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How do you feel about Sweetwater rep calls?
- Thread starter SpankBazz
- Start date
I don't mind. Sweetwater and Musician's friend have been good to me over the years. MF is more aggressive on pricing but I like them both. If I don't have time for the call, I don't answer no biggie.
The best sales people are looking for win-win. If they can get you into a better deal than you thought you’d get on something you want, or introduce you to something you didn’t know about but upon hearing about it want it, that establishes a very good relationship with you. A good sales rep can be an asset for you.
I am usually ok w/ the call, but so far my SW rep has not really added any value. Except one time I needed to refresh som cables - 1/4”, XLR, and speakons, and my rep filled the order for me over the phone and got me a wee discount. Aaron has since moved on; I don’t even remember my new reps name.
- Mar 19, 2013
- 1,612
- 2,694
- Disclosures
- If only I were that good....
I was part of a global “Kaizen” (which is basically cross functional group of associates brought together to identify specific issues and come up with fixes) that was all about data privacy. It was insane to see how much information the US was able to get and hold onto vs our European counterparts.
I had to tell them "no phone calls under any circumstances" a couple of times, but they eventually got the message and stopped calling...
About once every three months my SW rep calls to let me know he's still around. My Musicians Friend rep used to call at least once a month. Wait'll the holiday season ramps up. I'm thinking the calls will too. Oh yes. I never answer them. They go straight to VM.
I believe I'm finished with them. My guy is a stereo buff and a salesman. He's very well qualified in the speaker/studio monitor area but hasn't an f-in clue about bass and for way to many years I've dealt with it. My fault. Then my last order was delayed when I needed it fast, small thing, but I'm done. I have dealt with many great places that you get to talk with a person that knows a tuning key from a bridge or whatever. I'm not a kid, I spend ridiculous amounts on gear and instruments and buying from a sales person does not cut it for me anymore. I want to discuss my purchases with a musician at the very least, not a sales person. Oh my...that was a bad rant. This topic hit a nerve. Very sorry, carry on and enjoy.
While I think they do a good job with their business (compared to some other online MI companies), the phone calls are not great.
But what really gets me angry is when I google an image of something, it shows up as a link to Sweetwater, I click that, then later in the day, get a text and/or email asking if I was still interested in the item...
Yes, you can certainly turn off these features, opt out, or ask a rep to cut it out, but the fact that it happens at all - UNPROVOKED - is quite a turn-off for me.
And I rarely buy new gear, so most of what they have only serves as a reference to finding specs or prices when comparing to the local market. For them to try and badger me into buying it is completely ineffective.
So yeah... email me when you are changing my rep, fine. Or when you have a sale maybe (lolz). But don't contact me if my IP address pops up in your data collection. No calls, no texts, don't be a stalker.
But what really gets me angry is when I google an image of something, it shows up as a link to Sweetwater, I click that, then later in the day, get a text and/or email asking if I was still interested in the item...
Yes, you can certainly turn off these features, opt out, or ask a rep to cut it out, but the fact that it happens at all - UNPROVOKED - is quite a turn-off for me.
And I rarely buy new gear, so most of what they have only serves as a reference to finding specs or prices when comparing to the local market. For them to try and badger me into buying it is completely ineffective.
So yeah... email me when you are changing my rep, fine. Or when you have a sale maybe (lolz). But don't contact me if my IP address pops up in your data collection. No calls, no texts, don't be a stalker.
When I worked music retail at a small store, calling customers would sometimes yield a sale or two. I think the technique is part of a larger aim to get the most out of employees otherwise they just sit around not selling things.
I just made sure to leave my old cell # on the account when I got my new one. I don’t think they’d look at the number on the most recent order?
I feel bad for whoever has my old #…
I feel bad for whoever has my old #…
Like many others here at TB, I have experienced many online music stores. From my experience, Sweetwater is the best. There is no perfect anything, but Sweetwater gets a lot right. The designated sales engineer to a customer relationship is part of their business model. IMO they are trying to bring personal contact to something lost through internet transactions. Don't want a phone call? Opt out, they will stop calling.
I just politely say "No, I'm good. I have all I need right now. Thanks!" ...5 seconds and done!
It's merely a phone call. Some of you all act like it's an FBI interrogation. It's a store's job to make money. I can't fault them for being proactive about it.
Besides, doesn't the free candy kinda make up for that five seconds of time?
It's merely a phone call. Some of you all act like it's an FBI interrogation. It's a store's job to make money. I can't fault them for being proactive about it.
Besides, doesn't the free candy kinda make up for that five seconds of time?
you can ask reps not to call you. that's worked for me for years. the only time ben calls me is if they have a question that can't wait. i think he called last holiday season to wish me happy holidays, but otherwise i haven't gotten a call from sweetwater in over 6 years. i haven't missed them.
reps are just people, which means they're individuals. i don't need to be friends with my doctor, my mechanic or my sweetwater rep. that being said, my rep (he's been repping our rep for at least 7 years) is straight-up that he's a guitar player. i don't recall any time when i needed bass-specific info i couldn't get from TB or the manufacturer, so i don't need bass info from any rep.
the guy who couldn't even name his previous bass may only be a hobbyist, although there's nothing wrong with being a hobby player. that being said, i've never known a hobby player who didn't know the brands of their instruments, so it's weird. his motivations don't really matter, but sweetwater will let you change reps if you want to.
reps are just people, which means they're individuals. i don't need to be friends with my doctor, my mechanic or my sweetwater rep. that being said, my rep (he's been repping our rep for at least 7 years) is straight-up that he's a guitar player. i don't recall any time when i needed bass-specific info i couldn't get from TB or the manufacturer, so i don't need bass info from any rep.
the guy who couldn't even name his previous bass may only be a hobbyist, although there's nothing wrong with being a hobby player. that being said, i've never known a hobby player who didn't know the brands of their instruments, so it's weird. his motivations don't really matter, but sweetwater will let you change reps if you want to.
