An auto show experience

**texorama** · January-10-12, 09:09 PM

A friend writes:

<<Arrived at Cobo a little before 8 this morning and found Cobo Roof parking was already full. I asked the attendant to recommend an alternative, and he said, " get here early." And we wonder why Detroit gets a bad rep with chuckleheads like this--almost certainly not even a city resident--acting us the city's ambassador to the many thousands of visitors who come for NAIAS. The guy turned away ahead of me came from Japan for the show. I walked with him to the show once we found parking; suffice it to say he is not eager to come back.>>

**Chicago48** · January-11-12, 07:23 AM

Originally Posted by texorama

A friend writes:

<<Arrived at Cobo a little before 8 this morning and found Cobo Roof parking was already full. I asked the attendant to recommend an alternative, and he said, " get here early." And we wonder why Detroit gets a bad rep with chuckleheads like this--almost certainly not even a city resident--acting us the city's ambassador to the many thousands of visitors who come for NAIAS. The guy turned away ahead of me came from Japan for the show. I walked with him to the show once we found parking; suffice it to say he is not eager to come back.>>

I live in Chicago and this is customer Service City #1. Because we are a tourist city and people are especially trained to bend over backwards for the public. Detroiters don't know that yet because it hasn't had to deal with tourism. I'm with you. If you want to be a world class city -- like Chicago you gotta act like a world class city. However, I betcha the guy was Black [[just a guess) and I'm sorry but whenever you have South Americans/Mexicans doing that type of work, they are kinder, and more helpful than Americans.

**Ronnieguy** · January-11-12, 07:53 AM

I had to reply to the stupid statement made about this man being black.
Are you kidding me?
I grew up in Livonia and left for the Navy in 1979 and never went back to Detroit until last year to attend the Woodward Dream Cruise [[Awesome by the way ) and take my wife who has never been to Detroit before.
I lived in Honolulu for 15 years and moved to Orlando and have been here ever since.
All my Michigan friends told me "Just remember Detroit as you knew it before you left" and don't go as you will be so disappointed in what it has become .
To my surprise I LOVED my visit and even consider returning to live , I didn't know how much I missed the Metro and my wife loved it and also THE PEOPLE !!
Detroit residents are very nice and outgoing and have a deep heart, she noticed this right away and continued to comment on the heart of the people,the history,the feel.
As I was taking her to visit the Motown Museum I was stopped at a red-light and asked for a couple of cold bottles of water from a street vendor , Black, by the way.
I tried to give him a 5 for the two bottles that were priced at a dollar each and had to almost throw the tip at him as he kept trying to give me change with a big smile by the way.
Every city has bad eggs, believe me Orlando is very dangerous and has a very high crime rate.
I loved the feel of "We are Detroit"
And miss it . I wear Detroit T Shirts almost every day and have for 30 years and am always proud to tell people I am form Detroit !!
Sorry for the long rant but I am a first time poster and have followed this blog for a long time .
Keep up the good work in the Metro and be proud of the majority of GOOD people and disregard the Bad Egg's

**louis** · January-11-12, 08:10 AM

Originally Posted by Chicago48

I live in Chicago and this is customer Service City #1. Because we are a tourist city and people are especially trained to bend over backwards for the public. Detroiters don't know that yet because it hasn't had to deal with tourism. I'm with you. If you want to be a world class city -- like Chicago you gotta act like a world class city. However, I betcha the guy was Black [[just a guess) and I'm sorry but whenever you have South Americans/Mexicans doing that type of work, they are kinder, and more helpful than Americans.

if he doesn't act like he's from the city then he's probably white, regardless of that it doesn't matter what color he is, we are all human with all the same abilities. and even though Chicago is a tourist city one of its largest conventions [[lollaplooza) only brings in 250000 people, that's 50000 less than Detroit's jazz festival and 500000 than the auto show

**DetroitPlanner** · January-11-12, 08:35 AM

Originally Posted by Chicago48

I live in Chicago and this is customer Service City #1. Because we are a tourist city and people are especially trained to bend over backwards for the public. Detroiters don't know that yet because it hasn't had to deal with tourism. I'm with you. If you want to be a world class city -- like Chicago you gotta act like a world class city. However, I betcha the guy was Black [[just a guess) and I'm sorry but whenever you have South Americans/Mexicans doing that type of work, they are kinder, and more helpful than Americans.

THis is easily one of the most dumbest responses I have ever heard. This is full of sterotypes [[all negative) used to pontificate how much better you are than everyone. You get smart-@$$ed comments from people in this town no matter what color or national origin. The key is however laughing then asking the person again. Most likely he was just joking and would be more than willing to suggest a few places. The attendant was right though, if you want to park at Cobo during the Auto show its silly to get there late and expect to be accomodated.

**Hermod** · January-11-12, 08:44 AM

It is not a matter of race, it is a matter of occupation. Attendants at parking for pay lots are all arrogant and uncaring assholes regardless of their ethnicity.

**gnome** · January-11-12, 08:50 AM

Exactly GP, ... IF the original story is true, the response," get here early" is close cousin to the standard answer to the question, "How do you get to Carnegie Hall?", "Practice, Practice, Practice."

Congrats to the Attendant for being witty in a wit deficient town.

**rb336** · January-11-12, 09:10 AM

Originally Posted by Chicago48

I live in Chicago and this is customer Service City #1. Because we are a tourist city and people are especially trained to bend over backwards for the public..

odd. it's the alleged "customer service" people in Chicago who are most likely to ruin my mood when I go there. I have yet to have a pleasant exchange with them

**canuck** · January-11-12, 09:27 AM

Chicago48, Okay; let's start over with less emotion this time. The Chicago welcoming committee banter doesnt seem to gel with folks here.

**Bham1982** · January-11-12, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by Chicago48

I live in Chicago and this is customer Service City #1. Because we are a tourist city and people are especially trained to bend over backwards for the public.

LOL at this.

Chicago isn't a major tourist city. Places like Vegas and Orlando are major tourist cities. Chicago isn't even Top 10 nationally in terms of leisure visitors.

Chicago is traditionally an industrial city, just like Detroit, though it has transitioned to white collar employment faster than Detroit.

It's still primarily a lunch bucket Midwest town, though, and tourists are pretty much nowhere outside of Michigan Avenue and environs.

And Super LOL at your allegation that Chicago has good customer service because of tourists. 99% of Chicago jobs have nothing to do with tourism, and there is no correlation between level of tourism and good customer service. Ever been to Rome?

Originally Posted by Chicago48

However, I betcha the guy was Black [[just a guess) and I'm sorry but whenever you have South Americans/Mexicans doing that type of work, they are kinder, and more helpful than Americans.

And this comment is even dumber. You're sound like some redneck racist.

And since when did Chicago have "South Americans" doing "that type of work"? Newsflash- folks speaking Spanish aren't automatically from South America. If you're talking Chicago, 90% of the people speaking Spanish are from Michoacan, in Mexico.

And since when was a person speaking Spanish "not American"? Huh?

**jolla** · January-11-12, 11:24 AM

A guy comes from Japan to attend the auto show and because a parking attendant was snarky to him, he might not come back? Srsly? He might need some thicker skin [[and a sense of humor).

Also, what is the attendant supposed to say? If the attendant suggests a different lot that happens to be full, then he's a jerk.

**oladub** · January-11-12, 11:31 AM

My family came back to Detroit for a funeral and we stayed in motels by the airport this summer. After three days of restaurants, motels, and stores, two of my grown up kids volunteered that they were surprised at how friendly and helpful everyone whom they had run into had been.

**texorama** · January-11-12, 01:13 PM

I give up. In any other city in the U.S. this would have been Hospitality 101.

**Scottathew** · January-11-12, 01:27 PM

Unfortunately this person wasn't very nice. I've seen extreme cases of both. Last year at the auto-show I had some issues with the people mover staff and a transit police officer.

However, I've seen the opposite too. This morning I saw someone at Madison and Beaubien asking a pedestrian walking across the street for directions and the person stopped and helped the lost motorist.

I've helped out people a few times around my building find places.

The staff at the JLA are always very friendly. Many of the building security staff around here are friendly. I went to the Guardian building once when it was closed and the security desk staff were friendly and invited us to take pictures of what we could see.

So, I guess it goes both ways. I think the persons actions speaks more for the individual than the city. But I'm optimistic, young, and naive.

**Danny** · January-11-12, 02:11 PM

I have a lot a friends who are working for the Auto Show. They can get me in for free!

**ptero** · January-11-12, 02:13 PM

w/ Cobo Roof parking guaranteed?

**Danny** · January-11-12, 02:14 PM

Yes, that is included, too. from a ride from a friend.

**wolverine** · January-11-12, 04:09 PM

All this nonsense over one employee's bad attitude. Yes, we have been experiencing a "good customer service renaissance" these past few years where bad service is difficult to come by. It just makes it all much more noticeable when someone isn't nice, but it's just one person out of a thousand.

**coracle** · January-11-12, 05:08 PM

"I live in Chicago and this is customer Service City #1. Because we are a tourist city and people are especially trained to bend over backwards for the public."

I think Chicago48 was not at their best when they wrote this and got the directions wrong. What they really meant was their people are especially trained to bend over forwards for the public; else how would they get tourists to make the trip to be subject to their wind.

**BEEAH** · January-11-12, 05:56 PM

Someone says "Get here early" and a thread is started with more Detroit issues? Really? If someone judges an entire city by one funny remark? Personally I don't want such a sensitive person around our city. If that was said to me I would have laughed and agreed. I would have thought, "Kick ass, the show seems likes its making a comback".

I wonder how many will attend this year.

**illwill** · January-12-12, 12:52 AM

I love Chicago but Chicago48 is either a racist asshole or a troll. I bet he's both.

**illwill** · January-12-12, 12:59 AM

texorama, you obviously aren't from Detroit.

This is a worthless thread...NEXT!

**softailrider** · January-12-12, 02:07 AM

So, when you travel, for business or a vacation, you expect everybody you encounter to be Mr. or Mrs. Nice Guy? Tourist mecca or lunch bucket town, ain't gonna happen.

Ravine · January-12-12, 02:29 AM

Only a damn fool would, upon visiting a city, see a parking-lot attendant as being any sort of ambassador, or judge any aspect of that city's character by using that attendant's demeanor as a measurement.

I do hope that the attendant's answer was not delivered with an insulting tone; assuming that it was not, the only harm I see is by way of the familiar phrase, "the truth hurts."

**Zacha341** · January-12-12, 05:21 AM

Agreed. I've been working at the NAIAS the last two years weekends as a greeter and presenter one of the display areas and have not have any negative experience like this and have found mostly everyone friendly and helpful!

Originally Posted by wolverine

All this nonsense over one employee's bad attitude. Yes, we have been experiencing a "good customer service renaissance" these past few years where bad service is difficult to come by. It just makes it all much more noticeable when someone isn't nice, but it's just one person out of a thousand.