Why are gun shop employees/owners predominately dicks?

[mbills2223]

As I have tried to point out in my posts, DIALOG is the key to a successful interaction with any other human.

Old and young are equally receptive to reasoned dialog and intelligent thought.

BK6

Dialog is only a "key" if both parties are receptive by definition, and THAT seems to be the issue here. Gun shop employees caring not for dialog.

I can attempt all the dialog in the world when I'm working with older folks, but if they don't reciprocate (usually because a lack of respect for young individuals, or for harboring the same baseless attitude you have towards my generation), I'm left to feel like crap wondering what I could have done to better serve the patient, even though I went out of my way to help them.

 

[bigkahunasix]

Who are you calling young? I'm a half century old. I remember three channels and less than 75% b/w television saturation. Perhaps not as seasoned as you but damn close I'd wager- and a fellow vet as well.

And pomposity? Please.. Pop into a thread and defend the indefensible, telling the OP that they're whining and need to be "their own man", and you didn't expect to get a lash or two?

Buck up soldier. Age and the Internet have nothing to do with this.

.

Now I'm offended. "Soldier" my dying a**. "Marine", thank you.

If your 50+/- then you should know better. The guy screwed up, probably assuming you were looking for a carry piece- (and although he approached it poorly, he was correct. The baby Colts are known for light strikes and feed issues) BUT, you as a customer should have taken charge and explained your wants more clearly (collecting).

To get po'd and give up is a bit silly.

I'm 50-something too, medically retired and get agitated in many new gunshops. But I open my mouth and with my best drill field growl, straighten the issue out on the spot. If need be I see the owner for further redress of the issue.

I can tell (even though I got the age wrong) you are not a "shrinking violet" here, so why be one there.

Remember, pent up frustration is bad for your "old" heart.

BK6 aka Jim

 

[bigkahunasix]

Ironically, you don't get it.

Have you missed all of the others that have had similar experiences? How is that even possible? It's got to be 10:1. Are we starting to learn why you no longer have a gun store?

Good lord.
.

And you missed my point entirely, if you don't open your mouth...NOTHING CHANGES.

You are the customer.....let that LGS owner know why you aren't spending money in his shop. He should appreciate it, I would have.

BK6

 

[bigkahunasix]

Dialog is only a "key" if both parties are receptive by definition, and THAT seems to be the issue here. Gun shop employees caring not for dialog.

I can attempt all the dialog in the world when I'm working with older folks, but if they don't reciprocate (usually because a lack of respect for young individuals, or for harboring the same baseless attitude you have towards my generation), I'm left to feel like crap wondering what I could have done to better serve the patient, even though I went out of my way to help them.

The employee isn't going to halt his behavior without a stimuli to encourage it- Like prying the bosses boot from his a**, or seeking employment elsewhere.

You have the power to encourage change at a bad LGS, but you have to take action to do anything. Coming here and commiserating about a bad experience helps nobody.

Help fix what you can and spend your hard earned money there. Folks will notice.

BK6

 

[mbills2223]

The employee isn't going to halt his behavior without a stimuli to encourage it- Like prying the bosses boot from his a**, or seeking employment elsewhere.

You have the power to encourage change at a bad LGS, but you have to take action to do anything. Coming here and commiserating about a bad experience helps nobody.

Help fix what you can and spend your hard earned money there. Folks will notice.

BK6

I think the idea is that getting good service shouldn't be like pulling teeth. The idea is that if we get bad service we speak with our money rather than make a scene. If sales go down, and an owner is too ignorant to figure out why, then no amount of dialog could fix that anyway.

 

[bigkahunasix]

Let me clear up a couple things...

I'm not a LGS is always right fanboy. In fact, most gunshop owners/employees are nowhere near as smart as they should be on firearms or related issues.

You, as an informed consumer should seek out a LGS that can answer most of the questions you pose (and already know the answers to) correctly and honestly. Then build a relationship from there. Meet the owner, employees can't always answer your question but the boss should be willing to at least try.

Salesmen/women are NOT subject matter experts, they are sales people- key point, remember it and always check your info.

Only customers can change a business, vote with your mouth AND your money. The bank statements can cause a profound shift in a business model.

That's it. I'll STHU now.

 

[danielson]

I see where hes going there.. If you just say screw it, and go home and buy it at buds, and everyone else does, the owner might not even have ever known what the problem was, as hes closing the doors for good..

 

[bigkahunasix]

OK, I lied.

Remember, alot of you are condemning an entire shop because of a single employee encounter.

Painting with a broad brush???

Goodnight.

 

[bigkahunasix]

I see where hes going there.. If you just say screw it, and go home and buy it at buds, and everyone else does, the owner might not even have ever known what the problem was, as hes closing the doors for good..

 

[eSC]

Now I'm offended. "Soldier" my dying a**. "Marine", thank you.

If your 50+/- then you should know better. The guy screwed up, probably assuming you were looking for a carry piece- (and although he approached it poorly, he was correct. The baby Colts are known for light strikes and feed issues) BUT, you as a customer should have taken charge and explained your wants more clearly (collecting).

To get po'd and give up is a bit silly.

I'm 50-something too, medically retired and get agitated in many new gunshops. But I open my mouth and with my best drill field growl, straighten the issue out on the spot. If need be I see the owner for further redress of the issue.

I can tell (even though I got the age wrong) you are not a "shrinking violet" here, so why be one there.

Remember, pent up frustration is bad for your "old" heart.

BK6 aka Jim

Listen, I found out everything I needed to know the moment he crapped on it, I even told him I was looking to add to my collection post P238 peek.

He obviously didn't care and continued to push the P for whatever reason (again, I saw none on the shelves).

Didn't matter at that point. He'd already pissed me off showing me how dangerous it was to draw like he assumed I would draw. I even explained to him that I do not draw in that fashion.

Still, it would not have been worth my time to run to the owner (assuming it wasn't him) and do that sort of real whining about that particular poor, albeit, benign salesmanship.

I still must stress, as I did in the OP, It's not about this incident. This has grown from a multitude of similar experiences over the years in this industry for me personally (and apparently many more). Some have even ended in mild bickering, most often than not however, I simply tell them in so many words that they are not helping followed with 'so long'.

You're right, I am by no means a shrinking violet, I just know, having been on the other side of many a counter in my years, that arguing with certain people about their behavior is fruitless. They usually do what you described earlier, labeling that customer as a "yahoo you detested".

It's not giving up, it's the knowledge that you are likely to solve nothing.

I came here with this only to find out if others have had similar experiences.

.

 

[eSC]

And you missed my point entirely, if you don't open your mouth...NOTHING CHANGES.

You are the customer.....let that LGS owner know why you aren't spending money in his shop. He should appreciate it, I would have.

BK6

No, you applauded a post that spoke to one incidence or isolated incidences.

Having said that, telling a shop owner you are not going to return is probably a good idea, though I doubt that most would care. See my last post. That, and It's still not my job to police them or their employees, except with my patronage or lack thereof.

I get paid to help companies do various things they've no talent for. I'm not in the business to dispense free advise any more than they are to dispense free merchandise.


.

 

[danielson]

I was an Indianapolis area representative for the Scotts Miracle Gro company for 3 years. An older gentleman came to me one morning, complaining about how his apple trees never bear much fruit, and its the **** in the water, and its the sun, and its the damn bugs, all those damn bugs "I try different stuff every year to kill those bastards" I asked him when he was appling.. Turns out, he was applying insecticide to the tree as the buds were blooming. Thats when they rely on insects to polinate the flowers, in order to produce fruit.. I never hesitated to dispute this mans behaviors.. I haven't talked to him since, but I bet his apples are abundant.

 

[Hookeye]

I loved it when I worked in a shop, all the junk science and recommendations from customers, to other customers, counter to what I and my coworkers found to be true.

You try to inform somebody, when they ask questions, and some douche has to play know it all.

Guess what? Some salespeople actually do know WTF they're talking about.

But............I and my coworker, never offered an opinion unless asked.

Some customers ask, many do not. A few took issue with our answers, and most of them came back later in agreement.

Can't please everybody all the time. Some folks are more "needy" than others. It's a terrible balancing act.

For the mostpart one just smiles and plays neutral, doesn't try to hit them with info overload (even when they ask a lot).

Helps protect one's sanity.

Dealing with the public sucks. There simply aren't enough good customers to offset all the jerks.

Yup, even the most tacticool or crusty of shop staff is IMHO way easier to tolerate than the average customer. I can look around, keep my mouth shut and leave if I don't like something. Pretty simple. No need to get bent, just go to a different shop.

 

[eSC]

I think the idea is that getting good service shouldn't be like pulling teeth. The idea is that if we get bad service we speak with our money rather than make a scene. If sales go down, and an owner is too ignorant to figure out why, then no amount of dialog could fix that anyway.

^^ this

You are beyond your years

.

 

[87iroc]

My biggest gripe about LGS's is the ones where its the buddy system. If you're a friend they'll talk and talk and talk. A new customer walks in...they'll ignore you. I guess teh thought is if you want something you'll interrupt their discussion of Politics or whatever(I was taught thats rude) and ask for help.

I tend to avoid shops that won't talk to me when I walk in the door.

 

[Hookeye]

FWIW I was at a shop once as a customer when another customer made a comment about legal deer hunting equipment. He said cap and ball revolvers are illegal for deer hunting.

I tried to explain how the regs were written and all I got was "they're illegal" repeatedly.

Well guess what?

They aren't.

The state considers cap and ball revolvers as muzzleloaders (gee, remember in the regs the wording "capable of being loaded from the muzzle" ???).

By type, cap and ball revolvers are NOT illegal.

But the state has regulations on muzzeloader handguns, by minimum caliber, bbl length and having to be single shot. And those rules pretty much exclude all current cap and ball factory offerings.

So one could have a cap and ball revolver, if of .50 cal min, and proper bbl length, made such that only one chamber was usable, and be legal.

You wonder why shop employees are dicks?

It's because we have to deal with loud mouth idiots like that all the friggin' time, who basically call us liars and or stupid.

Yeah, I thought that was the ruling for years, but actually contacted the state for verification.

Not all sales people (current/former) are friggin' stupid.

 

[BiscuitNaBasket]

Some people are opinionated and want you to know that they know about this or that. I've never been to a gun shop where the staff just came off as A-holes without being provoked.

 

[Manatee]

Here's one from the other side. A gentleman calls last week and asks if I can find 2 different revolvers for him and his wife. I checked my distributors and found one at a very good price for him; the other was an "American Rifleman" revolver, which means it will be in high demand in ordinary times and outrageously priced on Gunbroker. So, he asks me to order the available firearm and he would stop by on Saturday morning to put a deposit down. Fine.

On Saturday afternoon, I call and say the gun is ordered, you didn't show up at the expected time. No phone call either. What's up? He says he went out shooting with a friend and blew off our meeting, but he would be by at 8 a.m. Monday. I normally don't open until 10 a.m., but this guy wanted a firearm that wasn't going to last in distributor inventory very long...so I said OK.

Today, I call him at 9 a.m. telling him: 1) he didn't call to say he was going to be late 2) he broke 2 meeting times, 3) no deposit on the special order and 4) Don't bother to call or stop by because the order is cancelled and I don't want his business under any circumstances.

Now, that might appear to be a little aggressive on my part, but I also believe your word is your bond.

 

[Hookeye]

Word and or handshake should be good enough.
Unfortunately many people who pee standing up today are not men.

 

[danielson]

BAM.... and thuth shall be spoken