Unrealistic customer perception

[Mr. C]

With all of Howard's threads of late relating to buying publics perspective, I thought it might be nice to have one from the other side of the fence.
Customers who feel it worth taking the warm urine on regular basis, those who 'feel' its the given right to obtain product at absurd offers.
Recently I had a phone call from a pleasant chap who wished for an 'ex-demo' / used purchase of a £2000 piece of equipment for £1000 LOL! Fair play for trying it, however realistically be reasonable, even used this kit goes for the £1300/1450 mark. How desperate do you feel dealers are!!!
Those too who feel it is great for a 'jolly' to waste valuable dealer time in demoing products they wish to try but do not want to part with the currency until the have heard the unit (s). Had no intention of buying in this country anyway. Just plain out right users,Professional time wasters of the nth degree.
An age old problem I agree however, seems to be gaining popularity of late.
Perhaps in the way of naming and shaming so called bad dealers, maybe a rogues galley of 'professional time wastes' should be circulated between dealers?
Maybe a deposit to be paid for a demonstration and the facilities (fully refundable) on complication on the demo ( even if no purchase was made, showing genuine commitment from the customers who really was interested in hearing the equipment).
Our time is just that time, to fully set up for a demonstration we take at least 4 hours of prep.
You are wishing to hear the equipment at it best and 'sorry mate, I didn't have time to set it up' after traveling 100 miles is insulting at best and simply will not do.
Some of us are professionals and do take care in our abilities and customer care plus the ability to make a half reasonable sound throw in as well!
Not a rant here, just some observations!
Mr.C (Tony)

[Marco]

Personally I wouldn't disturb a dealer until I was in the market to definitely buy something and in the process of auditioning various bits of kit. I'm there to do business and I just don't see the point in wasting my time or the dealer's with the type of nonsense you describe. I can't abide time wasters in any walk of life. By the time I get to the dealer stage I will already have done my research and narrowed whatever I'm buying down to a shortlist of two or three items. The dealer will have been chosen because he stocks at least one of the items in question. It's therefore simply a case of listening and buying something or arranging a home demo of a favourite item in order to make a final decision on purchase.

However, as I am a serious buyer I expert 'serious' service in return and for the dealer to 'go the extra mile' to satisfy my reasonable requests. I also expect him to have my long term interests at heart and not simply out to make a quick sale. I like to build up long term profitable relationships, for all concerned, and not to be seen as merely a 'pound sign'.

The old saying 'the customer is always right' is something I believe in wholeheartedly, providing the customer is serious about buying something. As long as that's the case then I would expect the dealer to always put my interests first and not attempt to 'groom' me into becoming a disciple of his way of thinking/system building/hi-fi sensibilities, or whatever. It's my system, my money, so I'm 'the boss'...within reason of course!!

This is how I treat my customers when running my art/picture framing business. At the end of the day, and as they say, 'people buy from people', so you have to establish a rapport with the customer and be liked by them in order to ensure repeat business. Competing on price is only half the battle. I have deliberately gone out my way to buy something from a dealer, sometimes travelling miles, who I liked because of his attitude/service, or whatever, despite him charging quite considerably more for the same item. It's my money and I'm choosy whom I give it to.

Knowing how you operate, you do a good job, though!

Marco.

[gary]

Mr C.
Just about everyone in the retail trade has to deal with customers who waste your time its just par for the course I guess , I was fortunate enough to have a dem arranged for me several years ago at Loud & Clear in Glasgow and I had no intention of making a purchase at the time Alan the dealer knew this before hand right enough, this could have been thought of as time wasting except that I really appreciated this and returned to his shop several years later and have since spent several thousand pounds there, I agree however that using a dealers facilities and then buying elswhere is wrong I am not sure if your idea of refundable deposit would work right enough may just push potential customers elswhere

[jandl100]

MrC - you've got a fekkin' cheek posting about customers taking the piss .... talk about the pot calling the kettle black!

[Marco]

Just watch this doesn't get personal please, chaps!

Marco.

[tfarney]

I don't know what it's like in England, but here in the US, the contempt for the customer is so thinly veiled at so many high-end shops that the last thing they need is a list of reasons why customers are idiots, even if they are.

Tim

[Marco]

You see why is that, Tim?

I just don't get it. Why do these people go into business in the first place - what on earth do they hope to achieve?

If you start a hi-end hi-fi dealership with the sole premise of making lots of money then you are nothing but a fool. And if you think you can do it without showing respect for your customers then you're an even bigger fool!!

No-one should go into business where you're in direct contact with the general public if you're not a 'people person'. If you don't like interacting and talking to people, being pleasant in the process, then you're in the wrong profession - it's as simple as that.

The fact is people buy YOU first THEN the product you're selling. This is a golden rule of business and dealers who can't grasp, or won't grasp, this have got next to no chance of being a success. In this day and age in such a competitive marketplace you have to be one step ahead in all angles of business, so if you can't get the basics right and treat customers properly then you're doomed from the word go.

So do something else instead!

Marco.

[Mr. C]

Tim,

I would agree that a few dealers do have the contempt issue firmly ingrained in their mantra, though in the main here they are fair few good ones without question.
This thread is an observation not a rant.

[Neil McCauley]

Sadly, some suppliers, usually those with just 4 letters in the trading name of their principle supplier(s) really don't like that approach it seems. Whereas in some retail situations, mystery shoppers are employed to determine if the retailer is knowledegable, skilled in the meet 'n greet technique and so on, in the audiophile world it is sometimes applied to determine if the retailer is really a Kafir (unbeliever) or not.

You see for some makers, merely selling the product just isn't enough. Not only must you be able to regurgitate the dogma on demand but - and here's the heavy bit - you must be able to evangelise the ethos so that the owner becomes loyal to the brand. Not to the dealer, the brand!

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[Marco]

You see for some makers, merely selling the product just isn't enough. Not only must you be able to regurgitate the dogma on demand but - and here's the heavy bit - you must be able to evangelise the ethos so that the owner becomes loyal to the brand. Not to the dealer, the brand!

I'm sorry, Howard, but anyone who's stupid enough to fall for that bullshit deserves to be fleeced for every penny they've got!

Brand loyalty like that is quite simply for mugs.

Marco.