Members BOOKUMDANO Posted August 30, 2005 Members Posted August 30, 2005 ..........Some of you folks can call it creepy, or think that I'm being too precious, or whatever.... I'll stick with the sales reps that show customer courtesy and respect. I'll also choose the ones that are there to "REPRESENT" the company they work for and the products that they sell. I won't go SEEKING someone interested enough, or interupting casual conversation, or begging for someone to assist me in spending my money... I DON'T HAVE TO.... NEVER HAVE.... WHY SHOULD I START NOW???..... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ That's cool. Go get em! Teach em! You show em! Complain! Make then understand the sale they lost, and why they lost it, and make them remember your name! But I would've had my new gobos at least 24 hours before you.
Members protues9 Posted August 30, 2005 Members Posted August 30, 2005 I agree.. I went looking for cars once, walked around (dressed in nice slacks, polo as I just got off work) for about half hour and was pissed to see about 10 sales people stadning in front of the store smoking the entire time. I went in to ask the reception desk for help, and the person there told me just to go ask any of the guys out there. I said politely, I'm not going to ask, I've been walking around looking for a half hour, if they want to sell a car, then can come to me. Needless to say i didn't buy one there. I go by my own rule of thumb, I dont beg people to take my money. I see music stores the same way I see malls, they are jobs where you can be seen at and look good doing it. Every music store i've been in is mostly 20 somethings standing in groups talking here or there. So I pretty much refuse to go into one unless I really need to work on a piece of hardware before I buy it.
Members Rabid Posted August 30, 2005 Members Posted August 30, 2005 Originally posted by Billster So you're the angel of commissions, determining who is worthy of writing a sales slip?.... Well, yea. I would think that anyone who is spending the money should be considered the "angel of commissions." I've walked out of stores when no one offered to help and mentioned it in an earler thread about Sam Ash. When I got my current job I went to the mall with $1200 in my pocket for a new business wardrobe. Saw a suite and tie that I liked in the window of a store and went inside to buy it. The two ladies inside never offererd any assistance. After one of them looked at me like I was in the wrong store I left and went to Lazuras/Macy's next door. A very nice sales person helped me build the basics of a wardrobe. And just like in Pretty Woman, except that I am a guy, I HAD to stop buy the first store carrying all of my bags and give that suite one more look. Of course after seeing me carry so many bags one lady rushed to offer assistance. When she asked "May I help you?" my reply was "No. Too late." I held up my bags for here to see and left. Robert
Members Billster Posted August 30, 2005 Members Posted August 30, 2005 I see your point Rab, I was being a little flip. I do think it's possible that at the GC Outlet Warehouse, the counter help is just that, counter help. No commission handing out picks and strings. Speak when spoken to, point to the floor sales guy. And if she is as recognizable a customer as she claims, maybe folks let her deal with the guy who was stuck on the phone, and choose to stay out of the way.
Members Ani Posted August 30, 2005 Author Members Posted August 30, 2005 Originally posted by Billster So you're the angel of commissions, determining who is worthy of writing a sales slip?Do you know for a fact that there is a commission?You spent 20 minutes trying to be visible and exchanging glances with telephone guy? Perhaps the others thought you were already processed to him and they weren't going to swoop in on his action.You didn' t have a lot of time before you had to be at another destination, but you spent 20 minutes circling around instead of opening a direct communication? Actually Bill, the Gobos were in the immediate area where he was on the phone. There were also preamps, digital recorders, and they had some monitoring speakers that I was looking at; I wasn't just circling around. I'm not going to continue wasting energy on your heckling, so why don't you just run on back to the Fox Hole and have yourself an Aniism? Yeah, I read every page that was there before it went under password protection!!! The sales rep that I have dealt with knew that I was extremely interested in something, but was involved in an intense discussion obviously. Ani, you mentioned you normally go in and browse for awhile before deciding on what gear to inquire about. They may well have thought you were still browsing, looking at something in their area & thinking about if you were actually interested in it. Stands to reason if that's your normal mode.You also mentioned you rarely go in unless you have extra cash to spend and that kind of contradicts the browsing remark. You may be different but if I have extra cash to spend I'm not going to go and browse to see if something strikes my fancy. I already have an idea of what I want to spend that money on so that precludes browsing in my situation. Had I just said that "I go in to browse" without following the comment with "before deciding on what gear to inquire about", the comment might have been contradictory. However, keep in mind that this location is a CLEARANCE CENTER, and items change from day to day as to what is available outside of their catalog mechandise. You HAVE to browse to learn what merchandise is available. If you don't go in prepared to buy, the materials may not be there the next time. I had some extra cash in my pocket, I was in the area, and I stopped. Now that I know they have got a bunch of stuff on hand right now that I might be able to use in the studio, I'll make a special trip back when I know some of the better sales reps will be there. I can also call and have an item held for a day or two. Many of these items have been damaged in shipping and handling, they have missing parts, they are no longer available through the vendor, they're discontinued models, returned items, overstock, and etc.... Sometimes the damage is a simple as a knob missing, or in the case of buying my daughter's slimline Takamine, the cover for the preamp was missing; a three dollar item bought directly from Takamine.... saved $200.00 off the retail price by ordering a $3.00 part from the factory to make the guitar whole. Also, I called today to inquire about the price for the Gobos and for what is there, the discounted price for the damage received is not enough for me to want to buy damaged as opposed to new. I think that I can get new items through an online merchant for about the same amount of money... after shipping is paid.
Members Is There Gas In The Car? Posted August 30, 2005 Members Posted August 30, 2005 and one more thing... I'm getting older. Aren't we all? One thing that I've determined is that you have to give a little. I don't know the circumstances, Ani. You could have been having a bad day. THEY could have been having a bad day. The moon could have been in the seventh house with Jupiter rising and BOTH your dog & cat are in heat, I dunno. But I find everything works out a lot better if you take a breath and realize that in a perfect world... well, there IS no perfect world. And it's not all black and white. Give the other guy the benefit of the doubt. Go have a beer or a glass of wine (or whatever you do) and come back a little later. If the problem persists, bring it to the manager's attention. Keeping cool and calm is always the smart thing to do. I realize that this is going against what I said in an earlier post. I've wised up a little since lunch. Have a good day. Tom
Members Tedster Posted August 30, 2005 Members Posted August 30, 2005 Six of one, half a dozen of the other. I know that MF store, I go there too. There are a couple of salespeople I know, who I can walk up to. I don't like being hounded by salespeople either, but, I don't like being ignored when my mind is made up. And the latter does happen there quite a bit.
Members Is There Gas In The Car? Posted August 30, 2005 Members Posted August 30, 2005 I was hoping to hear from you, Ted. Goodness, I'd need two or three beers to go in that place and keep my cool. And Ani? Hmmmmm, Ani you might wanna have a li'l nip of the Brandyyou'reafinegirl). You're right Ted - 6 of 1, 1/2 carton of eggs for breakfast. and The older you get, the better I was... Tom PS... I'm BACK. Didja MISS ME?
Members Ani Posted August 30, 2005 Author Members Posted August 30, 2005 Originally posted by Billster I see your point Rab, I was being a little flip.I do think it's possible that at the GC Outlet Warehouse, the counter help is just that, counter help. No commission handing out picks and strings. Speak when spoken to, point to the floor sales guy.And if she is as recognizable a customer as she claims, maybe folks let her deal with the guy who was stuck on the phone, and choose to stay out of the way. Bill, A person does not have to go into a store every other day to become a recognizable customer. You can walk in every other week while hammering on every guitar in the place for 2 hours straight when you can't even play more than 3 chords. Then after torturing the staff with god awful NOISE POLLUTION for 2 solid hours you walk out buying a pack of strings every 3rd visit; you'll be memorable .... Or you can walk in a few times a year and drop anywhere from $500 to $2000 in one shot and those that witnessed or assisted don't forget... I stop by more frequently that just a couple times a year, but those are times where I don't "browse around", I just go in and get what I made the trip for and leave... I'm in the process of converting my garage into a studio and I have been, and will be, spending a LOT of money on gear and acoustical treatments before it's all over. MF can provide satisfactory salesmanship, or I can take my business elsewhere. There is too much competition out there to deal with petty nonsense. I'm not talking about a shoebox studio; the size is 16' x 24', with 12' ceilings in the pitch.
Members blue2blue Posted August 30, 2005 Members Posted August 30, 2005 I've had similar experiences to Ani's. I have no problem telling a helpful (or even overly helpful) salesperson that I'll find them when I need help. Every once in a while, though, I have the opposite problem. One time when I was in a music superstore (the chain's no longer in business) back when I was still building my old project studio. I'm in their little pro audio shop (a separate glassed in area) on a weekday morning. I walk in. There's one other person in there, apparently browsing. The salesman is on the phone, talking to, apparently, a buddy. I go straight to the digital mixers, looking at the Yamahas and the then-new Panasonic (there wasn't much out, then). The least expensive item in the area I was looking at was about $2000. But I was really interested in the Panasonic, which, I think, was close to $4000. There's no literature. Just an info card with minimal info. After a while the other customer looks at the salesman, still on the phone, shrugs, and walks out. I wait for another ten minutes or so. For a few minutes I go stand right in front of the counter where I'm about 2-1/2 feet from the salesman, still on the phone with his pal. I catch his eye a few times but he shifts his gaze. I go back and stand by the Panasonic mixer. More people come and go. I've been there at least 20-25 minutes by the clock. I go stand in front of the guy another minute or two. Finally I put my hand up (like a movie Indian saying "How") and, even though he's still talking I say in a clear and distinct voice (loud enough for the other people wandering around to hear): "Hey, buddy. Looks like you made sure you're not going to sell a $4000 mixer today. Say hi to your pal on the phone for me." He sort of screws up his face like he stepped in something awful -- and keeps talking on the phone. Last time I went to that chain. A year or so later, they were gone...
Members Billster Posted August 30, 2005 Members Posted August 30, 2005 Hay Ani, yeah, I've been showing my cynical side, but I mean this sincerely:Dak already layed out some advice on buying stuff. Do you just throw extra money at whatever strikes your fancy, or is there some real game plan in existence?For instance, I have my little hit list of needed items, and when I get a little space in the budget I go to my favorite fishing holes and look for what I'm after. I don't just walk into a store and say "What looks nifty?"Do you really need gobos at this stage of development? I happen to know from an earlier post that there is an abandoned garage door hanging above your project space. Have you thought about throwing a few bucks at that little problem before you pile in more acquisitions?And as far as dealing with ineffective sales clerks, is "eye for an eye" really a useful tactic? Have you ever bought a car? Car salesman and most realtors (sorry Dak ) try to direct your attention to the "glamour" aspects of the product: Hardwood floors! 8 Speaker stereo! I don't care about the salesman's personality or behavior. It's so easy to gather information for major purchases these days, I usually know more about the product than the salesmen do. But the bottom line is that I control the transaction. I know the available features going in, and only need to judge the aesthetics and price.
Members Ani Posted August 30, 2005 Author Members Posted August 30, 2005 Originally posted by Tedster Six of one, half a dozen of the other. I know that MF store, I go there too. There are a couple of salespeople I know, who I can walk up to. I don't like being hounded by salespeople either, but, I don't like being ignored when my mind is made up. And the latter does happen there quite a bit. Thanks Ted.... I've been in there before when things were more tolerable; but yesterday was ridiculous. Had these kids shut up long enough to get a word in edgewise, I might have considered asking a question... but they were just blatantly inconsiderate and RUDE. Not someone that I would care to do business with in the least.
Members Billster Posted August 30, 2005 Members Posted August 30, 2005 Blue2Blue: You went to Mars, right! -------------------------- Ani, you posted again while I was typing the last one. You missed my point. My point there was that perhaps they thought you were committed to dealing with Mr. Phone Guy and chose to stay out of the way.
Members daklander Posted August 30, 2005 Members Posted August 30, 2005 Originally posted by Billster Blue2Blue: You went to Mars, right! -------------------------- Ani, you posted again while I was typing the last one. You missed my point. My point there was that perhaps they thought you were committed to dealing with Mr. Phone Guy and chose to stay out of the way. Looks very much like the Mars outlet that was in the Santa Ana area. most realtors (sorry Dak ) try to direct your attention to the "glamour" aspects of the product: Hardwood floors! 8 Speaker stereo! No offense taken, that scenario is much too true, much too often.
Members EugeneBr Posted August 30, 2005 Members Posted August 30, 2005 wow, what a thread! Well, folks, please please if you ever come to Russia, call me first - I'll show you places where the customer service is satisfactory... Yes, BOTH of them! Otherwise, I'm afraid of WWIII...
Members Ani Posted August 30, 2005 Author Members Posted August 30, 2005 Do you really need gobos at this stage of development? I happen to know from an earlier post that there is an abandoned garage door hanging above your project space. Have you thought about throwing a few bucks at that little problem before you pile in more acquisitions? Um Bill, Those pictures that you are talking about are several months old and, yes, there are still things that are going on in the garage area; although, the progress is advancing... I have been evaluating a lot of gear, while having already purchased quite a few new pieces. I'm not just buying things impulsively and on a whim. I did have a few questions that I wanted to ask about gear compatibility on a piece that I bought not long ago, and also, I wanted to see if MF had any surround sound monitoring devices because I would like to upgrade from the Studio Edition of Sonar to the Producer Edition; I have since learned that they don't even carry SS monitoring devices in their catalog. I want to make sure that I can get the hardware needed at an affordable price prior to buying the upgrade to PE. http://www.tek.com/Measurement/App_Notes/25_17981/eng/25W_17981_0.pdf I've been looking at a variety of Gobos and Tube Traps because of their versatility and portability; when I noticed them on clearance, I wanted to inquire. A studio is not something that you build overnight, nor do you equip it in one setting unless you're rolling in the doe. Gobos have been something that I've wanted to get for well over 2 years. The first time I heard about them was when Brett Rader inquired about trying to find some in Spain or the UK; I started reading up on them and thought they would be a great addition to ANY setting. I've bought new computer gear... processor... memory, Sonar 4 Studio Edition, the Yamaha i88x, and the home is "CURRENTLY" in the process of being upgraded to a 200 amp electrical service with special wiring to accommodate the needs of the studio. I'm not just JACKING MY JAWS and PRETENDING that I'm doing something; it's actually a work in progress and I have just refinanced the home to allow for more financial freedom to continue with the project. I "DO" have an area set up inside of my home where I can use it for recording, if I so desire, while the studio/garage is under construction. If I could have picked the GOBOS up at a helluva deal, I would have done it to avoid having to shell out the higher prices down the road. They are something that are portable and can be used in different settings. What difference does it make to you as to what order I buy my gear or work on my studio... at least I'm DOING something to further my interest, and YES... it's ALL a part of the overall plan. I can think and chew bubble gum at the same time. Whether I do it as a hobbyist, as a project studio, decide to produce a few local bands, or whether I just buy STUFF and sit on it; what's it to you? If I wanted a man to bitch about how I spend my HARD EARNED cash, I'd be married!!! Go ahead and show out while trying to make me look like a fool for EXPECTING salesmanship from a retailer. I have the right as a paying customer to expect service; I also have the same right to take my business elsewhere if I don't feel my expectations have been met. If you can't get good customer service when "making" a purchase, how in the world could you expect to get product support or quality representation if your product failed while still under warranty. Quality salesmanship is, more often than not, a good indication as to what to expect further down the line in the event of complications.
Members Ani Posted August 30, 2005 Author Members Posted August 30, 2005 Ani, you posted again while I was typing the last one.You missed my point. My point there was that perhaps they thought you were committed to dealing with Mr. Phone Guy and chose to stay out of the way. I doubt very seriously that they were even aware enough to notice that the other guy had shrugged his shoulders, and also, I had not gone up to his counter to stand for a few moments awaiting to be acknowledged as I had theirs. Although the sales rep on the phone had waited on me in the past; the other cats were newer employees that I hadn't seen down there before and they would not have made the association that I was a customer of any particular sales rep. I wasn't hovering anyone... I stood politely at "THE FRONT" counter where there were employees engaging in casual conversation while awaiting for someone to acknowledge me. I'm not as rude and obnoxious as some people would like to make me out to be, reference Fox, and unless someone is being a jerk to me... I don't go out of my way to make a scene. I'll go back to MF because of the "good" people that I've dealt with in the past. I don't have to deal with inconsiderate employees though, and I'm not the one that was in the wrong for walking out of that store... also, when I left, I left quietly without a scene. I phoned today for the prices and didn't even mention the incident. If the Gobos would have been reasonable enough to pick up now, I might have mentioned something to the guy that I've dealt with in the past about being irritated with the lack of professionalism the day prior. If he is a manager, then so be it!!!
Members daklander Posted August 30, 2005 Members Posted August 30, 2005 Originally posted by BOOKUMDANO . You can say that again.
Members blue2blue Posted August 31, 2005 Members Posted August 31, 2005 Originally posted by Billster Blue2Blue: You went to Mars, right! -------------------------- Ani, you posted again while I was typing the last one. You missed my point. My point there was that perhaps they thought you were committed to dealing with Mr. Phone Guy and chose to stay out of the way. Thanks for making me confront this, man. Honest to gosh, I can't remember the name of the freakin' place, even hours after posting that. (Obviously the annoyance lives on. ) Mars sounds right.After a while all the White Fronts, Gemcos, Silos, Zody's, Pacific Stereos, Federateds, Fedcos, Rogers Sound Labs, Leo's, Two Guys, Builder's Emporiums, Wallachs Music Citys.... there's just no more room in my head for chain store names. But... yeah, the more I think about it... Mars. It was in an old Pacific Stereo building, I think, in, like Westminster or Garden Grove or... Anyhow, they were bad. They just about made me want to kiss the floor in the local Guitar Center... No. Strike that.But they were bad.
Members Rabid Posted August 31, 2005 Members Posted August 31, 2005 Ummmm ..... ???? What is a Gobo? Robert
Members Billster Posted August 31, 2005 Members Posted August 31, 2005 Ani, it's an advice forum. You post this talk about what you are doing, and perhaps others can offer a viewpoint you haven't considered. FWIW my advice to you is: #1. If you are a well informed consumer, the salesperson is irrelevant. If you want particular information, speak to someone - don't get irritated because they were not the crack professionals we all would like to deal with. #2. Gobos are one of the last items you need for assembling a recording space. If you haven't yet removed the abandoned garage door, I think that is job 1 before you can do finish work like ceiling and walls. After the walls and ceiling are up, and a floor plan in place, you can address needed acoustic treatments. Then, IF you need portable baffles, round up some gobos. #3. When you are ready for gobos, they are readily available from a variety of sources, including building your own. They are not exactly cutting edge technology - the price is going to be in a well established range, and there are always bargains somewhere if you look around to a variety of sources. -=-=--=-=-=-=--= Blue2Blue: man Mars was ridiculous. It was like an Office Depot concept applied to music. I have heard other markets were a little better in terms of having staff that knew musical instruments from ball peen hammers, but up here in Bahston, I think they hired the people that the Office Depot couldn't use to sort out colored paper.
Members Ani Posted August 31, 2005 Author Members Posted August 31, 2005 Here is a Gobo from Primacoustic Here is a portable sound wall using Gobos.. and this site has a set of two going for $299.00 that are the REAL DEAL Marketek Online These are not some mock up cross between a gobo and a tube trap that looked like hungry animals had taken several bites out of the foam; MF was asking $179 EACH for a couple of pieces that appeared to have been in a dog fight. I thought that if the price was right, I could live with the blemishes by turning the bad sides to the back. FAT CHANCE when I can buy brand new quality merchandise online for quite a bit less. Although, I have considered building my own which would be even more economical...Bill,Yes, indeed, this is an advice forum... but I WASN'T ASKING FOR ANY ADVICE HERE I was blowing off steam about piss poor salesmanship!!! You have it upon yourself to think that you can read my mind and determine just exactly how far along I am with projects, and just what I do and do not need. For that matter, I haven't asked for any advice for a long time other than my recent question about mLan; it's the first INQUIRY that I've made since being at HC. You do not have any idea how far along I have progressed on my studio... not even a clue!!! You have no idea how much money that I've spent or how many different contractors that I have hired and dealt with over the last several months. You seem to be on some sort of a power trip here as to thinking you need to tell me how to run my personal business. No one has been asking you anything here... what's your trip?I "DO" have an existing studio that I can use while the "other" is being built and when my newer studio is complete, I will have acquired all of my gear and my studio will be equipped. I will also have some inclination as to HOW my gear works hopefully. THEN, when I settle into my new digs once things are completed.... I'll go out and buy a FULL living room suit after I recover from the initial impact of the studio expense.... For now, I have my entire livingroom set up in studio fashion + one sofa; my studio chairs offer additional seating.... but that's not really any business or concern of yours.
Members BOOKUMDANO Posted August 31, 2005 Members Posted August 31, 2005 ......."What is a Gobo? ...." It's a thing to hang castanets on. Or you can put one in your living room and then quietly stand behind it for awhile and wait to see if someone pokes their head around the corner to say "may I help you to spend all that money in your pocket?"
Members Johnny Storm Posted August 31, 2005 Members Posted August 31, 2005 Originally posted by blue2blue After a while all the White Fronts, Gemcos, Silos, Zody's, Pacific Stereos, Federateds, Fedcos, Rogers Sound Labs, Leo's , Two Guys, Builder's Emporiums, Wallachs Music Citys.... there's just no more room in my head for chain store names. You aren't referring to Leo's Pro Audio, are you? As far as I know, the Leo's here in Oakland is their only store. Is there actually a chain called Leo's that also sells pro audio gear?
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.