or Facebook or IG. Keep them updated as well.

3. I don't expect eCommerce, from your business, but is it so difficult to put some of your prices online? Next time I see any Ad, or social media post saying, "Message for price". I WILL NEVER SHOP at your business period!

4. Cashiers.......do you have to be so painfully slow?

5. Responsiveness. 6 months ago, I emailed 7 real estate companies for assistance in BUYING a home. These are all big name realtors. 4 of the 7 never responded. Out of the 3 responses, 2 promised to get back to me, but never did. Only Terra Caribbean did and they were EXCEPTIONAL, the lady responded any hour of the day, always within 2 hours. Always giving new suggestions, following up, arranging site visits. Absolutely spectacular service, very un-trini like.

6. Why must I beg and hound you down for a quote? I asked 3 popular PC stores in Trinidad for a quote for 12 laptops (before the covid school rush), all 3 of them, I had to send multiple emails, even calling to get a quote. Earliest quote was delivered 4 days after.

7. General customer service. It is mostly bad. I'm not talking about simple exchanges, to be fair most aren't bad there. But the second there is an odd request, a query. a concern it is either met with "No, we don't do that". However, I have always noticed businesses in the West offer far superior service and value for money.

8. Mayaro beach house people need to learn from the people who rent out Tobago Villas/Homes. Particularly in style, customer service, ease of transactions and VALUE.

Hello Devourment,

Im sorry you had to experience this. Its very sad to know that you left for 7 years and returned only to realize that T&T has changed for the worst and is continuing downhill.

The Trinidadian mentality is solely responsible for this as they continue to be:

Lazy
Rude
Incompetent
Inefficient
Irresponsible
Dishonest
Unpunctual
Inconsiderate
Unwilling
Complaining
Complacent

And the list goes on.

[Rovin]

speaking for myself :

no.1 point , same way most ppl wud work at a normal 8-4 job do ur 8 hrs & go home is d same with everybody else, i go d extra hr & close at 5pm , u want ppl to close at 6pm for u ? then if open at 8 thats 10hrs on d job , thats asking a bit much

plenty businesses like myself open on a saturday & still go til 5pm , some does ask me if i opening sunday too , bwda so like me eh have a life then, open 7days a wk go home for a few hrs then sleep & work 9-10hrs a day

govt agencies on d other hand who work 5 days a wk : why do they lock off a whole hr for lunch & some lock off 2-3pm , this i can agree with

no2 - location and business hours in Google Map, i have that yet ppl does ask

no3 - stuff i put online i always put price, why i hiding it for - always have somebody price higher\lower , i rather to not have to answer same price question 100 times

no4 - only need 1 so no worries there with me , i fully agree on big companies with alot customers who can more than afford it like bhags chag, groceries & all d banks

no5 - i always answer once i see a request , that is alwyas a potential sale, makes no sense leaving reply for later cause i might forget

6&7 , i dont buy in d west nor go beach houses so cant say ...

[RedVEVO]

I spent the last 7 years out of Trinidad, mainly in Canada and the UK. I've only been back here fully for the last 2 years.

Maybe I've gotten spoilt to 'my first world' ways. Maybe, my time as an Operations Manager has made me hypervigilant to inefficiency, maybe my experience co-founding a startup in Toronto made me realize how get maximum output from slimmed-down staff.

Or maybe, I'm just a normal first world pleb and I ask the unreasonable......please tell me I'm missing something and they have VALID reasons for the following:

1. Why the f*ck do you close a store at 4:30 or 5PM on a weekday? HOW THE RASS CLAT am I supposed to shop at your business when I'm at work from 8am to 5pm, like a huge portion of the country?
And why close early on Saturays for that matter? That is literally the one day of the week I have to do errands and everywhere closing 12 or 1PM. Madness!! To add to this point, WHY THE ASS don't some of you open on Sundays? Gyms, why close early on Sunday, perhaps the day I feel most rested and energized to workout?

2. No website? Fine, but put your f*cking location and business hours in Google Maps' business profile or Facebook or IG. Keep them updated as well.

3. I don't expect eCommerce, from your business, but is it so difficult to put some of your prices online? Next time I see any Ad, or social media post saying, "Message for price". I WILL NEVER SHOP at your business period!

4. Cashiers.......do you have to be so painfully slow?

5. Responsiveness. 6 months ago, I emailed 7 real estate companies for assistance in BUYING a home. These are all big name realtors. 4 of the 7 never responded. Out of the 3 responses, 2 promised to get back to me, but never did. Only Terra Caribbean did and they were EXCEPTIONAL, the lady responded any hour of the day, always within 2 hours. Always giving new suggestions, following up, arranging site visits. Absolutely spectacular service, very un-trini like.

6. Why must I beg and hound you down for a quote? I asked 3 popular PC stores in Trinidad for a quote for 12 laptops (before the covid school rush), all 3 of them, I had to send multiple emails, even calling to get a quote. Earliest quote was delivered 4 days after.

7. General customer service. It is mostly bad. I'm not talking about simple exchanges, to be fair most aren't bad there. But the second there is an odd request, a query. a concern it is either met with "No, we don't do that". However, I have always noticed businesses in the West offer far superior service and value for money.

8. Mayaro beach house people need to learn from the people who rent out Tobago Villas/Homes. Particularly in style, customer service, ease of transactions and VALUE.

Hello Devourment,

Im sorry you had to experience this. Its very sad to know that you left for 7 years and returned only to realize that T&T has changed for the worst and is continuing downhill.

The Trinidadian mentality is solely responsible for this as they continue to be:

Lazy
Rude
Incompetent
Inefficient
Irresponsible
Dishonest
Unpunctual
Inconsiderate
Unwilling
Complaining
Complacent

And the list goes on.

It's Trini Culture .

And if you are in foreign or living abroad or you go on vacation and a COVID hit ya and you disagree with ANY policy which cannot be found you will get cuss and humiliated like a " raging bull " and then overnight the Law will change and you will be sent to virtual court and virtual jail

For some peeps who not into the loop "virtual" is an online phenomena .

[Devourment]

speaking for myself :

no.1 point , same way most ppl wud work at a normal 8-4 job do ur 8 hrs & go home is d same with everybody else, i go d extra hr & close at 5pm , u want ppl to close at 6pm for u ? then if open at 8 thats 10hrs on d job , thats asking a bit much

plenty businesses like myself open on a saturday & still go til 5pm , some does ask me if i opening sunday too , bwda so like me eh have a life then, open 7days a wk go home for a few hrs then sleep & work 9-10hrs a day

govt agencies on d other hand who work 5 days a wk : why do they lock off a whole hr for lunch & some lock off 2-3pm , this i can agree with .

Yea I agree to an extent, but I'm talking mainly about stores here, stores that aren't in malls. But even the malls I have a huge issue with because of them closing at 6PM.

I often leave work at 5:30PM and the nearest mall is 20mins away.

What sense does it make to open a store with the majority of your customers stuck in work?

I told a friend this in central with her pet store. She changed her hours from 9 to 5 weekdays and 9am to 1pm Saturdays to 11am to 7pm weekdays and 10 to 6pm on Saturdays

For years her sales were mostly stagnant and this simple change more than doubled her income.

[Devourment]

I spent the last 7 years out of Trinidad, mainly in Canada and the UK. I've only been back here fully for the last 2 years.

Maybe I've gotten spoilt to 'my first world' ways. Maybe, my time as an Operations Manager has made me hypervigilant to inefficiency, maybe my experience co-founding a startup in Toronto made me realize how get maximum output from slimmed-down staff.

Or maybe, I'm just a normal first world pleb and I ask the unreasonable......please tell me I'm missing something and they have VALID reasons for the following:

1. Why the f*ck do you close a store at 4:30 or 5PM on a weekday? HOW THE RASS CLAT am I supposed to shop at your business when I'm at work from 8am to 5pm, like a huge portion of the country?
And why close early on Saturays for that matter? That is literally the one day of the week I have to do errands and everywhere closing 12 or 1PM. Madness!! To add to this point, WHY THE ASS don't some of you open on Sundays? Gyms, why close early on Sunday, perhaps the day I feel most rested and energized to workout?

2. No website? Fine, but put your f*cking location and business hours in Google Maps' business profile or Facebook or IG. Keep them updated as well.

3. I don't expect eCommerce, from your business, but is it so difficult to put some of your prices online? Next time I see any Ad, or social media post saying, "Message for price". I WILL NEVER SHOP at your business period!

4. Cashiers.......do you have to be so painfully slow?

5. Responsiveness. 6 months ago, I emailed 7 real estate companies for assistance in BUYING a home. These are all big name realtors. 4 of the 7 never responded. Out of the 3 responses, 2 promised to get back to me, but never did. Only Terra Caribbean did and they were EXCEPTIONAL, the lady responded any hour of the day, always within 2 hours. Always giving new suggestions, following up, arranging site visits. Absolutely spectacular service, very un-trini like.

6. Why must I beg and hound you down for a quote? I asked 3 popular PC stores in Trinidad for a quote for 12 laptops (before the covid school rush), all 3 of them, I had to send multiple emails, even calling to get a quote. Earliest quote was delivered 4 days after.

7. General customer service. It is mostly bad. I'm not talking about simple exchanges, to be fair most aren't bad there. But the second there is an odd request, a query. a concern it is either met with "No, we don't do that". However, I have always noticed businesses in the West offer far superior service and value for money.

8. Mayaro beach house people need to learn from the people who rent out Tobago Villas/Homes. Particularly in style, customer service, ease of transactions and VALUE.

Hello Devourment,

Im sorry you had to experience this. Its very sad to know that you left for 7 years and returned only to realize that T&T has changed for the worst and is continuing downhill.

The Trinidadian mentality is solely responsible for this as they continue to be:

Lazy
Rude
Incompetent
Inefficient
Irresponsible
Dishonest
Unpunctual
Inconsiderate
Unwilling
Complaining
Complacent

And the list goes on.

You forgot entitled and wrong and strong.

One having those attitudes seems to be quite normalized in our society. In Canda or the UK, you will not survive in business with and semblances of those traits.

[zoom rader]

I spent the last 7 years out of Trinidad, mainly in Canada and the UK. I've only been back here fully for the last 2 years.

Maybe I've gotten spoilt to 'my first world' ways. Maybe, my time as an Operations Manager has made me hypervigilant to inefficiency, maybe my experience co-founding a startup in Toronto made me realize how get maximum output from slimmed-down staff.

Or maybe, I'm just a normal first world pleb and I ask the unreasonable......please tell me I'm missing something and they have VALID reasons for the following:

1. Why the f*ck do you close a store at 4:30 or 5PM on a weekday? HOW THE RASS CLAT am I supposed to shop at your business when I'm at work from 8am to 5pm, like a huge portion of the country?
And why close early on Saturays for that matter? That is literally the one day of the week I have to do errands and everywhere closing 12 or 1PM. Madness!! To add to this point, WHY THE ASS don't some of you open on Sundays? Gyms, why close early on Sunday, perhaps the day I feel most rested and energized to workout?

2. No website? Fine, but put your f*cking location and business hours in Google Maps' business profile or Facebook or IG. Keep them updated as well.

3. I don't expect eCommerce, from your business, but is it so difficult to put some of your prices online? Next time I see any Ad, or social media post saying, "Message for price". I WILL NEVER SHOP at your business period!

4. Cashiers.......do you have to be so painfully slow?

5. Responsiveness. 6 months ago, I emailed 7 real estate companies for assistance in BUYING a home. These are all big name realtors. 4 of the 7 never responded. Out of the 3 responses, 2 promised to get back to me, but never did. Only Terra Caribbean did and they were EXCEPTIONAL, the lady responded any hour of the day, always within 2 hours. Always giving new suggestions, following up, arranging site visits. Absolutely spectacular service, very un-trini like.

6. Why must I beg and hound you down for a quote? I asked 3 popular PC stores in Trinidad for a quote for 12 laptops (before the covid school rush), all 3 of them, I had to send multiple emails, even calling to get a quote. Earliest quote was delivered 4 days after.

7. General customer service. It is mostly bad. I'm not talking about simple exchanges, to be fair most aren't bad there. But the second there is an odd request, a query. a concern it is either met with "No, we don't do that". However, I have always noticed businesses in the West offer far superior service and value for money.

8. Mayaro beach house people need to learn from the people who rent out Tobago Villas/Homes. Particularly in style, customer service, ease of transactions and VALUE.

Sorry bro , we have gotten worst.

Our working culture stinks from the top , alot of red Goverment arsewipes will cuss me but it lays in the hands of the red Goverment.

Years ago I was blasting Trini working culture and shady bussiness, I got labled anti Trini and anti Bussiness

This government instills and promote lawlessness. Everything you do in this 5hit hole you always have to know someone to get anything done.

Bussiness operates without care and attention to customers.

Doing any goverment bussiness is a nightmare.

We are stink and disgusting 5hithole of a country

[paid_influencer]

OP hasn't spent enough time on the island for the crime and corruption to beat him down yet

[hustla_ambition101]

OP I have lived here all my life and fully agree with what you saying. I raised the issue some years ago when I was trying to source a wall mount for a tv on a Sunday. On days I work 7 to 7 I make up my mind that nothing can be done unless I do it during my break time. I can say however some of the facebook/online sellers have improved especially since covid.

[Rovin]

speaking for myself :

no.1 point , same way most ppl wud work at a normal 8-4 job do ur 8 hrs & go home is d same with everybody else, i go d extra hr & close at 5pm , u want ppl to close at 6pm for u ? then if open at 8 thats 10hrs on d job , thats asking a bit much

plenty businesses like myself open on a saturday & still go til 5pm , some does ask me if i opening sunday too , bwda so like me eh have a life then, open 7days a wk go home for a few hrs then sleep & work 9-10hrs a day

govt agencies on d other hand who work 5 days a wk : why do they lock off a whole hr for lunch & some lock off 2-3pm , this i can agree with .

Yea I agree to an extent, but I'm talking mainly about stores here, stores that aren't in malls. But even the malls I have a huge issue with because of them closing at 6PM.

I often leave work at 5:30PM and the nearest mall is 20mins away.

What sense does it make to open a store with the majority of your customers stuck in work?

I told a friend this in central with her pet store. She changed her hours from 9 to 5 weekdays and 9am to 1pm Saturdays to 11am to 7pm weekdays and 10 to 6pm on Saturdays

For years her sales were mostly stagnant and this simple change more than doubled her income.

all that sounds great but thats just d way it is , if u need something have to run out on ur lunch hr or ask for time off or to leave work a hr or 2 earlier

i doubt businesses wud want to do a 10-6 their workers wouldnt want to be reaching home in d dark , risky especially for female workers

my area here in chaguanas all stores [besides fast food, bars & groceries] close at 5pm , some of us prolly wont mind doing a 10am-6pm [def not a 8-6] but crime is a major concern over d past few yrs & after being all day in ur business place u wont want some bandit to come push a gun & take all ur hard days earnings ... gotta be cautious , ole saying : eat a little & live longer ...

[MaxPower]

Thank to the ALMIGHTY for blessing us with our Venezuelan brothers, sisters and new born babies.

They may not be the best, but definitely an improvement in the service industry.

Fire a Trini, Hire a Vene.

[Devourment]

speaking for myself :

no.1 point , same way most ppl wud work at a normal 8-4 job do ur 8 hrs & go home is d same with everybody else, i go d extra hr & close at 5pm , u want ppl to close at 6pm for u ? then if open at 8 thats 10hrs on d job , thats asking a bit much

plenty businesses like myself open on a saturday & still go til 5pm , some does ask me if i opening sunday too , bwda so like me eh have a life then, open 7days a wk go home for a few hrs then sleep & work 9-10hrs a day

govt agencies on d other hand who work 5 days a wk : why do they lock off a whole hr for lunch & some lock off 2-3pm , this i can agree with .

Yea I agree to an extent, but I'm talking mainly about stores here, stores that aren't in malls. But even the malls I have a huge issue with because of them closing at 6PM.

I often leave work at 5:30PM and the nearest mall is 20mins away.

What sense does it make to open a store with the majority of your customers stuck in work?

I told a friend this in central with her pet store. She changed her hours from 9 to 5 weekdays and 9am to 1pm Saturdays to 11am to 7pm weekdays and 10 to 6pm on Saturdays

For years her sales were mostly stagnant and this simple change more than doubled her income.

all that sounds great but thats just d way it is , if u need something have to run out on ur lunch hr or ask for time off or to leave work a hr or 2 earlier

i doubt businesses wud want to do a 10-6 their workers wouldnt want to be reaching home in d dark , risky especially for female workers

my area here in chaguanas all stores [besides fast food, bars & groceries] close at 5pm , some of us prolly wont mind doing a 10am-6pm [def not a 8-6] but crime is a major concern over d past few yrs & after being all day in ur business place u wont want some bandit to come push a gun & take all ur hard days earnings ... gotta be cautious , ole saying : eat a little & live longer ...

Yes, I do understand the concern over crime. But then how is it that many other businesses like KFC, Superpharm, Groceries etc close after 6PM, most close to 10PM?

Thank to the ALMIGHTY for blessing us with our Venezuelan brothers, sisters and new born babies.

They may not be the best, but definitely an improvement in the service industry.

Fire a Trini, Hire a Vene.

Yes they do put far more effort into the job that trinis, however until they start owning businesses, most of my concerns won't be fixed.

But mark my words, when venes begin to start their own businesses (happening already), trini businesses will be in for a big shock.

[Redress10]

speaking for myself :

no.1 point , same way most ppl wud work at a normal 8-4 job do ur 8 hrs & go home is d same with everybody else, i go d extra hr & close at 5pm , u want ppl to close at 6pm for u ? then if open at 8 thats 10hrs on d job , thats asking a bit much

plenty businesses like myself open on a saturday & still go til 5pm , some does ask me if i opening sunday too , bwda so like me eh have a life then, open 7days a wk go home for a few hrs then sleep & work 9-10hrs a day

govt agencies on d other hand who work 5 days a wk : why do they lock off a whole hr for lunch & some lock off 2-3pm , this i can agree with .

Yea I agree to an extent, but I'm talking mainly about stores here, stores that aren't in malls. But even the malls I have a huge issue with because of them closing at 6PM.

I often leave work at 5:30PM and the nearest mall is 20mins away.

What sense does it make to open a store with the majority of your customers stuck in work?

I told a friend this in central with her pet store. She changed her hours from 9 to 5 weekdays and 9am to 1pm Saturdays to 11am to 7pm weekdays and 10 to 6pm on Saturdays

For years her sales were mostly stagnant and this simple change more than doubled her income.

all that sounds great but thats just d way it is , if u need something have to run out on ur lunch hr or ask for time off or to leave work a hr or 2 earlier

i doubt businesses wud want to do a 10-6 their workers wouldnt want to be reaching home in d dark , risky especially for female workers

my area here in chaguanas all stores [besides fast food, bars & groceries] close at 5pm , some of us prolly wont mind doing a 10am-6pm [def not a 8-6] but crime is a major concern over d past few yrs & after being all day in ur business place u wont want some bandit to come push a gun & take all ur hard days earnings ... gotta be cautious , ole saying : eat a little & live longer ...

Yes, I do understand the concern over crime. But then how is it that many other businesses like KFC, Superpharm, Groceries etc close after 6PM, most close to 10PM?

Thank to the ALMIGHTY for blessing us with our Venezuelan brothers, sisters and new born babies.

They may not be the best, but definitely an improvement in the service industry.

Fire a Trini, Hire a Vene.

Yes they do put far more effort into the job that trinis, however until they start owning businesses, most of my concerns won't be fixed.

But mark my words, when venes begin to start their own businesses (happening already), trini businesses will be in for a big shock.

Don't compare living in London to life in TT.

Chalk and cheese. TT is an undeveloped country with no particular goal or purpose in the world. Until that changes then everything will always be lackadaisical

[airuma]

OP, after 7 years of living in a first world country, there must have been something really good/ convenient about Trinidad or really bad/ inconvenient about the first world country to bring you back. Do you mind sharing this experience with us instead, rather than complaining about something that is bad by design.

[zoom rader]

OP, after 7 years of living in a first world country, there must have been something really good/ convenient about Trinidad or really bad/ inconvenient about the first world country to bring you back. Do you mind sharing this experience with us instead, rather than complaining about something that is bad by design.

We don't have racist cops to deal with.

UK & USA harass black folk

[MaxPower]

OP, after 7 years of living in a first world country, there must have been something really good/ convenient about Trinidad or really bad/ inconvenient about the first world country to bring you back. Do you mind sharing this experience with us instead, rather than complaining about something that is bad by design.

We don't have racist cops to deal with.

UK & USA harass black folk

Zoom,

The root cause of harassment is resisting arrest.

[VexXx Dogg]

I spent the last 7 years out of Trinidad, mainly in Canada and the UK. I've only been back here fully for the last 2 years.

Maybe I've gotten spoilt to 'my first world' ways. Maybe, my time as an Operations Manager has made me hypervigilant to inefficiency, maybe my experience co-founding a startup in Toronto made me realize how get maximum output from slimmed-down staff.

Or maybe, I'm just a normal first world pleb and I ask the unreasonable......please tell me I'm missing something and they have VALID reasons for the following:

1. Why the f*ck do you close a store at 4:30 or 5PM on a weekday? HOW THE RASS CLAT am I supposed to shop at your business when I'm at work from 8am to 5pm, like a huge portion of the country?
And why close early on Saturays for that matter? That is literally the one day of the week I have to do errands and everywhere closing 12 or 1PM. Madness!! To add to this point, WHY THE ASS don't some of you open on Sundays? Gyms, why close early on Sunday, perhaps the day I feel most rested and energized to workout?

2. No website? Fine, but put your f*cking location and business hours in Google Maps' business profile or Facebook or IG. Keep them updated as well.

3. I don't expect eCommerce, from your business, but is it so difficult to put some of your prices online? Next time I see any Ad, or social media post saying, "Message for price". I WILL NEVER SHOP at your business period!

4. Cashiers.......do you have to be so painfully slow?

5. Responsiveness. 6 months ago, I emailed 7 real estate companies for assistance in BUYING a home. These are all big name realtors. 4 of the 7 never responded. Out of the 3 responses, 2 promised to get back to me, but never did. Only Terra Caribbean did and they were EXCEPTIONAL, the lady responded any hour of the day, always within 2 hours. Always giving new suggestions, following up, arranging site visits. Absolutely spectacular service, very un-trini like.

6. Why must I beg and hound you down for a quote? I asked 3 popular PC stores in Trinidad for a quote for 12 laptops (before the covid school rush), all 3 of them, I had to send multiple emails, even calling to get a quote. Earliest quote was delivered 4 days after.

7. General customer service. It is mostly bad. I'm not talking about simple exchanges, to be fair most aren't bad there. But the second there is an odd request, a query. a concern it is either met with "No, we don't do that". However, I have always noticed businesses in the West offer far superior service and value for money.

8. Mayaro beach house people need to learn from the people who rent out Tobago Villas/Homes. Particularly in style, customer service, ease of transactions and VALUE.

My thoughts.

1. Business owners do not want to pay overtime for their employees. Some do, some don't. C'est la vie.
2. No excuse for that. Plenty of them are older technophobes. Younger business owners are doing it.
3. Related to point 2. The older ones don't care about social media and most are not willing to pay for a social media manager to manage pages/update info frequently.
4. No excuse, maybe some CSR training.
5. Very true. Kinda related to point 2. Some older ones setup an email/fb/twitter page and then ignore it because they think that's it. Generally poor customer service unless you're dealing with younger owners who understand the online grind,.
6, No excuse for this, WOFT. They think you will waste their time, so they don't bother.
7. CSR training should be a bloodclaat prereq
8. Trini tourism in general needs a reboot. Very few in the industry know how to run it properly, a lot of them have these properties as sideline income streams so they just don't really care how the chips fall once business streaming consistently

[Devourment]

OP, after 7 years of living in a first world country, there must have been something really good/ convenient about Trinidad or really bad/ inconvenient about the first world country to bring you back. Do you mind sharing this experience with us instead, rather than complaining about something that is bad by design.

A sick parent, a divorce, but ultimately I decided to come back to try to give back to Trinidad.

It has not been a good experience so far...but fortunately, I can return to the UK for work.

OP, after 7 years of living in a first world country, there must have been something really good/ convenient about Trinidad or really bad/ inconvenient about the first world country to bring you back. Do you mind sharing this experience with us instead, rather than complaining about something that is bad by design.

We don't have racist cops to deal with.

UK & USA harass black folk

Maybe in the past in the UK. UK, well London, is possibly the least racist place I've been. However, secretly British Londoners and Europeans will distrust 3 groups of persons:
1. Caribbean Blacks (those who moved in the 1960s-80s, they are responsible for at least 50% of the gang violence in London)
2. Obvious Muslims (for obvious reasons), westernized Muslims will not face any discrimination
3. Chinese from China - they are perhaps the only group of people who might experience actual racism, the others are just bad talked behind their backs.

[sMASH]

hoss, trini business practices suit their customers.
by being upfront like rovin u dont really get more or better customers.
the online scene is picking up, like with IG and tictok. but thats the new generation, not really ur old foggies.

as for after hours, some places start later to open later. sumtimes the customer traffic is not enough to justify the additional open hours. at those times, people jess want to reach home, mostly. it easier to beg a time off, take a day off or come out on saturday.
for private businesses, we dont have enough people available to do later opeing hours.
wrt govt, my idea was to have a shift system. with two hours overlap lunch time, between the am and pm shift. this was to accomodate people before their work starts, people taking some time lunch time and then people after work.
i mean, the public sector is really supposed to be the service sector, so it makes logical sense in my brain that they open at times to be of service to the people.

[nervewrecker]

Welcome to trinidad.

One of the first things I learn in econ and entrepreneurship is capitalizing on an opportunity and customer service is one ripe for the picking. Customer service and opening hours are what keep a lot of places from reaching full potential.

But workers, god gosh. they could eff up customer service with constantly causing problems. Simple as how we does look to lick down as much servicing on a Sunday make a big difference. No traffic so you can get from point A to B fast and mash up real work.

Crime seems to be a major factor influence opening hours in most places. This is why an online business is the way to go. Paperless and delivery. No parking issues to go to an establishment, no traffic cuz you outside of traffic hours, no cash to robb you off, nobody will know business taking place because its just two cars in an open parking lot with a lot of cars and plenty activity. I actually buy from a supplier like this. Late evening we link up and do the transaction. if you play your cards right you can even take the kids out for a drive.

https://www.facebook.com/Priscillas-Pre ... 7571148904

This is my younger cousin, When she had now started up and didn't have her drivers permit I used to carry her to do deliveries because I want to see her succeed in life and she like a sister to me. I she has a degree in chemical engineering as well.
A lot of clients prefer get their stuff delivered to their door instead of going outside to meet traffic, parking woes, no risk of getting robbed etc etc.

What she also did is link with a lot of suppliers abroad to get stuff from them as soon as it was released. So she had stuff available for purchase before the stuff even reach on the shelves here.

She also opted to do multiple deliveries in the same vicinity at once and add on a small delivery cost, I think was $20.00 and back then I using diesel and the nissan frontier sips fuel.

She also diversified herself in the service. She is certified to work with some of the products so she went so far as to set up a small studio where customers can come in and have it done. She also oped to take advantage of online platforms to not only reach out to potential clients and do vids of the stuff in use. So this way people know exactly what they buying. No guessing. Last we talked I think she was looking into supplying stores that put it on there shelves. So they can acquire the product from her faster than they can get it here.

[Redress10]

Trinidad doesn't even have a semi decent stock exchange.

Reporters always eager to share that x amout of stocka was bought or exchanged and when you do the calculation is a lil 2 million dollars they talking about.

They call that "Business" news. TT is not a business and commerce focus place

[MaxPower]

Allyuh rinsing out Trinidad in this thread.

[Redress10]

Allyuh rinsing out Trinidad in this thread.

No we identifying some of the things the country needs to improve upon in order to improve business and commerce in TT.

Ah wonder if OP had to clear any goods at customs as yet. Lmao

[sMASH]

that stock exchange ting need to get migrated to an app for offers and bids to get conducted.
jess like address verification ting with most tings in trinidad these days, it shoudl only have to be done initially, but after, ur info should be inside for all other transactions, until u update it.
so, initially u set up and verify with a broker/ttse, but after that, u should get an account where u can trade shares from a secured app.