I never experienced bad customer service in Barbados in 3 visits, one thing I have found to be annoying and rather dangerous is the incorrect use of using their high beams at night time

I am bajan and I do use the phrase "yes please" My aunt who moved to NY years ago hates to hear it and i have to remind myself when i am visiting her to just say "yes". she thinks "yes please" makes you sound like a child or sound like sound "slave". She sees "yes please" and "yes masah" as the same phrase

I am a Jamaican & I do the hand signals sometimes. Why? I was around an older driver, so I picked up some of his old habits. I think its a good gesture, because someone behind you might be coming at a speed & not seeing whats in your vision, & to prevent an overtake ,and a potential accident you kinda "flag them down"

There’s a bit more to the slowing down hand signal. It’s not just to say they’re slowing down, it to warn you that they’re slowing for a reason and it’s not safe for you to overtake. For example, you know Bajans are super polite and they will literally stop anywhere to let someone cross the road. So, the last thing you want to do is overtake someone that’s slowed down or stopped to let an old lady cross. You might think they were just slowing down to let someone out or something and go around them. The ‘Iron’ thing made me laugh. My Mum says ‘earn’ or ‘urn’. LOL!! I will never get used to the laid back attitude in regards to Customer Service in Barbados. Coming from London and a frequent visitor to The States, it’s like night and day. It’s so hard to remember it’s so much more relaxed in Barbados. One thing you didn’t mention though was the ‘toot-toot’ you give a driver as thanks for letting you out of a side road etc. I love that so much and it puts a smile on my face every time I have to do it or someone does it to me!!

The yes please thing is how we are taught in schools. It shows respect/gratitude kinda for the person you're interacting with. To actually not say that would be considered rude to some people because they would think you have no manners or broughtupsie as we call it. But yes thanks works too. The yes please is more of a cultural thing. The hand signals are for the driver behind (because some of them dotish and clearly bought their license) so we use hand signals to tell them we are stopping, slowing down or that they can overtake us. My carib ean friends tease me for how I pronounce iron but our accent sounds very much like cockney from england so that along with our twang means our way of saying things is weird to others

Im a barbadian and you are spot on with your points. Bajans are nice when it come to giving directions, giving a pregnant woman or elderly person a seat on the bus or van, asking for the time etc. But WE LACK GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE 95% of the time Everything else you said is true. Saying yes please sounds 100 % better than a simple yes or no. Ive travel to countries where people answer "what" or "ha" & it really irritates me.

When learning to drive in Barbados, you are taught to use hand signals. I believe we use them to ensure the driver behind or near you is aware of your actions and avoid miscommunication. Especially if you are letting someone cross in front of your car. I personally use ‘yes please’ sarcastically or if I’m speaking to an elder, otherwise it’s ‘yes, thanks’. Something unusual/different to me would be all the different ways we use the horn and signaling lights when driving.

Because of the British colonial past which has with it the Church of England/ Anglican Church, Sunday is called "The Lord's Day". This is enshrined in legislation. In the Shops Act of Barbados it provides that employees can not be forced to work seven days a week because Sunday is the Lord's Day. Stores and other establishments that open on Sunday have to meet certain requirements so they are not in breach of the law.

As a kid when I visited my family in 80's thought same thing..but honestly in America most businesses were closed on Sundays..this changed in America in the 90's 1nce they realized $ was being lost. The morals went out he window.That could be a good or bad thing that shows we are getting more focused on doing whatever 4 money as opposed to what's right??

Hi Jamie! Just found your channel today and have been binge watching all your videos because I might (fingers crossed) be moving to Barbados soon! Love your videos and your personality so subscribed! :)

Customer service in Barbados is something that needs to be addressed.

Some supermarkets are open on a Sunday in Barbados, particularly in Warrens.

In Europe we are taught to respond “Yes please” or “No thank you” when being asked, “Would you like………….” “Please” and “Thank you” are extremely important and are taught at a very early age.

Hello dear thanks please, I really want to migrate from UAE to Barbados, how can I do that

When l first hired a car, I noticed the locals didn’t turn on there headlights until it was completely dark and even then some still didn’t. Apart from that the people are really nice & friendly.

Hi Jamie, I'm from France living in Canada now and most businesses are closed on Sunday in Europe. Over the past years, it has became less strict but it is still very frequent. As for the UK, I've never seen them doing these hand signs, that's very funny though! Thank you for sharing your experience, it's highly interesting :)

interesting video as always :) love the hair+color as well. I‘ve actually never seen the hand-signals when I was in Barbados. Btw I think a very interesting video topic would be the beauty standard in Barbados or the caribbean in general

Just found your channel and I am enjoying your videos. We have been living in Barbados for almost 18 months and I can definitely say that the "yes please" response is different. I just can't get with it.

I love your videos. I lived on Barbados two years ago for 10 months and I remember the hand signaling. Fond memories of a beautiful island ✨

I agree in regards to the Customer Service. I love Bim it's everything to me but YES the Customer Service is horrendous, it's almost like they are doing YOU a favour by them serving you. I was in Massey one day and this chick was having a whollllllleeeee damn conversation on the phone and we had to wait till she was done. This type of disrespect sooooo angers me but yes not all! I have met some AMAZING customer service representatives but unfortunately that one or two negative interaction with a service person can upset your whole vibe!

5:16 "If you're a Bajan, tell me in the comments below if you use 'yes please'." *Me a Bajan:* Yes please 🙂

Yes, please. I do, and I have lived in America for over 20 years. I still respond - "Yes, please"

Regarding the hand signals, it's not really every time you slow down, but it's more of a gesture for persons not to overtake called "flagging down". It's usually used when there is a pedestrian, when there is traffic that would conflict with overtakers, like someone exiting in front of the stopped car, when the driver has to step out of the car for some reason, or if the driver wishes to speak to someone already passing beside them. Most roads in Barbados are only 2 lanes in width, so overtaking is common, plus pedestrian infrastructure isn't superb so there is a lot of what might be considered "jaywalking" elsewhere. If you see a car with a hand out of the window flagging, it is fairly dangerous to attempt to pass it on either side, from the same lane or the opposite.

Your hairstyle is so pretty. Is it "easy" as an African American woman to find hair salons for braids, wigs, and hair care products for "tough hair'?

Some places are open in st philip like the supermarket, carters and marshall trading.

you are correct about the customer service. im bajan and it blows my mind as well. even if they address you first it dont seem genuine

Hry girlllll I love your videos straight forward and to the point 👉

Customer service does not exist in barbados for a country that so heavily depends on tourism. The rude , cavalier, dismissive behaviour begins at the airport and follows thru to restaurants, hotels, grocery stores etc. Cave Shepard is the worst . To be honest they are very nice to white tourist. Sad but true and l am of Bajan heritage on my mothers side .

Im from new zealand and when i asked my bajan boyfriend something he says "yes please" i thought it was just him who said that-

The hand signals are a very useful safety feature. It is almost always used where it would not be safe for a vehicle behind to overtake. There is no indicator signal that can say that

Good observation on the customer service

What you said about the tellers in the banks is true.i went into a banks once and the teller didnt even smile or even said hello.i said goodmorning and she didn't even respond..with a teller from another bank,she was very nice.i told the manager afterwards that the teller at the particular window was so very nice.

Most of the tourist ask the clerks many questions and hold up line. So yes some clerks are very patient and nice.

The customer services are horrible if you want good customer services you have to go to high-end places like the crane restaurant, tides restaurant, or champers worst customer service is cave shepherd and this restaurant in St James.

I also thought the hand signals were to help those of us from the US who aren’t used to driving on the left side of the road. And they are very considerate drivers!

Hello Jamie! Do you mind sharing the details of the apartment you stayed in ? Looking for studio for my upcoming trip.

Still can go out .... but just town which is bridgetown will be close !! Beach partys can still have fun on sunday

You are so right on customer service. It stinks

Yes i have being in Barbados my first time there last year, and everything u said thats my experience..

In terms of customer service, while i think it generally sucks, there are two factors that you should include in your discussion and one cultural element. The first is the type of establishment you are going to. Certain places you get better service at because those are places that regularly interact with tourist like hotels, restaurants and shops (in the tourist belt) and tourist attractions. But for other businesses where tourists do not normally frequent you do not find a heavy emphasis on customer service like banks (it is rear to find a tourist in a bank here in Barbados and come to think of it with the exception of the 2 years i studied in Trinidad I never go to the bank when overseas.) The second consideration is just the awful truth; your customer service experience depends on your colour and your accent. If you are "visibly" a tourist, ie you are white, you are more likely to get good service. British rapper Tinie Tempah recently experienced this first hand while here in Barbados. Persons may rationalise it as being a vestitude of slavery but i believe that Bajans in the service sector believe Barbadians are terrible tippers. Finally it is a cultural quirk; I find many Bajans get annoyed when they go to establishments and ppl are running up behind you offering to help even before you had a chance to properly set foot in the establishment and look around. Bajans do not like to be "hounded or pestered" when they shop. Bajans like to take the chance to browse, look, asses and then if they want help they will signal you. So you may find in places store attendants hang back and give Bajans "breathing space" and then if they observe that shopper mulling over something or if the shopper starts looking around the attendant will appear. Just yesterday i went to Harmony in the Walk looking at dresses and within the space of a minute 3 different attendants approached me about "helping me." Within minutes I was out the door because I was just browsing and here are these ppl up in my face harassing me bout dresses even b4 i had a chance to see what was on the dang racks. Even when i am in the US (where i think customer service is much better) when shopping i like the stores where i am left alone to browse; Macy's, JCPenny, Burlington, Nordstrom, C21 (thought that shut down now) etc. Yeah its a Bajan thing

I'm glad I watched your video, very interesting. You covered much that I haven't heard as of yet...except the description of terrible customer service-and by Bajans themselves. I've been in customer service and the negativity of this atmosphere would not only bring me down but would make my days seem so much longer. I'm not just surprised that people do it, but that employers put up with it. Why would one store/bank not see the opportunity to exceed in customer service and blow their competition out of the water? Mind boggling on a few levels. The rest I see as quaint and part of discovering a new culture. Thank you for sharing.

I can’t remember the last time I saw or I actually did a hand signal while driving., and I am Barbadian living in Barbados.

I remember visiting family In Barbados years ago and there house was half painted and quite a few houses in the area were the same , they told me you don’t have to pay bills on half painted house because it’s technically an unfinished building or suttin . Is this still a thing or were they messing wid me ?

all good points.. will give you food from their tree and the shirt off their back but won't take your order properly or check up at you when youre dining in their restaurant lol

Or how about, “yes please, thank you.” Had that one drilled into me as a kid 🙃

I had to repeat "iron" to myself just now. You're absolutely correct, we pronounce it weirdly, lolol. The "no, please" and "yes, please" grind my gears to no end. It is subservient and doesn't make any grammatically sense. I wish we would do away with it. The rudeness in customer service is unbearable. It's crazy that we have to address them first and appease them with our greeting in order for them to do their job. It's another thing we need to banish. It's always refreshing seeing yourself from the "outsider's" perspective. Thanks for sharing. Keep up the great work!

I’m a Barbadian, never lived anywhere else and I haven’t seen hand signals in many years.

We grow learning that yes by itself is rude and could come off as harsh so we and pleasd to be polite

They will say you have a good day to insult you lol

The yes please thing is something that really became popular within the last 10 years or so .I first noticed it with school children doing interviews at school sports. I really never got the the need for hand signals but you do use them when a pedestrian crosses in front of you. Customer service does not exist in Barbados maybe because it's so bad I am noticing some companies are making an effort to try. Things I find interesting in Barbados the Post Office is the meeting /liming spot for pensioners karaoke is way more popular than it needs to be.

I'm a Bajan but live in California now. Cool video. I only use hand signals when in bim but only if I need to stop suddenly or fairly quickly because folks don't always see your brake light. The yes please/no please response I learned as a little kid as part of having manners and being polite. Saying just yes or no is considered very rude in Bim and as a child could lead to some stern discipline lol

Just came across your post hence the late-ish response. We say iron because that's exahow it is spelt. I think if we were to say IURN we would have to see it spelt that way. We were never taught that the 'r' is silent. Lol. I don't think hand signals are necessary but we are taught them when learning to drive and have to use them when we do the driving test.

They picked up that yes please from watching American tv. I live in the u.s and sometimes I say it too. Yes please is said with excitement and great anticipation for something you wanted to get done and because it was something you really wanted or something you really wanted to get done and you are so excited and thrilled we said yes please . To emphasis the yes. The yes isnt enough to emphasis how thankful we are we add the please behind it .

One one of the things people in Barbados are known for is good manners

Not all businesses like that, but some places the clerks are very nice.

So true about customer service

Just found the channel randomly and thought to myself that this sounds like a Belizean accent. Then yuh seh "states" instead of US or America and that mi confirm it lol Glad foh see wah next Belizean ya da Barbados.

Ok. So the yes please thing right lol, (how you explained was funny) but anyhoo, so I wasn't raised to use it the way others did, but my sister and I was raised to be polite and mannerly so one day we noticed our neighbours used it when ever their parents would call them and we liked how it sounded(it sounded like they were being respectful) so we adopted it lol, which amused our mum. As time passed it just became the norm for me, however because I wasn't raised to, I never over used it. Now I don't use it that much unless necessary as you described-if someone is offering food or drink etc. I find children aren't taught when exactly they should use it, so it irks me when I praise a child and instead of thank you they say Yes Please. But I don't correct them because they aren't my children for one lol, and in their minds, they are simply being respectful, which is a good thing. But it's still irksome lolol. It really bugs a cousin of mine who is a returning national because she connects it to enslavement days, and in a sense that is where it comes from.(which is why you'll find some other communities do not do it) But the overuse of it, or a grown up using it in an unnecessary setting to another grown up, is what gets me.

i'm laughing because it so true I do use ''yes please'' a lot

Hand signals r safer dan indicators reasons been is dat if u turning off a highway into a side road n a vehicle comin in d opposite direction n dat indicator is flashing in d vehicle it don't necessarily mean it is flashing outside it could b blow n d on coming driver wouldn't know ur Turin n u couldn't end up dead so d hand signals r safer

Other Caribbean islands pronounce iron " I run" your video was interesting and informative, thanks

😎 The differences that we all have between one another is what makes us interesting!🤣 👍🏾🙏🏾🇬🇧🇸🇪🇹🇹

its the hair for me

I born and live here .

The thing about speaking first as the customer services is you are coming into business space not they are coming in to your space , that why the outsider has to speak first . That's just common courtesy in barbados . The hand signals are extra insurance that you know to slowdown ,stop or not to over take . Places open on Sundays just for half the day doe.

I use yes please. I tell my son to say yes please. I grow up like that. Now iron. We are aware of the correct pronunciation of the word it all comes down to the bajan dialect we used. So it’s many other words and not just that one word. We speak broken English. Edit: imma bajan vlogger btw. Lol.

I am a born and bred Barbadian but I agree with you we are poor on customer relations. We weren’t always like that and I don’t know when, why or how we got here but you are CORRECT I remark about it all the time, doing business is like you are begging persons to be able to spend your own money. You can’t ask a question and get a proper or polite response. When COVID 19 hit and establishments had to be close I thought it would be a “wake up” call but it hadn’t changed anything. You are very correct.

Correct!

Rude, poor customer service was the worst aspect of my stay in Barbados. Was on sabbatical at UWI Cave Hill. But the lady at the campus bookshop was gracious and always nice.

It's expected that the Sunday lockdowns would have been due to the COVID protocols. I don't believe that it's rule of thumb for all businesses to be closed on Sundays. By the way, I enjoyed your vlog. All the best to you. Those hand signals you mentioned were likely used in Belize before your time, being a British colony. Before the "flashing " turn lights, cars were equipped with a turn signal indicator that shot out from the sides of the vehicle.

I am a bajan but what I dont like about some bajans like if you at a store and ask a question to the clerk, lots of other customers will jump in with comments or answers.

Hand signals whilst driving is normal and the signals all have meaning. When in Rome

Iron has two syllables...hence i-ron!!

Yes please is how some kids are taught to respond when summoned .. back in the day you could get lashes if yes wasn’t followed by the please… it annoys me to hear it also but people that say it believe they are being most respectful ..I live here and don’t notice hand signals really anymore .. as every one drives with their windows up and a/c on

Only learners use hand signals... if someone uses hand signals otherwise its because they stopped last minute or they’re trying to get the attention of persons going the opposite direction.

Maybe this Sunday we can search for an open cafe... ? 😏... so I find it unusual to greet someone at night by saying goodnight... in the US and other places.. goodnight means.. bye or I'm going to bed... it's not a way to greet someone

You are pretty much spot on with everything you said. You would think that if you enter a customer service business someone would politely ask if they can help? nope, not bajans. And I'll also say they do it more to black people more often than they do it to the white tourist.

I find it wierd saying "yes please" too. It makes no sense but people see it as being mannerly. Its rude to them to say yes and not add please.

How about that long video of usual things about Barbados that also happens elsewhere

I was born in Barbados so here look at it this way you enter a business you were there for a service I need to know as a person who's working there how can I help you so you have to tell me what you are therefore think about it that way

On point right customer service ,service is Barbados aweful

😂ha! ha! You think those are weird? Get into a transport board bus with a driver who talks to the bus. "I tell you turn left man. Right." 😂. Here we don't forget; we forget to remember. 😄Trust me. Hang around long enough and you'll hear it.

Yes I do

Yes please we use the word

#1 the ppl, my apartment was ram sacked robbed while i stayed in Barbados, laptop, jewelry, clothing, electronics even brand name cologne was stolen my apartment trashed. Reported it to the police barely took a statement no investigation was done. I later figured out with the help of friends that it was the campus bus driver from UWI Cave Hill that did it who also turned out to be a friend of my landlord. Nothing came out of it. I also got inflated prices a lot i.e ripped off. my landlord also tried to block me from my apartment even though i didn't owe them any rent. Great beaches though !

Nothing wrong or strange with yes please , it’s being well mannered!! I have and my daughter experience bad customer service especially in chefette, gas stations ..

The the Iron thing is crazy cant understand it

Is the common response "unusual?" No, if you please. (No, please) It isn't. Do I like to hear it, especially from the children, and would I recommend that you start using it? Yes, if you please! aka, Yes, please!

Iron, I-earn, I-ron, I-run🤔

Yes please is part of the culture, you may hear no please or no thanks

I live in Barbados and they feel they are the most educated people in the Caribbean lol

Lol we don't use hand signals while driving in the UK other than flicking the v's, we do say yes please though.

Our pronunciation of words is definitely colonial influenced😂, not influenced by modern British, but colonial influenced. (I.e old british, some african, irish, scottish and etc influences that created our modern Barbadian ways of pronounciation) So that's why we tend to pronounce most words phonetically, unless we speaking in some real bajan. Hearing your pronunciation of Iron sounds so bizarre to me lol. I'm gonna have to open my ears next time I'm around non Bajans and get them to say the word😂😂.

I am from Barbados 🇧🇧 I am a bajan l was married to a 🇬🇭 so I still use his last name l am p to be a bajan

Hand signalling was common in UK fot driving test over 50 years ago! They don't call Barbados "LITTLE ENGLAND IN THE SUN" for nothing!!!!!!! 🥰🥰🥰 😎

yea i am a bajan and i say yes please when i respond

The "Yes Please" comes from the Schools...that's how they teach people to respond there in Barbados...and it can be very annoying..since there is NO reason to be saying it for everything lol And the Iron is more I RON than I Run lol since it really does not sound like I ERN at all :D and those Hand signals should really be done away with by now...do not know why they stick with that...Imagine using it in a WINTERY Location...would be very funny!! Unless there was a Big accident ahead...the Slow Down works great for that alone...Also Saying Hello How can I Help or Assist you should be a Must in every Business place on the Island...I find it lazy and Rude...and should be promptly Addressed...especially since the Island is Tourism based and should Always work to make a GREAT Impression BIG TIME! I totally enjoy your Videos Bajan living in Italy :) Stay COVID safe

Hey lady you are gorgeous…awesome smile 😍

We dnt do that in the uk

Comments Add a public comment... michelle BF 1 second ago On the whole BIM is a mess. Customer service crap, ppl passive aggressive. I have been there over 20 times and always come back to the UK feeling like I went backwards. Its hard out there, but nothing beats the 3 S's of Sand, Sea and S.., so u have to take the rough with the smooth when u are out there and know that a visit will take you back in time about 50 years