CG Dumbness strikes again!!!

[mmbassplayer]

Well said BP... I make it a point to visit lots of Guitar Centers in my travels. Planting a bug in the ear of a sales guy or just throwing out a bit of knowledge that they may not have known. I should probably have got a commission at some point as i sold a few people that had "Seperation Anxziety" on both Bongo's and Sterlings. This is grass roots at its basic level and what is needed if we want continued growth and success of the company. JOSH

 

[agplate]

I go to GC sometimes. Virtually everytime I walk out of there in complete disbelief at the way they operate and the lack of knowledge at the store. The Elliot Road store in Tempe especially. I won't go into it all because EBMM servers couldn't handle it all. However, here are two kind suggestions with I think could make a positive change- one for me personally, and one for all of us knuckleheads:

1- Please stop calling your customers Dude, Man, Sport, Boss, Chief, Champ, Buddy; as in 'howzitgoinboss?'. If I'm going to buy a 1500 bass, which I have done, I would expect a little more professionalism (at least as a 40 year old) than this.

2- ALL of the basses in the stores have steep relief in the necks (likely from the climate) and are unplayable without truss rod adjustment. They simply don't care about keeping the stock in working order. If a 'noob' comes in to try one of EBMM basses, they may think this is what they feel like and would immediately pass it up as it's so unpleasant to play.

 

[TheAntMan]

Wave the knucklehead flag and spread the story in a positive light. I know this isnt a cult and there is zero obligation for you to do this....but we are a small factory that can only visit so many stores and even if we did the turnover is really high.

...

That's where you can help us fix it on the grass roots level

BP, you can count on me to help spread the word in a positive way.

I visit my local shops and always ask about EBMM Basses (I'm not a guitarist and my fingers are way too fat for them skinny strings ) and usually will end up having a good conversation with the bass department person. I have purchased my EBMM basses, strings and other stuff locally and drop names of previous bass department people and/or sales reps so they know I am not blowing smoke.

It is not a cult, but if you believe then that is what matters, and I believe that EBMM gives me the basses I need to express myself.

hmmm...maybe it is a cult!?!

Thanks to all at SLO.

-- Ant

 

[TheAntMan]

you pulled out all the wallet photos, didn't you?

LMAO!!! I can actually see that

-- Ant

 

[iamcatwarrior]

I go to GC sometimes. Virtually everytime I walk out of there in complete disbelief at the way they operate and the lack of knowledge at the store. The Elliot Road store in Tempe especially. I won't go into it all because EBMM servers couldn't handle it all. However, here are two kind suggestions with I think could make a positive change- one for me personally, and one for all of us knuckleheads:

1- Please stop calling your customers Dude, Man, Sport, Boss, Chief, Champ, Buddy; as in 'howzitgoinboss?'. If I'm going to buy a 1500 bass, which I have done, I would expect a little more professionalism (at least as a 40 year old) than this.

2- ALL of the basses in the stores have steep relief in the necks (likely from the climate) and are unplayable without truss rod adjustment. They simply don't care about keeping the stock in working order. If a 'noob' comes in to try one of EBMM basses, they may think this is what they feel like and would immediately pass it up as it's so unpleasant to play.

On point number 1: When I went to the store, the guy I ended up talking to who helped me started things off with greeting me with, "Hi, how the hell are you doing?" That felt a little weird, almost intimidating, because it just kind of came out nowhere.

On point number 2: +1,000. It's hard enough for even the experienced player to fully understand neck relief and the truss rod. While at GC the other day, I played a SR4 HH with the strings about a mile off the fretboard. Made me wish I had an allen wrench to turn the truss wheel to flatten the neck myself (I probably could have saved the next guy a little trouble).

As a rider to your second point, I would make the suggestion that someone take down instruments with blatant flaws. A local GC in my area has been displaying a "new" Sterling 4 HS with a missing volume knob. Why, I have no idea.

EDIT: Sorry if I'm perpetuating the complaining, but I'm just sharing a personal experience here.

 

[maddog]

1- Please stop calling your customers Dude, Man, Sport, Boss, Chief, Champ, Buddy; as in 'howzitgoinboss?'. If I'm going to buy a 1500 bass, which I have done, I would expect a little more professionalism (at least as a 40 year old) than this.

valid point but the flip side is the salesperson may just be trying to put you at ease. I don't envy a sales job. Have to be quick on the wit to size up the customer.

It'd be interesting to walk in wearing blue jeans and a sleeveless t-shirt then return an hour later in a 3 piece suit to see the difference in response.

 

[phatduckk]

I've gotta say that the GC management has a tough job regarding employee training. It's very well near impossible for employees to know a ton about all/most manufacturers gear.

Maybe this is a whacky idea but having some proper computers/terminals w/ access to a database of stats and info about products by the manufacturers they carry would be helpful. I mean, you walk into a Borders or big box book store and there's a bunch of terminals where both customer and employees can look up just about any title and get the stats on that book... If someone's not available to help you go punch in some info about the book and you see all sorts of stats including whether or not that location has it in stock and if so which section it's in. (granted guitars and basses have a ton of permutations so some of this will be harder).

Honestly this couldn't be that hard to rig up. I'm sure importing data like this wouldn't be a big deal either. If something like this was available and a culture was developed to trust the database then customer and employees could rely on it. Instead of hearing misinformation you'll hear "lets go look that up real quick"

 

[maddog]

Phatty has an idea.

I'm not all that familiar with GC's store computer systems other than having a sales person do inventory searches for me. Is there any movement afoot to create a web based manufacturer/inventory integrated system?

 

[fidooda]

Phat's idea is cool, but i have another take on this and it's from my own past experience.

If you need to keep your staff updated on manufacturer's info you build or use a press clipping service (aka media monitoring). You make sure somebody in your organisation (or outsourced) review the manufacturers press releases and announcements on their websites and prepare information reports for your staff. These reports could even be broken down by instruments or departments.

I worked in a press clipping service before and it's quite an efficient service. This way your staff doesn't have to investigate most of the information. You just have to ensure they do read the reports that you had prepared for them.

 

[Slingy]

Great ideas. If they really want to compete in the special order, non regular stock stuff. They would probably want to set up a special order desk with a wealth of catalogs from manufacturers and internet. That would they could easily have the customer flip through books of what is available without having to know every small detail and you have guy at the counter who happens to know a bit more than the average floor guy.

 

[oddjob]

It'd be interesting to walk in wearing blue jeans and a sleeveless t-shirt then return an hour later in a 3 piece suit to see the difference in response.

Done it before... not too much difference until I started looking in my wallet... then I was decended upon by the masses (no joke) Seriously, the moment my wallet came out I had more sales staff than I know what to do with. Kind of funny IMO especially since all I wanted was a set of EBMM straplocks... which they didn't have in stock and NO ONE knew about (so I politely informed them )

 

[Psycho Ward]

you pulled out all the wallet photos, didn't you?

Tom you know me better than that, I don't carry a wallet.



Camera phone man, the camera phone!

 

[oddjob]

Tom you know me better than that, I don't carry a wallet.



Camera phone man, the camera phone!

Where would you even keep a wallet???? Would hate to see what the cell phone is clipped onto

 

[maddog]

Tom you know me better than that, I don't carry a wallet.



Camera phone man, the camera phone!

wait a minute mister!

were you driving around without a license when you gave me a tour of the town? or do you just carry around a picture of it on your cell phone?

 

[maddog]

Where would you even keep a wallet???? Would hate to see what the cell phone is clipped onto

who said anything about "clipped onto"? I see your and raise you a

 

[oddjob]

 

[Bloodfist]

I can personally understand anyone's frustration when it comes to GC, especially when dealing with basses. A friend and a fellow bassist of mine is the bass rep at the GC in Charleston, and believe me, he wouldn't know what a big AL was either. If I'm shopping in there, and they don't know what I'm talking about, I just pull out my Blackberry and show them. Saves me a lot of headache.

 

[Big Poppa]

Dargie and I just spent the day at GC......Nice visit....

I could make smart ass comments like the dentist being nice too.....

They put together a plan that looks really good. They have a new online training program where sales people have to pass a test and we have been moved up to the fourth module and there is a HEAVY commitment to fix the declining attention we were getting.

Part of what I brought to the table was this thread...(phatty, that is the other reason why I left it open) and showed them the blunders but the adult like response that you knucks displayed. I told them that you would help me out....I hope that you dont mind....

 

[bovinehost]

I stand ready, good sir, to carry out the plan of the day!

 

[phatduckk]

phatty, that is the other reason why I left it open

no worries Pops. you're the boss

looking forward to hear more about their plans... out of sheer interest. it's gotta be a tough problem to solve but sounds like theres a bunch of folks giving it a ton of attention