Music store etiquette

[templar03]

all humans deserve basic respect.

Salespeople deserve additional respect on top of that basic respect because of the knowledge and skills they posses.

Of course, i share your opinion on this matter. However i was refering to your previous posts whereby service staff in guitar shops are compared to service staff from shops like Converse/Topman/CK Tang/PizzaHut.

A lot of the complaints here are really laughable.

If any of you were any older than 12, you would have realized by now that Music shops, in particular Guitar Shops, are not the same as Topman or Converse or whatever loser shops you always visit after your primary school classes end.

Fact of the matter is this: These guys have skills that you'd only dream of after your PSLE. You want help? You humble down. Ask politely. And don't expect amazing customer service because these guys are not salespeople from C.K Tang.

i'm disgusted with your attitude too. So you want to treat them like how you treat the waiters at PizzaHut?

I've been cut off in a phonecall and brushed off in a guitar shop probably more times than you have. But every time it happens, i don't choose to think that "as the customer, i am always right. "

I treat all service staff from all sectors with utmost respect and basic courtesy. Why should service staff in guitar shops be given more respect than other service staff from other shops selling different products? In other words, does that mean its okay to go to a guitar shop in peninsula and its acceptable for them to give me bad customer service but not at a departmental store?

 

[superpotato_30]

all humans deserve basic respect.

Salespeople in guitar shops deserve additional respect on top of that basic respect because of the knowledge and skills they posses.

Then.. how do you know who possesses what skills? Is it based on the assumption that just because you work in a guitar shop you must possess a certain calibre of skills? Also what if your own skills surpasses them? Would they have to show you more respect than u show them? Then again how do you measure the 'skills'?

 

[sharp__edge]

You're sitting at a bus stop.

A student from Catholic High walks by.

5 minutes later, the Principal of Catholic High walks by.

Do you talk to the student in the same way that you'd talk to the principal?

You're championing the cause of treating all humans the same. That's very admirable. That's the way i was brought up too.

Everyone deserves basic respect. But you cannot deny that some people deserve more respect than others.

 

[superpotato_30]

I would say both are of different status/profession and there are other nuances about that example.. but

undoubtedly i get your point. Understood where you're coming from.

Ok Im out.

Have fun arguing the rest of you. This arguement about whos right; customer or salesperson will end up hanging just like many other threads in forums. Then we'll have to wait for someone to have a bad experience to dig up this thread again.

Until then. see you all.

 

[Abitabh]

Money is root of all problems,but not the pedals.
Humbleness can solve every problems but no one wants to be.

 

[ヒロト]

i'm disgusted with your attitude too. So you want to treat them like how you treat the waiters at PizzaHut?

and secondly, i'm not a shopowner. I'm a customer that sees the need to respect the salespeople working there. You have money, fine.

Buy from proguitarshop.com. I've done that before too.

I've been cut off in a phone call and brushed off in a guitar shop probably more times than you have. But every time it happens, i don't choose to think that "as the customer, i am always right. "

I agree with templar03...


My opinion:
I think you got it all wrong. No one says we should not respect the salesperson.
Firstly in service sectors, be it shop owners, restaurant owners, health-care sector. So long as you work under the service sector, you ought to show your customers respect. It does not mean that i respect you because you have the money to buy my stuff...what we are talking about is, CUSTOMERS do have the right to be respected.

I am patronizing you, you are running a business...if you are going be using this kind of attitude, who the hell would want to do business with you?

Common sense right?
For my case, i merely called up to inquire about services, is that wrong?
Is it wrong to ask? you mean i have to know what you are selling, i need to know my stuffs before i am entitled to step into a shop?
What are ""contact us",Enquiry lines for?
just an eg.
been through army? heard of this line "why make your problem, my problem?"

If the salesperson, in that matter that guy was the boss...if he is frustrated for some reason or so, why must he vent it on the customer? What gives him the right? If you hear someone speak like that over the phone..just over the phone...do you think you will go down to his shop to render his service? why would someone patronize a shop that doesn't even care to explain your product/ show proper respect?

Brushed off? cut off from a phone call?
That just shows how f**ked up this salespeople are....so just one question you like to be treated that way?

In the business world, its all about sucking it up. In business it is all about developing a good relationship with your customers, be it if they buy from you, patronize or whatever.
Tell me which boss/ businessman clinches a deal for his whole entire life smoothly? There ought to be some difficult customers, that's why its never easy to earn money...anywhere for that matter...

The point here is...A customer eventually pays for a product, therefore it is a right to know the product before you buy.
I have no bad blood with you...but i do think your perspective for the business world is somewhat wrong.
I would definitely not patronize your shop if you have one...

And yes, respect is mutual. If you are nice to me, i would probably be nice to you too...unless you were sarcastic or there are some problems with yourself. Highly unlikely ^^

 

[lordie]

hahha salesman = salesman, they are there to make some $$ unless he is some captain of the industry with MBA from ivy leagues and earn millions a year. even LKY dun get my respect, what else some 'dude;' in guitar shop hahahahahaahahaha

 

[van_halen]

code of conduct when stepping into a local guitar shop with guitar hero salesman:

1. always greet the guitar hero with a smile
2. humbly and nicely ask the guitar hero to allow you to test the guitar you like.
3. wait patiently for the guitar hero to finish shredding on the guitar before he pass to you for testing.
4. listen with enthusiasm as the guitar hero relates his rockstar stories.
5. when the guitar hero ticks you off, be humble and smile it away, after all he is a guitar hero but you are a noob.
6. when the guitar hero wants you to buy a guitar, buy it because guitar heroes are never wrong about guitars.
7. prepare to be marked by the guitar hero if you go to his shop without buying guitar.
8. don't ask guitar hero too many questions, he is a very busy man with much more important things to do.
9. don't call guitar hero at his shop, he is a very busy man with much more important things to do.
10. dress and act like a noob and you will be treated like a noob by the guitar hero

of course not all salesmen in local guitar shops are "guitar heroes". most are nice humble service oriented guys. but somehow a few pricks always stand out for their rock star attitude.

 

[ridethetiger]

Yes,thats what i meant.I agree with what Van Halen said.
If you are humble and nice,well "courtesy begins with me" have you heard of that slogan? and "ask not what your country can do for you,but what u can do for you country" by Nelson Mandala. If you are polite n nice n don't say things which irritates him, my bet is that dennis won't treat u the way he did. Do you suspect he has mental illness? he knows he is running a business la.But if you act as though your father owns 2 condominiums in Sentosa or you are the king of the world and expect people more experienced and older than you to serve you,then i must conclude u are in the wrong,friend. By the way,i had a funny dream last night, i dreamt that the boss of Davis upon my arrival to his shop,bowed down to me at the entrance n welcomed me saying "iraishamase" and let me tried all his guitars in the shop,and i end up buying one pick from him. But when i left,everyone in the shop are still smiling and said "please come back again". But then a dream is a dream.

 

[portunderground]

Eh, i thing van halen is being sacarstic.

 

[lordie]

eh what happens if a guitar hero salesman meet another guitar hero? got a rock off?

 

[PatheinRaindropMoe]

they wont have time to rock off, coz there be more geetarers joining in to take side. By time geetarers all found their side, they wont have time to decide as well, coz they will be distracted by other newer happenings on other geetaring feud.

 

[fretness]

Hahaha man this thread is funny but true. But true la emotions run high everyone confirm argue from his standpoint that he is right. I remember this quote somewhere 'humility is like underwear, necessary but unsightly if shown'. Kinda have to learn right? So I guess if you put yourself in the shoes of he salesperson or boss it is easier to understand their volatile attitudes? dont touch or play unless GAS uncontrollable cause if you touch they have a higher chance of losing than you do. Try to remove the negative vibe man (getting a lot of it here) Oh well, i guess what i'm trying to say is,

1) Respect for the shop and shop owner (his livelihood) like how you respect your own stuff.
2) Everyone has an ego that needs to be fed, imagine you work there but no one to show off finally got someone come in you just GOT TO show your shred awesomeness. This requires like immense level of humility on the customers part to restrain your unleashing of your own awesomeness to shred back. I guess instead of like going "wtf this guy..." you can make him feel good by saying "hey that was not bad man". Try to establish good relationship first. Then he will then most likely be willing to help you out. see both side win. You can show your skills later when you testing the guitar.:twisted:
3) Dress rich. I mean dont go in like you going kopitiam man. Kinda linked to number 1. Like all the guitars inside high end stuff you come in in flip flops? come on.. Smart casual always. Be hot.
4) Smile first. Before he does. DO those genuine "I like and admire" or "I am happy to see you" kinda smile, you know those smile when you greet a very good friend? Its warm like a sweet overdrive. Everyone hates a fake and artificial smile. If he/she doesnt smile back, its ok. They are probably not used to it, like expressing it and all. After a while they will remember you as being a cheerful customer. Everyone loves a happy person.
5) Be willing to listen. I'm sure all of us have detailed and in depth understand of our guitar and gears that sometimes we would look down on the salesperson who seems noob and all(me guilty). But maybe if we try to shift the conversation into a discussion it would also enable a win-win situation for both. And he also feels appreciated for someone actually listened to what he wants to share. Everyone likes talking about his trade or business. Let him talk! Again linked to number 2.
6) Know what you want. I always introduce like what i'm looking for. Be ENTHUSIASTIC over it and EAGER to try. You will probably spread it to the shopkeeper. And really, what they want besides money is having a satisfied customer.
7) Well this is a trick I learned from my friends that is to make them feel important or give them a certain expectation. For example if you know certain guitar shop have real bad reputation for CS and all, when you walk in and talk say something like " I heard you guys bring in some awesome gear and have good reputation in CS". I know it sounds BS and all, but it works, the person will usually try to live up to that and that is to your advantage. Invite his opinion or ideas and perspective about things, or his recommendations! People love to do this, as in to give their opinions.

Well those are a few on top of my head. Just want to say it boils down to human relationship, a skill that i'm very eager to master! So enjoy music for it is suppose to bring about happiness not conflict and negative emotions. I have experience buying from shops and usually the above works, but be genuine always. Haha but the best stuff is always from softies cause one on one very easy to handle. CHeers!!!


BUT if all else fails, you can choose to severe your relationship forever with the shop (dangerous) or you can just walk away and try again later.

To severe relationship. Middle finger.

 

[imkeith]

eh what happens if a guitar hero salesman meet another guitar hero? got a rock off?

couples retreat!!! lol

 

[optisailor2002]

"ask not what your country can do for you,but what u can do for you country" by Nelson Mandala.

i rather "ask not what you can do for your country, ask what your country can do for you" by Dave Mustaine

 

[dodgethis]

That was never a Nelson Mandela quote. It was JFK's.

 

[lordie]

aiyahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh lol

 

[superpotato_30]

aiyahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh lol

Best post on this thread.