Customer Service in Gunshops

[hburney]

Went to a local gunshop, checkbook in hand, to purchase a Benelli Home defense shotgun. Had descided on an m2 with all the bells and whistles and wanted to support my local dealer even though his price ($1350) was not the best I could find. While I was trying to buy the gun the clerk answered four phone calls and carried on lengthy conversations while I waited with the gun in my hands and my checkbook on the counter. When he answered the fifth call I put the gun on the counter and walked out. The idiot never even acknowledged that a paying customer that had taken the time to come to his store was leaving. Makes me wonder how successful my business would be if I treated customers the same way. Sorry for the rant.

 

[jimmyj]

Good for you!
Sales persons doesn't realize that no dollars come though the telephone receiver. Dollars come from the customer on the other side of the counter.

 

[Bat Guano]

It's amazing how many employees won't deign to notice you when you walk in. A lot of places seem to think we owe them our business and can darn well wait until they're ready to bestir themselves.

Merchants always want you to "buy local" but very few make the effort to earn your business. To be fair, they probably have a hard time finding good employees even if they want them.

I buy a lot of books and stuff from Amazon. It takes a little searching, but if you have a problem and want to talk to a person, you can click on "have a person call me NOW". I've used it a couple of times, and the phone always rings within a minute. Pretty impressive.

 

[ColbyBruce]

Glock, Inc. in Smyrna is not really a gunstore but the employees there will certainly restore your faith and belief in customer service. I do not like their products but purchased two in 2010 and took both to the factory for night sights and a physical. You get treated like royalty there.

 

[bubbiesdad]

Went to a local gunshop, checkbook in hand, to purchase a Benelli Home defense shotgun. Had descided on an m2 with all the bells and whistles and wanted to support my local dealer even though his price ($1350) was not the best I could find. While I was trying to buy the gun the clerk answered four phone calls and carried on lengthy conversations while I waited with the gun in my hands and my checkbook on the counter. When he answered the fifth call I put the gun on the counter and walked out. The idiot never even acknowledged that a paying customer that had taken the time to come to his store was leaving. Makes me wonder how successful my business would be if I treated customers the same way. Sorry for the rant.

Exact opposite to our two local shops, customers in store are waited on and phone customers are politely asked to call back later, or get the chance to leave a voice mail.

 

[merrkat]

We had people in the back just to answer phones. 3 guys working the counter at all times, someone in shipping, two in the office.

I stilll had them stacking deep at the counter. Many times I would have 5-10 transactions going on at one time. Everyone got treated the same till you said something stupid.

I had guys that would only deal with me. If they wanted a box of ammo or to blow 10grand they would wait till I got done. I always appreciated their loyalty.

 

[roundgunner]

I went into the biggest gun shop in Connecticut with my father, who is not a gun nut like myself, but does know a thing or two about customer relations having been the owner of a Mexican restaurant in Ohio for 14 years.

We had been there about a half hour when he asked me "are you really going to spend your money in here?"

The only things I get there anymore are reloading supplies I can't find anywhere else.

The attitude grinds on me.

 

[bigshot500]

The local shop I frequent typically has only one person behind the counter and a half a dozen or so people in the store...Typically two or three are waiting to ask to see a gun or inquire about a gun...I mentioned to the owner in several occasions that he needs more help..especially considering the fact that they just opened a new shop which more than trippled the size (floor space)...his answer is we just spent all this money for this shop and cant afford another person...really??

My suggestion to you is to email the owner of the store, provide him/her with the day time you were in the shop and your story..combine that with the confirmation of the purchase from the others shop (online) where you did purchase the gun after your visit. My experience is this type of letter really hits home and will fester inside for sometime...

Sometimes owners and employees forget who really pays them salary and commissions....the customer.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Good on you for trying to support your local small gun stores.

I've never felt that I had to wait too long in a gun store. That said... I'm never in much of a hurry when I'm in a gun store.

 

[turbo38gn]

I went into the biggest gun shop in Connecticut with my father, who is not a gun nut like myself, but does know a thing or two about customer relations having been the owner of a Mexican restaurant in Ohio for 14 years.

We had been there about a half hour when he asked me "are you really going to spend your money in here?"

The only things I get there anymore are reloading supplies I can't find anywhere else.

The attitude grinds on me.

Sounds just like the store over the border from me, I'm on the MA\CT line. I'm done going there myself, just what I need if I have to. I'll be spending $1,000 for Dillon loading equip. soon. Even though they have it on the floor for a fair price. I'm buying elsewhere.. It's to bad, great store and complete wrong guys for employees. I pretty much had a similar situation as the OP here.. The sad part is, even my small local store... has the worst guys working the counters, they don't have to be salesman, just cordial, acknowledge us and act like they like us.. Heck I've bought over 17 guns in the last 12 months... My favorite store to deal in is Smith&Wesson Retail Store\Shooting Range. The guys and gals that work up there are awsome, cordial, polite, say Hi when I walk in and even act like they like me!!!

 

[vytoland]

hburny.............

do your self a big favor and NEVER go into that store again for any thing.

there is a large, modern gun store that i have been in (years ago) the only thing bigger than their inventory and building is the ego and "attitude"

found a mom & pop type about 25 minutes from home and the folks there could not be more freindly and helpful.

 

[Dub]

Not to hijack the thead but I find the same attitude prevailed when I used to deal with Auto Zone parts house. Really grinds my gears to be standing there with $$$$ in hand and a sales clerk looking up parts for a call in.

 

[venomballistics]

hburny.............

do your self a big favor and NEVER go into that store again for any thing.

there is a large, modern gun store that i have been in (years ago) the only thing bigger than their inventory and building is the ego and "attitude"

found a mom & pop type about 25 minutes from home and the folks there could not be more freindly and helpful.

Ill assume he had a pen for his checkbook ... a scrap of paper could have sent a bullseye shot.
"sale of an arm like this one will take place elsewhere where (insert reason) does not occur"

so give it one more try and hope for the worst.

 

[Andy Griffith]

That is unacceptable for a firearms dealer in the Peach State.

There are plenty around that are much better.

 

[ace22]

while america is changing over from a manufacturing industry country to a service industry country it seems that the people in charge forgot what the word service really means. over the years we've gone from a country where people took pride in their work and did their jobs to a country where people show up at their work place and just put in their time with no regard for anything other than collecting their paychecks.

 

[Steve in Vermont]

This problem isn't unique to gun shops, it's everywhere, in hardware stores, etc. And the responsibility doesn't rest with the employee. He/she may not be suited or trained for that job. The responsibility rests with the manager/owner, that's who hired the salesperson and is suppose to see he/she is properly trained and doing their job. It's unfortunate that all people who deal with the public aren't receiving the proper (or any) training in PR, but that's not their fault. Management is this country often doesn't have anything to brag about, as evidenced by these posts.

 

[LVSteve]

[/Sarcasm] Oh please, get with the times. The telephone is the single most important thing in your life. Failure to answer it immediately will result in punishment. Failure to answer it at all will result in your family breaking rocks for the rest of their natural lives. Turning OFF your cellphone will result in immediate sanction with extreme prejudice. Oh ****, gotta go. There are men rappelling from a black helicopter with ATT on the side as I type.....[/Sarcasm off].

This is what the "always in touch" brigade think is right. I get it all the time at work. I have even had a senior guy ask me if I was going to answer the phone that interrupted us. "No Sir, I am busy talking to you". I swear he spent the rest of the day at the golf course to get his head round the concept.

Another example. Not long after moving here my great-nephew expressed dissatisfaction with the cell coverage as he had tried to contact both my wife and I during the day with no luck. We told him that neither of us took our cellphones into work and that they were likely turned off. He looked at us like we were child molesters kicking his favourite puppy. The concept of willingly turning off a cellphone just did not compute for him.

 

[m1gunner]

That is unacceptable for a firearms dealer in the Peach State.

There are plenty around that are much better.

Pray tell, let us in on these fabulous Ga gunshops. They must all be camoed and hidden a cave because every single one I have dealt with in Ga in the last 20 years have been exactly like the OP described.

Nothing worse than standing at the counter with cold hard cash in hand wanting to buy the blued steel beauty under glass and the knuckle draggers behind the counter won't even climb down from their stool to take your money.

 

[Big Cholla]

I am continually building something that I need fasteners for, i.e., nuts, bolts, washers, screws (wood and metal), various grades of each and metric items. I was thrilled when a new chain hardware store opened up near me with the second best selection of fasteners that I had ever seen in one store. The floor clerk in charge of the fasteners was also No. 2 in charge of the store. He was obviously an "idiot savant" on fasteners. He knew everything about them all off the top of his head and instantly. The trouble was that if I or any customer made one small mistake in the nomenclature of what we were looking for, he made a big insulting issue of it in a very insulting manor. He 'rushed' the customers while they were making their selections. I laughed it off the first couple of times it happened, but then it got tiresome. I asked the check out lady about him. She said he was the 'a friend of the owner since childhood' and yes they had a lot of complaints about his verbal abuse of customers. I learned what his days off were and would only go in on those days. Eventually the store died and was liquidated during a very prosperous time. I fully believe it was largely due to this one person's inability to relate to the customer and make them feel comfortable. That man shouldn't have been allowed in the same room as a retail customer. ............. Big Cholla

 

[zercool]

As mentioned before, this behavior isn't limited to gun shops. My wife and I are in the process of refurbishing our laundry/bathroom (thanks to a water leak) and went shopping for a washing machine. 15 minutes sticking our heads and hands into and around several different models at the Big Orange Improvement Store. THREE employees sat at a desk and watched us the whole time while they traded jokes.

I stopped and spoke to the manager on the way out. No screaming, no yelling, just a simple, "This is what happened, and while I understand a few thousand dollars for a bathroom remodel isn't big in the scheme of things, we probably won't be spending it here." To his credit, he offered to personally help us, which I declined.

We shopped a few more stores and eventually did end up buying from that store - from an employee who greeted us after we'd looked at about three machines, chatted for a minute, gave us her input and answered questions, and then left us alone to talk. Perfect.