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Originally Posted by Tsuwabuki
"Sorry mends no fences" is an idiom that means that an apology, by itself, doesn't do any work. In the case of the idiom, saying you're sorry that the fence isn't fixed yet doesn't get the fence fixed. Telling me you are sorry for the delay doesn't get me seated faster, and it doesn't allow me to ascertain how likely it is to happen in the future.
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Nothing is going to fix the fact that you are not seated now. Like I said earlier, I am not so self-important that having to wait an extra 10 minutes is going to ruin the evening or really affect me. However, I would like the business to acknowledge the fact that they broke the social contract we had made. I don't need excuses, just that acknowledgement if they want me to come back again.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tsuwabuki
This is, I suppose, the fundamental difference in viewpoints. I see just an apology (especially from one who is not directly to blame) as a way to be evasive about why the mistake was made. The Japanese view, and it seems your view, is that why the mistake was made is the equivocation. That seems to be the crux of the issue on receiving apologies. Giving apologies is another matter entirely.
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I am not concerned about who is "directly to blame". Sh*t happens. I understand that. All I am asking is that the business acknowledge that sh*t happened, and that they take responsibility for that. Any employee is a representative of that business, and any acknowledgement of shortcoming, really, is good enough for me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RickOShay
After 6 years here, the only thing I have not been able to get over is the widespread smoking and the lack of segregation of smoking and non-smoking areas. I think I have posted it before but the irony just kills me about how it is important not to be a nuisance to others in public, yet I cannot think of anything more annoying than somebody blowing cancer in your face and stinking up your clothes, and all you wanna do is sit there and enjoy your ramen in peace. If the place is too small to segregate, it should just be a law that it is a mandatory non-smoking establishment.
I dream about the day Japan is a smoke-free nation.
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I moved out of Japan in the late 90s. I feel what you are saying, but the no-smoking policies right now in Japan are much more tolerable than they were 10+ years ago. I went to fast food places with no "no smoking" areas back then. I am happy to see actual "no smoking" establishments now.