View Full Version : Bad attitude in dealers - what's that all about?
We have all seen the NTNON sketch but I had always assumed that, funny though it is, it was not really true. I don't go to many dealers and the ones I have been to in the past couple of years have been with a mate who has booked an audition so I am just tagging along. I have experienced disinterest in dealers but I have always put that down to appearance (I dress like a chav when not working). However I am not eailsy put off so will be a bit demanding and get service that way. But I have never had rude or arrogant staff like so many of you here seem to have experienced. it must actually be quite commonplace.
So what's the deal? :scratch:
sq225917
29-08-2012, 17:45
People are dicks, even though they think they aren't and shop staff can smell tyre kickers.
People are dicks, even though they think they aren't and shop staff can smell tyre kickers.
True and true. But we are talking about people who aren't dicks and are looking to spend money.
Audio Al
29-08-2012, 17:56
I booked some time at Richer Sounds to listen to some of their better quality speakers
Went in the listening room ( Eventually )
Constant interruptions , people in and out asking the guy who was doing the demo questions , He then went out of the room several times ( more interruptions )
While he was out of the demo room I was not very impressed with the sounds from the speakers so got up and went and had a look behind them only to find the speakers I was having a demo on were not even connected up :eek::doh:
Needles to say I did not buy anything and have not been back since
Not impressed at all :scratch:
istari_knight
29-08-2012, 18:00
Ah, time for another memory that still makes me chuckle to think about....
Walked into dealers with £800 in my pocket, I wanted a turntable & was willing to spend the lot if what I heard impressed me enough. Saw a sexy looking LP12 & asked the dealer "how much is the LP12 ?" He replied "More than your pocket money" :steam::doh::lol:
Ended up buying one off a forum & the seller was delightful.
As a friend (and lifelong salesman) says : Treat everyone that comes through your door as the biggest sale of the year.... Because one of them will be.
That's bad, Al but sounds like they were just really busy rather than having a bad attitude. Was it on a Saturday? I had a demo in the Richer's in Hanley and they were very good - left me as long as I liked , even hooked up different speakers for me even though I was actually auditioning a CD player. No interruptions.
Audio Al
29-08-2012, 18:03
That's bad, Al but sounds like they were just really busy rather than having a bad attitude. Was it on a Saturday? I had a demo in the Richer's in Hanley and they were very good - left me as long as I liked , even hooked up different speakers for me even though I was actually auditioning a CD player. No interruptions.
Yes it was a Saturday but that's the day they booked me in for !
Ah, time for another memory that still makes me chuckle to think about....
Walked into dealers with £800 in my pocket, I wanted a turntable & was willing to spend the lot if what I heard impressed me enough. Saw a sexy looking LP12 & asked the dealer "how much is the LP12 ?" He replied "More than your pocket money" :steam::doh::lol:
That is a classic. How did he know you could not afford it? - I'm guessing you could? Have to say I think I would have given him some grief back, that is so cheeky.
awkwardbydesign
29-08-2012, 18:19
While he was out of the demo room I was not very impressed with the sounds from the speakers so got up and went and had a look behind them only to find the speakers I was having a demo on were not even connected up :eek::doh:
:scratch:
Now, if you had to look behind to tell that, how's yer ears? To be fair, it is sometimes hard to tell; pity I don't want to be fair.:ner:
Audio Al
29-08-2012, 18:34
Now, if you had to look behind to tell that, how's yer ears? To be fair, it is sometimes hard to tell; pity I don't want to be fair.:ner:
Thats why I looked behind as they did not sound that good , then I found out why :D
People are dicks, even though they think they aren't and shop staff can smell tyre kickers.
I think a career in diplomacy beckons... :lol:
Reid Malenfant
29-08-2012, 19:30
I think a career in diplomacy beckons... :lol:
:rfl:
Actually I have never had a problem with any dealers, I think more depends on how you speak to them or come accross to them ;)
I used to get superb service & free home demonstrations (as well as having equipment delivered here for free!) from HiFi Consultants in Cowgate Peterborough. This being Steve Wilcox who if I'm right runs KJ West One in London.
Just a pity they are no longer based or have an outlet in Pottyborough :(
Had no problems with the local outlet of Sevenoaks either, think that may well have gone to the wall to :rolleyes:
Act like a dick & you'll be treated like one, or could be...
Speaking as someone on the "other side" of the counter, I can guarantee that I was an arrogant sh*t during much of the 80's and mid 90's, firstly from the "terrible two" UK manufacturers and in the 90's by association with ATC and their then sales manager in particular, who does seem to do this to some of his disciples.
I didn't want to go on a B&O sponsored sales course in the mid 90's, but by gum I'm glad I did. The course wasn't Beocentric at all, and spent much time going into possible reasons WHY a prospective client came into your shop in the first place, how best to treat them, "probing questions" and maybe being a little bit cheeky with the gear and add-ons recommendations. I found that by this time, I was old enough for youth not to put some people off, was able to be up front with them and sometimes a little bit cheeky too (would you like some headphones with that system sir? Oh, what about some record sleeves, or a "better" mat and interconnects etc etc...). I think I got the hang of it in the end and as well as beating my colleagues' sales figures every month, I seemed to retain customers and get recommended to others. Why? because for the first time I was being a little more aware of the client's needs, trying to *consciously* match solutions to their particular situation and my natural enthusiasm for the products and industry as a whole obviously helped too I think.
HiFi is about an emotional bond with the music being played and often with the gear that reproduces it, especially with peeps who post on this forum in particular. A decent salesperson should be able to tap into this, feel the same too but NEVER abuse their skills to rip off the client, as a short term gain will always end in tears in the future.
One final thing - If I wasn't sure if the punter was just punting, "sounding out" a few options or looking to buy today, I could usually sense it, and a few delicate probing questions usually gave me an answer. Even if the client wasn't going to buy for a while, it was always good to do a briefer dem, explaining the products in a more general way and planting seeds, which often came to fruit later when the client had the money and returned for a more thorough demonstration.
Just my tuppence worth, and having met with some of the arrogance and self-opinionated bigotry that some dealers felt for those "not of their flock," I can only apologise, because their short sightedness has contributed to the decline and fall of the HiFi industry I worked in. The ready availability of excellent quality used gear has all but finished it off and eBay prices are ridiculous now.......
realysm42
29-08-2012, 19:44
Been treated really well by Sevenoaks in Kingston, that's the only interaction I've ever had with dealers really.
Guess they'd be the first people I'd go to again if I needed to, but the equipment I'm after will probably dictate my next actions.
:rfl:
Actually I have never had a problem with any dealers, I think more depends on how you speak to them or come accross to them ;)
I used to get superb service & free home demonstrations (as well as having equipment delivered here for free!) from HiFi Consultants in Cowgate Peterborough. This being Steve Wilcox who if I'm right runs KJ West One in London.
Just a pity they are no longer based or have an outlet in Pottyborough :(
Had no problems with the local outlet of Sevenoaks either, think that may well have gone to the wall to :rolleyes:
Act like a dick & you'll be treated like one, or could be...
Mark, I have it on pretty good authority that the KJ group (Northampton and Peterborough) I finished up working with is no more, the directors having other more profitable business interests. KJ W1 is reputedly very closely tied now to Absolute Sounds I understand and should be an excellent London based flagship dealer for huge Krells, ARCs and so on. Shame if Sevenoaks Peterborough has gone, but it seems that many have suffered thus and Audio T have now separated themselves from the proposed merger.
Hope this isn't out of turn and please delete this if it's thought to be.
Reid Malenfant
29-08-2012, 19:53
Funny you say that Dave, but strangely that is also the general impression I have been getting for more than a little while ;)
Yep, shame about Sevenoaks as well, they went out of their way to source me some unterminated cable a good while back. Shame as I'd have liked some more :D
Life carries on though...
Sadly the attitudes won't matter as they will be no high street dealers left in 5 years or so.
i bought my first proper gear from Infidelity in Hampton (Kingston) in the early 90's. Looking back they were excellent and I was probably a bit of pain in the arse tbh, not on purpose though, just naive, didn't know how it all worked. I can imagine as a salesman you might get the odd moron completely taking the piss but by and large the customer should always be king.
Even though I was only 18 at the time and the biggest sale they had out of me was a Grado FCE+1 cartridge, the staff at Listen Inn on Gold St, Northampton in the early 80's were a credit to the trade. Even though they were well aware I could not afford the excellent equipment they stocked, they were always eager to demonstrate it unprompted when I visited, which was quite often. Their passion for music was obvious and I remember my visits with fondness.
julesd68
29-08-2012, 20:52
I had exactly the same experience at Manchester's Music Room when I was 16 or so - makes me feel all nostalgic :)
I always got treated with respect in Hifi shops
Guitar shops when I was first learning to play is another story
dSINO6MKtco
Even though I was only 18 at the time and the biggest sale they had out of me was a Grado FCE+1 cartridge, the staff at Listen Inn on Gold St, Northampton in the early 80's were a credit to the trade. Even though they were well aware I could not afford the excellent equipment they stocked, they were always eager to demonstrate it unprompted when I visited, which was quite often. Their passion for music was obvious and I remember my visits with fondness.
I hope we carried that tradition on most of the time ;)
And look where we are now, eh Julian? I remember on one occasion I'd been to Andy's Records around the corner to pick up a copy of Joan Armatrading's, Me, Myself, I. I popped into Listen Inn on my way home and the salesman noticed the album and asked if I had time to stop for a while for a listen. We sat there listening to Joan on a top flight Linn, Naim system (I forget which speakers but they may have been Spendors) and I was blown away by the sound. They were good days... ;)
I hope we carried that tradition on most of the time ;)
It was always a pleasure to visit the shop Dave and I was always made welcome. Look how things turned out. I owe that to you guys ;)
Harry Hill
29-08-2012, 21:19
And look where we are now, eh Julian? I remember on one occasion I'd been to Andy's Records around the corner to pick up a copy of Joan Armatrading's, Me, Myself, I. I popped into Listen Inn on my way home and the salesman noticed the album and asked if I had time to stop for a while for a listen. We sat there listening to Joan on a top flight Linn, Naim system (I forget which speakers but they may have been Spendors) and I was blown away by the sound. They were good days... ;)
It seems that a lot of us talk about listening to stuff at the dealers but not buying much, maybe the demand is not large enough to prop up all these dealers and we may have to spend a little more on fuel to get to the guys that have the stuff we really want? It may not be on our doorstep anymore.:cool:
julesd68
29-08-2012, 21:21
We sat there listening to Joan on a top flight Linn, Naim system
Just think how much you would have loved them if they'd have played it on a decent system ... :lol:
I've never heard a top flight Linn / Naim combo of course ... :doh:
julesd68
29-08-2012, 21:25
we may have to spend a little more on fuel to get to the guys that have the stuff we really want?
Isn't that where the interweb comes in?
I've just ordered some speakers from Audio Emotion, 450 miles away ...
Was it really all those years ago when Me Myself I came out? I first played this album on a bolt-up Linn-Naim tri-amp 'brik system the day it came out and the carefully eq'd cut/production sounded incredible.
The best Linn/Naim system for me is comprised of original bolt-up Naim 250's with a 12S or stripped out original 32 into chipboard active 'briks in a well matched room (difficult, but get it right and the sound is incredible!). The setup I remember with such fondness sounded fantastic on good FM radio as well and only the Ittok on the then fruitbox ruined it, no matter how well set up - IMO...
Was it really all those years ago when Me Myself I came out?
Yes it is, shocking isn't it... :eyebrows:
prestonchipfryer
30-08-2012, 07:05
Hopefully will hear Joan singing it live in November when she is at Poole AC. :)
I've only had great experiences with dealers, and can vouch for the following:
Acoustica in Chester
Doug Brady HiFi in Warrington
Howard Popeck (Stereonow)
Some items like my DAC & headphone amp I purchased direct from the manufacturer with zero issues here either.
killie99
30-08-2012, 07:51
My recent dealings with dealers has been excellent. I was looking to buy a Puresound A30 and got chatting with my local dealer. Knowing I was not going to spend anything more than £1500 he still came to my house to let me hear a Puresound L300 and 845 mono's with my speakers! Also spent a good few hours at AudioEmotion in Leven last year and got to listen to loads of kit with no hassle.
Dingdong
30-08-2012, 08:03
I had exactly the same experience at Manchester's Music Room when I was 16 or so - makes me feel all nostalgic :)
I used to enjoy popping into the Music Room now and then. Still using the cartridge I bought from them in the early 90's.
I've only visited one dealer in the last 10 years. That was to Deco Audio in Aylesbury for some cartridge bolts. Really nice guys and very good service. Ended up buying some vinyl while they dug out the bolts I wanted.
awkwardbydesign
30-08-2012, 10:15
I used to enjoy popping into the Music Room now and then. Still using the cartridge I bought from them in the early 90's.
I've only visited one dealer in the last 10 years. That was to Deco Audio in Aylesbury for some cartridge bolts. Really nice guys and very good service. Ended up buying some vinyl while they dug out the bolts I wanted.
I used to do their signwriting, and some of the shoplifting, and occasional Saturday help-out. Still have (very rare!) contact with Dave Spiers, the last manager. He was a good salesman; he loved every new thing, and his enthusiasm was infectious! Missed the shop when Jack closed it, not really had contact with anyone with hifi since, until this year. Going to a "box swap and bunfight" on Saturday!
Just had the Decca I got from a customer retipped.
Dingdong
30-08-2012, 10:35
I used to do their signwriting, and some of the shoplifting, and occasional Saturday help-out. Still have (very rare!) contact with Dave Spiers, the last manager. He was a good salesman; he loved every new thing, and his enthusiasm was infectious! Missed the shop when Jack closed it, not really had contact with anyone with hifi since, until this year. Going to a "box swap and bunfight" on Saturday!
Just had the Decca I got from a customer retipped.
You did mean fitting didn't you?:)
julesd68
30-08-2012, 10:37
:rfl:
awkwardbydesign
30-08-2012, 11:08
You did mean fitting didn't you?:)
Oh God! I always think it reads that way when I see it on a van. Didn't realise I had actually written it.
Mind you, in the '60s we used to call it "liberating". Can get addictive, unfortunately.
Oh God! I always think it reads that way when I see it on a van. Didn't realise I had actually written it.
Could I put an order in for a couple of hoodies and a pair of trainers, please? ;)
Marco.
awkwardbydesign
30-08-2012, 12:56
Could I put an order in for a couple of hoodies and a pair of trainers, please? ;)
Marco.
I once got a 3 piece suit from Granny Takes A Trip. Aim higher.
Beobloke
30-08-2012, 13:04
I booked some time at Richer Sounds to listen to some of their better quality speakers
Went in the listening room ( Eventually )
Constant interruptions , people in and out asking the guy who was doing the demo questions , He then went out of the room several times ( more interruptions )
While he was out of the demo room I was not very impressed with the sounds from the speakers so got up and went and had a look behind them only to find the speakers I was having a demo on were not even connected up :eek::doh:
Needles to say I did not buy anything and have not been back since
Not impressed at all :scratch:
Interesting - my experience was completely different (although about 15 years ago!)
I booked one of their listening rooms in the Southampton store to listen to an Arcam Alpha 7 and TDL RTL 2s. I bought along my Garrard 301 (which they were very complimentary about!) and was settled in, supplied with coffee and left to listen for half an hour or so. The chap then came back in to ask my opinions and asked if I had considered Gale 5i speakers and a Cambridge Audio amp. Now, at the time, I did not know that these were their 'house' brands but there was no hard sell, merely the suggestion of alternatives and they also showed me a magazine group test review where the Cambridge was rated higher than the Arcam - fair enough.
I duly listened to all combinations for another hour and a half and in the end decided I preferred the Alpha 7 to the Cambridge but that I liked the Gales better than the TDLs, so they made a sale of one of their 'own' items and I bought a system I liked - everyone was happy!
Richer may not sell the brands generally favoured on here, but I have to agree with Adam above, since many people I've spoken to have had little but lavish praise for their sales staff, who seem to keep pretty abreast of what's going on and totally lack the "attitude" and sarcasm we Linn/Naim dealers could have when at our worst.
Adam, you may not be able to comment, but you did an excellent review on the "baby" C350A amp a couple of years ago. Are you able to give general comments on the range as a whole these days? They do seem to listen to their customers and the fussiest that post on fora do seem to have been listened to as well I think?
isuckedmandelsonslemons
30-08-2012, 13:53
On the very subject of poor customer service . . . I'm looking for some second hand speakers at the moment (see thread on private exhibitions) and this morning I rang a local dealer in 2ndhandhifi. Went to answer phone so I left a message telling them what I was after and asking them to ring me back. As they hadn't rang back by 2.30 I thought I may as well try again. Spoke to guy, told him what I was using at the
Moment (big Ushers) and asked if it would be possible to give him idea of what I was looking for so he could give me a call if anything came in.
The response was underwhelming to say the least. If I'd farted in his face down the phone, he couldn't have been more dismissive. Told me to keep an eye on the website. That was it. No chat, no questions, no asking about budget.
I don't have a budget in mind for the speakers but I'll be soending a significant amount and will probably go up to five or six grand. Maybe more for the right ones
You can guess where I won't be buying them from.
Hi Harry,
I know the chap who owns the dealership in question (one of our trade members), and whilst I don't doubt what you've written, your experience isn't representative of the standards of service he normally offers his customers, which others and I have found to be exemplary.
I shall therefore show him your post and ask him to respond accordingly. I feel sure that amends can be made. Leave it with me :)
Marco.
isuckedmandelsonslemons
30-08-2012, 14:34
No worries Marco. We all have bad days. I thought not returning the call was pretty poor but I was genuinely quite surprised at how offhand he was when I rang.
Guess we all have bad days
Indeed. However, it really doesn't sound like Simon, and *could* instead be the chap who helps him out at the shop.
Anyway, I've mailed Simon and alerted him to the situation, so we'll find out what's happened, in due course, and try to rectify the situation :)
Marco.
hifisound.co.uk
30-08-2012, 15:22
On the very subject of poor customer service . . . I'm looking for some second hand speakers at the moment (see thread on private exhibitions) and this morning I rang a local dealer in 2ndhandhifi. Went to answer phone so I left a message telling them what I was after and asking them to ring me back. As they hadn't rang back by 2.30 I thought I may as well try again. Spoke to guy, told him what I was using at the
Moment (big Ushers) and asked if it would be possible to give him idea of what I was looking for so he could give me a call if anything came in.
The response was underwhelming to say the least. If I'd farted in his face down the phone, he couldn't have been more dismissive. Told me to keep an eye on the website. That was it. No chat, no questions, no asking about budget.
I don't have a budget in mind for the speakers but I'll be soending a significant amount and will probably go up to five or six grand. Maybe more for the right ones
You can guess where I won't be buying them from.
Hi Harry,
Well it WAS me you spoke to...
No disrespect but sometimes it does take a while for me to get back to people on the phone/email because if we have people in the shop (as we did today) then they will obviously take priority.
I'm sorry you felt I was dismissive. My recollection of the discussion was a little different of course but suffice to say that in simple terms after you had told me you have 6381s and are very happy with them (we sell Ushers new so I l know that product well) I didnt think we had anything currently on the used front that would be suitable as an upgrade. That made any question of budget irrelevant. I have no interest in flogging you something just because its on my stocklist.
As far as future items go of course its pretty impossible for me to tell what's going to show up so it really is a case of pot luck.
As I said on the phone the best way to keep abreast of stock is to check the website and you can log a wanted request that way which is more reliable than my memory because we are very busy.
Apologies if you saw this as disinterest, but I see it as just being honest with you!
Regards
Simon
isuckedmandelsonslemons
30-08-2012, 17:25
I've always said credit where it's due so here we go . . .
Just had a call from Simon and we parted on the very best of terms. I have established that Simon is actually a very nice fella, that he was having a very busy day, probably mistook me for someone else (and I bet he gets bigger arseholes to deal with than I do, and that's saying something). I've also established that he has a shocking short term memory and I'm betting his long term memory is crap as well.
Anyway, I'm delighted to rebalance matters. I'm going to call in to see Simon at some point for a cuppa and a chat and would have no hesitation in buying a pair of speakers from him should the right ones come along. No doubt when I turn up he'll have forgotten who I am. That will of course give me an opportunity to say 'do you know who I am'. That isn't me being a clever dick it's just that I'm old and sometimes I don't remember who I am.
Anyway, Simon knows what I'm after now and has promised me a massive discount on a pair of big Ushers
OK I made that bit up but with his bad memory I may well get away with it.
I do love this forum with its collection of eccentrics, nutters and oddballs so apologies if I've put anyone's nose out of joint.
Harry
No worries Marco. We all have bad days. I thought not returning the call was pretty poor but I was genuinely quite surprised at how offhand he was when I rang.
Guess we all have bad days
Doesn't surprise me at all. I went to great lengths to really well pack a pair of speakers he bought off me in the classifieds. He couldn't even be bothered to tell me that they had arrived safely, let alone that I had busted a gut to pack them so that they arrived undamaged.
I don't know to this day that he ever got them.
Dunno what happened there, Rob, but I'm sure that Simon will comment. However, the "tosser" remark I think is a bit OTT, mate... There's no need for that.
For me, the true character of a dealer is shown when attending to a problem or complaint, and as Simon has shown in resolving the situation with Harry, he's definitely one of the good guys :cool:
Harry, nice one. When you visit Simon I'm sure that you'll find him the most helpful and pleasant of chaps. His showroom (and music collection on vinyl) is also fantastic! Let us know how you get on :)
Marco.
Interesting development of the thread - a live example occurs. I have, as they say, a sales background ;) which makes it hard for me to understand why anyone should be dismissive of a potential customer. An enquiry call is a sales lead and should be pursued. Like wise someone walks into your store and starts asking questions. Simon SQ remarked about 'tyre kickers'. Well, a good salesman knows how to turn a tyre kicker into a sale.
I can appreciate that some dealers may be independantly wealthy and run their businesses as a hobby. They do not care if they sell or not. I suspect however that this is a small minority. Most have mortgages to pay. I would remind them of a line from that classic film 'Glengarry Glenross':
'A guy does not walk on the lot unless he wants to buy. What? Do you think he came in just to get out of the rain?'
Anyway good that the issue has been so quickly sorted out. As Marco says you only really discover out how good a company is when you need to make a complaint.
Having worked in sales myself I am painfully aware of how important first impressions are. Customers aren't stupid and they generally have a rough idea of what they want. A good salesperson will guide rather than coerce. It's that initial contact which determines how a customer perceives your business and your standard of service, so it is important to remember that any impressions gleaned during the visit are unlikely to be confined to that individual alone.
I can appreciate that some dealers may be independantly wealthy and run their businesses as a hobby. They do not care if they sell or not. I suspect however that this is a small minority. Most have mortgages to pay. I would remind them of a line from that classic film 'Glengarry Glenross':
'A guy does not walk on the lot unless he wants to buy. What? Do you think he came in just to get out of the rain?'
Most dealerships in the UK today are chain-stores, decreasing in number I fear, and the HiFi-men who used to have mortgages are either now either retired, or made their main money decades ago, just ensuring now that the audio business doesn't start hemorrhaging their money as my last empoyer started to find in 2003-2004...
The one thing about HiFi shops in the 70's onwards was that for far too long, customers just flew in the door with money to spend, the Linn Naim dealers especially just sitting back on their haunches watching their bank balance and pension funds grow hugely. Jimmy Hughes wrote a telling article in Audiophile magazine in the early 80's to just this effect and I remember discussing this with him at the time. Once Linn and Naim ceased being all but joined at the hip, Linn started the big dealer purge (long story this one, but Linn seemed to want to go the franchise style route as B&O now have) and vinyl suddenly went out of fashion, many dealers found themselves severely caught out and having to tout for their business. BADA tried to do a similar sales course to the one I attended and it was amazing that some young impressionables only wanted to sell what their narrow view told them what was good. No probing the client and finding genuine solutions for them, demonstrating as they went.
icehockeyboy
30-08-2012, 22:21
Ah, time for another memory that still makes me chuckle to think about....
Walked into dealers with £800 in my pocket, I wanted a turntable & was willing to spend the lot if what I heard impressed me enough. Saw a sexy looking LP12 & asked the dealer "how much is the LP12 ?" He replied "More than your pocket money" :steam::doh::lol:
Ended up buying one off a forum & the seller was delightful.
As a friend (and lifelong salesman) says : Treat everyone that comes through your door as the biggest sale of the year.... Because one of them will be.
Similar thing happened to me in a posh gents clothiers, I was wearing jeans and a casual top, and was already in the shop, albeit being ignored, when a guy in a suit walked in and was immediately greeted by the salesman., whilst I was still ignored.
He started to make his purchase, and at the same time another salesman appeared and actually acknowledged I was visible, by this time I was fuming at the poor treatment I had been given, and picked up 3 disgustingly expensive Dior ties, and placed them on the counter with my Amex, which was, without wishing to sound like a jumped up arse, a darker colour than the suits gold one.
The change in the attitude towards me beggared belief, but just as the salesman was about to run my card through the machine, I took it back, and suggested they treat all of their customers with the same respect whether they are wearing a suit or overalls, and walked out feeling angry, but strangely satisfied!
awkwardbydesign
31-08-2012, 09:14
Why strangely?:D
You know, in the vast majority of cases, I have always found the staff in hi-fi shops really easy to talk to and often very helpful (certainly not dismissive of me or rude). I don't dress at all smartly or wear an expensive watch either (I rarely wear a watch at all any more).
Having said that, there's no point in going into a shop that sells predominantly Absolute Sounds equipment and expecting an in depth discussion as to the development of ones active Naim system. By the same token, your Linn/Naim dealer probably isn't the best place to go to discuss SET amps and full range horns!
Other than Dave we have not heard from any dealers or former dealers. So come on then how rude and dismissive have you been? - if at all, that is ;)
bobbasrah
31-08-2012, 18:50
:wheniwasaboy:Stll waiting....
Other than Dave we have not heard from any dealers or former dealers. So come on then how rude and dismissive have you been? - if at all, that is ;)
isuckedmandelsonslemons
31-08-2012, 18:54
Bloke walked into a specialist bike shop my mate works in holding a snooker cue. Asked if the could fix a tip on it. He pointed out that it was a bike shop. Bloke said Oh I thought it was a sports shop. Giveaway was a shop full of bikes and a sign saying *^%#}{^^ Cycles.
Spectral Morn
31-08-2012, 19:15
Other than Dave we have not heard from any dealers or former dealers. So come on then how rude and dismissive have you been? - if at all, that is ;)
I always tried very hard to not be an a hole when I was a dealer. I wanted to treat people the way I wanted to be treated if I walked into my shop.
However when I was still relatively new to it, I did once make a somewhat rude comment about a certain direct drive turntable. A customer a member here zygote told me about a certain turntable he had got hold of and in ignorance I said to him - he reminded me of this a few years ago :doh: - that I asked him "Why he would want one of those.....?" said with a rather dismissive tone. The turntable in question was a Technics 1200 :eek:
I never behaved like a few of my colleagues who had this double act re certain questions customers would ask every so often such as.
"Do you keep Kenwood?" Paul would go get Dennis, who would come out from the back of the shop and look sage like for a few minutes before commenting about food mixers and then shuffling back into the bowels of the shop.
The other two were.
"Do you do Linn and what do you think of them?" same routine as above. Answer given, "well the platters make excellent piza dishes."
"Do you do Naim and what do you think of them?" dito answer. "Well if you had enough you could build a garage out of them."
I thought this terrible at the time, despite chuckling about it at first. Thing is it would have been better to have smiled and said no we do X and y and let them hear it rather than being a smart arsed comedian that wasn't in reality that funny.
Ironic thing is Dennis - the guru :doh: - ended up working for a Linn Naim dealership :lol::lol::lol: where he still was a bit of a smart arse. I can say this because I would be more than happy to say this to his face and did from time to time.
No doubt a few customers might not have got on with me but I can't think of too many that would have a bad word to say about me, except no doubt for the two guys I banned from the shop for being uber tyre kickers and thinking the shop was a lending library that made it ok to then buy elsewhere. Rather stupidly they boasted about doing this so next time they came in I told them they were banned, at the time I thought it the right decision.
As I type I do recall one other thing - an unber tyre kicker who never bought just boasted about the stuff he bought elsewhere - rubbing it in - once asked me how he could improve his Nordost, Chord, B&W 802 system. I was having a bad day and I looked at him and said - "Pull the mains plugs out off the wall." He didn't come back after that. To be honest about it I regret saying that now.
Those are my crimes - that I recall - since being in the trade from the late 80's to just 4 years ago.
Thanks for your post Neil and very honest and entertaining too. I don't think you should regret your mains lead comment it sounds like the bloke in question deserved it.
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