Quote:
Originally Posted by Djinnandtonic
Hi there,
So I'm going to be a new flight attendant on Japan-American flights and I'd like to really learn some proper Japanese customer service phrases to use with our Japanese customers.
I've passed the san-kyuu JLPT, so I know most of the basics on Japanese, but I'd like some advice on this specific subject, especially since my keigo is weak, at best.
I know some phrases like "Irasshaimase" and "Kashikomarimashita", but I don't even know the proper way to ask someone "Can I help you with anything, sir/ma'am?".
Any help from expert/native speakers/other flight attendants would be amazing!
Cheers,
DJ
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Something I've wondered whenever I see this type of question on JF: What happens when you ask なにかお手伝いしましょうか and they start yammering back in speedy, complicated Japanese? Presumably you'll respond with 少々お待ちください and run off to find a Japanese flight attendant, right?
This is something I honestly don't understand. I've never had to work in the Japanese service industry, but personally I'd be worried that after I drop some sweet keigo, the response is going to be something way over my head. Then you cause yourself embarrassment and inconvenience the client by making them ask the question twice (after thinking you were going to solve the problem and waiting for the solution, only to find the delay was to find a translator).
But maybe JLPT3 is good enough for this. I don't know. It may just be a hangup of mine. I did it when I was teaching English, but that was because if I couldn't say it in Japanese, I could switch to English and it would be acceptable (and if I didn't understand, I could just say "tsk tsk, in English!").
Braver than I, I guess.