Disappointing customer service at bass dealer

[FinnDave]

I know I've said this before, but my local PMT (Oxford) does make a real effort, the staff are friendly and helpful. And so, when I decide I 'need' something, they are always my first port of call. A couple of weeks ago, I decided I needed another Jazz bass, called them, they had one in the colour I wanted, 40 mins later i walked into the store to see the bass behind the counter with a label under the strings with my name on it. To me, that is proper service. I always try them for anything I need and only if they can't help do I go online.

[LYNCHMAN]

now you know that i know that you know that i know...that you know that i know, who he's talkin about!!

[disgrace of bass]

1 hour ago, FinnDave said:

I know I've said this before, but my local PMT (Oxford) does make a real effort, the staff are friendly and helpful. And so, when I decide I 'need' something, they are always my first port of call. A couple of weeks ago, I decided I needed another Jazz bass, called them, they had one in the colour I wanted, 40 mins later i walked into the store to see the bass behind the counter with a label under the strings with my name on it. To me, that is proper service. I always try them for anything I need and only if they can't help do I go online.

I second the positive review of PMT! My local store (Romford) is equally full of great guys and girls who are enthusiastic and cant do enough for you. 

[CameronJ]

4 hours ago, Skol303 said:

The only guy I knew who got this right was Drew from the Great British Bass Lounge (Manchester); but that was largely because the shop was in his house and buying from him was like having a coffee and banter with a mate (he did make great coffee did Drew). But he’s since closed down.

The Great British Bass Lounge is being resurrected as we speak! Someone else has taken over it and new stock is already coming in. Some very nice basses on the wall already.

[CameronJ]

4 hours ago, Skol303 said:

 

Edited March 13, 2018 by CameronJ
Double post....

[Woodinblack]

4 hours ago, project_c said:

It's a music shop, not a  massage parlour. Jeez. 

Ohh.. well that explains that awkward incident then...  

[bazzbass]

22 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

Your fave bass tech works in a local cell phone store? That seems a little bit of a waste of talent!

hehe I knew someone would take it that way,OK," one other person , in a cellphone shop" hehe. two people in a city of 1.3 Million oi 

[BassTractor]

This may very well be a not-very-British thing to do (if the rumours about Britishness are true), but how about "mirroring" (see caveat)? With an open attitude and in a friendly voice, one speaks:

"When you <do this or that>, that comes across as <this or that>. Is that your intention?"

Then, when the seller is of good will, one will often see a dramatic change in attitude. In other cases, one could either speak to their boss or just leave.

 

To me personally, this is about accepting that people have off days, and about giving someone another chance. Some sellers will tackle the new situation whilst others will not.

Caveat: I learned about mirroring when working in child protection services - in part as a family therapist. It may well be looked down upon in other circles. I really wouldn't know.

[Horrorhiker]

32 minutes ago, BassTractor said:

This may very well be a not-very-British thing to do (if the rumours about Britishness are true), but how about "mirroring" (see caveat)? With an open attitude and in a friendly voice, one speaks:

"When you <do this or that>, that comes across as <this or that>. Is that your intention?"

Then, when the seller is of good will, one will often see a dramatic change in attitude. In other cases, one could either speak to their boss or just leave.

 

To me personally, this is about accepting that people have off days, and about giving someone another chance. Some sellers will tackle the new situation whilst others will not.

Caveat: I learned about mirroring when working in child protection services - in part as a family therapist. It may well be looked down upon in other circles. I really wouldn't know.

I learned about mirroring too and it really opens your eyes to peoples intentions. My experience is that when you point this out to people in Britain though is they take it very defensively. 

Things in Britain you can talk about: Weather, football, immigration. 

Things in Britain you shouldn't talk about: Feelings, death, other peoples intentions. 

The rumours are true. 

[Mykesbass]

17 hours ago, project_c said:

I much prefer to be left alone in shops and hate 'sales technique'. The only people more depressing than pushy salesmen are people blowing their own 'sales expertise' horns. It's a music shop, not a  massage parlour. Jeez. 

HaHa, my mate's drum shop in Ipswich was such an establishment prior to his moving in. Did get some befuddled looking folk turning up in the first few months (and no, they weren't all drummers) 

[FinnDave]

45 minutes ago, Mykesbass said:

HaHa, my mate's drum shop in Ipswich was such an establishment prior to his moving in. Did get some befuddled looking folk turning up in the first few months (and no, they weren't all drummers) 

But did drummers get a discount on the other 'services'?

[Dad3353]

1 hour ago, FinnDave said:

But did drummers get a discount on the other 'services'?

No, I didn't. 

[FinnDave]

6 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

No, I didn't. 

Never to late to ask....you might get a rebate off your next purchase

[Dad3353]

8 minutes ago, FinnDave said:

Never to late to ask....you might get a rebate off your next purchase

Too late; that ship sailed long ago... 

[FinnDave]

7 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

Too late; that ship sailed long ago... 

20% off a few sticks wouldn't hurt, surely?

 

[Mykesbass]

1 minute ago, FinnDave said:

20% off a few sticks wouldn't hurt, surely?

 

Beaters...

[Dad3353]

1 hour ago, FinnDave said:

20% off a few sticks wouldn't hurt, surely?

 

 

1 hour ago, Mykesbass said:

Beaters...

I think felt would be more to my liking, thank you just the same. 

[Daz39]

21 hours ago, Skol303 said:

Exactly this. The market will decide the fate of such shops, if it hasn't already.

You can buy a bass guitar online, often more cheaply and delivered next day with the option to return it for a no-quibbles refund within 14 days if expectations aren’t met. That’s a tough act for music shops to beat. They know it and most of them show it… hence their amosphere of impending doom and general apathy, which reinforces the vicious cycle.

The only guy I knew who got this right was Drew from the Great British Bass Lounge (Manchester); but that was largely because the shop was in his house and buying from him was like having a coffee and banter with a mate (he did make great coffee did Drew). But he’s since closed down.

For boutique stuff (which I don’t buy itself) I can see the need for specialist shops. For everything else, online uber alles.

 

Drew's retired but the GBBL lives on - the stock and business was transferred to a new owner, based in Congleton - and the first pics look a bit like a lounge setting too, so expect more of the same I imagine!

[Skol303]

22 hours ago, FinnDave said:

I know I've said this before, but my local PMT (Oxford) does make a real effort, the staff are friendly and helpful. And so, when I decide I 'need' something, they are always my first port of call.

That’s always vital… and this is the thing, you can get that from online retailers too. Or at least I do.

For anything more expensive than cables and flimflam, I always place orders by sending an email rather than just plopping things in the ‘shopping cart’ and proceeding to PayPal. By doing so I get to build up a rapport with a member of staff, who I then contact directly next time I want to buy something from them. I always ask questions about the product to check that it meets my requirements; and I always ask for a discount due to repeat business, which I nearly always get, sometimes very generously (averaging probably 10-15%).

Exactly the same principles as dealing with someone face-to-face. The only difference is I don’t walk out the door with the goods, I have to wait for them to be delivered.

Works for me anyway  

Edited March 14, 2018 by Skol303

[Skol303]

18 hours ago, CameronJ said:

The Great British Bass Lounge is being resurrected as we speak! Someone else has taken over it and new stock is already coming in. Some very nice basses on the wall already.

 

1 hour ago, Daz39 said:

Drew's retired but the GBBL lives on - the stock and business was transferred to a new owner, based in Congleton - and the first pics look a bit like a lounge setting too, so expect more of the same I imagine!

Thanks guys, good to know The Lounge lives on!

[Horrorhiker]

24 minutes ago, Skol303 said:

That’s always vital… and this is the thing, you can get that from online retailers too. Or at least I do.

For anything more expensive than cables and flimflam, I always place orders by sending an email rather than just plopping things in the ‘shopping cart’ and proceeding to PayPal. By doing so I get to build up a rapport with a member of staff, who I then contact directly next time I want to buy something from them. I always ask questions about the product to check that it meets my requirements; and I always ask for a discount due to repeat business, which I nearly always get, sometimes very generously (averaging probably 10-15%).

Exactly the same principles as dealing with someone face-to-face. The only difference is I don’t walk out the door with the goods, I have to wait for them to be delivered.

Works for me anyway  

I'm trying this 👍

[lownote]

I wandered into Norwich PMT a while back to blag a box for a bass I was flogging. Figuring that even asking nicely wouldn't cut the mustard for a very crumbly 63 year old who looks disturbingly like Compo, I thought I'd better buy something before asking. A charming young man, helpful, knowledgeable and chatty but never patronising or irritating, introduced me to their two secondhand bass cabs.  Deciding I didn't really want a Fender combo, we switched focus to an MB 121 Traveler in great nick for £280 label. He went to endless trouble to set me up with a  head I liked and left me alone in a booth to noodle as long as I needed.  He was so nice I could see no alternative to buying the bloody thing (but TBF it was starting to make sense to me - God I love MB tone).  Once I'd got my wallet out said lad was willing to haggle but wasn't a push over, and happily agreed to work several suitable guitars boxes into the deal (what I originally went in for, if you recall).  Then when he learned I was parked 400 yards down the road he carried (yes he did) my new cab all the way to my car. I almost put him in the boot too and took him home to introduce him to my daughter. Then I remembered I don't have one.      

Edited March 29, 2018 by lownote12

[Horrorhiker]

4 minutes ago, lownote12 said:

I wandered into Norwich PMT a while back to blag a box for a bass I was flogging. Figuring that even asking nicely wouldn't cut the mustard for a very crumbly 63 year old who looks disturbingly like Compo, I thought I'd better buy something before asking. A charming young man, helpful, knowledgeable and chatty but never patronising or irritating, introduced me to their two secondhand bass cabs.  Deciding I didn't really want a Fender combo, we switched focus to an MB 121 Traveler in great nick for £280 label. He went to endless trouble to set me up with a  head I liked and left me alone in a booth to noodle as long as I needed.  He was so nice I could see no alternative to buying the bloody thing (but TBF it was starting to make sense to me - God I love MB tone).  Once I'd got my wallet out said lad was willing to haggle but wasn't a push over, and happily agreed to work several suitable guitars boxes into the deal (what I originally went in for, if you recall).  Then when he learned I was parked 400 yards down the road he carried (yes he did) my new cab all the way to my car. I almost put him in the boot too and took him home to introduce him to my daughter. Then I remembered I didn't have one.      

I had a good experience in there too. Had just the right balance of being attentive but not overbearing. 

The only thing I would like to see is the setting up of at least some of the stuff they do. I went to buy an electro acoustic g***ar once and you needed a step ladder to get from the strings to the fretboard on nearly all of them. 

[Skol303]

1 minute ago, Horrorhiker said:

I'm trying this 👍

Do it!

I buy and sell as part of my job, so negotiating discounts is 'in the blood'. I don't try it on for small items, but for larger purchases I always do - because I know that every sales team has a margin they're allowed to work with.

Sometimes you get told that the price shown is their best offer and that's fine. But like I said, most of the time I get a discount and for me, even £50 or so makes it worthwhile. And on rare occasions, that figure has been around £200. In fact, the more expensive the item the more likely you are to receive a discount in my experience. Which makes perfect sense, because retailers are always keen to shift the big ticket items and get their own money back.

As my dear mum would say, "If you don't ask, you don't get"  

[Horrorhiker]

6 minutes ago, Skol303 said:

Do it!

I buy and sell as part of my job, so negotiating discounts is 'in the blood'. I don't try it on for small items, but for larger purchases I always do - because I know that every sales team has a margin they're allowed to work with.

Sometimes you get told that the price shown is their best offer and that's fine. But like I said, most of the time I get a discount and for me, even £50 or so makes it worthwhile. And on rare occasions, that figure has been around £200. In fact, the more expensive the item the more likely you are to receive a discount in my experience. Which makes perfect sense, because retailers are always keen to shift the big ticket items and get their own money back.

As my dear mum would say, "If you don't ask, you don't get"  

Definately. Its very easy to just stick it in the basket, but this seems like a good way of getting a relationship going which gives you the best of both worlds in terms of online vs shop, then. 

I like to be loyal to people with good service anyway, and as you say, £50 is not to be sniffed at. It's basically a free pedal or a couple of sets of strings after all.