Poor sales assistants

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Settler
Jan 16, 2006
845
4
43
Still stuck in Nothingtown...
(And I don't mean poor as in: ''aww, bless those poor little sales assistants'' )

I've been looking at getting a video camera over the last week so on Friday I thought I'd pop into a well-known high street electrical retailers for some advice and a nudge in the right direction.

I meandered over to the camcorders and found a worryingly young sales guy to help me out.

''Excuse me'' I said. ''Do you know much about camcorders at all?'' This wasn't intended to sound sarcastic, I was just checking I had the right person.

He enthusiastically replied that he did know about camcorders, and would only be too glad to help me in my hour of need.
I went on to explain just what I wanted the camera for (bushcraft and wildlife) and gave him a few specific features that it must have: night recording mode; remote control; 30GB hard disc memory; must be able to connect to a PC via usb and be edited in Windows Movie Maker.

He found what he thought I was after and proceeded to explain the spec. He came across as very confident in his knowledge of all things camcordery.

After having a bit of a look at the camera myself I announced that I couldn't see a USB port.
This is when alarm bells started to ring...
He looked all over the camera then finally popped open the DC input cover.
He then proceeded to explain that on this particular model the DC input doubles up as a USB port :eek:
It doesn't, by the way, but this was the advice given to me. Can you imagine what may have happened if I had taken his advice as good and plugged the USB into the power input?
Actually, probably nothing but that's not really the point.

He then carried on with answering my initial questions and explained that this camera has a very good night-recording mode.
It turns out it doesn't, it just has a dirty great LED on the front which illuminates whatever you point the camera at.
Perfect for scaring away the nocturnal wildlife you're trying to film :rolleyes:

I made my excuses and left only to return again today.

I found a different assistant this time and explained my needs as before.
This guy was the only person available so I had no choice but to ask him. He can't have been older than 16 and looked as if he was gonna burst into tears at any minute.

He did know more than Fridays child, and didn't tell me to plug the DC charger into my face so I thought we may be onto a winner.
He recommended me a Sony HandyCam which, according to him, had everything I needed and more, and was £20 under my budget. I thanked him for his help, handed over my credit card and left with a big smile.

...until I opened the box at home. :rolleyes:

No remote control, even though I had been reassured that ''all cameras come with remote controls these days sir''.
By this point it was too late to take it back (stupid bank holiday closing times) so I now have to make yet another trip tomorrow to waste my time arguing with the moron behind the returns counter.


Why don't these shops have a system to ensure the people selling you things actually know what they're talking about?
Put one guy on cameras permanently and tell him to do some research on the items he's selling. They only had 20 or so items there and it's not difficult to know the in's and out's of 20 cameras, especially if you're selling the damn things all day :cussing:


I need a lie down in a cold room...
 

Allie

Need to contact Admin...
May 4, 2008
159
0
South west
Urgh that's annoying - I feel for you!

I don't trust shop assistants much either, what I tend to do now is do all my research through reviews etc on the internet, and then either go into the shop once I've decided and see what the opinion is of the product I've chosen, or just order it off the internet. At least then you know what you've got is right, although it may take a little longer :rolleyes:

Good luck again tomorrow ;)
 

-Switch-

Settler
Jan 16, 2006
845
4
43
Still stuck in Nothingtown...
Urgh that's annoying - I feel for you!

I don't trust shop assistants much either, what I tend to do now is do all my research through reviews etc on the internet, and then either go into the shop once I've decided and see what the opinion is of the product I've chosen, or just order it off the internet. At least then you know what you've got is right, although it may take a little longer :rolleyes:

Good luck again tomorrow ;)

Thanks, I think I'll need it!

The only problem with internet reviews is that they can't give you the 'hands on' information. One problem I've found is that a lot of manufacturers are saying their camera has 'night mode' when they just have the LED or it just amplifies the light. The Sony is the only one I've found that gives the proper green-tinged infrared type night mode.

Of course, this isn't exactly an easy feature to test in a massive retail outlet under an acre of flourescent lighting :rolleyes:
 

NatG

Settler
Apr 4, 2007
695
1
33
Southend On Sea
the problem is that large retailers don't bother training their staff, don't blame the poor kid on the floor, ask to see the manager and tell him you're upset that he isn't providing the staff withthe resources they need to do their job properly.

also, try jessops like twoflower said, i find that the people in there tend to actually know what they're talking about, at least some of the older ones do
 

scanker

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 15, 2005
2,326
24
52
Cardiff, South Wales
I agree with the posts above about Jessops and I also seem to have a vague recollection of a price match policy - can't remember if it includes internet or not.
 

-Switch-

Settler
Jan 16, 2006
845
4
43
Still stuck in Nothingtown...
the problem is that large retailers don't bother training their staff, don't blame the poor kid on the floor, ask to see the manager and tell him you're upset that he isn't providing the staff withthe resources they need to do their job properly.

also, try jessops like twoflower said, i find that the people in there tend to actually know what they're talking about, at least some of the older ones do

The poor kid on the floor could have just said ''I don't know''. Instead he tried to make it appear that he knew what he was talking about and ended up selling me the wrong thing.

What was he expecting to happen? Did he not realise I'll open the box and find out it's wrong and then come back and tell his manager that he's useless? Exactly how long did he think it was going to be until I realised he hadn't sold me what I wanted?

If he doesn't know then fair enough - no one can be expected to know the answer to everything they're asked. Just at least have the balls to say ''I don't know''.

When I asked ''does this come with a remote'' , had he said he didn't know then I wouldn't have bought it, taken it home, unpacked it (thus voiding the returns policy), become very annoyed and then have to go back after work tomorrow and waste my evening trying to convince them to give me a refund.



Why are people so afraid of admitting that they simply don't know something? :confused:
 

Shewie

Mod
Mod
Dec 15, 2005
24,259
24
48
Yorkshire
For any major purchases now I research them on the web first before buying from anywhere. There`s reviews on everything from washing machines to nail clippers nowadays so might as well make use of it. Once I`ve found a suitable match for my needs I`ll then find the cheapest internet price and try to get a high street shop to match it. I prefer to buy from the high street as it`s obviously easier when it comes to problems, but if I can make a good saving I`ll shop online.


Rich
 

dommyracer

Native
May 26, 2006
1,312
7
46
London
The general level of service in shops in these days is shocking, and product knowledge is where they fall down most of the time.

The assistants are more interested in selling you extended warranties than getting you the right product.
 

Wayland

Hárbarðr
I used to manage stores for Jessops and later an independent chain for a while.

The money was never good and is probably even worse now, whenever we actually got a staff member with a brain they didn't last long as they had much better prospects elsewhere. :(

When I needed a new camera I went to Jessops and was appalled by the lack of knowledge displayed by the initial sales staff I encountered. I would have never allowed staff like that within a stones throw of the public in my day.

High street retail stores have had a tough time in recent years, even Jessops has been shutting stores left, right and center to cut costs and they still struggle to match online stores like Warehouse Express where I tend to shop now.

It grieves me to have joined the online trend but but money talks and the customer walks.

I think that high street stores like Jessops are ultimately doomed, which is a shame, because if you want to see how a piece of equipment feels in the hand then shopping online really is no substitute.

The internet has loads of good review sites where you can check the spec and do your own research and many companies like the one mentioned above have proved themselves reliable and trustworthy. (Other such companies do exist.)

I have no connection other than a satisfied customer and if you have an enquiry I've always found their tele-sales staff to be sufficiently knowledgeable and helpful.

If you do want to support a retail store, work yourself up the food chain to at least senior sales, preferably management staff.

It's your hard earned cash and you deserve good service for it.
 

-Switch-

Settler
Jan 16, 2006
845
4
43
Still stuck in Nothingtown...
currys by any chance

No, not Curry's. But Currys, Dixons, Comet, Tandy (are they still going?) - they're all very similar.

I've found a camera I want online now. Same as the second one I got from the 'unnamed electrical retail outlet' but with a remote.

And £70 cheaper :rolleyes:

Just have to see if they'll give my money back now. Who wants to bet they offer me 'store credit'?
 

stevesteve

Nomad
Dec 11, 2006
460
0
57
UK
Someone I knew went into a B&Q/Homebase-type shed and asked if they sold piano-hinges. The youth in the colourful tee shirt paused and then said "You would need a music shop for that".
Cheers,
Steve
 

Tripitaka

Nomad
Apr 13, 2008
304
0
Vancouver Island, BC.
Switch,

I believe that they cannot offer you a store credit as the product they sold you was not fit for purpose in that it did not have a remote when you clearly asked for one.

I'm not so green to think that you might not have a problem though. I have always found that keeping very calm, not raising my voice but being extemely persistent does the trick.

Only once have I had to resort to standing just outside the doors of the store, approaching customers going into the shop and explaining to them how poor the service is and that maybe they would like to think about shopping elsewhere. I only managed to speak to two before the store manager sorted my problem. Of course, the usual mention of trading standards, Watchdog etc helps on occasion, the latter only working if they are a national chain.
 

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