OT:Wow, just wow...

[MingusBASS]

So I recently moved back home(from Minnesota to Indiana) and while I was living in Minnesota, a Guitar Center opened up in Ft. Wayne. I was in the area, so I decided to check it out for the first time. First impressionsretty small,very cramped bass area but they had a few EBMM's so that will have to do. I had never played a dual pickup SR5 and so I ask the sales person if he could get me down a Honeyburst HH SR5. What follows is our conversation:

Andrew: Hey pal, you think I could play that dual humbucker Stingray5 up there?

Clerk: Oh ok, *starts to climb ladder* you gonna take it home with you today?

Andrew: Well, we'll see.

Clerk: That's as good as a no...

Andrew:You think I could play it before deciding?

Clerk: *hands Andrew the bass,all the while mumbling while he switches on the SVT*

So I take the bass and first thing I notice is that the E string is floppin like you wouldn't believe and 2 of the other strings are way out of tune. I check the G and it's pretty close, so I tune the rest of the strings to the G and start playing. Pretty bass, very nice tone and I was really impressed. I now have some serious GAS for a SR5 HH but that's not the moral of the story. So after about 5 minutes I tell the Clerk I'm finished.

Clerk:So you gonna take it home with you today?

Andrew:Well, not today. Thanks for the warm welcome.

Clerk:I didn't think so...*mumbles "waste of time" and other nice things while putting the bass back*

Andrew:*leaves the store pronto*

So here's the deal: I came in there with my GC credit card knowing that I MIGHT buy something but wasn't counting on it. I was actually looking for an EBMM guitar but none to be seen. I like GC for what it is, and I've bought a few basses there, but that douche bag makes me want to never step foot in the store again. Never, have I been treated so rudely by a sales person. So if you are ever in Ft. Wayne and decide to check out the GC-don't even bother with the short jackass with the poney tail and glasses.

 

[Figjam]

Paid on commission no doubt.

 

[fogman]

We don't have GCs here in Canada, but I know that feeling regardless.
It doesn't have to be a guitar store either.
Some people and companies just don't get it!
Bad news travels 10x more than Good.
SERVICE IS NO #1!
The good thing though, is there's always someone else who is willing to serve you properly! They can have my business.

 

[maddog]

We don't have GCs here in Canada, but I know that feeling regardless.
It doesn't have to be a guitar store either.
Some people and companies just don't get it!
Bad news travels 10x more than Good.
SERVICE IS NO #1!
The good thing though, is there's always someone else who is willing to serve you properly! They can have my business.

Not only that but not everyone walking in the door is a sale. A few salespeople don't understand this and so don't have the patience.

Andrew, you should have slapped him in the face right then and there by asking for a different salesman.

 

[MingusBASS]

I thought about it on the drive home, and I ended up calling the store manager. He told me that I should come straight to him next time I'm in and that he'll take good care of me. He took my name and number, so I don't know what he plans on doing.

 

[maddog]

I thought about it on the drive home, and I ended up calling the store manager. He told me that I should come straight to him next time I'm in and that he'll take good care of me. He took my name and number, so I don't know what he plans on doing.

Whatever it is, I hope he makes it right.

 

[fogman]

Not only that but not everyone walking in the door is a sale. A few salespeople don't understand this and so don't have the patience.

I totally understand that, however the salesperson should keep the mumbling to themselves!
A lot of times people are not buying that day, but they will dream and come back.
Or tell their friends for that matter.

 

[Paul_C]

I thought about it on the drive home, and I ended up calling the store manager. He told me that I should come straight to him next time I'm in and that he'll take good care of me. He took my name and number, so I don't know what he plans on doing.

maybe a nice restaurant, candle-light dinner for two, lots of champagne and then back to his place ?





P.

 

[Disquieter]

If you complain high enough, you get free stuff..


one guy complained about the gc i worked at, because the bathrooms were in the wharehouse and not instantly accessible (it's a former MF store), and he had to wait until one of the sales people was available (i had two people in line, then him) I offered to call someone else. and he stormed out calling the whole thing BS, and 4 days later, i find out he complained to corporate that we were ignoring him because he wasn't buying a bunch of expensive stuff, and all that junk. So they made us give him a pair of expensive pickups that he wanted to steal from us....


awesome huh?

 

[maddog]

I totally understand that, however the salesperson should keep the mumbling to themselves!
A lot of times people are not buying that day, but they will dream and come back.
Or tell their friends for that matter.

Don't get me wrong Foggy, I'm not making excuses for this guy. He screwed up big time. Just explaining the behaviour. Easiest example is websales. Many e-tailers keep track of page hits versus sales. Not always causal but definitely correlated. More hits/visits equate to higher chance of a sale. Some people just don't get what increasing the number of opportunities does for them.

 

[todd4ta]

Andrew, that's so funny cause I was planning to stop by that GC Saturday to check it out. I live down in Indy, and our lead guitar player lives up in Hillsdale, MI. We take turns having practice in each location, so on my way up to Hillsdale I was going to stop at GC. Glad I missed the exit!

It's worth the 1.5 hr drive down to Indy, our GC is very good. Their used inventory is down a little from previous years, but the place is run like a good music store for the most part. Several of the sales people have been there for a few years and are generally pretty good.

 

[AnthonyD]

Not a pleasant experience I'm sure... But it's important to recognize that this was a "short jackass with the poney tail and glasses" issue and not a GC issue.

I've spent plenty of undisturbed time noodling basses in my local GC...

Hopefully the contact you made with the Store Manager will pay-off.

 

[fogman]

Don't get me wrong Foggy, I'm not making excuses for this guy. He screwed up big time. Just explaining the behaviour. Easiest example is websales. Many e-tailers keep track of page hits versus sales. Not always causal but definitely correlated. More hits/visits equate to higher chance of a sale. Some people just don't get what increasing the number of opportunities does for them.

I totally agree! I'm not disputing anything you are saying. Simply adding to the conversation.
I am self employed so I know. I cannot count how many new clients I get that came from somewhere else and keep saying "he made us feel like we were bothering him" or "he didn't do what we were asking" blah! blah! blah!
My wife and I take great pleasure in telling people not to go somewhere because of such!
If it's a young lad, then it's management's fault for hiring them or not properly training them.

 

[maddog]

I totally agree! I'm not disputing anything you are saying. Simply adding to the conversation.
I am self employed so I know. I cannot count how many new clients I get that came from somewhere else and keep saying "he made us feel like we were bothering him" or "he didn't do what we were asking" blah! blah! blah!
My wife and I take great pleasure in telling people not to go somewhere because of such!
If it's a young lad, then it's management's fault for hiring them or not properly training them.

Yes.

 

[Penguin]

I've noticed that the salesman at major chains can be the same.

Here in Australia we have Allans, and I really don't like going in there anymore. I used to love the one in Melbourne because I became friends with the manager just by being in there so often. If I was in there and it was quiet, we'd have a jam in the amp room, and he basically let me play/test/touch anything I wanted in the store.

However I was in Sydney's store the other day showing my Canadian friend around, and I asked to play a Stingray. He got it down for me and took me to the amp room to play, but after about 5 minutes he came in and asked if I was going to buy it that day. I told him that I was more interested in getting a Bongo, and he started his spiel about why SR's are better than Bongo's. When I said that if they had a HH SR in, I'd consider it, he started getting ****ty. I stayed for another 5 minutes and he came in and just stood there staring at me. Normally I don't mind the salesman watching me play if they are friendly and trying to help me (one guy at Music City watched me for 5 minutes, then came back with about 5 basses that he thought may suit my style. Then told my dad I was an awesome player ) but this guy was giving me the death stare. I stood up and asked him about effect pedals (as I'm getting one) and he said:

"Why, so you can play around with it with no intention of buying as well?"

I couldn't believe he said that. I was going to give him an earful, but decided to bite my tongue. I told him I was interested in getting a Q-Tron, but I'll go to a different store to get it. He walked off in a huff.

 

[ras1983]

i hear ya manl

i'm lucky to have found a great store (the bass centre) here in melbourne. the owner, guy, and his other workers put absolutely no pressure on you when you want to try something out.

but at some of the bigger stores (allans or billy hydes) the sales person is always watching you like a hawk, always standing RIGHT BEHIND you. very annoying.

 

[Lazybite]

Yeah major stores are ****, purely because they hire monkeys...... We are very lucky here in canberra... have two great stores with a massive selection of ****.... and a lot of the staff are booze hounds who drink at the same pubs as me.... everytime I go to Better Music its like a social event with a bit of buying in between

 

[strummer]

He took my name and number, so I don't know what he plans on doing.

He's going to give your name and numer to the guy in the glasses and pony tail, who just happens to be a guy they get paid to have in the shop. He's on parol
I'd watch my back if I were you

 

[Big Poppa]

Listen we have gone over big box stores and the fact that salespeople on the floor are all over the road. My suggestion is you have called the manager and he has said all the right things, give him a chance to make it right. THe hardest part running a business is when one of your team delivers less than stellar customer service and you let them know but dont let them make it right.

 

[SteveB]

THe hardest part running a business is when one of your team delivers less than stellar customer service and you let them know but dont let them make it right.

Now that's quotable.