my local music store rant

[bassie12]

OP. I'm a neighbor of yours, and had you posted this six years ago, I'd be adding to your rant.

The new owner at Easy Music, Peter, is a good guy who goes out of his way to accommodate customers. Sounds to me like you frequent the Aiea location where a manager was recently let go. My guess it's because of exactly this behavior you describe. The few times I visited that location, it definitely had an "exclusive" clubhouse feel. I suspect that will be ending very soon. Get to know a salesperson by name, develop a relationship and things will change. Try writing the owner a polite letter. Peter will do something about this.

You mentioned you are 17 years old. I'm a LOT older than you and have occasionally gotten this same treatment at the town store, though not in the past 5 or 6 years. As a matter of fact, I have a great relationship with one of the younger sales guys at the town store. He has gone way beyond the call of duty many times over the past few years. This definitely has led me to make purchases at Easy Music that I might have saved me more than a few bucks via the internet.

No, I don't work there. I'd probably be arrested for killing some future local reggae/hiphop star right around verse seventy two of his "totally da-kine" two note reggae/hiphop opus, but at least the owner gets that letting these kids do just that leads to some of them buying a turntable... sampler... and some of the actually learn to PLAY an instrument and buy one.... eventually.

Don't give up. Hawaii's a small, but good place. And you haven't lived until you've truly been burned by Guitar Center

 

[Marton]

Your story reminds be of one of my 16 years old student, who wanted to buy an amp, and had about $2000 for it. In a store, the guys were very hesitant to let him play trough anything pricey. In another store, the guys let him tested whatever amp he wanted.

And guess where does he bought is amp from ?

 

[JTE]

Hmmm... first thing I was told when I got my first retail job (at J. C. Penney's in 1973) was it's critical to acknowledge customers immediately. Even if you can't wait on them right away, you have to let them know you see them and you're there to help 'em. I can't imagine anyone being successful running a store otherwise. It's not up to the customer to initiate the contact and build rapport, that's the sales staff's job.

But in the day's of Wal-Mart, internet, etc. I know that customer service is the first thing cut because no one does any training anymore. Sales people aren't sales people there to help customers, they're generally mindless order takers now.

John

 

[gtaus]

Think of your experience as good training. If you start gigging with a band, you will find people even less considerate. If you play a song they don't like, you might see a whole table get up and walk out on you in the middle of a song. If you can't fill a request, some drunk might get upset with the group. Sometimes, all a band does is provide background music. If you take everything personally, it will eat you up.

Having said that, if you want to be treated better, it's good to learn how to build relationships, in the music store, or on stage. Sometimes you just have to give out more than you get back. That's life.

Learn from your experience and turn it around as a valuable lesson in life. Don't be like the jerks they were. You seem to already be way ahead of them in that respect. Best wishes.

 

[IbanezBass69]

Grow a beard. Then they will respect you.

Or do what everyone else says, but I like my idea.