GC is unbelievable

xring · #1 07-25-2005, 12:37 PM

So after considering a Bongo-5 for a couple of weeks, I'm ready to buy today. Walk into GC and it's very slow. Sales people chatting, taking calls, generally sitting on their thumbs. I make eye contact with several of them, who ignore me. After 10 minutes, I walked past a floor person who's hitting on the door chick. "Cash walking out the door" I say as I flash a fist of 100's. "What happened?" So I told him. I could have stayed, but sometimes it's just the principle you know? I could have hunted someone down I suppose, but should I have too?
I may try later this evening. The Bongo is too good to pass up. It's going to be a carbon blue HS-5. Sometimes I really think I'm becoming an old coot! I'll post pics if I can get someone to take my money.

silent method · #2 07-25-2005, 12:42 PM

Why should sales people have to guess how you want to be treated? Working in retail you start to learn a few things. Some people hate being approached and are of the mind set that "if i want help i will ask for it" this is espically true of someone who seems to know what they are looking for. Others demand quick and curtious service.

Now if you had been in looking at this a number of times I would asume you are just looking again and want to be left alone.

Is it that much trouble for you to ask for help?

Mon Rominee · #3 07-25-2005, 12:44 PM

I was gonna kind of say that. Sorta like the addage that no one likes a car saleman approaching you while you're kicking tires...

KPJ · #4 07-25-2005, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silent method

Why should sales people have to guess how you want to be treated? Working in retail you start to learn a few things. Some people hate being approached and are of the mind set that "if i want help i will ask for it" this is espically true of someone who seems to know what they are looking for. Others demand quick and curtious service.

Now if you had been in looking at this a number of times I would asume you are just looking again and want to be left alone.

Is it that much trouble for you to ask for help?

If you work in retail, then you know that it is IMPERATIVE that every customer be acknowledged. Nothing is more important than a customer walking into a store. Drop all the chit-chat, etc, a customer should NEVER be ignored.

That being said, it seems almost like the original poster wants to be talked out of buying the bass. If I'm that set on buying something, I'm a little more agressive.

Chrisrm · #5 07-25-2005, 12:48 PM

But on the other hand, there's nothing wrong with coming over and politely asking "Is there anything I can help you with?" And if the answer is no, then let them know that if there is, just ask, blah, blah, blah........

Takes a whole of 2 seconds and isn't intrusive, yet still let's the customer know you're there to assist.

I have the same beefs with GC.

Chrisrm · #6 07-25-2005, 12:48 PM

KPJ beat me to it!

silent method · #7 07-25-2005, 12:49 PM

eye contact is acknowledging the customer!

the customer knows you know they are there at what point if the customer wants help with somthing they will do somthing to show me that, like wave or say excuse me not just stand there and expect me to read his/her mind.

Mon Rominee · #8 07-25-2005, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chrisrm

But on the other hand, there's nothing wrong with coming over and politely asking "Is there anything I can help you with?" And if the answer is no, then let them know that if there is, just ask, blah, blah, blah........

Takes a whole of 2 seconds and isn't intrusive, yet still let's the customer know you're there to assist.

I have the same beefs with GC.

Yes. But I'm merely saying I don't want someone to immediately jump in on it. Usually (imo) wait until I'm about to reach for something.... At least the people there could have acknowleged him, yeah, that would have irked me, sure.

xring · #9 07-25-2005, 12:53 PM

The Bongo was high on the wall and the ladder was in the aisle right next to it. I considered climbing up and grabbing it, but common sense tells me that store policy is against that. I stood there with my 2 children, arms crossed, glancing at the bass - back at the sales people, not too subtle in other words. If I was floating about the store "browsing" I would pretty much expect to be ignored.
Randy

silent method · #10 07-25-2005, 12:54 PM

they did acknowlege him. is everyone working there supposed to know if someone has already spoken to him or tried to help him. How anoying is it if every 5 min someone new comes up to you and you have to say no thank you im just looking.

we don't know half the facts here but I say if he really wanted to buy somthing is it really worth all the stress and hasle when he could have just walked over and said "hello, im looking at the bongo over there"

infact the time it took to post this thread he could have been playing his new bongo right now. but instead he had to be stuburn and think that all the world revolves around him and his $1500 or whatever a bongo may cost.

Simball · #11 07-25-2005, 12:55 PM

Sometimes I like to be left alone to browse but it's always nice to have someone approach you asking if you need something (especially if you're about to drop $1000) I've had the same thing happen to me at GC several times. Just go back and grab the first sales guy you see by the back of his collar and tell him you want to buy something.

silent method · #12 07-25-2005, 12:57 PM

ok lets look at this a lil closer now

you say you were standing there with your arms crossed and your kids with you.

now your body language talks more then words ever will and people with their arms crossed are not the most confrontable usually they are mad upset or stressed about somthing. you had 2 kids with you. I would asume you were dragged in there by your kids who wanted to look at bc rich guitars and you are impatient and just want to leave *judging this by your cross amrs

somtimes you have to think of the other guy, a simple excuse me would have surficed.

its called maners how hard is it to ask for somthing you want not expect it to fall in your arms from the heavens.

pyrohr · #13 07-25-2005, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xring

So after considering a Bongo-5 for a couple of weeks, I'm ready to buy today. Walk into GC and it's very slow. Sales people chatting, taking calls, generally sitting on their thumbs. I make eye contact with several of them, who ignore me. After 10 minutes, I walked past a floor person who's hitting on the door chick. "Cash walking out the door" I say as I flash a fist of 100's. "What happened?" So I told him. I could have stayed, but sometimes it's just the principle you know? I could have hunted someone down I suppose, but should I have too?
I may try later this evening. The Bongo is too good to pass up. It's going to be a carbon blue HS-5. Sometimes I really think I'm becoming an old coot! I'll post pics if I can get someone to take my money.

I'm just the opposite of you, When I go into places like that I don't want to be bothered. Most places I go know me so they leave me alone to do all the looking I want. you should have asked for help if that is what you wanted. Jmho

fretlessrock · #14 07-25-2005, 01:05 PM

I get where xring is coming from. The big box stores really do try to have it both ways. They want to be the Wal-Mart of musical gear, but they want aloof salespeople who have more important things to do than deal with customers. I live 35 minutes from bot a Sam Ash and a GC and most days Sam Ash has even worse customer service than GC. It's close, but Scam Cash is worse.

But the real deal is that the buyer has a choice on how to spend their bucks. The level of customer service translates to what you can expect if you have a return or warantee problem.

OTOH, GC is what it is: A Musician's Friend Outlet Store. Proceed accordingly. Hardball. Don't believe that a bass didn't come with a HSC or decent gigbag. Maybe print out a good (in-stock) online price so you can knock the price down some more. Make sure you can return it for cash/check and not just store credit. Pretend that you are buying a dishwasher at Sears. Everybody wins that way.

silent method · #15 07-25-2005, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pyrohr

I'm just the opposite of you, When I go into places like that I don't want to be bothered. Most places I go know me so they leave me alone to do all the looking I want. you should have asked for help if that is what you wanted. Jmho

+ 1

it isn't that hard. I mean what would it have cost you?

I am shocked that people think everyone should just come running to them and asume we know exactly what you want and how to deal with you.

To complain about "I had to ask for help" ugh to me that just seems to silly.

Dr. Funk · #16 07-25-2005, 01:09 PM

This is a bunch of bull. A customer should never be ignored while the staff is hitting on the door girl and sitting on their thumbs and to defend that is just stupid. If just one employee had said" Hi, if you want to try anything just let us know" that Bongo would be home right now. Maybe those kids need to get off their butts and replace the missing knobs on most of the out of tune instruments in the store.

silent method · #17 07-25-2005, 01:14 PM

how do you know he was "hitting on the door girl" because he was talking to her? maybe they were talking about somthing work related not every guy talking to any girl is hitting on her. Neither of us were in the store so who is to say they wernt doing other work like cleaning, or invintory or other things. More goes on then saying hello to customers you know.

How lazy of a society is it that we cannot ask for help when needed? come on

Dr. Funk · #18 07-25-2005, 01:19 PM

If she was hot, he was hitting on her. It's called "customer service" people and there is no excuse for lack of it.

silent method · #19 07-25-2005, 01:21 PM

when he was standing there "making eye contact" with the workers would have been a great time to ask for help. When somone makes eye contact with me and needs somthing I asume the would let me know not just stand there like a deer in the headlights.

was this your first time out of your little box? it is ok to talk to people you know.

xring · #20 07-25-2005, 01:28 PM

"was this your first time out of your little box? it is ok to talk to people you know."

Thus my old coot reference... yeah I get out of the box occasionally. Been at a customer service oriented organization for 21 years now. Not my 1st pick (I'd rather play bass all day) but it pays well, and allows me to buy Bongos. What's that goop behind you ears? Must be attitude.
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