Companies need to step-up their service in China to satisfy the new sophisticated customer

Lining up for a table at the Hai Di Lao Sichuan hotpot restaurant in Beijing is not such a bad experience–you get served tea and snacks and can even opt for a manicure while you wait–a welcome reprieve from other restaurants where creature comforts are an afterthought.

The latest battleground in the retail world of China is customer service. Competition is forcing companies from state banks and airlines to restaurants and auto showrooms to take greater care to attract and keep customers happy because Chinese consumers are becoming more savvy about, and insistent on, good service.

Mark Andrews has written about everything from Japanese houses to heli hikes on New Zealand glaciers, test drives of Chinese cars to bar and restaurant reviews. He currently specialises in travel articles and reviews of Chinese cars plus articles about the Chinese auto industry.