Companies all use CRM software and they all have a "do not call" checkbox. Sometimes it's user error and they forget to check the box. Just politely talk to a human person and ask them to make sure it's done.
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Sweetwater and Guitar Center Calling
- Thread starter [skyraider]
- Start date
Companies all use CRM software and they all have a "do not call" checkbox. Sometimes it's user error and they forget to check the box. Just politely talk to a human person and ask them to make sure it's done.
Hmmm...I've bought a significant amount of gear from Sweetwater. I've grown to despise GC. After 2-3 purchases, I'll get a call..."hey this is generic sales type here at Sweetwater calling for Casualmadness. I noticed you've recently purchased some new gear. Just calling to make sure everything is working out for you and to see if you have any questions. If you need anything please don't hesitate to call me."
That's it. No follow ups, no problems. I've actually had questions about gear before buying and have fired off emails with my question. I'll get a call within usually the same day. If I don't answer, there's a detailed VM that answers my question and a number if I have more questions...(i.e. Hey this is generic tech person...{answers question} if you have any follow up questions, my direct line is...)
I love Sweetwater. YMMV.
That's it. No follow ups, no problems. I've actually had questions about gear before buying and have fired off emails with my question. I'll get a call within usually the same day. If I don't answer, there's a detailed VM that answers my question and a number if I have more questions...(i.e. Hey this is generic tech person...{answers question} if you have any follow up questions, my direct line is...)
I love Sweetwater. YMMV.
The cashiers at Walmart used to hound me to sign up for a credit card every time I made a purchase. I'm sure they were pressured from above so I always refused politely. Thankfully they have backed off on that practice.
It's a longtime sales technique which is just basically following up and checking in and see how your customers are doing it can be overdone especially with people that don't like being bothered. I had the local guitar center guy bug me a few times and I just ignored him. My Sweetwater guy is great though I switched reps to the one everybody else in my band uses a while ago and I get great service. Now if there was a way to opt out of that 600 page catalog...
Some people really take it overboard though. I almost had to file legal action against a State Farm rep a couple years ago. I was shopping insurance companies and had done a quote online and ended going with another company. A local agent who I never talked to and never contacted took it upon himself to keep contacting me even after I told him I would was not interested and already secured coverage from another company. He even googled me to a level where he found my backup Google number that I never use and a different e-mail address and contacted me through those. It took me several phone calls and the threat of legal action to get him to stop contacting me and back off.
Some people really take it overboard though. I almost had to file legal action against a State Farm rep a couple years ago. I was shopping insurance companies and had done a quote online and ended going with another company. A local agent who I never talked to and never contacted took it upon himself to keep contacting me even after I told him I would was not interested and already secured coverage from another company. He even googled me to a level where he found my backup Google number that I never use and a different e-mail address and contacted me through those. It took me several phone calls and the threat of legal action to get him to stop contacting me and back off.
I have bought one thing from Sweetwater, and I have received one phone call.
Works for me.
Works for me.
This is my experience, as well. I get one follow up call from my sales guy for every purchase. Sometimes I answer, sometimes I don't. When they advance replaced an expensive digital mixing board several years ago, they gained a lifelong customer. And again with a power amp. Add to that the Sweetwater credit card and 48 month interest-free financing. Even the emails, that take maybe ten seconds to scroll through (or less to delete) have come through with something I'd forgotten I wanted. Only occasionally will my sales guy call unsolicited, and that's usually to tell me that something on my wish list is on sale.
Now you are supposed to ask yourself these questions as you self-checkout at Walmart. I even ask myself if I want the merchandise bagged. My W2 from Walmart should be here soon.
Um.... Just don't answer?
I love Sweetwarer customer service. I like having my one guy who will jump right on something if I ever have a problem.
Sure, you bought a Jazz bass. That's pretty straightforward. I bought some lighting gear for my band and a digital piano for my kids.
With the lighting gear, I was having trouble setting it up and programming it. My guy set me up.and appointment for tech support to call me on a Saturday before the gig. They literally walked me through everything thay afternoon (gig day) so that my lights looked great that night.
When my digital piano arrived a few days before Christmas with a cracked bench, I called Philip. He called me back a minute later to say that another bench would he at my house overnight straight from the manufacturer. It was. But two came instead of one. I called him to let him know that I got an extra bench. His reply was "Merry Christmas. Just keep it." So now my rehearsal studio has a bench for our keys guy and kne for me to sit on.
The point is, Philip doesn't get offended when I don't answer his calls. He knows the deal. But in this world of a total lack of give a crap from every business you encounter, it's refreshing to deal with a company that might go a little to far in the name of customer service.
If I'm buying something new, I don't even comparison shop. It comes from Sweetwater.
yeah, I kind of like it to. I don't get calls from randoms at Sweetwater, just my rep after a purchase. And when there is a bigger ticket item I am thinking of buying (e.g., a pedal or something more expensive), I call my rep first. "I am intrigued by this pedal, but I would be really intrigued if it was 15% off." I always get at least 10% off, but usually get 15% on big ticket items (e.g., bass, high end gear).
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A big part of TB culture is complaining long, hard, and loud about poor customer service. Now, we're complaining long, hard, and loud about good customer service?
I too only purchased a few small items from Sweetwater in my lifetime. I would hear from my contact at Sweetwater maybe twice a year to see if I was looking for anything new or tell me about specials. I would thank him for the call and say I was not foreseeing any needs in the near future. The exception was when they changed my contact and the new guy called to advise me of the change. Once I told him I didn't foresee any purchases because I was playing out less, he stopped calling. Legitimate sales people don't want to waste your time or theirs. Time is money. Relationships with anticipating customer needs is fundamental to repeat business. If I had an experience like the OP claims, I would have called Customer Service and complained. They would have seen who was assigned to him and corrected the problem.
![[skyraider]](/data/avatars/l/270/270200.jpg?1620016349){kind=avatar}
Or how about the completely NOVEL idea that when I ask them to stop calling they just stop calling? It's not hard to do.
Yep, that would be fine, but in this case I had no problem. They were just harassing me. Which is actually the exact thing you DON'T want to do when you are interested in good customer service.
This was not going too far in the name of customer service. It was idiocy. If I had a problem with the purchase then, sure. But, no, I hadn't asked them to call. Had asked them to STOP calling and they refused, so I had to block the number. That is the exact opposite of customer service.
LOL! How is it good customer service to harass your customers with phone calls long after they have asked that you STOP?
The apologetics in this thread are bizarre.
wow ... I love leafing through those catalogs!
Relax. I wasn't arguing with you. You do you. I was simply offering my perspective on the same treatment. It works for me. It doesn't work for you. It wasn't a personal attack on you or anything.
You seem like a very tense person. Do people constantly tell you to calm down? Even strangers?
Because this seems like much ado about nothing.
From my days in retail sales I can confirm that's 100% true. You were pressured to get people to sign up for credit cards, extended warranties and "club" cards. If you didn't meet a certain quote you got disciplined. When I worked at Fry's Electronics in the mid 2000's they had a house brand computer you were REQUIRED to sell. It was a piece of junk in an ugly case but you had to do your best to shine up that turd. Or else...
