Lack of customer service in UK stores?

[dwh87]

I live a few minutes away from Modern Music in Truro and they are brilliant. Andy will go out of his way to get you exactly what you want. If not he will give you a great deal on something in stock.


City Music on the other hand is terrible. They see themselves as an upmarket shop and if you go in wearing t-shirt and jeans they don't notice you. Wear a suit and say loudly you are spending a couple thousand pounds and two guys will stick to you like babyshit on a blanket.

[Ou7shined]

I think that because a portion of their time is spend dealing with noobs, a lot of specialised retail staff fall into the trap of thinking that they are the experts on whatever field it may be (musical, computers, mobile phones ...) and they forget that now and again they will meet someone who has forgotten more than they will ever know. Along with this bloated opinion of their own knowledge comes the inability to admit that they just don't know something (and can't be bothered checking up for you) and 9 out of 10 times they just make up some Bull Squirt on the spot. How many threads are started here by poor guys confused what to do who start with "The guy in my local music shop said...."?

I never go into our local music shops now as they are an utter waste of time but if I'm in say PC world to pick up printing supplies or whatever I'm shocked at the complete crap sales assistants say to bemused customers - you can tell all the noobs as they leave by the copy of Norton under their arm. Of course the flip-side is that clueless customers often can't be bothered to do their homework beforehand and rely heavily on the sales person for their opinion... completing the cycle of what I said to start with ^.

I have completely written off these types of retail outlets and just use forums for knowledge bases and shop online.

As the example of Germany has been used, I used to live there and yes they certainly know how to give you the feeling that you are a valued customer... I mean you go for a beer and with every drink they give you a wee coaster... even in dives. Imagine what would happen here, the staff would keep it up for 2 weeks then lose interest, the manager would walk past pile upon pile of unused coasters in the back-room but because he/she's deligated this task to the head bar-person they wouldn't wonder why they were just sitting there never going down... or even care.

[neepheid]

As a professional IT guy, it would be easy for me to feel all superior when people come to me for help/assistance, but in all my professional career I've been at pains to make people feel at ease and not stupid (even when they open with "You probably think I'm being stupid but..."). I don't even smirk when I do one of those annoying IT guy one button press fixes ("You mean this button here?). No-one likes a dick. Even less, a dick that you're forced through circumstance to have to deal with.

My predecessor at my current employer was anecdotally a bit of a dick. That made me look even better. Seven years on people still comment on how approachable I am compared to him

There's really no need to be a dick, I don't get the "if you deal with idiots long enough you'll resent them" angle. I worked in bars until I got fed up with drunken idiots and their highly amusing (to them) antics. So I quit working in bars. If you can't do customer service correctly then you're in the wrong job.

[LukeFRC]

To add to the brilliant shops list in the central belt:
GuitarGuitar Glasgow - stunning service- really really good guys- may not be the most knowledgeable about basses if you don't get the 'bass expert' but they don't pretend to be.
Red Dog Music, Edinburgh. - also a brillaint wee independent shop- for some reason from the owner down they all have smiles on their faces and have goos advice too- they will talk about what's best rather than 'having' to make a sale. Their bass stock is ok, and they have a lot of amps, including Mark Bass last time I was in.
Live Music, Edinburgh - I've bought very little from them but, unlike their sister shop around the corner, they are a good bunch and very helpful.

Red Dog is pretty much the ultimate in what I think a music shop should be in terms of service.

The odd thing has happened, as my hair line has gone back I obviously look older and therefore more likely to buy, the amount of shops that I'll walk in and be offered to play things I'm looking at rather than having to ask.

[dwh87]

I forgot to add that i am also a massive fan of The Gallery. A few years ago i was just looking around their website, saw a cheap Warwick and thought i would treat myself. After a little pleasent chat on the phone i found out my bankcard had a problem, it was no problem for them and they would hold onto it for a few days. I went straight into town and fixed it and called again. By this time it was nearly 3pm but was assured my bass will be with me the next morning. 10am the next day and it arrives well packaged and exactly as described over the phone.

Great service for a £200 order.

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1336469378' post='1645914']
.... I don't get the "if you deal with idiots long enough you'll resent them" angle. I worked in bars until I got fed up with drunken idiots and their highly amusing (to them) antics. So I quit working in bars. If you can't do customer service correctly then you're in the wrong job.
[/quote]

I think that's it too. Too many people are just unsuited to their jobs and just end up wanting to do as little as possible in order to pick up a cheque at the end of the month - again I point the finger at management for not being as good with the selection process as they are being paid to be. Also there isn't enough careers advice to help people find the job that's perfect for them and certainly not enough encouragement for an early age or as a nation to become self employed (nation of shopkeepers?... er I don't think so Mr Napoleon) .... although I dare say that if every teenager got major careers help based on their likes and dislike we would end up with some fantastic bar staff... but 50 tattoo parlours and suntan shops in the every high street.

[LukeFRC]

[quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1336472339' post='1645971']
I think that's it too. Too many people are just unsuited to their jobs and just end up wanting to do as little as possible in order to pick up a cheque at the end of the month - again I point the finger at management for not being as good with the selection process as they are being paid to be. Also there isn't enough careers advice to help people find the job that's perfect for them and certainly not enough encouragement for an early age or as a nation to become self employed (nation of shopkeepers?... er I don't think so Mr Napoleon) .... although I dare say that if every teenager got major careers help based on their likes and dislike we would end up with some fantastic bar staff... but 50 tattoo parlours and suntan shops in the every high street.
[/quote]

we DO have 50 tattoo parlours and suntan shops in every high street.

[KiOgon]

A few years ago I went to Bonners Eastbourne the biggest music shop around here, cash in pocket, £600+ to buy a new bass.
I tried many but didn't find anything I liked better than what I had my heart set on, a Fender Aerodyne Jazz, which they didn't have in stock. They said they could order one & if it was in the warehouse it would only be a few days, so everything was written in the 'order book' with my contact details etc.
A week or so went by - I 'phoned & got a load of BS but no info. A few days later I went in to shop & guy I dealt with wasn't there, so usual faffing around until they came up with, not in stock in UK, would find out when they could get one soonest. So I waited for that 'phone call, which never came of course. 6 weeks from original order I went back to shop. More faffing & blank looks' BS by the ton, then finally - "Well you can't have ordered it because we've no record of you paying a deposit & we never order specials without a deposit". I went into very loud angry mode & after a good amount of shouting walked out. They lost a customer for ever.

I then 'phoned GAK Brighton, who had one in stock so asked them to hold it for me until next day, which they agreed to. Went in next day & to my surprise it was not 'put aside' or anything, just on display in the shop & in the filthiest condition you could possibly expect a 'shop soiled' bass to be. It wasn't tuned & the action was about 1/4" high, impossible to play! The sales guy wasn't interested & when I commented on the condition I was told they'd give it a wipe over.

I never did get an Aerodyne after that, went right off the idea

dealing with companies like Thomman is so efficient, I have also had good service from many of the big UK based internet stores with no problems.

[RandomBass]

Positive experiences at Bonners in Eastbourne. Never used them for mail order, only personal visits. Very friendly, helpful and knowledgeable staff.

The only downside is the state of my bank balance afterwards

Cheers

Geoff

[KingBollock]

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1336469380' post='1645915']
The odd thing has happened, as my hair line has gone back I obviously look older and therefore more likely to buy, the amount of shops that I'll walk in and be offered to play things I'm looking at rather than having to ask.
[/quote]
I've got a very expensive looking leather coat (it wasn't massively expensive, it was only £185) and if I know I'm going to be popping into somewhere where I feel I might want proper service I always put it on, with some nice leather shoes, and it works every time. The fact that I don't have a lot of money and have been wearing the same coat and shoes for over 10 years... Well, they don't know that.

When I was a kid I worked in an independent Guitar shop. It was staffed by some very knowledgeable and talented people (and me), but I'm sure the boss only had the place because his playing career was dead. I remember being very frustrated because every week we had two people come in, one had ordered a tambourine (we had a Drum and Percussion shop too) and the other had ordered some kind of oil filled snare drum skin. The boss had said he would order both but never did and those two people came in every week for the whole time I worked there. The boss managed to start a band that has had some success and the shop turned to crap. You'd go in and the place would just be full of his own gear that he was storing there.

Edited May 8, 2012 by KingBollock

[gafbass02]

I should add that I left retail to earn a tiny pittance working in schools, helping children, so I could go home everyday feeling like I'd made a good difference in the world, instead of being paid to lie and make someone else very rich. Not to mention be treated like an animal along the way.
I should also add that it wasnt just plain old retail, not even music, it was much, much worse...
Hi-Fi.

And the big difference in the way I treated customers after I'd 'given up'
Was that I simply waited for them to come to me and then told them the truth about what they wanted quickly and efficiently. Didn't bother trying swap or upsell etc.
Less stress and less money for me.


Love my job now though. I get hit and threatened less too. But you can bet I'm patient with sales assistants, even when they are being a pain.

[LiamPodmore]

I've had good service from the Manchester branch of Dawsons (Never bought anything but they've been more than accomodating with letting me try things out and finding out prices to order stuff in for me), as well as HW Audio and Booths Music in Bolton, both only used for strings, picks and cables really, but again i've had no problems in either of those two, even when they know i'm not going to be spending much money.

Liam

[Max Normal]

I hated GAK. The mail order concern is a dingy warehouse next to Quik Fit in Brighton. It's run by bored and unhelpful teenage girls. In my experience, they will advertise something as being in stock for next day delivery and then actually get it drop-shipped to you,which can take weeks.

The shop in Brighton's lanes though, is excellent. Chris the Bass saleman is a really chilled, friendly and knowlegable chap (with some impressive face furniture), and they have a good range of basses, and amps just about anything notable except exotic stuff right off the peg. Gak, then is two completely different concerns and two completely different experiences.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='Max Normal' timestamp='1336518458' post='1647061']
I hated GAK. The mail order concern is a dingy warehouse next to Quik Fit in Brighton. It's run by bored and unhelpful teenage girls. In my experience, they will advertise something as being in stock for next day delivery and then actually get it drop-shipped to you,which can take weeks.

The shop in Brighton's lanes though, is excellent. Chris the Bass saleman is a really chilled, friendly and knowlegable chap (with some impressive face furniture), and they have a good range of basses, and amps just about anything notable except exotic stuff right off the peg. Gak, then is two completely different concerns and two completely different experiences.
[/quote]
I've had good service from GAK mail order as well as from the shop.

[chrismuzz]

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1336518617' post='1647064']
I've had good service from GAK mail order as well as from the shop.
[/quote]

Ditto. I bought a Laney R5 2x10 combo from them just before Xmas. It died during a rehearsal about 8 months later, so they sent a courier to come and collect it, repaired it, and sent it back to me in the space of about a week and a half!

Everything I've ordered from them has arrived the next day aswell, no matter how small

[gub]

Yep I agree , there is one shop down here where the chap who owns and runs it spends most of his time looking up at a computer screen he has behind the counter , they sell stuff on eBay so I presume he is dealing with that ! I have asked questions while in there and get an answer without any eye contact at all as he is too busy looking at the screen its unfortunate that this is the closest music shop to me with a decent amount of stock but I do use it begrudgingly because of the poor and grumpy service !

[KingBollock]

I have ordered from GAK and not had a problem, the item came quickly and was in the condition I expected it to be in. It's not had any faults (go Behringer!) so not had to return it for anything. However, last year I was going to buy one of the Hartke 4.5xl cabs from them but under shipping it said to phone them. I don't like talking on the phone, so my wife called them for me. All she said was that we were interested in that cab and that it said to phone them, and whomever it was on the phone basically said "Well it means it's out of stock, obviously." he might as well have added Duh! at the end for the way he said it. And he made a huge fuss about looking up when it would be back in stock. I ended up buying a Peavey 4x10 off Ebay instead. Not saying I wouldn't use them again but they definitely lost that sale for themselves.