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Why Business is Slow in Nogales

By Charles Nogales
Published Monday, July 20, 2009 9:21 AM MDT

On the same theme as the story 'A little pride can do wonders' by Manuel C. Coppola, published Friday, July 17, 2009.

I know why business is slow or almost dead in Nogales! Because there is little interest from business owners in having a customer-oriented mentality or business approach. I recently visited a music store located on Grand Avenue near the International Border. The first thing I saw was an unwelcoming sign on a guitar that says: “No tocar la guitarra” or “do not touch the guitar”. They have an unattractive display of guitars that have broken or missing strings or are full of dust. None of the instruments display a price tag and the store is unorganized, messy and dirty to the point that you need to walk around or over equipment left on the floor and even trash. Another sign that caught my attention says: “you must put on gloves before handling the cymbals”. I looked around and did not see any gloves close by. All through my visit I felt like I was being closely watched and they wanted me to leave soon.

Music stores in Tucson encourage prospective buyers to handle, play, test, in essence, “test-drive” the equipment before purchasing. They even have sound-proof rooms where customers can test guitar or bass sound in amplifiers or drum sets for customer to try. The display areas are clean and spacious and employees strive to make customers feel welcome.

It is time Nogales' business owners change their mentality and business practices to make their stores more welcoming and attractive to prospective buyers, so they do not lose business to Tucson or other areas.

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Comments

T wrote on Jul 30, 2009 1:48 PM:

" Some of the people here severely need spell check. Or at least re-read your posting. Maybe that's why we have such poor service ;) So shek wad you ride wen you pos commen okays? "

Guadalupe wrote on Jul 28, 2009 12:35 AM:

" I agree with all these comments, Nogales need customer service training BAD and how to use your common sense, you should treat people the way you want to be treaded. The comment about the secretaries in the public school, at the district offices, the people that work at fast food restaurants, people at the gas and electricity office, the ones at the court offices, almost the whole town needs training. Sometimes, I think twice to go and ask for something or to go do business at the local stores or offices, because the people there instead of make you feel welcome, they make you feel inferior and offended, they don't realize that they are working there because of the people that do their business on that particular store. Nogales vamos para atras en vez de seguir adelante!!!!! Que no queremos salir de pobres???? Asi no se puede, NO SE PUEDE!!!!! "

George Wilgers wrote on Jul 27, 2009 2:09 PM:

" It all comes down to which customer base the store is seeking to please. If they seek American customers, the customer service is pretty good. If they seek mostly Mexican customers, the customer service is good by Mexican Standards, lousy by American Standards. "

tax payer for now wrote on Jul 25, 2009 3:02 PM:

" absolutly! Nogales is only catering to Nogales Mexico. customer service is the same in Sonora as it is in Nogales AZ. This is just a sorry fact.
The ignorance starts at the Goverment offices to the parking lots on the border.
Mc Donalds is actually getting rid of non english speaking employees, and working on customer service, but I have not seen any praise in the paper, and probably wont!
Customer service is virtually un heard of in Nogales, you can see it from the police dept to the water department right down to great companies like Mediacom, and KFC. Oh dont forget DES, ever been there? what a joke. if you are from Mexico you will get assistance.. "

a native wrote on Jul 24, 2009 8:56 AM:

" The only place in Nogales that has good customer service is Safeway. I dislike even going to most public schools especially the district office. The secretaries treat you as if they are doing you a favor. And by the way, Zulas has the worst PR there is, especially by the owners. No wonder they cant make ends meet. "

Regular shopper wrote on Jul 22, 2009 7:49 AM:

" disagrees about the Wal-Mart in Nogales. I've found the exact opposite - friendly, helpful service. But it does help to smile a little when making a request and it helps even more if you can manage a little Spanish such as "Buenos dias." And "Como estás?" Do that and your shopping experience there will be a pleasant one, guaranteed. "

Customer wrote on Jul 21, 2009 8:37 AM:

" Businesspeople as well as employees need to care about customers, starting with small store like the one mentioned in this letter and ending with big store chains like Walmart and Penney's. Penney's is so cluttered you can hardly look for anything. At Walmart, you ask for assistance and there are very few employees willing to help you. Usually they just give directions as to where to find items. "

Applet wrote on Jul 20, 2009 5:26 PM:

" Some training in how to treat and talk to customers will also do ALL businesses in Nogales good. The rudeness and lack of customer care is embarrassing.

For example, a forty minute drive to the Wal-Mart in Sahuarita is worth it. At least when you ask an associate for assistance, they will do what they can to help you with a wonderful attitude and a smile to top it off. Shoppers in Nogales rarely receive that type of service. "

Nogalian wrote on Jul 20, 2009 5:07 PM:

" You are completely right, Nogales has the worst customer service i have ever encounter. It happens everywhere from the fast foods restaturants to local goverment offices. This is the reason why we rather go shop in Tucson. Business owners PLEASE train your employees to have a smile on their face and treat customers the way they like to be treated. A little how can i help you would be nice. "

Gustavo A Contreras wrote on Jul 20, 2009 4:20 PM:

" I agree. The other importnat aspect is Attitude. With employees not putting the extra effort, and trying to conserve their job, it's hard for exsiting business employer to have sales in order to maintain the current staf. On most of the fast food restaurants, atendandts do not smile, they are VERY slow and it looks as if they are doing you a favor, I'd rather got to Zula's, all the people there have a smile on their face and you get good and fast service "

George wrote on Jul 20, 2009 3:25 PM:

" i live in Nogales , and I hardly go to any store in grand or morley for that same reason.I don´t feel welcome,it seem like they don´t want my business, so I go to Tucson, they are much more freindly. "

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