I stood there surprised and confused. Only when she realised that she was not getting any response from me did she decide to look up and notice that I was not able to understand the language.

The cashier had been so busy at her work that she did not realise that she was speaking to an Indian customer.

This is not the first time this has happened to me. In many other instances, in places like the food courts, retail outlets and even restaurants, I have often faced the same problem.

Many sales personnel, cashiers and front-line staff are not trained and do not seem to be able to speak basic English.

I believe it may be good for us educate these people and ensure that they are able to speak basic English.

If they depended solely on their dialects to converse with their customers, many English-speaking customers will be left confused and unsure of their intentions.

As we live in an English-speaking country where the language is often promoted and used, I hope that all establishments will ensure that their staff are trained to speak basic English.

Ishwar Mahtani