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Guitar chord forum - chordie → Chordie's Chat Corner → Retail Attitude
Time for a rant. In this post http://www.chordie.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=8515, an up-and coming guitarist worries that staff in a music shop might not take her seriously.
Unfortunately, there is sometimes this incredibly arrogant attitude among SOME sales staff, wherby they 'd only accept your hundreds of euro/dollars/quid etc. if you prove that you are worthy. If they are that good themselves, why are they selling guitars instead of playing them for a living?
I suppose that may be true. I've found that often people's assumptions about what other people think are projections of their own attitudes or fears. I talk to people a lot. About some pretty wierd stuff, often. Sometimes that look of concern, or the appearance that someone isn't paying attention to you is right, but not about what you'd think. People have sick parents, sick children, rent due and no money, good nights with girlfriends, bad nights with the bottle, and all manner of things that keeps their mind not necessarily as concentrated on their work or on their customers as they ought. And then, of course, you're right too. Some people think they're rock stars because they work in a place with guitars for sale.
- Zurf
Sure, we can project our attitudes etc. and of course I too in a way would like to be a rock star rather than be in the 'normal' job that i do! And you never know what's happening in someone's life. But I feel strongly that people should not be made to feel intimidated in a retail store, even if they aren't sure what they want and need some advice.
Saturday, I went into a Guitar Center in San Diego to buy a capo and a instrument cable. I found a instrument cable on the rack but since the capo's were behind the counter I had to stand in line to get waited on. After I stood in line about 15 minutes or so I got to the front of the line and asked for a capo. The person working on the counter reached behind him, took the one I wanted off a rack and handed it to me and started waiting on the next guy in line. I asked him if he was going to take my $$$$ for my stuff and was told I needed to go to another line. I said why can't you take my money, you've been taking everyone else's. I was told "Well, my register is closed now. Go to the other register". Another line. So, I went to another music store and bought what I needed.
nela
Sure, we can project our attitudes etc. and of course I too in a way would like to be a rock star rather than be in the 'normal' job that i do! And you never know what's happening in someone's life. But I feel strongly that people should not be made to feel intimidated in a retail store, even if they aren't sure what they want and need some advice.
you are so correct there flester
but also looking at it the other way round. People will look down on people that work in a shop selling guitars, food, plants, anything, anything in the retail business! people do look down upon those that work in these fields, I should know after working for 11 years in a garden centre. I used to get people asking if the job I had was just a temporary one until I got soemthing better, or a " real job" ..... these were of course snobs that asked this. And I guess it would be no different from folk working in a guitar store to the snobs of society.
So the folk that do work in these guitar stores should be thankful they have got people that do need advice, that do get people in that are just learning, that do get people that come in that can only play knocking onheavens door or something else that is easy to play and they hear it it constantly. ( I am reffering to a shop in glasgow called McCormacks that had a sign say ing no one was allowed to play the follwoing and had a list of songs such as knocking, stairway to heaven, and another 6 or 7 songs)
If I could pluck up the courage or after a few pints when up glasgow I should go into a guitar shop and play as bad as I can but make it look like I am think i am good and hopefully get a reaction just so I can tell them how lucky they are I went in that shop to think about buying a guitar and keeping them in a job
Ken
The shop i got my acoustic from, the staff were great, couldn't have been more helpful. BUT, when it came to buying my electric, it's a different story. I'd only been playing my acoustic a few weeks, so was still a beginner. As soon as we walked into the shop, i got a 'look' from one of the salespersons. I'm stood there gazing at all the guitars, not really knowing what the heck i'm looking AT! We'd only gone in to have a look, really. Eventually the sales guy come over, asks what i'm looking for. So i explain i'm a new player, & would like an electric. So he picks down this Ibanez & shows me & start s this reel of waffle. So i says, i really have no clue what ur on about! Instead of explaining what he was saying, he plugs it in & plays some awesome Riff, & i must say, he played good. Then he gvies it to me, & i do a cpl of bars of knocking on heavens door, & Wonderful Tonight. He looked at me, as if to say, damn, why are you bothering?! I felt totally small & inferior. So then i ask about an amp. Well.. long story, but he gave us a great deal on the Ibanez & the amp together, probably thinking we wouldn't buy. We went away to think about it, went back 30 mins later... & ya shoulda seen his face when we said we'd take the deal he offered! It was like 'shit, i've gotta let them have it..! So i did get a good deal out of the place, but the salesperson was a smarmy, slimey git!
People with an attitude should not even be allowed to work in any kind of store. Period.
Interesting thread... so here is my two pence worth.
I have worked in the Sales/Service industry for a good piece of my working years, and attended a few of those "professional seminars", but the best advice I ever got was from an old gent that I worked for at a gas station while attending college.
He upheld that "the customer won't always be right, but the customer is ALWAYS the customer. Everyone who walks in the door and everyone you greet, has done you a good turn by choosing to open that door amongst all the others. It does not matter what the customer is shopping for, or what you are selling... sell yourself first and the product will sell itself."
Treating people with respect and having an attitude towards helping your customer make the right buying decision to their benefit, is far and away the best way to ensure that you cultivate a relationship with the public that will put you at the top of the list if ever they need to be rid of excess money again!
End of Seminar-
Take Care; Doug
This wasn't meant in any way to be put-down to people who work in retail, just a rant about a ''superior' attitude of a small number of individuals I have come across. I don't want anyone bowing and scraping before me either. Just customer service - civil, friendly, reasonably knowledgeable about the product being sold, willing to admit they don't know everything. If you happen to meet such person when you're about to spend hundreds of €€€€€, all the better for both sides of the transaction!
But I feel strongly that people should not be made to feel intimidated in a retail store, even if they aren't sure what they want and need some advice.
I have learned very few things in my life, but I'm about to let you in on one of them. No one can intimidate you without your permission.
- Zurf
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