Bad Shop Service

bob 351 · 04-11-2006, 11:13 PM

gday guys thought i would try and start a new thread. Dont no about you's guys but im just about fed up going into shops and trying to buy things you ask the counter staff for some help tell them want you want and they a give you a stare of disscontent and "say sorry your asking the wrong person i dont know" like an experience i had yesterday i went into a paint shop to buy some supplies for my restoration i asked what i could put paint wise on the inner guards of my project the guy stared at me and said "your asking me the wrong questions i dont know" there where only 2 staff in the shop so just wondering if anyone else has had the type of experience and if so just like some comments on your experiences.

Dazza TT · 04-11-2006, 11:21 PM

You know what annoys me...
When I walk into a retail shop, and not one staff member will get off their backsides to ask if I need assistance/Can I help with anything...
If they can't be bothered asking, then I really can't be bothered spending.
I am in sales too. As soon as a customer hits the door, I am up and walking towards them to help them out. It's really not that hard!

Cheers

Darran

Kryton · 04-11-2006, 11:21 PM

may or may not be related.
i needed rear brake pads for my ZL.
Auto barn had Bendix Premiums for something like $70 so i said id look around as i had to buy front pads too.
went to repco and asked for " the cheapest rear pads you have for a ZL".
he looked it up and it came back as Ferrodo (which are pretty crap) for $68.
i said dont worry about it, ill go back and get the Bendix from Autobarn......it was at that point he said he had another brand which he could do for $30 brand new in box.

isnt that exactly what i asked for in the first place...........

Kryton · 04-11-2006, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darran

You know what annoys me...
When I walk into a retail shop, and not one staff member will get off their backsides to ask if I need assistance/Can I help with anything...
If they can't be bothered asking, then I really can't be bothered spending.
I am in sales too. As soon as a customer hits the door, I am up and walking towards them to help them out. It's really not that hard!

Cheers

Darran

you know what really annoys me....salesmen that pounce on you as soon as you enter the shop.
seriously, give the customer a few minutes to look around.

on the other hand if i walk into a place knowing what i want (but would like some advice/guideance)....looking around for assistance in my purchase, hanging around the one area trying to get someones attention and no one comes to help, that is just as bad as being pounced on.

there is a fine line in sales. know what service your customer wants as soon as they walk through the door.

Dazza TT · 04-11-2006, 11:27 PM

Let me rephrase that! :P
I get up from my desk, and head to the front counter to serve them. 90% of the time my clients know what they are after, so it's just a matter of printing the invoice.

Cheers

Darran

bob 351 · 04-11-2006, 11:55 PM

i know what you mean nothing worse than a pushy sales persons but seriously if you walk into shop there nothing worse than standing there for ten minutes or so with you finger up you behind waiting for someone to serve you

GCFordChic · 05-11-2006, 12:01 AM

I work in retail... and used to hear these complaints all the time as supervisor of checkouts at a department store...now i have changed jobs and have nowhere near as much contact with customers and it is GREAT!...And i am considered a 'people person'. I think that there is an evolving 'customer problem' as well, customers are ruder, more impatient, more dismissive and think much more highly of themselves.

Here are a few points to consider however...

There is a difference between sales and retail.

Not everybody who works in a retail outlet knows everything about every product/service they have or the uses and applications of such products.

They are people too and they have good and bad days, many tend to be uni students and at this time of year it is final exams...

The assistant is merely a reflection of the company. Typically, bad management, awful working conditions, value of customer to company will be displayed through the staff and their actions.

Sales assistants get abused from both sides of the fence, the customer who is unhappy that there are not enough staff to help them and the manager who demands that the same job and level of service be done with less people.

Some people just dont give a ***** about other people. These people can end up in any field from sales to teaching, nursing to telemarketing.

fiery · 05-11-2006, 12:04 AM

I agree with most posts so far

:

But what ticks me off is rude customers....

:

Or ones that decide they are too damn lazy to put their blasted shopping trolleys in the trolley bay (Gawd forbid that would be too sensible

: ).. They leave them in the car parking spaces (generally I only spot the sodden things as I am reversing a customers car into the spot... Massive pet hate of mine (the boss has a chuckle at me getting irritated by it, but he fails to mention to others that it peeves him also)....

:

bob 351 · 05-11-2006, 12:17 AM

ok ok so there are the good points also the bad points but remember the old saying the customer is alway's right for without them there would be a lot of people out of work and as for staff not knowing about the products being sold in said outlets or department's maybe they should be put in the department's that they know about or maybe there is a thing called training

pertuan · 05-11-2006, 12:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GCFordChic

I think that there is an evolving 'customer problem' as well, customers are ruder, more impatient, more dismissive and think much more highly of themselves.

I agree with this. When I used to work in a mobile phone repair service center, we used to get customers who would think they are the only thing in the world that mattered. They always looked at me/us as being the poor uneducated people who couldnt find a better job or whatever. I was always the first to put them in their place... politely. :Reverend: It is for this reason (and the fact that I think all people are equal) that I treat sales people nicely.

But back on topic, I find it funny that whenever I am browsing, I get the best service but when I actually go there looking for something specific, I can't get any help at all.

fiery · 05-11-2006, 12:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob 351

ok ok so there are the good points also the bad points but remember the old saying the customer is alway's right for without them there would be a lot of people out of work and as for staff not knowing about the products being sold in said outlets or department's maybe they should be put in the department's that they know about or maybe there is a thing called training

That is correct in saying that people should be trained.. If you are to sell a product/s then you should have a fairly good base knowledge of it/them.
In saying that though, if the person doesn't know then surely someone else in the shop should..

I know that at work if the other bloke there doesn't know the answer he immediately grabs my attention to get the answer for the customer (and yeah, sometimes I bluff my way through things too

: )

**Silver Ghia** · 05-11-2006, 12:27 AM

Hardware shops and Autobarn have one thing in common.

When I dont need assistance from a shop assistant they come, but when I do need assistance, they're nowhere to be seen.

EL_futuraistic · 05-11-2006, 12:28 AM

yes i have found this particularly when going out to buy electrical goods Tv, Laptops Dvd Stereos etc......

I know majority of retail staff are uni students etc, but it is a reflection on the company if they offer poor service. At the end of they day they are employed to do a job.

no for my biggest hate..... the old "are you right there sir" reply "yeah.. just looking" and then they follow you around the store making remarks about items, or this is particulary evident at vehicle dealerships (which is totally different again) and small stores.

I know im a particularly difficult customer myself.... so i respect that when dealing with customers to a point, but as FIERY said i cant stand rude customers. Some people are just so rude, and impossible to deal with but thats life i guess.

bob 351 · 05-11-2006, 12:34 AM

not only auto barn but i have found the servivce in super you know who i mean [lol] absolutly woefull if you cant see what you want youve got to look it up in a parts book fair dinkum what do they think we are spare parts salesmen ha ha

XR8GRL · 05-11-2006, 12:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fiery

But what ticks me off is rude customers....

:

Where I used to work, I couldn't believe the amount of rude people I came across, it was impossible to get a simple "hi" out of them. I was usually extra nice to those ones, funnilly enough the next time seeing them, that bug up their butt disappeared.

MITCHAY · 05-11-2006, 12:56 AM

The worst thing is people working for a business who have absolutely no idea about the type of business they are in. Example people who work for an auto store and have no idea about cars!

WRP11 · 05-11-2006, 01:46 AM

What annoys me more than waiting at a counter for service is when you've made eye contact and they have acknowledged you by saying 'ill be right with you', they carry on messing around with whatever they are doing, then the phone starts ringing and they drop what they are doing and go behind the counter and answer the blasted thing.. that really gets me, I have been known to stand there until they hang up then stare at them with a blank look and turn and walk out.. Im not the type to get wound up by much, but that one just does me in.

mosman69 · 05-11-2006, 01:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MITCHAY

The worst thing is people working for a business who have absolutely no idea about the type of business they are in. Example people who work for an auto store and have no idea about cars!

I think thats a slightly unfair comment to make, as has been said a number of times most people working these jobs are uni students (me included). I used to work for an RM Williams store in chadstone. Now don't get me wrong i took a lot of time and made an effort to get to know the product but i didnt ever know as much as the manager or other people who had been there for ages. In fact that was my first job, i knew nothing bout anything and if given the opportunity to get into something else really random i would do it at the drop of a hat. cuz at the end of the day, its a job, it pays the bills. maybe its not the ebst for customer service and its useful to have a bit of industry knowledge but thats pretty harsh. people learn over time. You gotta be a rookie and not know anythign at some point??

My 3.5c (2c + levy to cover price of fuel)
:dr_Evil:

MITCHAY · 05-11-2006, 02:05 AM

You can usually tell the difference between a rookie and someone who doesn't give a **** mosman69.

DOC · 05-11-2006, 02:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob 351

the guy stared at me and said "your asking me the wrong questions i dont know"

so just wondering if anyone else has had the type of experience and if so just like some comments on your experiences.

That response in itself is not wrong, i have taught many sales people over the years and to me honesty with the customer is paramount for a long term business relationship with all customers.

I would often tell my people if you were ever asked a Q that you did not know the answer to, that they never lie or tell made up bullshiete, rather to tell the customer that they did not know the answer to that question.

How ever , from there as others have mentioned don't blame the staff, blame management as the staffer is a reflection of thier manager.

I also went on and taught the guys and girls that if this was the case where they said they did not know the answer to this question, that their very next line was " but i do know where i can find the answer for you, can you give me a few seconds to get this for you"

I then had a very good relation ship where they would then come and source the correct answer for the customer.

The end result was a strong team between management and sales that worked together and as time went along the sales assistant grew more confident and needed less help and back up. even though they knew it was there.

all in all a happier team of assistants, happier customers and a happy business owner.

feebs · 05-11-2006, 02:37 AM

agree with most of it.

I hate..

sales staff that have to finish talking to 'their friends' before they can serve you.

our local hungry jacks where most days the staff and many of their mates are standing at the door smoking when we are trying to bundle our kids past.. you get inside and the manager is going out for a smoke as well.. sh!ts me!

I feel better now

JAJH · 05-11-2006, 02:44 AM

Agree with Doc, if the salesperson doesn't know the answer, just say, "I don't know but I will find out for you". I too have been involved in sales and training people for over 20 years and it never ceases to amaze me the ineptitude and incompetence of many salespeople. Just last night I went to Harvey Norman with my 18 year old son to buy a camera for him. It was about 8.30pm and were closing in 30 minutes. We had already done our homework on what we wanted and had got 2 other prices for the model we wanted, so it was time to get negotiating with the salesperson. The young salesman was ok in his product knowledge, reasonably friendly, but did appear to be a little short tempered (I figured due to it being late on a Friday after a long day). He gave us his best price which was pretty good, said we would think about and let him know. With that he snubbed us and turned away. I thought you little *****, you want my money and you treat me like that..stuff you. So, we went across the road to JB Hifi to see if we could get a beter deal which we couldn't so went back to Harvey Norman. When the young fella saw us it was now 8.50pm and told him we wanted to buy the camera. At that he quickly changed his attitude. I have never had a problem telling salespeople why I buy from them or why I don't buy from them and in this case I told him he was rude and asked if it was because he had a long day. He said, "Yeah, I have been here since 5.30pm (3 hours), but been in school all day (year 11 & 16 years old). I told him to try treating customers with a little more respect if he expected them to hand over their hard earned cash.

MITCHAY · 05-11-2006, 03:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WRP11

What annoys me more than waiting at a counter for service is when you've made eye contact and they have acknowledged you by saying 'ill be right with you', they carry on messing around with whatever they are doing

Yeah I had a couple of customers have a go at me about this very thing as the chick I work with does this all time!

Not exactly my fault but I still cop the crap from it.

XR6_661 · 05-11-2006, 10:27 AM

I got told by Ford that it'd cost $450 to get a battery for my remote entry and to get them to install it.

Went to AutoBarn, spent $3 on a battery and it works fine.

I think that is bad service on Fords part.

pertuan · 05-11-2006, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EL_661

I got told by Ford that it'd cost $450 to get a battery for my remote entry and to get them to install it.

Went to AutoBarn, spent $3 on a battery and it works fine.

I think that is bad service on Fords part.

Nah, that was probably $3 for the battery and another $447 for the mandatory donation to their beer fund. :P

But seriously, thats shocking.

GXL078 · 05-11-2006, 10:42 AM

I go to Repco: "Could I have a rear axle oil seal for an XC Falcon with a 9 inch diff"
Repco dude: "What's a rear axle oil seal?"

OLDFORDNUT · 05-11-2006, 10:44 AM

My pet hate is Harvey Norman staff,
they ignore you if you are not dressed nice, and also they employ people with good school results over people with good computer and tech knowledge and skill.sort of like Superch%%p, employ kids with absolutely no auto interests due to good shcool results before kids with an interest in cars,then wonder why they only stay for a year or so.

bob 351 · 05-11-2006, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xcgxl

I go to Repco: "Could I have a rear axle oil seal for an XC Falcon with a 9 inch diff"
Repco dude: "What's a rear axle oil seal?"

ha ha ha i just fell of my chair for a company that states they have 200000000000000000000000 parts in stock that is pretty ****poor i wonder if you asked for a chinese left handed screw driver if he would refer to his parts book

XR6_661 · 05-11-2006, 10:53 AM

My dad went to Ford and asked if they have any flange gaskets.

Bloke at ford said there is no such part.

Went to Tuff Muff and asked them, the parted was fitted in the hour.

Bill M · 05-11-2006, 11:00 AM

I have found my local Ford parts dept to be very helpful (New Oakford) and the Repco shop just around the corner has been very good in helping me source parts and taking returns when faulty, I enjoy going there!
I can't remember when I last had bad service?
cheers
Bill.