The Things Customers Do

[technophile 0]

Just a quick read I found today browsing for all you shop owning you customer haters:

http://www.pulse24.com/Business/Top_Story/...10-002/page.asp

While I think it's probably true that bad word of mouth hurts more than most people realize, that study is problematic.

More than 50 percent of those asked admit when they hear something bad about a retailer from someone they know and trust, they’ll forever avoid shopping there – even though the experienced happened to someone else.

People often say they do, or have, or would do something completely different than they actually do in practice.

They may say they'd never go there, but six months later if a good sale pops up, they may not even remember the bad story, or decide the price is worth it.

That's not to say that the study is definitely useless; it may be correct, it's just impossible to tell since they relied on what people said (and people are notoriously bad at predicting what they would do, and tend to lie/misremember about what they have done) and not what they did.

[jimmy 194]

Just a quick read I found today browsing for all you shop owning you customer haters:

http://www.pulse24.com/Business/Top_Story/...10-002/page.asp

It's true.

I'm taking a customer service class and people on average tell 12 people about a bad experience.

In your class, do they say how many people tell their friends about GOOD service?? . 99% of my customers come from referrals from teammates or parents.

That article has some very valid points, however I think the study was based findings from big stores, not the small ones, like a LHS. We operate very differently, and are customers are a whole species of themselves. :D

[NuggyBuggy 0]

That article has some very valid points, however I think the study was based findings from big stores, not the small ones, like a LHS. We operate very differently, and are customers are a whole species of themselves.  :D

I am more likely to tell my friends about bad or good service I receive at a small store, than about bad or good service I receive at a big store. In a smaller store, bad or good service feels more personal. Also, smaller stores often charge higher prices and have a smaller selection so there has to be a reason to go there, and that reason is likely either service or convenience. If the service isn't there, then there is one less reason to patronize the small store. Finally, the likelihood that I am going to have to see or deal with the same a-hole again at the small store is far greater than at the large store.

Edited March 11, 2006 by NuggyBuggy

[logan 0]

Or the rich pricks who park in the handicap zone and no parking zone in front of the door because they feel they are too important to walk an extra 20 yards!

[logan 0]

I find it difficult to give deals to people who drive up in BMW's and Mercedes' and still need a deal.

Or the rich pricks who park in the handicap zone and no parking zone in front of the door because they feel they are too important to walk an extra 20 yards!

[sn1per 0]

glove wall definitely. Customers will take a gloves from a completely perfect wall, try it on, and then put it the peg the opposite way. Take a good look around buddy, all the other ones are not that way, obviously your observational skills are lacking or you need a cat scan. At this point, I feel like singing that Sesame Street song: "Which one of these doesn't belong...." but then I'd just be a jackass.

[jeffw 1]

I just got a call from one of the players on my adult league team. He wants to get new blades installed in his skates and get them sharpened before our game tonight.

We're on the ice in two hours and he lives 35 minutes away.

:lol:

[Docter Pepper 0]

Shop workers aren't perfect either. I had my skates dropped off a day before a game. When i went to pick them up about 45 minutes before the game my skates weren't there. It turned out they had given my skates away to someone else. It took them about 20 minutes to track down the person they gave the skates too, and another 20 for her to show up with my skates. It all worked out in the end, but being told we lost your skates is not a good feeling. Especially right before a game.

[devilsrule711 0]

so all they did was track down the person? not even do something to make up for ungodly mistake? like a discount or something?

[Docter Pepper 0]

I think they gave me a free sharpening. It was a couple years ago so i don't quite remember the specifics. I just remember the panicked feeling of being told my skates were gone. It turned out a mother was picking up her son's skates and she didn't know what they looked like. So she didn't realize she was given the wrong pair.

[Chadd 916]

It's not hard, or expensive, to use tags for drop off sharpenings. I can't imagine why any shop wouldn't use them.

[devilsrule711 0]

i think darkstar50's has that but like a valet card one goes with the skate and the other half stays with you

[hehatemefrisbee 0]

I actually had a guy call up and ask if we were any good at sharpening yesterday. I told him no, we're awful. Then obviously told him to give us a try and that we havent had any complaints.

[DarkStar50 679]

We get customers from around the world. Yesterday I was asked if we have "skating shoes?" That wasn't the first time I have been asked for "skating shoes."

A phone call shopper yesterday asked for the grey Bauer Vapor stick. I was confused until he said you know the goalie stick. Oh ok, I have the VAPOR GOAL STICK! Its all in the details.

Customer staring at glove wall with over 70 choices and colors: Do you have any other colors?

Customer staring at skate wall: Why is this skate $150 and this one $450? What makes it so expensive?

[jjalb29 0]

Phone call:

"Do you guys sharpen lawnmower blades?"

[Miserable 6]

Went into the pro shop at the rink Saturday morning after drop in and wanted to order some custom blades. There were no customers in the shop at all and the 2 young guys working were sitting down talking. I said good morning but got no response from either of them. I wanted to look at some other things before I spoke to anyone about ordering blades so I walked around for a bit but neither of them stopped their conversation or got up to ask me if I needed anything. I ended up walking out and I'll order my blades from another shop that I will be near on Friday.

I'm not done with that shop since they have been helpful in the past but you're not getting my money everytime if you can't bring the basics of customer service to the table when I come in the shop.

[DarkStar50 679]

I don't blame you for taking your $ to the other LHS. If I was their boss, I would rip those two guys a new one. If they sat on their butts again, I'd be sure to tell them don't let the door hit them in the butt on their way out after I let them go for good. Just think how many other customers they didn't bother to help, also. Oh excuse me, it should not have been a bother to help the customers. That was Joe Useless Employee's job: to help customers, not sit around and bs.

[Miserable 6]

For the most part the employees there are good, I've never seen these guys before though. I'll come back again but I can image they lost a bit of business if this is how everyone was treated that morning.

I'm a pretty reasonable person but I really hate walking into a store and being made to feel that I'm bothering the employees by being there.

[TML4LIFE 0]

We get customers from around the world. Yesterday I was asked if we have "skating shoes?" That wasn't the first time I have been asked for "skating shoes."

A phone call shopper yesterday asked for the grey Bauer Vapor stick. I was confused until he said you know the goalie stick. Oh ok, I have the VAPOR GOAL STICK! Its all in the details.

Customer staring at glove wall with over 70 choices and colors: Do you have any other colors?

Customer staring at skate wall: Why is this skate $150 and this one $450? What makes it so expensive?

I still like the customer that asks if we sell "butt plugs" ..

" ummm.. sorry sir.. we're not that kind of store.. you'll have to go up the street for that.. "

[hehatemefrisbee 0]

For the most part the employees there are good, I've never seen these guys before though. I'll come back again but I can image they lost a bit of business if this is how everyone was treated that morning.

I'm a pretty reasonable person but I really hate walking into a store and being made to feel that I'm bothering the employees by being there.

There is a fine line for sure. In our store, its a really laid back attitude, and our customers generally know that. We obviously greet our customers when they come in, but we dont like to pressure them when they are looking around. If you have worked in a store long enough, you know when someone needs help. In that case we ask them if we can be of any service to them.

[JR Boucicaut 3802]

I actually had a guy call up and ask if we were any good at sharpening yesterday. I told him no, we're awful. Then obviously told him to give us a try and that we havent had any complaints.

Guy did the same thing to me yesterday. I looked at him and told him, "I watched the video that came with the machine."

[Miserable 6]

There is a fine line for sure. In our store, its a really laid back attitude, and our customers generally know that. We obviously greet our customers when they come in, but we dont like to pressure them when they are looking around. If you have worked in a store long enough, you know when someone needs help. In that case we ask them if we can be of any service to them.

No doubt. I worked retail all through high school so I know both sides of it.

I actually appreciate the laid back store, if I need something I will ask and I'd rather not have someone follow me around pestering me but I always asked someone if they needed help when they first walked in. If they were just looking or didn't need help that was fine but at least they knew they could ask me for anything if they did later on.

[Chadd 916]

If I see someone staring at something for a minute or two or comparing two products, I'll ask if they need a hand or throw in a comment about one of the products they seem to be interested in.

[Langenbrunner15 0]

I actually had a guy call up and ask if we were any good at sharpening yesterday. I told him no, we're awful. Then obviously told him to give us a try and that we havent had any complaints.

Guy did the same thing to me yesterday. I looked at him and told him, "I watched the video that came with the machine."

priceless :P :P

[Miserable 6]

If I see someone staring at something for a minute or two or comparing two products, I'll ask if they need a hand or throw in a comment about one of the products they seem to be interested in.

That's the way it should be.