I know we all joke about our Sweetwater engineers…

[BassGuyFL]

Our rep that we deal with is fantastic. He is personal friends with a couple guys in my band so we have a connection with him. He’s always got great advice on Gear and does not do the usual harassment that a lot of people don’t like. We’ve all spend thousands and thousands of dollars with him so he’s definitely helped us out a lot..

 

[dougjwray]

Just the thought of establishing an ongoing "friendship" with a salesman gives me a sort of icky feeling.

 

[onda'bass]

I hate it, I still get calls and I have not purchased anything in years. If I want something I’ll call you.

 

[Parzival]

Just the thought of establishing an ongoing "friendship" with a salesman gives me a sort of icky feeling.

While I agree, I really like my Sweetwater guy.

 

[Iridescentone]

But mine is retiring after over two decades with the company.

Given that we go back eight plus years, it is definitely going to take some adjustment. Heck, I’ve even sent him clips of the gear I’ve bought through him in use.

I have to say that if you get someone great, Sweetwater’s sales model makes a ton of sense.

Or, maybe he did you a solid by retiring. Maybe your new engineer will be a prick and you'll save yourself a few dineros. Cup "half-full!

 

[Maulraizor]

I've always worked with Dennis Konicki. I worked with him to get a discount today. I used to just fill out the email form and request a quote. Within the last 2 weeks, I filled out 3 and all got ignored, so I put the gear I wanted in my shopping cart and called Dennis with my cart ID. He gave me an extra 10% off everything, some of it was stuff that was already on sale. They probably feel about me how a lot of you feel about them, they wish Id stop calling. XD XD. Sweetwater has done me better than Guitar Center/Musicians Friend, and for some reason, I have concerns about switching to Amazon for music gear. Afraid theyll run everyone else out of business and will never get a deal again.

 

[Michael Vee]

I've always worked with Dennis Konicki. I worked with him to get a discount today.

Dennis Konicki? Really? He was my assigned "sales engineer" probably ten years ago. He disappeared and some other guy emailed me and said "Dennis got promoted and would no longer be my sales engineer," and that this new guy would be my SE going forward. I would have thought that Dennis would not continue to be anyone else's SE due to his promotion. So he still is working in that capacity?

I emailed Dennis after that happened, and left voice messages with him, several times after this happened and never got an answer. I also asked the replacement guy about it, and he would not answer my questions.

The sales engineer thing is flaky. I've been dropped without notice by several other of those guys I've "been assigned to." I have gotten several bogus explanations about what happened including that "Dennis got promoted" one.

They appear to have sales quotas for each customer, although I don't know that for a fact. It's possible. If you don't buy some minimum dollar amount of gear in some period of time, they will drop you and move on. Then you get assigned to some more junior person.

I refuse to buy anything from Sweetwater these days as a result of those interactions and those I had with the 4-5 people after him. I'd rather deal with an internet dealer that doesn't charge sales tax. SW does. Plus, most stores out there are smaller outfits and you can talk to the actual owner on the phone, which I greatly prefer over some sales guy at SW.

There is zero need for "sales engineers" if we bass players read, research, and are knowledgeable about our gear, and then seek out the best deals we can get. There has never been a time when someone from SW told me something about a piece of gear that I didn't already know. Talkbass has always been the best resource for me. Either in the forums, or talking with a fellow player that has the gear I'm interested in.

 

[monsterthompson]

There has never been a time when someone from SW told me something about a piece of gear that I didn't already know.

My experience with many sales people in my various areas of interest. You do find good sales folks in the world, but I think music instrument retail sales doesn't tend to attract and retain folks who are passionate and capable of staying up to date and broadly informed in a field full of variables and subjective characteristics.

 

[Michael Vee]

My experience with many sales people in my various areas of interest. You do find good sales folks in the world, but I think music instrument retail sales doesn't tend to attract and retain folks who are passionate and capable of staying up to date and broadly informed in a field full of variables and subjective characteristics.

Well said, Monster! I agree.

 

[Gopherbassist]

Just the thought of establishing an ongoing "friendship" with a salesman gives me a sort of icky feeling.

Why? Having someone in a sales role who knows your wants and needs can make finding what you want, and what you don't even know you want, a smooth and easy process. I'd rather know a salesman who understands my interests than have to explain what I'm looking for to someone new every time. And having someone whose sales style and personality gibe with my own makes purchases, or even simple inquiries, much more pleasant. The roulette wheel of ignorant and inept and pushy and annoying is worse than knowing who I'm dealing with.

 

[dougjwray]

Why? Having someone in a sales role who knows your wants and needs can make finding what you want, and what you don't even know you want, a smooth and easy process. I'd rather know a salesman who understands my interests than have to explain what I'm looking for to someone new every time. And having someone whose sales style and personality gibe with my own makes purchases, or even simple inquiries, much more pleasant. The roulette wheel of ignorant and inept and pushy and annoying is worse than knowing who I'm dealing with.

That all makes a lot of sense.
I guess I'd be ok with it if they never reached out to me.
Also, I have pretty simple needs and tastes in musical equipment, and can usually educate myself about what to buy if it's something off my beaten path.
The only reason that I don't shop 100% online, with no human interaction, is that I'm a stickler for playing a bass before buying it.

 

[dougjwray]

Also, I get the sense that Sweetwater kind of cultivates this notion that the sales people are the customers' special buddies, or something. That's the icky part for me. It feels sleazy.