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Shopping at GC the other day

#21
Typical retail experience IMO. But GC does tend to go the extra mile in that regard. The entire retail world is now built on the illusion that being cool enough to work in Big Trendy Store is better than making a decent wage for actual work. Did the front desk person at least have a nose piercing? I would expect nothing less.

And no, orgasms don't cure migraines. Not even close. Gets your mind off of the vice-grip headache and hangover-worthy nausea for a few seconds, though.

And while we're at it, the worst thing to ask a migraine suffer "how's your head?". If it's just a headache, it's not a migraine. It's a headache.

Sorry, but the OP mentioned two of my biggest pet peeves. Snotty retail workers, and people that think they how to "cure" migraines. :mad:
 
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#25
whatizitman said:
Typical retail experience IMO. But GC does tend to go the extra mile in that regard. The entire retail world is now built on the illusion that being cool enough to work in Big Trendy Store is better than making a decent wage for actual work. Did the front desk person at least have a nose piercing? I would expect nothing less.

And no, orgasms don't cure migraines. Not even close. Gets your mind off of the vice-grip headache and hangover-worthy nausea for a few seconds, though.

And while we're at it, the worst thing to ask a migraine suffer "how's your head?". If it's just a headache, it's not a migraine. It's a headache.

Sorry, but the OP mentioned two of my biggest pet peeves. Snotty retail workers, and people that think they how to "cure" migraines. :mad:
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I am pretty sure repetitive thumping on the low B and shrill guitar solos will cure a migraine. :D
 
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#26
The guy at my local pawn shop knows more about gear than the average GC employee.
I had a semi-long chat with him the other day. He's also a damn good player of both bass & guitar.

I'm sure there are some stellar GC employees out there, but most of the ones I've met aren't. My nearest one has guys who can talk a pretty good talk, but when the rubber meets the road, No!
 
#29
The Seattle GC is okay I guess. I went there in the summer during a road trip with family from Vancouver to Seattle. The employees were pretty helpful, showing me where the basses were and all.

But if you generally go into a GC expecting expert customer service, you're gonna have a badddddddd time.
 
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#30
DOMIT said:
I am pretty sure repetitive thumping on the low B and shrill guitar solos will cure a migraine. :D
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If I'm mid-migraine, something like that would cause me to projectile vomit. However, it would be cool to hurl all over the perpetrator and his or her equipment, causing a short. It would not cure the migraine. But like an orgasm, provide a momentary and pleasurable distraction.

Sometimes you gotta take what you can get.
 
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#31
I've been to two GC locations here in the area out of the five. Customer service is minimal at best. I hate being called dude, man or brother and especially bro. That's how they greet you if you interact with them. I'm the old guy they hate dealing with because my new trick is to walk in with cash and I'm always short by $20 or so and threaten to walk out the door if they don't sell me what I want for the cash I have. Works every time.
Young workers in the 20 -30 age group are pretty much clueless to customer service. I find that they would rather not talk or acknowledge you because then maybe you will leave and they won't have to work. I manage a group of 60 of these kids and man it's tough to find a good one.
 
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#32
the last two times I was in GC, an employee was complaining of a headache
and yes there was the usual noise

so I assume that portion of the employee base that don't get headaches in that environment tend to stay longer
and then you get a certain level of customer service

perhaps someone can get a grant to study if the quieter music stores provide a better customer experience
seems to be true in my experience
 
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#33
Funny replies!!

And it was a girl, who happened to have a nose ring (whatizitman called it). Unfortunately, she had enough acne to lead me to believe she was probably not legal. Or, if she was she was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay to young for this 44 year old man.

And she was still in that stage of thinking that acne could be covered effectively with LOTS and LOTS of makeup, probably exacerbating the situation.

What I actually expected was to walk in, see an obviously marked section of cases and bags, somewhere nearby the instruments they would end up carrying. Instead it was on the other side of the building, with the drum room in between it and the guitars/basses.
 
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#34
arbiterusa said:
We have two in San Diego. One (La Mesa) is a gem. Staffed properly, taking care of business.

The other (San Marcos) is an understaffed pit of despair, so bad they pulled the receptionist/loss prevention target/receipt checker about two years ago and never replaced that position. They do not care and I suspect they're on a short list to close down soon. At least they're nice.
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Don't forget San Ysidro.
 
#36
jaybones said:
On my way to pick up my newly acquired Squier Affinity P bass, I stopped to buy a gigbag. Was looking online for the cheapest bag, and there was a GC on the way. Right off the highway, and the price was right ($19.95 + tax).

Anyway, I knew I was going to encounter some guitards there, wailing away at ear drum shattering volumes, and I wasn't disappointed.

What I didn't expect was the lack of customer service. I walked in, and the cashier near the door said "Hello, welcome to Guitar Center". I walked toward the bass section, and the used passing through the amps and noise.

No cases or bags.

After making a lap around that area of the store I walked back to the cashier, and asked where the cases and bags were. She didn't say anything, just pointed toward a corner with a sign that said ACCESSORIES.

Right there on the shelf were the bag in a box gigbags that I was looking for. I picked it up, and took it back to the checkout counter.

The cashier was talking to the other about having a migraine. The other said "You know, and orgasm usually cures them." And the first one said "Too bad I'm at work." The second one said "Well, you get a break soon, there's always the restroom...". Right as I was standing there. No shame at all.
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So you had a great, positive day at GC.:) :bassist::bassist:
 
#37
DOMIT said:
Hmmm... maybe so. Or maybe I treat them with respect so they do the same? Or maybe I'm lucky that I go to the right place?
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Lucky. I believe in always treating retail employees with respect and courtesy. Yet it's been my experience with too many retail/fast food employees that no amount of niceness can kill their arrogance, rudeness, or general dismissiveness. Even if I'm not asking for anything out of ordinary transaction. Some people just have a bad attitude and/or very poor interpersonal skills, and yet remain employed in customer service positions. But they are also generally low-wage jobs. So ya get what ya pay for.

And nothing. NOTHING irks me more than when I do have to ask for something, and despite all my efforts at diplomacy, I'm still met with resistance and disrespect.

Not entirely ubiquitous, but some stores and markets seem to be more likely to have such folks. They are ones with the lowest pay (fast food) and/or the ones who attract the kids trying to be the coolest (clothes, specialty retail).

But even Walmart at its worst has nothing on GC when it comes to rudeness, or perhaps more accurately, cockiness.

Funny thing, though. Retail workers always seem to have plenty to say about rude customers. Not that I necessarily disagree - there are plenty of those. But ya gotta wonder if there's sometimes a fine line between rude customer and someone who wasn't made to feel welcome. It takes microseconds for humans to react to seemingly invisible facial and body gestures and posture, tone of voice, etc... People with poor interpersonal skills to begin with are also the poorest at accurately interpreting human interactions.

But I've also been on the other side in every field I've worked in. There are plenty of folks that you simply cannot please no matter what you do. Sad, because I'll bet they are also the types that are more likely to get stuck in dead-end retail jobs.
 
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#39
Dear Penthouse Forum:

I never thought this would happen to me, but the other day I went to my local Guitar Center looking for a "gig bag" (if you know what I mean). It was really hot in there so I removed my shirt. Then I went to the customer service counter to see if I could get some "service." The two young ladies there were just as hot as I was, and obviously bothered by the thumping bass, grinding guitar and pounding drums being played on the '70s disco soundtrack in the background. One of them remarked, as she unbuttoned her vest, that she had a headache. "Orgasms usually cure that, especially multiple orgasms with handsome bassists," the other said, licking the sweat from her own earlobe with a tongue almost as long as my 34" fretless wonder. "Too bad we're at work here in this hot, dark shop with pounding music and disco lights."

Thinking quickly, I hung an "Out To Lunch" sign on the door, and...
 
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#40
DOMIT said:
I always get good customer service at my local Guitar Centers. I just posted a thread about yesterday evening about this... Maybe it is a regional thing?
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tpaul said:
Dear Penthouse Forum:

I never thought this would happen to me, but the other day I went to my local Guitar Center looking for a "gig bag" (if you know what I mean). It was really hot in there so I removed my shirt. Then I went to the customer service counter to see if I could get some "service." The two young ladies there were just as hot as I was, and obviously bothered by the thumping bass, grinding guitar and pounding drums being played on the '70s disco soundtrack in the background. One of them remarked, as she unbuttoned her vest, that she had a headache. "Orgasms usually cure that, especially multiple orgasms with handsome bassists," the other said, licking the sweat from her own earlobe with a tongue almost as long as my 34" fretless wonder. "Too bad we're at work here in this hot, dark shop with pounding music and disco lights."

Thinking quickly, I hung an "Out To Lunch" sign on the door, and...
Click to expand...


Baaaahhhhh-ha-ha-ha-ha....... You just got me busted for reading TB at work. I couldn't contain my laughter.... HA-ha-ha..... Absolutely priceless....
 
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