Unhappy Retail Sales People

There is a tire store located very conveniently near my house. I will not set foot in that place until I know for a fact that the manager has been removed or replaced. I had done business there before this clown took over. The next two trips were all I needed.

My biggest issue with him is the way he bullies his workers. He berated one worker for changing a display per the assistant manager's specific instructions. This "correction" took place on the sales floor, in front of several customers.

I also heard him dealing with someone form another store in a derisive manner over the phone. His words, his tone, his bully waddle, everything about him grated on me.

The guy was so nice to me. Maybe he reads GRM?

The good old-style lead weights are gone and they didn't have the right ones for our Chevrolet so they hammered the wrong one on to make it work.

Thanks, Alex!

I watched an episode of The marketplace last night entitled Canada's worst customer service. They hired a research company to determine which 3 stores had the worst customer service, then went to the stores to see just how bad it was. It was pretty entertaining. A quirk in the polling showed that Walmart was the third worst, but when asked to rate the best, Walmart was number 1.

Wouldn't that indicate less of a problem with corporate policies and more of a issue with individual manager's policies?

slantvaliant wrote: There is a tire store located very conveniently near my house. I will not set foot in that place until I know for a fact that the manager has been removed or replaced. I had done business there before this clown took over. The next two trips were all I needed. My biggest issue with him is the way he bullies his workers. He berated one worker for changing a display per the assistant manager's specific instructions. This "correction" took place on the sales floor, in front of several customers. I also heard him dealing with someone form another store in a derisive manner over the phone. His words, his tone, his bully waddle, everything about him grated on me.

Did you contact corporate about the issue??? You should, IMHO.

Zomby woof wrote: I watched an episode of The marketplace last night entitled Canada's worst customer service. They hired a research company to determine which 3 stores had the worst customer service, then went to the stores to see just how bad it was. It was pretty entertaining. A quirk in the polling showed that Walmart was the third worst, but when asked to rate the best, Walmart was number 1.

I think they probably asked my wife, and I. She loves the place, I want an Apache attack helicopter to send a slammer through the front doors.

Love it or hate it, it's been nothing but good for retail competition in Canada. Remember the days when Canadian tire was the only show in town, and a can of cheap spray paint was $7? I do.

In reply to Zomby woof:

I just had to watch a movie and they made mention of a coffee maker of all things being procured from Canadian Tire....

Otto Maddox wrote: Oh, and I hate retail sales, retail sales people, all of it. I research stuff before I get to the store. I try to buy everything from stores that have almost no staff to bother me. Either that or I order it online.

I dont know...all this online shopping has put hundreds of stores out of business. For example, Borders. I wanted to buy my mother some CDs for her birthday but I didn't have time to wait to order online, unfortunately I procrastinated but thats not really relevant. Normally I would go to Borders or Pages for All Ages but they closed up too. So instead I went to Barnes and Noble, they have a miserable selection now due to Amazon and iTunes and other online shopping. I ended up going to a small used record store where I got help with buying some CDs because I guess they just listen to music all the time. So that was cool, good customer service.

The point is though, while online shopping is really convenient and you can usually save a few bucks, it kills local business. Everytime you buy from a store, you are helping keep those people in business. The more people shop online, the more stores go out of business, so more people are driven to shop online. Its a sad cycle, and not good for our economy since those online retailers can operate from massive warehouses with less workers. Online shopping can be good and the internet has been especially useful for car guys, where else would I get my old Lincoln parts? But the attitude to simply avoid all stores kinda sucks. If a workers asks if you need help or would like to buy something, just say "no thank you."

In reply to fritzsch:

You've made a very good point, but I can't help but wonder if you've made it a few years too late. I buy online because the "big box" stores have already run the small local stores out of business. Your mention of books & music is a great example of what I'm talking about..WallyWorld & Target only have what's "popular"..not what's good. I really want to support my locals, but where I live..they're already gone. Only small biz left here are the restaurants..which I support as often as I can.

In reply to gamby:

You bet your sweet bippy I did.

mad_machine wrote: As for upselling, Friend of mine used to manage a gaming store. he did very well, with them meeting their sales quota and then some every month. Then they got forced to sell this widget that was supposed to clean up scratches on CDs and DVDs. They had tried them, they didn't work, but they had to sell a couple hundred a month or there would be penalties. 2 months later, my friend quit. The stress of selling those stupid widgets and his regional manager coming down on them for not selling them was too much. A year later, the store was closed and gone

I once heard a line that the #1 key for an effective salesman isn't a good attitude, product knowledge, or charisma - it's a belief that the customer genuinely needs what he's selling. And trying to get your sales force to sell something they know doesn't work is a surefire way to torpedo that.

cwh wrote: Whenever I need a "hardware" type item, I go to a mom n' pop place called McDonalds Hardware in Ft. Lauderdale. Almost always have what I want, and a clerk will walk me right to it. If they don't have what I want (has only happened twice) I get profuse apologies. Are they a bit higher than HD or Lowes? Yeah, but we are treated so well there, with no upsell BS, that I find it well worth while. They have mastered customer satisfaction, and I really doubt if they realize it. I needed 2 feet of 16ga wire. Something like 50 cents. I was taken care of like I was spending 250.00. I'll go back.

Bingo. Local trailer and marine store once gave me a fuel tank fitting that was not normally sold for FREE. Another national retailer tried to sell me another entire fuel tank just so I can get the fitting. Guess where I went the next week and spent $1400 on a new trailer for my boat, the local mom and pop place. I only wish they were open longer hours because its hard for me to get there after work. Oh well, I try to support them when I can..

In case people are wondering, the place is called TA Mahoneys in Tampa, FL.

MadScientistMatt wrote:

mad_machine wrote: As for upselling, Friend of mine used to manage a gaming store. he did very well, with them meeting their sales quota and then some every month. Then they got forced to sell this widget that was supposed to clean up scratches on CDs and DVDs. They had tried them, they didn't work, but they had to sell a couple hundred a month or there would be penalties. 2 months later, my friend quit. The stress of selling those stupid widgets and his regional manager coming down on them for not selling them was too much. A year later, the store was closed and gone

I once heard a line that the #1 key for an effective salesman isn't a good attitude, product knowledge, or charisma - it's a belief that the customer genuinely needs what he's selling. And trying to get your sales force to sell something they know doesn't work is a surefire way to torpedo that.

This plus a zillion. That's the difference between a true salesperson and the smarmy type. The smarmy types don't care if it benefits the end user or not, all they want is to make a buck. They will generally stoop to underhanded tactics to do it.

It's a problem in the car repair business when a tech says 'oil leak' and all you see is some seepage with dust stuck to it which is a pretty normal occurence. Now the S/A's problem is they are calling the tech a liar.

fritzsch wrote: I dont know...all this online shopping has put hundreds of stores out of business. For example, Borders. I wanted to buy my mother some CDs for her birthday but I didn't have time to wait to order online, unfortunately I procrastinated but thats not really relevant. Normally I would go to Borders or Pages for All Ages but they closed up too. So instead I went to Barnes and Noble, they have a miserable selection now due to Amazon and iTunes and other online shopping. I ended up going to a small used record store where I got help with buying some CDs because I guess they just listen to music all the time. So that was cool, good customer service.

Well, you brought it up, so I get to whine: When you hear music you like, buy the damn record. I don't care whether you buy it from Bobs record store on Main street, or from Amazon, or from Itunes. Buy the damn thing so I can see a live concert for less than $150 per seat.

Back to your regularly scheduled topic now...

fritzsch wrote: The point is though, while online shopping is really convenient and you can usually save a few bucks, it kills local business. Everytime you buy from a store, you are helping keep those people in business. ..

unfortunately, almost all types of businesses now need an online presence to even function, let alone be competitive.

if the local store can's sell online also, they've got a bigger problem than just getting me in the door....

Streetwiseguy wrote:

fritzsch wrote: I dont know...all this online shopping has put hundreds of stores out of business. For example, Borders. I wanted to buy my mother some CDs for her birthday but I didn't have time to wait to order online, unfortunately I procrastinated but thats not really relevant. Normally I would go to Borders or Pages for All Ages but they closed up too. So instead I went to Barnes and Noble, they have a miserable selection now due to Amazon and iTunes and other online shopping. I ended up going to a small used record store where I got help with buying some CDs because I guess they just listen to music all the time. So that was cool, good customer service.

Well, you brought it up, so I get to whine: When you hear music you like, buy the damn record. I don't care whether you buy it from Bobs record store on Main street, or from Amazon, or from Itunes. Buy the damn thing so I can see a live concert for less than $150 per seat. Back to your regularly scheduled topic now... AMEN

Streetwiseguy wrote: Well, you brought it up, so I get to whine: When you hear music you like, buy the damn record.

I refuse. I'll buy a song, but not the record.

I went through over 1000 songs on beatport during the holidays. I bought 12 songs. Mass produced crappy music is just that, I refuse to pay an artist to make a whole bunch of crap and one good song. I'll pay for the on good song thanks.

HiTempguy wrote:

Streetwiseguy wrote: Well, you brought it up, so I get to whine: When you hear music you like, buy the damn record.

I refuse. I'll buy a song, but not the record. I went through over 1000 songs on beatport during the holidays. I bought 12 songs. Mass produced crappy music is just that, I refuse to pay an artist to make a whole bunch of crap and one good song. I'll pay for the on good song thanks.

I'm old enough that I own a pretty big pile of music in album form, and almost without fail, the one or two songs that make the charts are not the ones I listen to the most.

An example that I'm sure has never been played on radio. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYJIGYerpLg

Don't judge me. I'm old.

Streetwiseguy wrote:

fritzsch wrote: I dont know...all this online shopping has put hundreds of stores out of business. For example, Borders. I wanted to buy my mother some CDs for her birthday but I didn't have time to wait to order online, unfortunately I procrastinated but thats not really relevant. Normally I would go to Borders or Pages for All Ages but they closed up too. So instead I went to Barnes and Noble, they have a miserable selection now due to Amazon and iTunes and other online shopping. I ended up going to a small used record store where I got help with buying some CDs because I guess they just listen to music all the time. So that was cool, good customer service.

Well, you brought it up, so I get to whine: When you hear music you like, buy the damn record. I don't care whether you buy it from Bobs record store on Main street, or from Amazon, or from Itunes. Buy the damn thing so I can see a live concert for less than $150 per seat. Back to your regularly scheduled topic now...

The two are not related. Concerts used to be loss leaders, or like an ad for a new record, until Michael Cohl got involved. He changed the concert from a promotion vehicle to a revenue generator. It wasn't long before ticket prices doubled, and quadrupled.

HiTempguy wrote:

Streetwiseguy wrote: Well, you brought it up, so I get to whine: When you hear music you like, buy the damn record.

I refuse. I'll buy a song, but not the record. I went through over 1000 songs on beatport during the holidays. I bought 12 songs. Mass produced crappy music is just that, I refuse to pay an artist to make a whole bunch of crap and one good song. I'll pay for the on good song thanks.

Try listening to better music.

MitchellC wrote: Try listening to better music.

I'm sure you are so much more cultured in fine arts and music than myself

Last time I checked, they ran out of hair metal in the 80's, so I guess I'll stick with this stuff and pop in Quiet Riot whenever I get bored