186. American Service

In the US you typically get good service from friendly, helpful people. I appreciate the way Americans take charge of a task and don’t over compartmentalize. Here in the United States when you seek assistance in a department store, if you ask for help from someone but that isn’t their department or area of expertise you will quickly be directed to the right person, even if who you are speaking with doesn’t know who that is. They will take charge of the problem and find the right person for you.

When traveling abroad I have found this to not as typically be the case. I have even experienced requesting help and getting it in English but then the person who was helping me suddenly could not understand my English or Italian even when I said the same thing that they had just helped me with. Of course, I probably said a few choice words in English about that person that burnt any bridges I may have made, but fortunately that person couldn’t understand my German due to my heavy American accent. I realize that these were only single incidents and I cannot judge entire nations or people based on those, nor do I, because I love Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Austria and their people, but they are not as eager to be helpful as the people of the United States.

And I have other similar examples from English speaking countries where language was not a barrier. I believe that Americans are more used to questioning hierarchies while other countries are not quite so willing to push boundaries. So, our people are a little less offended when they are questioned or asked for help beyond the resources they might typically supply. They would do the same thing, so they have learned how to get the help or are very willing to do so. Americans also have this annoying desire to make everyone accountable for every tax penny spent, so we understand bureaucracy and the necessity to overcome that headache and because of that we help one another. I appreciate that.