LettersHong Kong needn’t match mainland prices but must compete on value
Readers discuss how mainland travel is reshaping Hongkongers’ ideas of service and value, overcrowding on the Airport Express, and the US’ gift to China
Hong Kong residents are no longer just spending money in mainland China. We are returning with new expectations of price, convenience and service. As movement across the border accelerates, pressure is building for the gap between the two commercial cultures to narrow.
On a rainy morning in Zhuhai, I booked a car to the ferry terminal. The driver arrived on time, found me easily and delivered me through the downpour without incident. Nothing luxurious – just efficient, dependable service.
That ordinariness is precisely what makes it notable. In mainland China, accepting a booking is treated as a commitment. The car arrives. The journey happens. The transaction works. I have had the opposite experience in Hong Kong, where ride-share drivers have sometimes cancelled or failed to appear, presumably after finding a more attractive fare. The technology may look similar, but the service ethic is different.
I recently stopped at a pharmacy chain store in Hong Kong that had installed self-checkout kiosks. When the payment system failed, the nearby staff member did not know how to fix it. Another employee was summoned.
It’s a small incident, but no less revealing. Technology intended to improve efficiency had created inconvenience. It was modernisation without optimised service.