Had words with a salesman today

[Capt_Vin]

This afternoon, I went to a local nation wide Pro Shop (who's name I won't mention) that specializes in hunting and fishing gear to check out the new Remington R-15 and the DPMS Panther LR Series of AR platformed hunting rifles. I approached the salesman behind the firearms counter, who was an older 'gentle'man who appeared to be in his late 50s, and asked him if they carried the new DPMS LR series or the Remington R15, and man, was that ever a mistake! I guess this guy was suffering from a bad case of hemmeroids or heartburn, because in a real nasty tone, he responded with "We don't sell that garbage here. If you week-end commandos want ARs, go to somewhere like (and he mentioned another local store)", and walked away!

Ok, what did I do wrong? All I wanted to do was find out a little more on these rifles, more than I read in a few magazine articles as I plan to purchase one in the near future.

What is the beef with some people when it comes to AR platformed rifles? Maybe I live under a rock, but as a big fan of ARs, I am glad that aa few companies finally configured one for hunting.

Well, seeing how the XXXX Pro Shop employees have attitudes when it comes to these rifles, I think I am going to spend my $1500 (msrp) at another store. As matter of fact, I don't think I ill be going back there at all.

BTW, does anyone here own a Rem R-15 or a DPMS LR series? What do ya think of them?

 

[Darren007]

I dont go to *** pro shops anymore for the simple reason that every time I have a question all I ever seemed to get was attitude. The last straw was when I was browsing in their "Fine Gun Room" and came across a Russian Capture Mauser K98 with a price tag of $900.....Yeah...."Keep smokin that crack guys".

 

[Sgt.Fathead]

Well, that sounds like the kind of deal a Pro Shop manager would like to hear about! How about a well written email to their customer service dept. and then spend your $$$ elsewhere.

 

[guntotin_fool]

yup, I know personally a store manager of a pro shop and he would have fired the guy on the spot.. Return to the store, after you have written a nicely worded letter, and ask to speak to the general manager. Present the letter, and ask him if its store policy to call customers who are looking to spend 900 to 1100 dollars at their store a wacko or wanna be. I am guessing that A, prompt action will be taken, and B you will get a couple of gift cards for you to use at the store. Then take those and buy ammo for your EBR.....

 

[SDDL-UP]

+1 to guntotin fool,

Make the store manager aware of the problem and chances are good he'll correct it. That guy has no business interacting with customers IMO... let him stock shelves or sweep up at night.

 

[Samurai]

One thing I've learned is that you never know what's going on with people. That guy might have just heard the news that his loved one was injured in an accident. He might have just found out that he has one week to live. There are any one of a HUGE number of explanations why he might have been in a particularly bad mood that day.

The IMPORTANT thing is that you don't let the ill temper of others drag down your own positive outlook.

Remember: If you're above ground, then it's a beautiful day.

 

[VUPDblue]

One thing I've learned is that you never know what's going on with people. That guy might have just heard the news that his loved one was injured in an accident. He might have just found out that he has one week to live. There are any one of a HUGE number of explanations why he might have been in a particularly bad mood that day.

Nope, I'm not buying that, not even a little. When you work in the retail industry (I do now) and you interact with customers, you had better put on a smiling face just about every time and check your personal problems at the door. The customer pays your compensation, period. I don't care if your dog got run over as you left the driveway this morning, or if your doc said that you have a couple days to live. If it's that bad, then stay home. If you decide to show up for work, then be curteous and professional regardless of your mood. I can say all this knowing that I was in a similar situation last year. My daughter was born 4 MONTHS EARLY and she had an uphill battle every single day for 121 days until we brought her home. Each day I went to work during that period, I was curteous and professional to the point where the customer would have no idea that I was dying inside. The bad days, and there were many, I stayed home. If you have a short fuse in the retail field, you will have a short career too.

 

[rampage841512]

Yeah, that situation would have led to me having words with the store and district manager. Guy was way out of line. You don't treat customers that way, no matter your personal opinions.

They're building one of those not to far from here. Now I'll have to check it out just to see if the bad additudes are company wide.

 

[Pahoo]

Ok, what did I do wrong? All I wanted to do was find out a little more on these rifles, more than I read in a few magazine articles as I plan to purchase one in the near future.

You stood there and listened to his bull, when you could have adjusted his future verbal skills. I travel a bit and love running into people like this. Have you ever heard of "Assertiveness Training"? It teaches you how to communicate with fools like this in a most positive way. When you have it coming, take it, appologize and get on with it. When you don't have it coming, don't take one little bit of it.

One thing I've learned is that you never know what's going on with people. That guy might have just heard the news that his loved one was injured in an accident. He might have just found out that he has one week to live. There are any one of a HUGE number of explanations why he might have been in a particularly bad mood that day.

I don't buy this either as you are not to blame for whatever has hit him that day and you have your own problems and the most you can do about his, is pray for him. You were honest and positive in your approach, he was not.

Be Safe !!!

 

[overkill556x45]

I had a very similar experience in a gun-megastore in Kansas (by the speedway). I had returned from Afghanistan a few days before and was 20, about to turn 21 and looking for a CCW piece. There were a LOT of people at the counter. Probably a half dozen salesmen, and ten serious lookers, maybe 30 tire-kickers floating around. A 50 something Nam vet was helping me, and a 40-ish guy helping the dude next to me. I asked to see a Glock 17 as the other guy asked for a 686. The other salesman glanced over at me, then commented to his customer "Kids like that don't know how to shoot. They want a plastic gun that holds a lot of ammo so they can spray and pray. If they knew anything they'd get (some other gun, I forget)". I would have blown up if my dad hadn't been there.

I calmly stated that I guess I needed more guidance in my selection of firearms, since I was just a war veteran and didn't know how to shoot. I gave the nice man the G17 back walked away. The dude with the attitude just went back to trying to sell the 686. I haven't been back, and don't care to go back since I found a place with a military discount.

 

[SGT-MILLER]

Too many times have I seen this "I work at a gun counter, so I have all the knowledge, and I am better than you" syndrome.

The best thing to do is look the person in the eye, give him back the gun/item you were looking at and tell him he/she just lost a customer because of their holier than thou attitude.

...and tell the general manager right away.

 

[Al Norris]

I have worked in retail for the last 18 years: Stocker, clerk, Dept. Mgr. and Store Mgr.

As VUPDblue stated, you go to work and paste a smile on your face and never, ever take it off. No matter what the customer does, you are polite, smiling at them at all times.

Should any clerk or salesperson treat you in the type of disrespectful manner as that in the OP, immediately seek the general mgr. and report them. Making sure that the mgr. knows you are leaving.... Along with your wallet. Guaranteed that hell will visit the sales clerk.

 

[Technosavant]

+1 on telling the manager. I can't imagine any manager who, when informed that a $1500+ sale just walked out the door, wouldn't ream out that employee (at the very least).

 

[Jager78]

I could not agree more with SGT-MILLER.

This sort of thing has happened to me before and I just don't shop at that paticular line of Hunting and Fishing outfitters anymore and now I tell every single one of my friend's who hunt and fish of my experience(s) there.

I have found another outfitter that has excellent customer service and better prices, I'm suprised that there isn't more of their stores around. there sure is alot of the ones I won't go to any longer.

Don't climb the mountain go around it!

 

[Forwardassist]

Typical Fudd. They hate anything that does not have wood, and bluing. You will run into them from time to time. Next time talk to the manager since this guy needs a serious attitude adjustment.

 

[MeekAndMild]

For what its worth, I've had great discussions with staff at Gander Mountain and I highly recommend that store over **** Pro Shop. Not that I'm a weekend commando, since my AFSC was in a non-combatant specialty, but it helps to keep an open mind about such things.

 

[tranks]

i've bought two firearms now from gander mountain, it usually takes a while to get some service but they have pretty decent prices on some things and they also add one additional year of warranty to every firearm they sell.

but being in my mid 20's, i can expect that wait everywhere i go. very few salesman take a younger guy seriously.

i could walk up and down the firearm counter at Cabelas all day long and no one will ask if i need help. but everything is over priced and 45 min drive away so i don't even bother going anymore.


the staff at gander mountain seem to be better informed then any other retailer around here. last weekend i bought a 870 from dick's sporting goods. (they had the cheapest price in town) the staff there were high school kids from what i could tell. i stood at the counter for a couple mins before they stopped blabbing to each other, i asked them about 3 questions and said i'll buy it. he seemed surprised, he hadn't even taken the gun off the wall yet. he said "don't you want to hold it first" nope, i just wanted to buy and get out of there. then they harassed me at the check out counter about their special credit cards and points programs. i think i stood there for 5 mins saying no, no, no, no, no... i should have grabbed their newspaper flyer and headed over to fleet farm for a price match.


when i run into bad service, i don't bother complaining. i take my business else where. i'm not going to stand around for 30 mins to get some in-store credit to a place i'm never going back to.

 

[cold dead hands]

I am so not a nice person...in this kind of situation.

After he called me names I would have verbally instructed him to cruel and unusual thing to himself while going to place of suffering and then demanded to see the store manager so that I could tell him that his employee had lost my business forever and that I would be telling everyone I know to stay away from that place since all customers are likely to treated that way as well...

After that I would tell him that I am going to be contacting his boss and HQ...

And then I would leave.

Maybe if the higher ups kissed my rear end well enough I might consider returning.

When it comes to business, they have to earn my money.

 

[elkman06]

I guess it depends on the guy. I'm sure that BVdsj Pro shop doesn't condone that sort of attitude. While going to the manager is the right thing to do, I would have probably verbalized my displeasure in a loud voice to all that would listen.
I was in same store in LV Nev last year browsing their bows. I carried one to the counter and inquired about it. The salesperson insisted I shoot it as they have a range right there. Once again happy w/ the salesperson I attempted to purchase it. He stopped me, suggesting that I go to the check in counter of the casino it its attatched to. He had me get their welcome guide and lo and behold, page 18 had a 25% off coupon for anything over $200. This salesperson got a tip at the end of the transaction. Yep, I appreciate that kind of treatment and truly professional retail sales people reap the benefits from acting this way.
elkman06

 

[Mike Irwin]

Uhm...

I have to wonder?

Why all the pants wetting over not wanting to IDENTIFY THE STORE WHOSE EMPLOYEE GAVE YOU ****TY SERVICE?

Afraid the bad attitude man is going to hunt you down, or the corporate lawyers are going to sue you?

If you get bad service from a store, let people know.

If you don't get resolution from store management, SING IT LONG AND LOUD, and let corporate management KNOW that you're not happy, and you're letting lots and lots of your friends know you're not happy.

The higher the level of manager, the better he realizes something -- In the day and age of instant web communication, ****** off former customers have a LOT of potential to negatively impact a store or chain's bottom line.


Years ago, before the web, I had a really bad experience with the management at the local Montgomery Ward store. They ended up pulling a little trick that resulted in my credit card number, address, birth date, and signature sitting on a piece of furniture for a week ON THE SALES FLOOR.

The local manager was not at all concerned, didn't even apologies for leaving my personal financial information out for the world to see, so I did the next best thing to the web at that time -- I got in touch with an extremely popular columnist for the Washington Post, and he wrote the incident up.

That lit an IMMENSE fire under the asses of Montgomery Ward's management.