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I'm officially boycotting Guitar Center

#81
I live 28 miles from a GC. When I need something I make sure they have it first.
This is my way of doing it.
1- Check online for the idem and make sure to check that it is available for in store pick up.
2- Call the store and ask to speak with a sales associate in that department.
3- Give the associate the SKU number for the product and ask if they can physically check that they have it.
4- Give the sales associate your name and ask them to set it aside for you to pick up. Ask them for their name and thank them and tell them you will ask for them when you show up to make sure they get the credit for the sale.

Works every time.
 
#83
buldog5151bass said:
People want it both ways. They don't want to pay a few dollars more for good service, but they expect places operating on lower profit margin/fewer expenses to have superior service. When you go to Micky Ds, you ain't getting Ruth Chris.
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I don't personally care for mickey D's, I'm more of a B.K. guy myself, BUT
when I go to one I am confident, the minimum wage employee WILL greet me, take my order, TRY to upsell my order, USUALLY fill my order, or someones order, ask me "do you want fries with that", take my money, USUALLY make correct change, and say THANK YOU.

G.C. not so much.
 
#85
LOL Honestly, GC hasn't known what their doing since the late 80's... at least from my experiences. Worst service EVER. I haven't set foot in one since my third visit. I'm surprised they are still in business.
 
#86
xgator4u said:
I don't personally care for mickey D's, I'm more of a B.K. guy myself, BUT
when I go to one I am confident, the minimum wage employee WILL greet me, take my order, TRY to upsell my order, USUALLY fill my order, or someones order, ask me "do you want fries with that", take my money, USUALLY make correct change, and say THANK YOU.

G.C. not so much.
Click to expand...

And some BK employees are sullen #$&$s too. The point is, you want educated employees, expect to pay more, but people aren't willing to do that.

There is a shop near me that makes custom guitars, and has a great amp tech. I go there when I have a specific question or issue that I can't handle. And I expect to pay for it. GC exists because paying their employees #$%&$ (therefore often getting poor employees) and selling a lot of cheaper stuff allows them to carry the other stuff, at the same price. Add in the people who are there to wank off, or just try stuff out so they can buy it on line, that's what you get.

You want all higher end gear, superior salespeople, etc., you should expect to pay more. And very few people are willing to do so.
 
#87
I will occasionally buy from GC, but only used stuff if it's something I really need and cheap. I could write an essay on the times they f'd up on me. I don't expect they'll exist to much longer given their finical woes. And no one there gives a rats a$$ about their mistakes or your needs/issues.
 
#90
ggunn said:
Never ascribe to malice that which can be explained by stupidity (or ignorance). I don't think you were intentionally lied to; either the guy you talked to on the phone didn't know they didn't have them or the guy you talked to when you went in didn't know that they did.
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I don't know, maybe it's ME...
What's wrong with just telling the customer "I DON'T KNOW, but I'll be happy to check on that for you"?
 
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#91
xgator4u said:
I don't know, maybe it's ME...
What's wrong with just telling the customer "I DON'T KNOW, but I'll be happy to check on that for you"?
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I didn't say it was you, just that I don't think the guys at GC singled you out to subject you to abuse. If they had I would understand your "boycott", but personally I think you may have overreacted. Someone made a mistake. Big deal. You were inconvenienced because of it. Again, big deal.

We all (most of us, anyway) know GC for what it is - Wal*Mart for musicians. If you expect them to be anything more than that you are setting yourself up for a disappointment. Flaming them for being what they are won't change a thing.
 
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#92
ggunn said:
I didn't say it was you, just that I don't think the guys at GC singled you out to subject you to abuse. If they had I would understand your "boycott", but personally I think you may have overreacted. Someone made a mistake. Big deal. You were inconvenienced because of it. Again, big deal.

We all (most of us, anyway) know GC for what it is - Wal*Mart for musicians. If you expect them to be anything more than that you are setting yourself up for a disappointment. Flaming them for being what they are won't change a thing.
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Sorry ggunn, I think you have ME confused
with the O.P.
I just quoted your post indicating no malice of forethought on their part, and wondered what ever became of people in the service and retail business actually being expected to do their job. I for one would have NO problem with someone telling me that they DON'T KNOW, but will find out. I prefer the truth to just telling me whatever sounds good.
 
#93
Only thing that bugs me about my local store (other than it's barely bigger than a closet) is the guy in the guitar/bass dept I have to deal with. He's just an old burned out rocker dude and doesn't seem like he knows that much. I was in there last year and some customer was looking for a bass for their kid and he gave the usual salesman spiel and split. I asked them some questions and ended up giving them some advice and showed the kid a few things. They said "OH thanks you are so much more helpful than the guy that works here they should hire you." I said ha funny you say that I had applied here a couple weeks before (and also at the new store they opened 45 minutes away) and they didn't want to know anything about me and basically gave me the bum's rush out the door. They just shook their heads.
 
#96
Not necessarily. In this economy, there are more people looking for work than there are jobs. FWIW, I was in a GC last week, and heard someone asking about a job, and was told this was the time of year when they were often hiring (I guess people going back to school). Might be a time to try again.
 
#99
xgator4u said:
Sorry ggunn, I think you have ME confused
with the O.P.
I just quoted your post indicating no malice of forethought on their part, and wondered what ever became of people in the service and retail business actually being expected to do their job. I for one would have NO problem with someone telling me that they DON'T KNOW, but will find out. I prefer the truth to just telling me whatever sounds good.
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Yeah, I guess I did. Sorry.

But whatever, IMO a boycott (with its punitive connotations) is an appropriate response to abuse, not to simple incompetence or mistakes. Who knows, maybe the guy he talked to on the phone was right and whoever he saw at the store didn't know where to look. Or maybe he was just mistaken. I dunno, I wasn't there.

GC is what it is. They don't hire rocket scientists.
 
#100
ggunn said:
Yeah, I guess I did. Sorry.

But whatever, IMO a boycott (with its punitive connotations) is an appropriate response to abuse, not to simple incompetence or mistakes. Who knows, maybe the guy he talked to on the phone was right and whoever he saw at the store didn't know where to look. Or maybe he was just mistaken. I dunno, I wasn't there.

GC is what it is. They don't hire rocket scientists.
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True, and understanably so.
BUT
Why is it that they seem to seek out the worst of the worst ?
Target and Wal-Mart have way more knowledgeable and efficient employees than G.C.
And that ain't saying much.
 
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