LDS Treatment

[TechBlack]

I've been a loyal customer to a local shop for the last 4 years now, I started with them, and only recently, the last 9 months or so, have I been getting fed up with the service there. In the last 3-4 years I've easily spent $7k - $10k in there. I called last week, looking for pricing on a new wing. I've been in the market for the last month or so, looking for an upgrade to my old banded OMS. It came down to the 60lbs non banded OMS, and the Halcyon Explorer 55lbs. When I called the shop, i got the owner that answered. He gave me pricing, which was very good, for the OMS, he doesn't carry halcyon. When I asked how long it would be to get it, he essentially told me off, complaining about how he just placed an OMS order, and it would be several weeks before he would be placing another. He went on to complain about how customers want things " right now " and how he's fed up of " losing money " to bring in just one or two items that he doesn't stock. Needless to say this entire experience put a bad taste in my mouth towards this shop, and I ended up buying the Halcyon, from a competitor of his, who was both very pleasant to deal with, and had the product in stock. Maybe I caught him on a bad day, but he won't be seeing too much business from me in the future!!

 

[RICHinNC]

Having once operated a small (in home) business, I can probably with some confidence say you hit the poor guy right after he had had a not too good conversation with a supplier.

However having said that......I notice more and more today that businesses forget....totally forget.....service. I went to an lds in my town and wanted to get the Zeigle equivalent to an airsource and I was very specific that I did want it if it had special size connectors or I couldnt get it with the correct size hose. When it finally showed up.....almost 6 weeks later.....it took special size connectors and had the wrong hose. The lds guy said, no worry we can make it fit, I made a comment I didnt want anything jerry rigged. He went ballistic. All up in my face and accusing me of implying he put divers in danger. When he finally said that maybe he should just keep the reg and sell it to someone else, I held up my credit card and told him, yep you do that....and never will you see this piece of plastic again.

I believe an owner must understand sales psychology and most I run into dont have a clue. I did high quality picture framing. For some reason....almost everyone that came into my shop thought it ought to be for dang near FREE. There is an ungodly amount of overhead in that business. But that didnt give me the leeway to be abusive or just plain stupid with customers. Everyone wanted discounts....and in some cases they got it....they were the ones who had spent big bucks with me.
Customer service is totally a lost art.
Pardon me for joining in your rant. Its a pet peeve of mine too.

 

[pilot fish]

I've been a loyal customer to a local shop for the last 4 years now, I started with them, and only recently, the last 9 months or so, have I been getting fed up with the service there. In the last 3-4 years I've easily spent $7k - $10k in there. I called last week, looking for pricing on a new wing. I've been in the market for the last month or so, looking for an upgrade to my old banded OMS. It came down to the 60lbs non banded OMS, and the Halcyon Explorer 55lbs. When I called the shop, i got the owner that answered. He gave me pricing, which was very good, for the OMS, he doesn't carry halcyon. When I asked how long it would be to get it, he essentially told me off, complaining about how he just placed an OMS order, and it would be several weeks before he would be placing another. He went on to complain about how customers want things " right now " and how he's fed up of " losing money " to bring in just one or two items that he doesn't stock. Needless to say this entire experience put a bad taste in my mouth towards this shop, and I ended up buying the Halcyon, from a competitor of his, who was both very pleasant to deal with, and had the product in stock. Maybe I caught him on a bad day, but he won't be seeing too much business from me in the future!!

Hmmmmmmmmmmm? Let's see, fed up with Local Dive Shop? Boy, that's original. Can a suggestion to buy online be far behind? Oh, yeah, great prices from certain online scuba gear sellers and all that great personal service. Too funny.

 

[TechBlack]

I did high quality picture framing. For some reason....almost everyone that came into my shop thought it ought to be for dang near FREE. There is an ungodly amount of overhead in that business. But that didnt give me the leeway to be abusive or just plain stupid with customers. Everyone wanted discounts....and in some cases they got it....they were the ones who had spent big bucks with me.
Customer service is totally a lost art.
Pardon me for joining in your rant. Its a pet peeve of mine too.

No worries about joinig the rant, I know alot of people have posted about the service at their lds, I just needed to vent. I work in customer service, and if i ever treated a customer like that, wether he was a moron or not, it would be the end of my job!!! Price wasn't even a big issue, i ended up spending almost $125 more than I originally had planned, but you know what, I was treated very well at the new shop, the owner even lent me a scooter of his to try since we were both diving the same site last saturday. I don't know of too many people that would do that!!! It goes to show you that there is good service out there, and online isn't always the answer, but sometimes you have to look hard to find it!!

 

[RICHinNC]

Thanks for letting jump in....

As for the scooter....hope you know he was hoping you would get all hot about one and pull out the plastic again....yet it was cool all the same right?

I would love to start a company that goes around to businesses and evaluates their customer service. Interesting thought i just had.......go to a place ...see how i am treated.....send a woman after me looking for exactly the same thing....see how she is treated....so on.

anyone want to hire me??????

 

[TechBlack]

LOL!!! sounds like a great idea!! yeah IO knew right off the bat he was hoping to sell me on one!! funny thing is this guy lives just up the road from me, small world!! it was fun none the less, and i would love to get my hands on one, but things like rent and car payments kinda prevent me!! rats!! =)

 

[pennypue]

Thanks for letting jump in....

As for the scooter....hope you know he was hoping you would get all hot about one and pull out the plastic again....yet it was cool all the same right?

I would love to start a company that goes around to businesses and evaluates their customer service. Interesting thought i just had.......go to a place ...see how i am treated.....send a woman after me looking for exactly the same thing....see how she is treated....so on.

anyone want to hire me??????

oh oh, me too!!!
I'll be the woman just after you.

(Well not that I'm after you.....not that I wouldn't be if I met you.......but you know.)

 

[RICHinNC]

Go ahead penny....spit it out....whatcha trying to say????

lol

 

[pennypue]

Go ahead penny....spit it out....whatcha trying to say????

lol

Hey Baby........

Hubba, Hubba, bubbles..............

 

[pilot fish]

Hey Baby........

Hubba, Hubba, bubbles..............

Hubba hubba? Is this a 40s movie?